To rebuild or replace? That is the question...

[Mtnman009]

Hello Fellow 4 runner Fanatics

I am so thankful for this amazing forum...

I am the proud owner of two 4 runners But, my 3rd Gen a 1998 SR5 has gone down with a head gasket issue...It has 307k miles on it. The Truck has over heated a few times when I tried to transport it. I was able to pull over and let it cool down so I am not sure what's damaged deep inside the engine.

I am wondering what is the best course of action at this point...

1) Seek out a mechanic and have the original engine rebuilt

or

2) Buy a JDM rebuilt engine and have that installed?

I want to make the best choice since I refuse to let this 4Runner go. I want to turn it into my ultimate adventure vehicle with the hopes of another 300k plus miles!

Thank you!

 

[zazzomicron]

If you want it to last forever then rebuild is the way to go. You're going to pay a lot more, though. A rebuild up here is 5x the cost of a replacement

 

[JayRolla]

If you want it to last forever then rebuild is the way to go. You're going to pay a lot more, though. A rebuild up here is 5x the cost of a replacement

Ive seen so many local shop motors fail. You really need to find a toyota specialist to build your motor with OEM parts if you want it to lost. And I'm talking an enthusiast that builds high end motors not some dealership.

IMO you will have better luck with a low mileage replacement than having some random local shop build you a motor.

 

[amalik]

Ive seen so many local shop motors fail. You really need to find a toyota specialist to build your motor with OEM parts if you want it to lost. And I'm talking an enthusiast that builds high end motors not some dealership.

IMO you will have better luck with a low mileage replacement than having some random local shop build you a motor.

Or maybe a reputable re-builder like Jasper who also include a warranty

 

[thegipper]

Ive seen so many local shop motors fail. You really need to find a toyota specialist to build your motor with OEM parts if you want it to lost. And I'm talking an enthusiast that builds high end motors not some dealership.

IMO you will have better luck with a low mileage replacement than having some random local shop build you a motor.

^This

Replace with low mileage yard engine, preferably with some kind of warranty, at least initially in case you get a lemon.

 

[JayRolla]

Or maybe a reputable re-builder like Jasper who also include a warranty

Yes they are a good company but the warranty should be read closely. My buddy had a built and stroked 4.6L Jeep motor 270hp built by Jasper. He broke the motor in, followed all instructions and it blew a rod bearing, the rod and crank.

He called them up. They made him pay for freight shipping. They replaced the parts under warranty but he had to pay the labor charges to fix it. All said and done he lost out on a lot of money.

 

[99Runnr]

I hate reading people shadowing your statements to make them their own advice, but my .02 on this.

These things run and have 200-400k miles on them with factory engines. Same as every other aftermarket replacement part, thing's don't last like factory. Lower ball joint replacement for example. Someone could rebuild the entire truck, using cheap ebay ball joint package for $90 and it be worse off then 100k mile factory stuff.

Same applies to engines on a larger scale. They had the combination down to make reliable, proper internals/tolerances/specs to keep pumping out quality, proven longevity over and over. Now, 20 years later, you want that again? You can't possibly expect the same results from crap quality aftermarket parts. We are in a period now where Amazon and massive companies create undercutting and cheaper production and standards. On things like engine internals, my money only goes to high quality parts or factory built/quality things when it's crucial.

Not wasting time rebuilding an engine, meticulously assembling and preparing to have some garbage spinning in the block. Even if they warranty it and replace it all for free, you still have to break down, pull the engine, transport it, down time, oils, coolant, on and on.. it's just not worth halfassing this type of situation.

 

[amalik]

I hate reading people shadowing your statements to make them their own advice, but my .02 on this.

These things run and have 200-400k miles on them with factory engines. Same as every other aftermarket replacement part, thing's don't last like factory. Lower ball joint replacement for example. Someone could rebuild the entire truck, using cheap ebay ball joint package for $90 and it be worse off then 100k mile factory stuff.

Same applies to engines on a larger scale. They had the combination down to make reliable, proper internals/tolerances/specs to keep pumping out quality, proven longevity over and over. Now, 20 years later, you want that again? You can't possibly expect the same results from crap quality aftermarket parts. We are in a period now where Amazon and massive companies create undercutting and cheaper production and standards. On things like engine internals, my money only goes to high quality parts or factory built/quality things when it's crucial.

Not wasting time rebuilding an engine, meticulously assembling and preparing to have some garbage spinning in the block. Even if they warranty it and replace it all for free, you still have to break down, pull the engine, transport it, down time, oils, coolant, on and on.. it's just not worth halfassing this type of situation.

