VSC, Trac & engine check light with Rod blown through engine.

[4RMac]

Last Wednesday in 2001 4R 4WD automatic (170,000mileage) drove uphill 35mph on sanded paved hwy 4WD NOT engaged had VSC & Trac warning lights come on. Within a mile the Check Engine light came on. Slowed & pulled off Hwy. Within 200 feet engine stalled, vehicle immobile, smoke from left front. Very cold temps at time est. 20-25F with incoming snowstorm. After colder wait (low teens, no heater!) for tow to Toyota Service diagnosis was a rod blown through engine. Has anyone else had this sequence happen?

Have had 90 4R manual, 94-96 4R automatic SR5, 98 4R Ltd Automatic, all 4WD. Never had this problem occur before. Anyone had a rod blow through engine in 96-02 4R????:sadwave:

 

[quicksilvr]

Last Wednesday in 2001 4R 4WD automatic (170,000mileage) drove uphill 35mph on sanded paved hwy 4WD NOT engaged had VSC & Trac warning lights come on. Within a mile the Check Engine light came on. Slowed & pulled off Hwy. Within 200 feet engine stalled, vehicle immobile, smoke from left front. Very cold temps at time est. 20-25F with incoming snowstorm. After colder wait (low teens, no heater!) for tow to Toyota Service diagnosis was a rod blown through engine. Has anyone else had this sequence happen?

Have had 90 4R manual, 94-96 4R automatic SR5, 98 4R Ltd Automatic, all 4WD. Never had this problem occur before. Anyone had a rod blow through engine in 96-02 4R????:sadwave:

It has been known to happen, but it's pretty rare. Usually when driving slowly around town or making a turn (for whatever reason). Haven't heard any thrown rod stories for almost a year.

 

[Singtoe]

My grand father once told me "Don't let your friend barrow your truck or your wife. A rod could be thrown in any one of them".

 

[4RMac]

Thanks, Gents. So this is a rare event? Do you know if it is more common in any particular year within the 96-02 generation? More common in 4WD version or?

Interesting considering I had just turned to get off the hwy after the check engine light came on. The hwy sides were filled with plowed snow so no option to just pull over. Wonder what the connection might be? Any ideas?

 

[BrianSD_42]

seems pretty rare to me. I have been trolling T4R for most of 2010 and this is the first one I've heard of. Head gaskets / head failures .. just about 1 every 2 weeks on T4R but not this.

:hatsoff:

 

[Singtoe]

I bought my 4runner and it had a folder that was about 1" thick that had every receipt ever serviced on it. I was impressed. One day, just for sheets and giggles, i went through all of them. Lots of oil changes, a starter contact,power antenna, door lock, a rear end, and a 5vz-fe motor. (80,000 miles). It had a rod knocked through it. It was replaced under warranty. The dealer charge for engine replacement was $3800.

 

[shiftmx]

I bought my 4runner and it had a folder that was about 1" thick that had every receipt ever serviced on it. I was impressed. One day, just for sheets and giggles, i went through all of them. Lots of oil changes, a starter contact,power antenna, door lock, a rear end, and a 5vz-fe motor. (80,000 miles). It had a rod knocked through it. It was replaced under warranty. The dealer charge for engine replacement was $3800.

So this is the second engine? And if so, it did the same thing that the first one did? that sounds finda fishy...what are the chances

 

[Singtoe]

So this is the second engine? And if so, it did the same thing that the first one did? that sounds finda fishy...what are the chances

If the first engine was bad, it would make sense that the 4runner is on the second motor.

I have no clue to what your talking about.

The only fishy thing is the seller didn't tell me about the replaced motor.

As for it doing the same thing as the first one - Who knows? It could have been a bad rod, a bad wrist pin, a bad bearing, hydro locked or bad piston. I don't know as I didn't own the truck when the motor went out, so I don't know what the chances were...

I'm cornfused. Like that time when some dude's tire rod went out...

 

[shiftmx]

I didnt mean fishy on your part....

I just meant what are the chances that the first motor threw a rod, then the entire engine was replaced by the dealer to have the exact same thing happen to it...what are the chances? A shady dealer may have charged to replace the engine and never really replaced it, only repairing the damage...whatever caused the issue in the first place could have happened again....a big conspiracy theory, i know, lol

 

[lcchik]

Just discovered my 2001 with only 76K has a broken rod. Was turning into a parking stall and the engine rev'd with a metal sound at the top of the rev. Severe shaking of trunk afterwards with no other sounds such as knocking.

What did you do? I am wondering if Toyota would honor the warranty despite the age. I know it is a long shot, but worth saving big $$.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Man that sucks!

Your best bet is probably to get a new engine from a wreck. Start researching it out. You can buy a whole wreck with a good engine for $1000 - $1500. Putting the engine in will probably cost $750 to do the swap.