Need engine advice

[BrianSD_42]

KidVermicious has great advice.

I'd like to add that whatever you do, don't pay $4,000 to $5,000 to "overhaul" or "rebuild" the engine. Some shops will sell you on that idea but it is the most expensive way to go and the reliability is questionable since they will use aftermarket (eg non-Toyota) parts - every time.

 

[kolelt]

You could get JDM motor then possibly rebuild the old motor and flip it. With JDM motor you get starter, AC, fan/clutch few others. If you get JDM. Do not take your old motor half ass. As you will need pullies, fuel injectors, water pump, fan clutch, exhaust, oil pan and other parts of your old motor.

 

[chewybtc]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I really do appreciate it!

I've decided to get a JDM from this company:

5VZ-FE 3.4L 96-03 4Runner / 95-99 T100 / 95-03 Toyota Tacoma 99-03 Tundra (V6 Only) Engine JDM 5VZFE

They are close enough i can pick it up and save shipping, and the price is right at $927 out the door. He offers a 90 day warranty, and he is sending me pictures and compression test results before i even pay for it or pick it up.

Very nice guy named Will. I'll post the pics and info when he sends it later today. I should be picking it up tomorrow if all looks good.

My mechanic friend said should be less than 1k to do all the labor which sounds about right to me. (I have no experience or tools or location to do it myself)

So now I need everyone to chime in on what else they would replace while its out of the truck! LOL

I've seen the water pump/timing belt posts about people getting the kit from ebay with all factory parts and then some saying they used the rock auto kits. What do you guys think about those options?

What else is vital and should be done?

Thanks again guys!

Oh, and while i was on here waiting for all you nice guys to answer back, i ended up getting a Addicted Plate Bumper from a great guy on here that is selling his truck and didn't want his order any more. Waiting for Scotty to get back to me but i think it will be ready next week!

Damn i got to stay off this forum, it makes me spend to much money!! LOL

 

[chewybtc]

Couple things:

The test they did is called a block test. When that test is positive, it means there's exhaust particles in your coolant, and it's diagnostic of a blown head gasket.

The reason your truck wasn't starting is because at least one cylinder was full of coolant, due to the blown head gasket. Coolant is a liquid and doesn't compress the way air does, so the starter didn't have the oomph to push your piston through a full cycle. The mechanic fixed it temporarily by pulling the spark plugs and turning the engine over, blowing the coolant out the empty hole, then putting the spark plugs back and starting the truck so you could drive home.

The white smoke when you drove home coming out your exhaust was steam and smoke from the burning coolant.

If you never actually started the truck while the cylinders were full of coolant, you probably didn't bend a rod or do any other damage to the lower end, but you won't know that for sure unless you take the motor apart and look. I suggest you don't try and start it again without pulling the plugs and blowing that coolant out first, and after you do you should top off your coolant and don't drive very far or you'll run out of coolant and overheat and then you WILL need a complete rebuild or new engine for sure.

Replacing a head gasket is not hard, but it is a labor intensive job, and it gets worse if the top of the block or the bottom of the cylinder heads is pitted or out of true, because that means machine work. The mechanic is going to suggest to you that you buy a reman motor and let him put it in, because it's less work for him and less money for you. On the flip side, if you were to do the work yourself, it will cost you MUCH less than replacing the entire motor. Your call.

If you do choose to buy a used motor and have your mechanic install it, I think you should absolutely ask the him about doing things like new plugs and coils, replacing the timing belt/wp, etc. All those things are very easy to do while the motor is out of the truck.

Anyway, you seemed a little lost about some of the terminology, hope I could fill in some of the blanks.

What do you think about this JDM engine? compression test videos as well

IMG_1646_zpsd49fd0f3.jpg Photo by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
IMG_1645_zps4b4f1793.jpg Photo by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
IMG_1644_zps51ffc250.jpg Photo by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
IMG_1643_zpsee636372.jpg Photo by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
IMG_1642_zpsc395a79c.jpg Photo by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
IMG_1641_zpse3902397.jpg Photo by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
IMG_1640_zpsedbf4c3c.jpg Photo by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
MVI_1634_zps8gxthzgv.mp4 Video by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
MVI_1635_zpsxrnjsxab.mp4 Video by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
MVI_1636_zpsrewkfird.mp4 Video by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
MVI_1637_zpsdia3j2bj.mp4 Video by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
MVI_1638_zps5unpiibd.mp4 Video by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket
MVI_1639_zpskja7povj.mp4 Video by JDMENGINEDEPOT | Photobucket

 

[jgue467]

I'm no expert but compression tests don't lie - those look like Superior#s! All else equal, I'd go for it. Best of Luck!