While I understand everything you said in your post, who exactly rebuilds 5VZ-FE's to OEM spec, and make it similar/equal to Toyota originally did?

No one that I know of.

 

[99Runnr]

While I understand everything you said in your post, who exactly rebuilds 5VZ-FE's to OEM spec, and make it similar/equal to Toyota originally did?

No one that I know of.

That is why you don't rebuild. Buy low mileage units and start "fresh" with the 50-60k mile units out there. The one local to me charges $1400 for a long block with a warranty and that exact mileage range from odometer readings.

Machine shop's are not cheap, I don't even see how it's much cheaper if at all, then $1300ish for a fresh long block an sell your high mileage/low compression unit as a core or whatever. Less down time, less headache.

 

[amalik]

That is why you don't rebuild. Buy low mileage units and start "fresh" with the 50-60k mile units out there. The one local to me charges $1400 for a long block with a warranty and that exact mileage range from odometer readings.

Machine shop's are not cheap, I don't even see how it's much cheaper if at all, then $1300ish for a fresh long block an sell your high mileage/low compression unit as a core or whatever. Less down time, less headache.

If you don't get a lemon JDM and get a good one, then yeah -- that's a good option.

 

[zazzomicron]

Thanks all.

There's a local guy who specialises in 4runners and has done rebuilds before so that is still an option for me.

That being said.. where would you find an engine that old with only 40k miles?

G

 

[rkymtnman]

Thanks all.

There's a local guy who specialises in 4runners and has done rebuilds before so that is still an option for me.

That being said.. where would you find an engine that old with only 40k miles?

G

Ran across this Ad on the Denver Craigslist earlier today:

https://denver.craigslist.org/ptd/d/jdmtoyota-4runner-tacoma-t100/6261157279.html

Know absolutely nothing about them but did find their ad interesting.

 

[zazzomicron]

Ran across this Ad on the Denver Craigslist earlier today:

https://denver.craigslist.org/ptd/d/jdmtoyota-4runner-tacoma-t100/6261157279.html

Know absolutely nothing about them but did find their ad interesting.

Well that's promising. Thanks!

 

[gamefreakgc]

I don't think anyone in here has owned a 4Runner with the 3VZ-E or 22-RE engines before! They are notorious for blowing head gaskets and have been successfully repaired by many. There is a chance of it failing again, true, but a head gasket job is cheaper than buying and having a new-to-you motor installed.

From a DIY perspective, swapping out the motor is easier. But from a pocketbook perspective for those who cannot do that themselves, a rebuild is cheaper than a motor replacement.

 

[Mark_BC]

Can't he just replace the head gaskets and reface / replace the heads if needed? There's good step by step videos on how to do it. If the block isn't warped then why would you want to replace it with a new engine? What would be wrong with it? That is a serious question, not facetious.

I wonder if that motor form Japan would be mirror image everything since they are RHD.

 

[Rimcrew]

I can't believe this is even a subject of debate. The absolute best course of action is to replace yours with a JDM motor. Even if you get a "lemon", you can buy three or four of them for the cost of one rebuild. I would expect to get an easy 200k miles out of one - and they can be had for around $800 - $900.

Your engine may have at least one cracked head, due to the overheat condition. So you will need to add $300 to the cost of a normal rebuild - $600 if both are shot, and that is for junk yard replacements that may or may not last. So now you are at the price of a full JDM engine just in replacement heads.

Get the JDM, do NOT overheat it, and you should be good for many years!

 

[rkymtnman]

Can't he just replace the head gaskets and reface / replace the heads if needed? There's good step by step videos on how to do it. If the block isn't warped then why would you want to replace it with a new engine? What would be wrong with it? That is a serious question, not facetious.

I wonder if that motor form Japan would be mirror image everything since they are RHD.

I have wondered the same after reading many of these threads. The only thing I come up with is a guy would have to pull the motor and break it down to get it to a machine shop anyway....then if the head was unusable, then a replacement motor would be the next logical step.

Personally, I know it would be more expensive but I'd love to take a crack at a total rebuild myself. I have a friend who picked up an FJ80 that needed a complete rebuild. He bought all OEM parts, had all the machine work done and did a total rebuild the right way. Took him quite a while and cost him quite a bit but it is done right and it was a hell of a project. Not for everyone for sure.

Seems the key to these types of questions is the condition of the head??? I ask because I am curious myself.

 

[Desert runner 99]

I saw the JDM Arizona ads on craigslist here in ABQ. Anyone bought a 5vz from them? I looked on their site today, but it was not loading pages properly.