Hey guys, just picked up an 88' Runner with a blown 3.0, having a hard time finding a rebuilt engine? I do want to put the 3vze back in it. Just need to find the engine. any suggestions?

You don't want to put a 3vze back in it.... I promise... Do yourself a HUGE favor and put a 3.4l 5vz in it. MUCH more power and MUCH more reliable, and cheaper than a 3.0 crate engine, if you can even buy them? lol

Yes. 3.4

OK, but I still need to find one. Where?

you can get a 3.0 from places like sucks for about 2500 (last time I checked.) But being in Seattle you have at least 100 different places to chose from.

how can you guys say it's much cheaper to put in the 3.4 when it costs Nearly a grand for a old worn out motor that will most likely need rebuilt and then cost several hundred more to buy all the parts and pieces needed to convert it into your rig? That's not to mention the labor intensive wire harnice modification. Or more $$$$ to buy one that's suppose to be plug & play.

either way you're looking at least 2500 to get motor put back in correctly. and that's if he does all the work himself

It's certainly neither cheaper or easier to put in a 3.4.
It is nowhere near a drop-in replacement.

It's certainly a more desirable engine than the 3.0.

Check out Oregon Engine Builders (or maybe it's Rebuilders).
I've never dealt with them but I have seen many good comments about them all over the web.

The most cost-effective solution to having a blown-3.0 2nd gen - is to buy a 3.4 3rd gen. In my area, they're consistently priced $3000-5000 these days for the 90's models.

Never said it would be easier, and buying a good, used 3.4 would definitely be cheaper than buying a brand new crate 3.0 from Toyota, because we all know they like to charge a premium for all of their OEM parts... Never said it was a drop in replacement either... Yes, the overall cost of the whole swap would probably be the same, or more, and definitely more labor intensive, but in the end he would be MUCH happier with a 3.4 vs. a 3.0. This is coming from a 3.0 owner that wishes he had a swap of some sort and aspires to do one in the future... (Chevy 5.3) I hate these 3.0s with a passion after all of the money I've dumped into it just to keep it running over the past two months. In retrospect, I wish I would've just saved the money I spent on repairs for this stupid 3.0 and put it towards a swap of some sort.

Now that's not bad advice....

For me the tail gate makes a real truck

For me (1st gen owner), the rear leaf springs makes a real truck ;)

Also, I just noticed the OP is a 1st gen. I don't know why you'd buy a 1st gen with a blown motor, with the immediate plan to drop big cash on a rebuilt unit. Quick way to be into a new vehicle much more than it's worth.

To the OP, if it hasn't already been stated, this operation is going to be a huge money pit if you are not doing this labor yourself, i.e. paying a shop for all this.

The '88 cost less than $1000. Its clean and straight. Auto (I know) pretty sure its just a head gasket. But, I figured if I was going to fix that, might as well throw a new engine in there. I know the 3.0 gets a lot of poor performance reviews. I have a couple friends that swear by them. 250k+ after the heads were fixed. I looked into doing the 3.4 swap but its around double the price of a new 3.0 factoring in the wiring and adjustments as well as a used 80k+ engine. That was from a company recommended from others on this site. Someone has to know a good machine/ remanumacture shop around the Seattle area.

Really none?
I talked to Oregon Engine Builders, but is that the only one close?

there is no way I would spend money on a NEW 3.0.
find a good used engine and slap it in.

or better yet, as suggested above, swap in the 3.4.

I don't know what those engines sell for, but I thought the adapter wiring harness was only around $600. that would make it pretty much a bolt in swap right?

3.0L Toyota 3VZE Dressed Long Block - TEAMYOTA



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Raptor Engines is a rebuilder in Oregon. I think there's an outfit called Sun something or other in Oregon too.

Any shop will rebuild your motor for you, but those two plus OEB and Yotashop are the only ones I know of that specialize in Toyota motors and have a large web presence. I bet you could find several smaller independent Toyota shops in the Portland area if you check your yellow pages.