Blown Engine! 100 Series Engine Seized? (1 Viewer)

[Azmantra]

I'm posting this up as I recently have a issue with my 100 Series Engine seized up. Just looking for some opinions since theirs some really knowledgeable people on here.

My Toyota Land Cruiser is a 2004 with 275,000 miles on it.

Engine has always run smooth up until now with regular oil changes.

A few days ago after work the Land Cruiser failed to start up, it cranked over, did not start but died after a few cranks. After this the engine would not turn over at all or even click.

Battery is good and I figured it was the starter after a little research and ended up having it towed to the nearest Toyota dealer on the north side after seeing where the starter is located, pain to get to, lol.

The Dealer also thought it was an issue with the starter at first look as well. They ordered a starter and when they changed it they realized the engine was not turning over with the new starter in. They advised they tried to turn over the motor with a wrench and it was seized. They recommended possibly looking into installing a used engine.

I think it started kind of funny a few times in the prior days but still started up fine so did not really think anything of it. I did not notice any engine noise or heat issues prior to this either.

I had it towed back home for now while I figure out what I'm going to do as this is my daily driver.

Wondering if I'm going to need a new engine or if there are possibly any ideas or direction/advise. I change own oil and do minor repairs but am not overly mechanical overall.

Thanks for any feedback or help!

Cross posting this in CSC forum and 100 Series Forum
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[spear2]

Sorry to hear about your engine. I think the easiest way is to get another used engine. There are multiple places here in Los Angeles you can find them. Then you have to get a cost to ship to Arizona. But I think this is the cheapest and easiest thing to do rather than take apart the engine and redo certain aspects of it. If you took it apart you would need to get everything checked out, possibly rehone the cylinders, get all new gaskets, new seals, inspect crankshaft, etc... Unless you wanted to get custom work done on your engine (headwork, hi performance cam, rods, pistons) it's not worth taking apart.

 

[GTV]

Perfectly running engines just don’t seize up suddenly. Something is up.

 

[CloudCity]

Before you pull the engine get a second opinion, or verify yourself, that it is actually seized.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Before you pull the engine get a second opinion, or verify yourself, that it is actually seized.

I agree with this. I’d probably start with checking oil level, then remove serpentine belt and try to turn the crank with a breaker bar/ratchet. If it moves a full revolution, the engine ain’t seized.

 

[Azmantra]

I agree with this. I’d probably start with checking oil level, then remove serpentine belt and try to turn the crank with a breaker bar/ratchet. If it moves a full revolution, the engine ain’t seized.

Thanks I'll check those, see if I can get it to turn over.

 

[blatant]

I can't believe it's the motor. Should get some good insight here. At @2001LC comes to mind along with pony and a few others folks. You're in the right place, as you know.

 

[FxFormat]

Mechanic probably dropped a wrench into the intake or something, happens all the time when doing these starter jobs. I'd dig deeper, these engines don't just suddenly seize unless you lost oil pressure, hydrolocked it, or overheat the crap out of it. Any signs of that before you had starting issues?

 

[2001LC]

I've got a similar case sitting here now, that was towed here. Although it is an 06LC, so a VVT engine. Was running okay last 500 miles after a head replaced (#2 bad intake valve seat) and timing belt. So some questions on why valve seat went bad at 220K miles and on work just done. A shop tried turning the crank with a socket wrench, and bent back shield to look at timing belt. Call it seized and said replace engine. Second I've see in last month.

I've not had time to dig in. But charged the battery, only getting up to 12.4 V in 24 hours on charger. I needed battery to pump out brake fluid, as front calipers are leaking at seal. While doing that, I also put a 1/2" breaker bar on crank and tried to turn CW & CCW. It would not budge. I could see belt is on and looks tight, as peaking through the bent belt shielding.

But a few thoughts came to mind:

1) It can be near impossible even from below with a 3/4 breaker bar and foot braced on a tire, to turn the crank with spark plugs in. Turn from top with 1/2" on compression stroke, not a good test.
2) Could be starter jammed into flex plate or flex plate cracked and jammed on block. With weak battery at 12.4V I marked the crank pulley. Then tried to start. I could hear the stater engage, so it's working and not likely jammed in flex plate. Then saw that the crank did turn about 20 degrees from my mark, before battery gave up. So engine not likely seized.

So what's the point.
Failing to turn crank by hand with spark plugs in. Is not a reliable test. It's just a starting point. I'll be pulling the spark plugs, then try again by hand. But first I'll get a battery with at least 13.4 V in and crank with starter again.

Here's first last moth that was pronounced dead. NOT:

Timing belt job just done. Blown engine or savable? This is interesting guys!

Happy 2020 all. Well, I spent last day of 2019, inspecting a 2005 LC w/~200K, that was towed to me. That had a Timing Belt installed a few days before coming to me Let me know your thoughts: Blown engine from interference or is there hope? Also what do you think happened? Skip story and go...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Azmantra]

Thanks, going to look at removing serpentine and trying to turn engine over. Rack and pinion due to be changed not sure if that has anything to do with this.

 

[2001LC]

Thanks, going to look at removing serpentine and trying to turn engine over. Rack and pinion due to be changed not sure if that has anything to do with this.

Worth repeating
"So what's the point.
Failing to turn crank by hand with spark plugs in. Is not a reliable test. It's just a starting point. I'll be pulling the spark plugs, then try again by hand. But first I'll get a battery with at least 13.4 V in and crank with starter again."

