Motor Options

[Animportant]

Hello, I've been reading several threads.. looking for an up to date answer on what some of the forum members here would do if they were in my shoes.

Picked up a 97 4runner, blown motor (one of the heads is busted). It has oil all over the darn thing, so I'm assuming it needs to be resealed.

Would you:

A) Replace the motor
B) Compression test and possibly just replace the one head and reseal it?

If you were going to replace the motor, would you:

A) New/rebuilt motor? Where would you source this?
B) Junk yard?
C) Something else

Thanks!

 

[Jhelms]

I would replace the engine with a used / yard engine with warranty or with a JDM engine (can be a bit more of a pain)

 

[thatoneguygeoff]

You can pick up a nice used 5vz-fe for 800-1200 bucks depending on the mileage of the motor at a salvage yard. I recently had to replace mine.

 

[Animportant]

My only concern with a yard engine is that I'll have to reseal it and throw a timing belt kit on it at some point in the near future anyway (esp if it has 100k miles).. what do you guys think? Just maintain the older motor as i go along?

 

[nissanh]

How may miles in the engine already?
Low miles, get the heads done with factory gaskets. High miles, may be a low mile engine. Do a compression test before buying from a yard. Harbor freight tools sells those devices.

 

[Animportant]

The engine has 250k, not a baby by any means.

 

[Jhelms]

My only concern with a yard engine is that I'll have to reseal it and throw a timing belt kit on it at some point in the near future anyway (esp if it has 100k miles).. what do you guys think? Just maintain the older motor as i go along?

With any engine replacement you should put in a new timing belt, water pump, and all that goes with it. Very easy to do with the engine out of the car.

Wound need a lot more specifics on the old engine and what actually happened to determine if it is worth saving.

Edit: With 250K, I would just buy a JDM or yard engine with half the miles. Do the basics, install and roll on for a long time.

 

[JeepKiller]

I'm guessing you're just looking at putting in a new motor and not upgrading to a v8 right?

 

[Animportant]

Yea, just throwing another 3.4 in. I'm not very mechanically inclined, pretty much learning everything as I go with this 4runner. I have found a motor with 99k miles on it for $800. I'll probably pick this up.

 

[SnowLizard]

that's a good buy, I know from experience, you'll want to reseal EVERY thing while its out, so just do your homework and do it now on these +/-15yr old motors.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/69744-3rd-gen-faq-tutorials-documentation-reference.html
^^ look at the engine maintenance section, with just doing the normal standard stuff, you'll have a strong leak free engine for years to come.

 

[SilverRidgeRunner1]

Hmmm Have u had it diagnosed to determined how bad the issue is. I mean if the head is just blown I would think it would be easier to just do a head gasket job than pull a entire motor... layball:

 

[Animportant]

The former owner told me there was some sort of explosion in the head. The spark plugs won't seal and helicoils won't work