Putting a 4.0L in a 2.7L access cab. What's my budget?

Looks like I may be buying a 2009 access with a blown motor. Still runs but damn its rough. 85k and waterpump quit but driver pushed on. Anyhow what would my expected budget be to put in a 4.0l. The truck is mint and seller wants 7k. Locally I can get a 4.0l with 54k on it for $4000.00. Should I go used or I do a rebuilt?

 

as in rebuild the engine?
4.0L probably not gonna need a rebuild with 54k miles

 

You would be WAAAAAAAAY better off, money and timewise to buy the truck, put a used 2.7L back in it, flip it for a profit, and by a V6 Taco.

 

“Just sell it and buy a v6”
“It can’t be done”
“It’ll be too expensive”

That should cover most of the typical TW responses. Hopefully someone with more mechanical knowledge will chime in now. The transmissions are different so that’ll need to be changed or adapted to fit the 4.0. That’s about as far as I can get you

 

From the questions it sounds like it is not a DIY job. Recommend asking your trusted local mechanics for an estimate and recommendations.

 

actually finding the unicorn that is a:
-2nd gen tacoma
-4.0L V6
-manual
-access cab

and so on
seems very hard to do

mechanics usually repair stock cars
not build custom ones

I have pulled engines and changed transmissions DIY at home.
It is not hard.
People just do it more on other brands than Tacoma's for some reason.
Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, and so on.

maybe many Tacoma people are wealthy somehow and pay others to do things for them. Like $100k/yr salary good jobs. How else to pay for steel armor and suspension upgrades.
other car brand people are usually broke and resort to DIY because they have no choice.

If you think swapping a metal part like a transmission is hard, I don't know what to tell you.
There is a reason for the term "parts hanger" for certain mechanics. Because it takes no knowledge or skill to hang parts.
And changing transmissions, clutches, etc. is considered to fall within the hanging parts category.
It is not as hard as understanding and diagnosing a control module/computer, and so on.
The people who design that stuff? Hard job.
Removing a transmission? A blindfolded child can do this.

 

There are several pieces to the puzzle that make it both prohibitively expensive and complex. Both engines use a different ECU/tune. There are more than just a couple of parts to swap hence why people don’t do it routinely.

 

cool swap it. Get a used ECU for $100 and code it with a scan tool.
Factories usually make the parts interchangeable at the base level so they are already made before orders come in, and they set the computer to whatever build spec the customer orders. Enter code digit xxx53 for 6-speed manual, xxx52 for 5-speed, on the same ECU, and so on. These figures are not exact. It's just a general idea. The software is usually already in the hardware, it's just up to whoever working on it to pick what to select.
Unless Toyota does it differently. Which I doubt.
auto probably has a second TCU. Manual probably has none.
But yes it can be easier to just buy the truck how you want it.
The first time you build such a thing is a learning experience. It's not something you usually want to do a second time.

 

You need the ECU and security modules with the donor and maybe the keys too, not sure. I think the cost outweighs the value. 09 access with no drive train is not worth 9 stacks. Flip it with a reman 2.7 and go buy a good truck.
Just my .02
Zim

 

I would like to comment, but I may say something to get myself in trouble.

 

Ya Its labor day weekend my shop is closed till Tuesday. I just got off the phone and offered him 5 cash. He didn't say no. Didn't say yes. I am pretty sure I could have the current engine redone for in the $3-4k range. Though what fun would that be. I have been looking for a project vehicle for a while now. This is the best I have seen in my search. Its mint inside and out well serviced with a spray on bed liner and yearly undercoatings. Lights are a little foggy but that's expected. Not sure what would be needed for tranny but I have ideas.

 

No, I meant rebuild existing

 

My bro out a small block 350 in this. worth every penny.

 

I'd put in a LS before a V6 for a project. Be a cool sleeper. 5.3/6.0 with the harness are cheap, much less than 4k. Fab some mounts, and be gone.
Zim

 

x2

 

I want it. If he takes 5 i im goingng all in.

 

above pic is cruiser with 350. W
asn't cheap but he did a lot fab work himself.

 

You are a bad influence on me. LOL

 

I love that Audi in your avatar. I had a 79 with a 5cyl I drove in Germany and it did 120mph for hours on the autobahn.
Zim