100 - Series Engine Failure - Help

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Dealer knows they screwed it up and hence their willingness to work with you. If It was me, I would rather let dealer work on the truck and would try to work with them.

You definitely need some sort of warranty especially after this extensive work and there's nothing like a dealer standing behind their work especially in situation like yours.

Glad it's working out for you though
 
You are 1/2 way there. They admitted it happened in their care. Bingo. You expect nothing less than what you came in with which was a 130k Mile running engine. Keep fighting.

Detonation , Really? How exactly did they explain that concept to you as a result of your broken piston? The argument of an "old" engine is ridiculous- we know that these 2uzfe typically go 300k + miles with out failure or significant cylinder wall, piston wear.

Still think something dropped in, got caught between piston skirt and cylinder- pulled it apart.

Here's a motor with 130k out of a GX for a reasonable price- if you can find one from an LX or GX chances are it was a mall crawler-
http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eB...0936&category=33615&pm=1&ds=0&t=1485616301672
 
Yeah it will always be a little "fuzzy" but progress was made today. It's been 4weeks to the day. Thanks for a couple of those links to the engines. Time to dig in to that. It is pretty cool to come here and get the support and insight. Y'all are great.
 
Hey all giving an update here. All things stand the same and the dealer is not budging from their offer. They will wave the installation fee of engine as well as the money they have in it thus far but that is the extent of it. If I want it I can go get it and have someone else do the work I can, but if the dealer does the work then I have their warranty and save labor.

So here are some questions I have.
1. Used engine with 170,000 miles and one year warranty- about 3800
2. Reman with 3 year warranty - about 4200 plus tax

What would some of you do? I know it depends on where the reman comes from, I will find out tomorrow, but if the numbers are this close would the reman be a better value for the cost? This whole incident has rocked my world for the past month and I will be upside down on it no matter what, which is what it is except I dont know if I will ever drive it again without this event popping into my head. So are remans terribly unreliable/chancy? Anymore of a chance then a used engine with 170,000 on it? Are remans "weaker" then the legendary tank status that I bought this for?
3. Would a reman be like a scarlet letter so my truck is no longer truly legit and a redflag?
3. Would picking the thing up and towing it home and having someone who knows how to do an engine swap with a junkyard engine be a bad idea passing on dealer warranty?
I guess I am leaning towards the reman cause it sparkles and has a 3 year warranty, I dont really know past that. Trying to make the best and most educated decision in a month that I will not soon forget.
Thanks
 
Talk to the Dealer and see if they would be willing to swap all of the parts (necessary) onto the Reman motor and install (with all fluids and new belts). No labor charge to you. They warranty their labor. You have the 3 year warranty from the engine re-manufacturer.

A properly remanufactured engine is decidedly better than an unknown engine from a donor truck.


"Would a reman be like a scarlet letter so my truck is no longer truly legit and a redflag?"

NO....if anything it raises the value of your vehicle, engines can and do fail (any of them). A new or remanufactured engine adds longevity, a good thing.
 
I'm not happy with your options and don't feel like they are compromising very much. I'm having a really hard time with their diagnosis and work on that spark plug spiraling into the head coming off with a broken piston.

My thoughts on options would be:
1. Get the GM (maybe escalate to owner/investor relations), to a less expensive to you repair, maybe in the $1500 range (over their current labor cost). I'd sincerely consider legal assistance, especially at the potential $4000 outlay you may have now.
2. Get the truck out of there (without paying the $1300), buy a $1200 used engine, $250 in pizza and beer and invite us over.
 
If it was me, I would call Onur at Land Cruiser Parts and Consulting and pay him to find and deliver just the right engine for the dealer to install. He's a pretty good (understatement of the year) parts guy. I'm too OCD about mechanical stuff to go with a used engine without knowing it's history and that reman in your post needs some further info about who did the work and what all is included before that price could be justified. I wonder if some extra dealer profit, to make up for the lost labor charges, might be in those engine prices? Others have posted used engines in half that price range. Will the dealer only install engines they find?

