Warped cylinder head - Replace or write off?

I bought this 07 reg cab used at a dealership for $7k. It started having issues last month (on the day my brother and I were moving, no less) with overheating. $500 for a new radiator. $10 for a radiator cap the shop didn't replace. $750 for an engine temperature sensor. Another $750 for a fuel pump - that I didn't pay because when I went to pick it up today they told me that there was a coolant leak and that it was probably a warped cylinder head from the overheating, or a crack in the block.

What are my options here, realistically? The shop that's handling things now (that diagnosed the actual problem, and whom I trust implicitly) said that it would probably be cheaper to just drop a new engine in.

I'm not sure if this is worth it, for an '07 reg cab.

There is another $1700 worth of work (that I know of) that will need to be done in the next few months, as well.

All of my vehicle deaths have been violent and premature, I'm not sure how to handle pulling the plug on one.

 

i4 or v6?

 

It's the i4, yes.

 

DAMN man I wish you were closer to NY. I have a friend who's daughter wrecked his 08 Tacoma with a 2.7 with around 70,000 miles on it. Motor has no damage. I would try to make a deal with you on yours. Worst part is he took collision ins off it 2 weeks before.

 

Thaaaaaaaaaaaat sucks. I honestly wouldn't feel comfortable selling you this truck, man. It's had a bunch of sketchy intermittent stuff going on since I bought it and I'm pretty sure it's only gonna get worse.

 

I think you just answered your own question.

 

Touche`.

Yeah, I think so. Thanks man. Guess I'm moving over to the 2nd gen parts thread to part it out.

 

You my friend are an honest man !

 

Well hold on a sec. If it's a regular cab, 4x4 - I might hold off on parting it out. Those things are getting to be unobtanium and might be worth holding on to as a wheeler build.

 

I wish. If it was a reg cab 4x4 I'd be excited about getting a new engine...

 

Your 1st post you listed it as a reg cab.

 

https://imgur.com/IipI1HV
Yes. It is a regular cab, 2wd, automatic transmission 2.7 i4.

 

How hard would it be to convert to 4x4

 

Nice truck,What will a new one cost you verses a $1700 repair bill?

 

What's your current mileage? if it's a warped Cylinder head, you can have it resurfaced and freshened up at a machine shop. Or just buy a good used cylinder head.
Cracked block= new engine

 

I got the estimate from the mechanic earlier - $4k to do the cylinder head, $6k to put a low-mileage (40-70k) engine in. $5500, but he said (and I agree) that getting an older engine is just setting myself up for the same problems. So, right now, at minimum, it's going to

Known issues/costs:
4000 - Cylinder head
400 - Brakes
400 - Tires
900 - Control arm (driver side joint is cracked, this was a known issue I was going to get fixed next month)
*750 - Fuel pump (Maybe, but it had bleed back according to the mechanic)

$5700 total

Already put into it:
500 - Radiator
750 - Spark plugs and contacts or something
10 - Radiator cap from when shop #1 didn't replace it

That's almost $7k into it, minimum.

~163000

So, here's a follow-up question for y'all:
Would it be better to sell it outright, or would I get more parting it out? It's all stock stuff, but I'd like to get $4-5k to put down on something newer and/or reliable. Mechanic recommended I get an '05 Civic, debating on it heavily. The 3rd gen front ends are god awful edgelord magnets, and you can't buy Tacomas in a regular cab anymore anyway. I'm not rich enough to import a Hilux. :/

 

No way in hell I’d sink that kind of money into that truck.

Cut your losses and sell it for as much as you can get.

Also, never implicitly trust your mechanic. Good ones go bad every day. Had a good shop years ago, now I’d be hesitant to take anything to them. Nothing wrong with second opinions. At the very least, I’d call a couple of shops and ask for a price to replace the parts he’s suggesting. Maybe it’s a big job I dunno, but $750 for an engine temp sensor??? Damn.....

Also, you’re in a truck which suggests you like/have uses for a truck. What was the reasoning behind the 05 civic recommendation? Does he or someone he knows happen to have one for sale? If so, red flag.

 

That shop is a rip off IMO

 

Temp sensor is a $25 part, so why did they charge $750?? You can easily change that yourself.

$750 for spark plugs is crazy as hell too.

 

That mechanic is trying to rob you blind. A lot of those things are very easy to do yourself. There's no way in hell I would pay someone to change my spark plugs or brakes. Those are basic maintenance tasks. It seems like everything he is quoting is at least double, if not triple what it should be.