Great forum here! I've learned a ton just from reading around already. Now I'm ready for some real live advice from some who have been there.

My 4runner and 22re has 167k miles on it, and before it started leaking burned next to no oil. Like maybe a 1/2 qt between oil changes.

Now it has a ghastly clatter in the valvetrain, and the mechanic says I'm looking at a new cam in a few thousand miles or so...

Here is my train of logic, see if it makes any sense. Or if I should derail it at some point.

I can pull the cam and replace it, but then since I'm de-torquing the head bolts I may as well pull the head and do a head job and the head gasket while I'm at it. But if I'm going to go that far, I may as well pull the whole engine and do that pesky leaking rear main seal that is making me crazy lately, while also making it easier to do the head job. Of course, once I have the whole engine out, why not just to a complete rebuild on it with one of those great engnbldr kits I've been hearing so much about. But then, once I buy the kit and pay the machine shop and everything, it is only a few hundred dollars more (and way less hassle) to get a professionally remanufactured 22re locally and have the piece of mind that comes with having your engine built by a pro who actually has a clue.

So, where do I stop? Maybe pull it, do the rear main and head and check all the tolerances on the short block, see if it really needs a rebuild? But it is quite a bit better deal to get the rebuild kit all together than to start with the cam and head gasket and the various stuff I'd need to do it peicemeal. I really don't want to be truckless for a couple of weeks while I decide what I'm doing and order the right parts...

*sigh*

So, what do you think?

 

wherever the wallet stops you.
pro-rebuild should be the best and then work backwards.

personally i enjoy the rebuild process so id go that route and i get a piece of my own mind on the success of it.