JDM engine vs 'higher' mileage used vs full rebuilt engine for 02 Tacoma 5vz(3.4)

[Lil'John]

Piece of plywood..

Are you fucking nuts? Do you know how expensive a piece of plywood is? I could probably buy three engines for that

Quit telling this guy to replace the motor, he has not done any useful troubleshooting yet

Pretty much this. The reason for this post was to see what the better approach would be IF the worst case is realized.

Actually it might be better if he buys 2 engines, just in case.

Better two engines than having to own a tow truck like Ford owners

 

[Snoop dogg]

Is this how yoter owners stir the pot up? What if scenarios? Y'all know how to party

 

[Mikenike]

On the list. Too bad the list is 6'++ long in 4 sized font

This right here tells me it really might be time to throw this one away. If you aren't willing to put 5 minutes into diagnosing this POS properly you aren't prepared to keep on top of the other shit either. Much less fix what it would take when you could buy a good truck and be done with it. It's a Toyota and just because it hasn't rusted in half like most of them doesn't mean it wasn't ready for the scrapper years ago.

 

[Lil'John]

Is this how yoter owners stir the pot up? What if scenarios? Y'all know how to party

The 'what if' shit is the result of having two engineering parents who passed hyper over analysis trait Bench building is a hobby

This right here tells me it really might be time to throw this one away. If you aren't willing to put 5 minutes into diagnosing this POS properly you aren't prepared to keep on top of the other shit either. Much less fix what it would take when you could buy a good truck and be done with it. It's a Toyota and just because it hasn't rusted in half like most of them doesn't mean it wasn't ready for the scrapper years ago.

That 6' list is all the shit going on in my life... not just the truck. Stuff piles on faster than I can remove it... I'm not pissing and moaning about it, just stating it as fact.

As for the truck, the issues were limited to about three items this morning: oil leak, weird knock, and smashed tail light. This afternoon added broken door handle

<not directed at Mikenike, just general since it seems like a lot of "trash the Taco" comments> I'm not going to take on a $500+/month payment to buy a new truck. I'm also not going to pay $10-15k for a new to me truck where I'll inherit a whole host of new to me problems that I don't know about. At least with the Taco, I mostly know what the problems are and will diagnose them further.

 

[ev13wt]

I could offer you an OEM 0 mile 22-RE. In a crate with japanese markings and all. Filled to the brim with oil (by me).

 

[Thefishguy77]

If this was even a remote "easy" possibility in the people's republic of Kalifornia, I'd consider it aside from extended downtime :/

Leadfoot21 I can spend ~$5k to $6k to swap in a "better" engine than what is in it. I'm not sure I can find anything any better for that same price range. This has zero to do with "financially sensible adult" as you put it. A sensible adult isn't going to spend $10k++++ to replace a truck that can be repaired for $6k and will last 100k++++. I'm of the mindset that until the interior turns to complete trash or the body/frame rusts out from under it, it will always be cheaper to repair than replace in the long run.

As someone else mentioned, there is the whole 'devil that you know' issue to it. To find an equivalent 'non-overly teched-up pile', I'm probably looking at $10k++++++ I have ZERO desire for any modern car with all the extra nav, touch screen, etc bull crap. Nevermind that to me, all new cars look the same(ugly as hell) There is a reason that my newest car is a 2002 with the next newest being 2000 and then straight to 1971

Back to general comments:
I recently(under 1k miles) had the whole front end rebuilt(ball joints, a-arms, bushings, etc) Struts are good with new bushings. The rear could probably use new shocks but not critical. I haven't checked spring bushings.

It sounds like the belief that JDM really means anything is a bit over rated aside from lower mileage.

I have zero attachment to the Tacoma... my wife might disagree with that I am just looking at it from a dollars and down time stand point. What can I buy that is better to MUCH better than replacing the engine. My belief is nothing.

Have you though about buying out of state and then using the parts you want and selling the rest off?

2002 Toyota 4Runner for Sale in Tacoma, WA - OfferUp

Good, Timing belt service done at 124k miles 4x4 Clean title . Make an offer!;

offerup.com

Figure you can probably make at least 1/2 your koney back if you take the time to part it out. Or probably a 1/3 back if you dump the rig whole after yanking the engine. Find one with a e locker and that setup is a grand alone.

 

[Blacksheep10]

Didn’t you hear? He doesn’t have time to diagnose a decently simple issue, he definitely doesn’t have time to part out a vehicle!

 

[zlathim]

OP- You talked about having a shop replace the engine if it comes to that. Why not just have a shop diagnose the problem and fix whatever is wrong?

I agree that you probably don't need an engine, but I replaced the 2UZ in my Tundra with a $525 junkyard engine a couple years ago and it's been running great.

 

[Thefishguy77]

Didn’t you hear? He doesn’t have time to diagnose a decently simple issue, he definitely doesn’t have time to part out a vehicle!

Yea I had one of those Gen runners. Not overly complicated at all.

Hey Op go finance a 10 year loan on a new Toyota. Even throwing a “good” engine in it is going to still leave you with other problems down the toad that require diagnostic work to fix. If you dont have the time to do this you should never drive a rig out of warranty. Or be willing to pay the 120/hr shop rate for the pros to do it for you. Just being honest

 

[Spreader]

Jeebus my head hurts after reading this.
Buy a Jeep and start your duck collection.

 

[Roc Doc]

Not for nothing, but I have a 5z that is now 25 years old, has 240k on it and it starts and runs like a top. I do the timing belt at 90k along with the plugs, and that's it other than the oil changes every 5k. Did have to replace the AFM at 220, and did the coil packs and wires at the same time.

Oh the horror.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Not for nothing, but I have a 5z that is now 25 years old, has 240k on it and it starts and runs like a top. I do the timing belt at 90k along with the plugs, and that's it other than the oil changes every 5k. Did have to replace the AFM at 220, and did the coil packs and wires at the same time.

Oh the horror.

There's a 240k Lesbaru in my fleet that I got around 100k that got plugs and wires the day I got it and has had nothing but fluid, filters and timing belts since. Toyotas aren't special.

 

[Roc Doc]

There's a 240k Lesbaru in my fleet that I got around 100k that got plugs and wires the day I got it and has had nothing but fluid, filters and timing belts since. Toyotas aren't special.

Aw, did I hurt your liberal feelings by not including other examples?