 

[roma042987]

Hope they didn't put you on the hook for that starter job if they proceeded to tell you you need an engine after the fact. I had good luck with sourcing an engine from Benzeen auto last year for my 100. They provided a video of the vehicle running and showed the vin which corresponded to mileage they advertised. (I did a carfac and autocheck and Toyota service record check) They shipped it from northern Ca to Yuma very quick and reasonably. Having said all that I agree it needs to be properly diagnosed. Any other recent work done? #1 confirm it is or isn't locked up by turning with breaker bar (tech should have done this before pricing a starter) #2 get an eye on the timing belt to make sure your top end and bottom end are both rotating. Ive seen tensioners and belts fail on start up and (lock) and engine but not cause further damage.

Here is my debacle into my engine replacement. Two of them actually.

Engine locked up 00 land cruiser build up

Engine locked up on my 1999 land cruiser last night and I’m looking at replacement engines online. Interchange shows 98-4/2000 and then 5/2000-2005. later ones being incompatible with earlier years. I know the 2006 and 2007 engines got vvti but was unaware of the non vvti engines not being...

forum.ih8mud.com

new life for a 98 land cruiser

A couple of months ago while I was out of town for work a friend of mine notified me a cruiser that popped up for sale locally. It was a 98 model with factory rear e-locker and a bad engine that had locked up at 295k. The body looked relatively clean behind the ugly brush guard and tail light...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[suprarx7nut]

I highly doubt the engine seized unless you missed some enormous clues or left them out of your story. As was said, engines don't normally just suddenly seize. There's normally a very long and painful death with plenty of groaning, low oil pressure warnings, etc...

Here's a new tip. If nothing else fixes the engine, send an oil report to Blackstone labs. If the engine is actually seized and in need of complete replacement, you will have LOADS of lead and/or copper/bronze (I think?) in the oil. They will be able to tell that the motor is trash. If the oil report shows normal or even somewhat elevated bearing material, it's not seized and something else is up.

 

[mitchjohnson000]

I agree with what everyone else has said. Don't replace the engine until you find the root cause. It takes time and goes against the plug+play mentality a lot of shops want, but it can be done. Read through some of @2001LC 's threads on diagnosis of engine failure to give you a better idea.

 

[Azmantra]

Hope they didn't put you on the hook for that starter job if they proceeded to tell you you need an engine after the fact. I had good luck with sourcing an engine from Benzeen auto last year for my 100. They provided a video of the vehicle running and showed the vin which corresponded to mileage they advertised. (I did a carfac and autocheck and Toyota service record check) They shipped it from northern Ca to Yuma very quick and reasonably. Having said all that I agree it needs to be properly diagnosed. Any other recent work done? #1 confirm it is or isn't locked up by turning with breaker bar (tech should have done this before pricing a starter) #2 get an eye on the timing belt to make sure your top end and bottom end are both rotating. Ive seen tensioners and belts fail on start up and (lock) and engine but not cause further damage.

Here is my debacle into my engine replacement. Two of them actually.

Engine locked up 00 land cruiser build up

Engine locked up on my 1999 land cruiser last night and I’m looking at replacement engines online. Interchange shows 98-4/2000 and then 5/2000-2005. later ones being incompatible with earlier years. I know the 2006 and 2007 engines got vvti but was unaware of the non vvti engines not being...

forum.ih8mud.com

new life for a 98 land cruiser

A couple of months ago while I was out of town for work a friend of mine notified me a cruiser that popped up for sale locally. It was a 98 model with factory rear e-locker and a bad engine that had locked up at 295k. The body looked relatively clean behind the ugly brush guard and tail light...

forum.ih8mud.com

Thanks @roma042987

Luckily was not on hook for starter, was going to be ~$1000 before tax
Oddly was no paperwork either just went and picked up key and towed home...

 

[97 AZ LC]

Thanks @roma042987

Luckily was not on hook for starter, was going to be ~$1000 before tax
Oddly was no paperwork either just went and picked up key and towed home...

This smells like they are experiencing some guilt on the starter job. Keep digging.

 

[CloudCity]

Oddly was no paperwork either just went and picked up key and towed home...

Hmmmm, this is fishier than a sushi bar in the desert. Sounds like they may know they screwed up and just wanted it to go away. Not accusing anyone but definitely worth the effort to seek more info.

 

[2001LC]

One thing I didn't mention in above case, I now have here. Is first thing I did is check coolant level, which was fine. Low coolant will give false reading on dash temp gauge. You'll think you're running cool ("no heat issue)"

One test I do if engine to hot to pull radiator cap. Is turn on the cabin heat. If it's not blowing very hot, coolant is likely more than a quart low.

 

[Azmantra]

One thing I didn't mention in above case, I now have here. Is first thing I did is check coolant level, which was fine. Low coolant will give false reading on dash temp gauge. You'll think you're running cool ("no heat issue)"

One test I do if engine to hot to pull radiator cap. Is turn on the cabin heat. If it's not blowing very hot, coolant is likely more than a quart low.

My coolant level was good and I put in a new radiator/hoses/heater t's a few years back so don't think I had any engine heat problems

 

[mjosoba]

If they said it’s seized, but didn’t give you paperwork or try to push letting them put in a used motor; I’d be very suspicious that they did something to the engine and are trying to wash their hands of it.