So my 140k didn’t make it past 110 miles, off a top end rebuild. Was hoping for the best when I was replacing timing cover and redid the heads but looks like had too much abuse from previous owner.

Since I just redid the heads, could I just swap them into a fresh bottom assembly and be good to go??

What exactly happened?

Bought the vehicle with an oil leak, on the way home the oil pressure light was going off and on. So took it apart and i found a 12MM deep socket, plastic, and a shiny piece of metal that almost looked like a corner of a bearing. So redid the the heads, HG, oil pump, water pump, timing components. put it back together and ran fine at start up, got an occasional oil pressure light. We about 105 miles running smooth, on the way home yesterday on a highway when i got off. Accelerator felt weird and when i lowered the music down heard a knocking coming from the engine. Pulled over, no signs of overheating, but when i turned car off and turned the switch to on, the gauge was up past half.

So now my question is, if i buy the bottom half from Toyota already assembled, can i just through my heads on there and i'm good to go. Toyota in my area is actually running a 25% discount on parts online so brings it down to $3100.

A rebuilt motor from Kar King is around $4300. but reviews are hit or miss.

junkyard in my area are $3400 and up.

So many questions!
What engine?
Took what apart?
Found socket and stuff where?

Sorry is a 2005 v6 4.0

So when i initially got it, i obviously knew about the oil leak so i started the steps to repair. i kept finding things that bothered me so i kept taking it apart.

When i took the cover off, the timing was off a tooth.
As i was removing stuff, found alot of clear silicone, i'm assuming that was stop leak stuff.

So next i went ahead and took the smaller oil pan out, found a 12mm long socket laying in there, some plastic from a seal of some sort, and now as i was looking at the parts to see what i need for a rebuild, i'm pretty sure the piece of metal i found was a thrust bearing, as it looks exactly like the smaller one in the parts diagram. The oil pan oil was sludgy thick.
.
When i took the heads off as well their was white stuff caked around the edges, i'm assuming that was from a stop leak as well.

cleaned everything up as best i can. Changed every internal parts their was, got the heads done, and reassembled. started right up first start, idled fine.

got an occasional oil pressure light but nothing constant. put about 105 miles on it, was running smooth, but on the ride home yesterday was riding about 90mph. and came to the exit when i stopped at the light, the oil pressure light was blinking but staying on more consistent than before no overheating on the gauge, but was hearing a knock.

So turned it off when i pulled over, let it rest for a second, turned right back on but was knocking pretty loud. so got it towed home.

I'm assuming a bearing went out, so started looking at options.

If rebuild myself about $1600 in parts, buying new pistons, rods, etc.
would have to get motor honed and crank sent off so i'm assuming another like $600-700 for that. totaling $2300

Now since i have redone the heads, my thought was why not keep it going with buying new parts, and buy the short block from toyota $3100 and than just throw my heads and timing components that were all new anyway in there. Would avoid me making any specifications mistakes assembling the bottom half if i rebuilt it myself.

does my logic sound good, as far as its going to work fine??

If you're saying you can get an assembled short block (pistons & crank in the block, ready to go) for $3100, right now, brand spanking new from Toyota, and you're having engine problems... man, that is a STEAL of a deal.

The heads, due to their small, simple, and work-bench inspectable nature, can be gone through at any reputable engine building shop, and determined to be good or scrap.

But the bottom end is always a crap shoot. If you can get the absolute best replacement for that kinda money, get 'er dun!

A friend of mine spent more than that for a decent condition V6 that had a casting piece broke off (he was able to salvage that part from his V6).

i was definitely looking at the wrong diagram. ahhhhhhhh.
most likely gonna take engine out and open it up see what my options are.

That stinks. When I got my truck it also had the oil light flickering. First thing I did was add an external pressure gauge and sure enough it would drop to almost 0 after it warmed up. Shut it for a minute and it would be ok for a few more mins. I found sludge everywhere including the oil pickup screen, that was like melted plastic on it as the oil was so bad it solidified. Former owner was obviously bad with oil changes, it was disheartening. I ended up cleaning what I could then running an oil flush bottle through it, I had nothing to lose at that point. May have run ATF in the oil for a few miles too, I think. I ran it a few miles at a time with the ATF until the cleaning stabilized things. Pretty sure the pressure relief valve was sticking open from old oil deposits as it's been over 20k since I have had oil pressure under 20psi. Sounds like you're past that point sadly.

Definitely passed. Hopefully nothing major needs to be replaced besides some bearings, but it’s knocking pretty loud.

I was debating changing pistons, rods, and crank but wanna open her up see what I’m working with, as it is around $2300 for those oem.

I know for sure I found one of the thrust washers in that oil pan so I’m sure crank rocked a little more than it needed too. And the knocking hopefully didn’t damage anything but only time will tell once I open it.

So far have all the components out of the way. Was debating pulling the heads, as looks like I have more access clearance to bolts and more room with the heads off to pull this engine.

Next gotta get the headers off, tranny disconnected, and motor mounts. Should be able to pull after that.

It doesn't sound like there is a way around at the very least having to do some work on the block, and replace the crank, bearings, rods an pistons.. i guess it depends on what you value your time at and how high is your confidence in getting everything back together 100% to spec.. I would say if you're dropping this kind of money on a rebuild that you're looking to keep long term, an extra 800 bucks for a completely put together, OEM bottom end that is the route i'm going.. no messing around with tearing apart the old block, taking to a machine shop, doing all the reassembly, etc.. not to mention you can probably get a few buck out of your bottom end maybe? Even if it was 100-200 bucks that would make a new bottom end right at , or just under 3k ... just my .02. Good luck with it either way!

For a toyota bottom end, is there a core refund involved?

i wasnt paying attention and was looking at the wrong diagram, so no. parts are still expensive as hell. lol but getting her done. right now just weighing out my options. today got as much as the heads off. tomorrow have to take off the exhaust bolts to pull the headers, than work on the transmission bolts and the bolts for the torque converter. i've been spraying all the bolts with wd40, as those motor mount bolts look like a pain in the ass.

so far, alot of dirty oil. piston closet to the drivers firewall, has play, the rest still feel tight, but wont know till i get down under. hopefully tomorrow afternoon, or night i'll have the motor on a motor stand and whippin ass opening it up..

cause shit i am tired...

continued from yesterday as i needed to get some 5 pt sockets as to not mess up some bolts that were a little rusty. but got the engine out, chipped the corner of it where the dowel is but what can i do. gonna eat something and than open the bottom up see what i'm working with.

never did find a solid answer if you can bore these if their was a little contact from piston... so need to find that out. but more info once i open it up later tonight.

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man what a ride to get this thing done....

luckily i like to research alot and recently found cheaper oem parts through the dealer so during my research came across the part#1140039135 which is the short block. saw one on ebay which included everything, so i hmmmmm wtf, thought i was told its just the bare block. so called two toyota dealers to confirm part#1140039135 is for short block assembly 1grfe. has pistons, crank, rods, bearings, etc. my total with tax and discount of 25% parts sale came out to about $2500. so hopefully get it in a couple of days as it states they had it local.

Hell yea man, $2500 for a complete bottom end assembly from toyota is honestly not bad one bit and is bound to save tons of time and stress in making sure you assembled yours correctly after getting all the machining out of the way.