 

[nevada]

So I went out to start my 1997 Limited the other day and it would barely turn. Ended up towing it to local garage and they said there is coolant in the cylinder. They got it running, and showed me a test with blue fluid in a turkey baster looking tube that they held over the open radiator cap area and it turned light green. He said this means hydrocarbons in the coolant and that the engine is shot.

I was devastated! I've had this truck since 35k miles and I have 143k on it now. I have done every preventative maintenance and run amsoil in everything, and now this happens.

I live in Allentown, PA and I am hoping someone on here can give me some good advice as to what I should do.

I drove it home (about 1/4 mile) and it's sitting in my driveway now. Hopefully the experts on here have some helpful ideas! Thanks in advance guys!

pull the heads, have them checked for straightness/resurfaced. slap some new gaskets on and call it a day. its still a fairly low mileage engine, no reason to replace it.

cheaper alternative.


who knows how long before the replacement engine needs HG's.....at least you will know yours are new.

If you bent a rod you would have been hearing some odd noises on your 1/4 mile drive home. How did it sound?

this. if there was rod damage done, you would know it on this drive.

 

[kolelt]

If you end up getting JDM. Go there and pick the cleanest out. Or pick the one they showed in video.

 

[poleclimber63]

Thanks everyone for the info and advice. To clarify, the problem just happened one morning and I tried multiple times to start it, but it was pretty much locked. I guess too much coolant in it to turn it over. That's why my mechanic friend said you don't really know if anything else was bent inside. He said coolant can do some damage even just by trying to start it like that.

After towing it to the garage, they got it running (don't know how) and then diagnosed the issue. I drove it home (1/4 mile) and it seemed OK but white smoke coming out exhaust. i didn't really hammer on it or anything, i just wanted to make it home.

I want to keep this truck for many more years. It's my daily driver right now, but I work from home, so I only put about 7k a year on the truck. It has 143k miles on it and i have some mods done (OME lift, bigger tires, other small mods). But I was just getting ready to put some money into having my mechanic friend go over the whole truck and repair replace anything rusting, etc.

I also had a leak in rear axle seals, that has been worked on 4 times now (first 3 times same garage tried to fix, they nicked the axle the first time, but never told me) dealer finally told me on the 4th time fixing it, but it is slow leaking again, so i will probably need a new right side axle to finally fix the leak.

I'd like to replace the front/rear bumpers and put a set of sliders on. Projects that i was going to do in spring when the snow is gone.

So i was leaning towards the engine swap so that i have a decent shot at getting a bunch of years out of the truck.

My friend is going to do the labor for 800-1000 if i go the engine swap route.

Would i need to replace the water pump and timing belt while its out of the truck, or is that overkill on these JDM engines?

Thanks so much guys, I really appreciate it!

Great to hear it! You ask whether its worth it... Hell yes! with the engine out it took me 30min to disassemble TB/WP etc... with seals... an hour to re-assemble with beer! As far as the TB/WP is concerned, that is a 100K KM job--- do you really know how much mileage your replacement has? Kits are $180, $600-800 for a shop to do it, later. I also replaced the pan gasket and cleaned the screen, and replaced valve cover gaskets---- $32 bucks for that kit! And hoses. Its WAY easier to do these jobs out of the truck...... if you see ANY oil at the rear seal, replace that, its $1K to do it later. I'd use OEM on the front and rear mains.

Of course, it all about how much you have to spend.

My 2 cents...

 

[chewybtc]

If you end up getting JDM. Go there and pick the cleanest out. Or pick the one they showed in video.

I had Will pick the best one out and that's the pics and video above. He's going to have it ready for me to pick up at lunch today. Thanks for your input. Appreciate it!

 

[chewybtc]

UPDATE!!

Got the truck back last night and its running great. I drove it about 30 minutes home and it ran perfectly so far. The mechanic said the JDM looked to have low miles on it, so the TB/WP kit I had him put on was probably wasted money, but at least I know its all new now. And I might keep the JDM stuff to put on my old engine which a friend is going to help me pull apart this summer and get everything fixed up. Then I'll probably sell it and try to get some of my money back I spent on the JDM engine.

But so far so good, we'll see how it is after a little more driving. But for $2300 total, including TB/WP parts, I'm pretty happy.

Thanks for all the advice everyone gave!

 

[slides]

Thats great to hear the transplanet went well.

So whats so special about the JDM engines? more power, better fuel economy?