Welcome to LCPC
 
First- take your time now making the right decision. Having the dealer install a new engine for you at no charge would be hard to pass up. But you may need to confirm what they will actually do up front.

The reman can come in various configurations short block or long block some also charge a Core fee on top of the listed price. Julian's link was to a short block- so extra time and labor is involved to swap your top end parts back on to the short block. Based on the price of that short block, warranty and the free dealer labor to install the engine- that is one good option.

The other option I posted was the 133k motor out of a GX for $900- add shipping and possible core charge(you'll have to check) . 2003 LEXUS GX470 Engine 4.7L 2UZFE 133K Tested Warranty OEM Autogator | eBay

I don't know how mismatched motor serial number affects value- but unless you plan to sell it on Barret Jackson as a collector truck I doubt it's much of of an issue.
 
If you let the dealer supply the engine, they will hide the labour costs by over inflating the engine price, so you will still pay towards labour. Is this a toyota dealership?
 
times 2

I'm not happy with your options and don't feel like they are compromising very much. I'm having a really hard time with their diagnosis and work on that spark plug spiraling into the head coming off with a broken piston.

My thoughts on options would be:
1. Get the GM (maybe escalate to owner/investor relations), to a less expensive to you repair, maybe in the $1500 range (over their current labor cost). I'd sincerely consider legal assistance, especially at the potential $4000 outlay you may have now.
2. Get the truck out of there (without paying the $1300), buy a $1200 used engine, $250 in pizza and beer and invite us over.

personally I would talk to a lemon/car guy lawyer. Follow his advice, unless I couldn't, financially.
You have lots of choices to make, getting advice from a professional is a logical way to eliminate some of those.
 
One other question, I know there is a thread on values but asking here to keep it in line with my current situation. Anyone have an idea on what my truck is worth as is?
I will add my specs and pictures because I do know its a shot in the dark without them, but generally speaking:
2004 with 132,000 miles on it and a blown piston. Condition is good, couple dings here and there on rear bumper and front bumper. The antennae mast is broken but I hear the motor working every time I turn it on. Front passenger fog light is corroded and needs replaced. Floor mats could use replacing.
Just getting all info/options in front of me to make the wisest decision. Ya'll are the most knowledgeable.
Thanks
 
H8 to tell you this but with out a working motor it would be salvage value- guessing $4-6k.
 
First I'd want to see more pictures (spark plug & head). The plug they claim started all this, where is it. I can't imagine what they did short of filling cylinder with fluid. Possible oil or grease while tapping for Helicoil. But that doesn't matter, as they have taken at least some responsibility already.

You brought in in for some issues. If head & spark plug was indeed bad, cost of a head job from your pocket is fair. Provided old spark plug & head back up their story. But they owe you a new engine w/60K warrantee for that, not used. $1,500 and new engine.

If they can not back this up with evidence from your head & spark plug. Your cost should be $0 for a new engine.

Stand your ground.
 
^ What @2001LC said.

What you owe the dealer is the cost of fixing the original issue. The fact now you need a new engine + install cost due to the mechanic mistake, then you should not be paying anything to fix this mistake. The dealer has to make you whole again.

I would also argue that the dealer owe you a transport, for everyday you can not drive your car. I would start complaining about this as well. You should request a loaner while the dealer dragging their feet fixing your car!
 
My take, if you caused it, you eat the bill. If they caused it, they eat the bill.

What I would do if I were in your shoes (btw, my day job has never been a mechanic). Tell Toyota GM you're getting a second opinion. Find an engine guy (pay him a few hours of labor) to look at the engine at the Toyota dealership to give you his opinion. I'd probably find an engine guy who specializes in racing engines as he might have more experience with broken engines. If it's their fault, escalate it up through Toyota (using this link), they should make it right.

If you have to eat the cost, I find out what your options are - different engine or repair the existing one. I wouldn't be spending $3500 on an engine, I'd take this as an opportunity to learn something new and fix the engine myself (but then again, I have an extra vehicle that I can drive when needed).
 
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