08 v8 engine replacement option questions

[inscarguy]

Hi all. I have some questions on this subject. My local dealer wrecked my v8 and won't admit it. They let it run with the top hose off with no coolant for 2 hrs and overheated it.

I do have a lawyer on it but I'm going to do the work out of pocket for now. My questions are : would a 5.7 fit or is it too wide, does any company make a LS swap kit? Used low or decent mileage 4.7's are bringing phone numbers for prices. I've already ordered 2 low mileage 4.7's and sent one back and the other got refunded. Both of them were almost 4k each. I'm not sure of rebuilding companies these days as quality has taken a backseat. What do you think?

 

[alia176]

Oh man, sorry for this fiasco; this truly sucks.

I'd remove the heads then check the amount of warpage, then go from there. If the machine shop says too much warpage, then find a replacement set of heads. I doubt the block surface is warped but check everything with a machinist edge, just for a peace of mind. This is a badass engine so I bet you might be surprised at what you find. Mine is at 426,xxx miles, with all original parts minus the a/c comp.

My local engine shop is pretty darn good so i'm sure many exists across the country. I happen to have found a Toyota friendly shop, and they were easy to deal with. DM me for more info if you want to use them.

My local FB marketplace has this entire car for $2500 Log into Facebook

 

[inscarguy]

Thanks for the reply. The dealer did a compression check and all 8 cyl were within spec but one cylinder was about 172 psi whereas the other 7 were between 195-199. I did a cooling system pressure check and the pressure dropped from 16psi to 6 in about 1 hr and from 16 psi to 9 in about 1/2 hr. The coolant level is down and the exhaust smells sweet, so I know it's a cracked head or blown head gasket, plus it also knocks so I need a complete engine.

 

[AuSeeker]

Hi all. I have some questions on this subject. My local dealer wrecked my v8 and won't admit it. They let it run with the top hose off with no coolant for 2 hrs and overheated it.

I do have a lawyer on it but I'm going to do the work out of pocket for now. My questions are : would a 5.7 fit or is it too wide, does any company make a LS swap kit? Used low or decent mileage 4.7's are bringing phone numbers for prices. I've already ordered 2 low mileage 4.7's and sent one back and the other got refunded. Both of them were almost 4k each. I'm not sure of rebuilding companies these days as quality has taken a backseat. What do you think?

Check these guys out, I've heard good things about their rebuilt engines, not sure what their prices are but they have a great warranty.

One moment, please...

 

[inscarguy]

I did. They have a good warranty but they want just over 5k for the engine. To me that's not reasonable. The block is nothing special, pretty thin walls, weak rods etc. Heads are DOHC, 8 valve, timing belt motor, not exotic by today's standards. Kinda mainstream even back then plus there's only about 271 hp. A junkyard 5.3 ls does that w/o breaking a sweat, they're cheap, easy to build and modify, plentiful and it does it with old school tech.

This is why I asked if the 5.7 would work or if a LS swap kit is available. I can't justify a used engine with more miles than my 4runner for 3-4k or a stock rebuilt for 5k and not have any improvements

 

[truckmike26]

One advantage of the 4.7 is that it's nothing special.

 

[rdruss]

I did. They have a good warranty but they want just over 5k for the engine. To me that's not reasonable. The block is nothing special, pretty thin walls, weak rods etc. Heads are DOHC, 8 valve, timing belt motor, not exotic by today's standards. Kinda mainstream even back then plus there's only about 271 hp. A junkyard 5.3 ls does that w/o breaking a sweat, they're cheap, easy to build and modify, plentiful and it does it with old school tech.

This is why I asked if the 5.7 would work or if a LS swap kit is available. I can't justify a used engine with more miles than my 4runner for 3-4k or a stock rebuilt for 5k and not have any improvements

If you can do a "repower" with other than a $5K rebuilt 4.7L and come out ahead, keep us posted. IMO, I don't think so.

 

[SF03runner]

even if you swap in a different motor, you've killed any resale value so it doesn't make financial sense. It's going to cost more to make it work anyway than just dropping in another motor.

 

[alia176]

Assuming a 'cracked head' is a huge leap IMHO. My daughter's 3.4 HG leaked and it was due to the combustion ring deformation. Chances are the same thing maybe happening on the 4.7 as well. On my I6 engine in the 80 series, the HG had a similar issue and the combustion gas was sneaking into the coolant passageways as well.

My vote is to pull the engine, stick it on the stand, do a tear down and see what's up before pulling the trigger on a different engine. It has to come out anyway, so why not actually find out the root causes?

 

[inscarguy]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I am not in any cond to do the big work myself. Due to an accident in '21 in my other 4runner, my health has gone down hill. I've been diagnosed with PTSD, TBI, mild to moderate cognitive issues, general anxiety, 2 bad knees( both need replacement), now suffering from seizures, breathing problems just had surgery on my lt shoulder from a seizure.

Normally I would tackle this all myself, but it's just not in the cards right now. This is why I'm trying to see what's available so I can give the people who will do the job everything they need.