shorepound

Where do i look and how much should I expect to pay for the motor?

The rig is perfect at the beach here in NE FL. My mechanic advised against a hg replacement because the gaskets were supposedly replaced in July of 2011.

I'm the second owner, bought the rig in 06 with less than 80k miles on it.

I have a 2002 Kia Sportage with 70k miles on it. Thinking of selling it to pay for a motor to put into the rig.

Finally, where can I reasonably look online for a motor?

rworegon

If Toyota did the work it should be logged here with your VIN after you make and account:

Toyota owners online

Did this mechanic change the HG in 2011? What other work was done at that time? Heads resurfaced?

shorepound

Has anyone bought a motor from these guys? http://www.gotengines.com/

donomite49

how about a JDM (japanese domestic market) engine off e-bay?
less than 50k miles.

2.7 or 3.4 should go way more than 170k.

TrikeKid

Not all engines in a given family/displacement are the same, I would be wary of buying one built for another market and trying to install it in a US market truck. Lots of 80's trucks running the turd that is the 21-RU because they were sold from Japan as a 22R replacement. Also, good luck with a warranty on a grey market engine.

Head to car-part.com and see what wrecking yards in your area have them on hand. Toyota engines run on the high side for yard prices, probably looking at 1000-1200 for an engine.

etc.

What proof do you have that the HG is bad???

shorepound

etc,

I actually have rethought this. I have tomorrow off, so what I'm going to do is go to each shop I've been to to have work done on the rig and get a printout of the 'work done.'

After I go over all of that I'll take it to my mechanic (whom I trust) and go from there.

My dumb@$$ needs to get better and keeping records of major repairs.

Off the top of my head, I know I've spend some coin on the rig in the past couple years:

-New steering rack
-new radiator
-new transmission radiator
-transmission flush (3) and new filter (done by me)
-new egr valve (done by me)
-all new sway bar links (done by me)
-new catalytic converter
-all new belts
-new alternator (done by me)
-all new plugs and wires

Now here's where it gets fuzzy...I'm pretty sure at one point I had a leaking manifold, so I had that 'fixed' but I need to get the specifics of what was done to 'fix' it.

I might not have even had the head gasket replaced?! I'm such an idiot. I certainly know that I have never experienced the white smoke, oil mixing with coolant, engine sucking air that I am experiencing now.

So with that said, I've already put a great deal of money into the ride. I bought it in 2006 for $8,800.00 and had it paid off in 2009.

Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions? I'd love any and all feedback.

Thanks for putting up with my ineptitude. I am getting better.

shorepound

Here's a pic from a few months ago. You guys now know why I want to keep this baby on the road.

etc.

If it is a HG, the radiator hose will be rock hard once its warmed up. You could also pressurize the coolant system and see if it holds steady.

Could that white smoke you are seeing be condensation in the pipes burning off?

Where are you seeing the coolant/oil mixure?

I'm personally very sceptic of mechanics in general. They dont always have your best intrests at heart. If you do take you truck to be inspected (if you are not capable), keep an eye on how they perform the tests, then ask what tests they performed, what the results were and how they came to that conclusion.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Something does not feel right here.

Just what engine are we talking about??

Just what kind of head gasket failure ??

There are a few different kinds:jessica:

Ask your mechanic perhaps he feels unqualified to change head gaskets much more know how needed then pulling and installing the same engine.

If this is a 3.4 I would myself much rather redo this one then take a chance on a unknown one. That I would rebuild on principal :jessica:

shorepound

It's the 2.7 liter 4 cyl motor for base model 199 4Runner.

A few weeks ago I noticed the truck was sucking air after I started it; then almost immediately white smoke was billowing out of the tailpipe, I could smell coolant, and truck was noticeably weaker.

At first the oil looked good and there wasn't any oil in the radiator, but after driving it back and forth to the mechanic's shop, the radiator overflow container has oil in it, and the oil on the dip stick is not as clear as it was before all this happened.

I really appreciate all of your help, fellas.

I pulled all my service records this weekend and I definitely have not had the HG replaced. It was actually the valve cover gasket that got replaced.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

You shouldn't have had to do a HG at that mileage, much less again less than 2 years later.

Rebuild what you got by a competent mechanic, not just someone you trust.

:wabbit2:

shorepound

That's what I'm thinking. What's the average cost for the procedure (parts, labor, etc)?

I will get more than one quote, for sure.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Toyota HG kit is $500+ parts alone I bet

Bend over.

:wabbit2:

shorepound

Yeah I am expecting to pay close to $2k after all is said and done.

rworegon

Gasket kit is in the under $200 range for Toyota OE

See here: Gasket Kit, Engine Valve Grind

Of course, you'll want to have the heads pressure tested, cleaned, and re-surfaced. Also, maybe water pump, etc. replaced.

shorepound

thank you @rworegon

shorepound

Well, I'm back.

I finally got the money together to have the head redone, took the rig to my mechanic to have the head redone. He called and said he didn't want to do the job because he thinks the lower end will fail within a few months anyways. He's dead set on replacing the whole motor at this point. I can't find any good motors anywhere, so I'm pretty much at a loss as to what to do.

Can you guys offer any advice? Much appreciated...

shorepound

Another question: are there any other motor replacement options?

rworegon

Is this the same mechanic who replaced the HG two years prior?
Yes, some say the lower end will go, but many of us have replaced HGs without lower end issues cropping up later (at least on the 3.4 5vz-fe that I'm more familiar with).