Dead engine with only 135K miles....now what? (1 Viewer)

[LCMemphis]

I sure could use some advice. 4 weeks ago my 2010 LC went bad while I was 80 miles away from home. Overheated and started shuddering badly. Took it to a reputable local independent dealer who pointed out the fluids leaking underneath, lack of water in radiator. Turns out I needed new radiator, thermostat, water pump and belt. Mechanic kept it a week and said it was fixed and they ran it awhile to double check no overheating.

Truck ran fine for 2 weeks and then the exact same thing happened again last week on the highway. I only drove it 10 miles from the time the lights came on(engine, 4lo, VSC, etc) before it broke down. Had to have towed back to Memphis to Toyota dealer.

Dealer is familiar with my car and their technician said an air pocket got into the engine and that's what did it. Engine is shot..wont crank...no compression. Here are my questions.....do I potentially have recourse with the mechanic shop that didn't correctly diagnose or fix properly? Toyota said if they didn't purge air when refilling with liquids that could have caused air pocket. Secondly, should I take chance with swapping engine for used one from Car-Part and use a mechanic who does a lot of these engine swaps? Even that will set me back about $7500 for engine, shipping, and labor. FYI, dealer only offered me $9k for vehicle as is towards a trade in. Thanks in advance

 

[bloc]

What was the initial cause of failure the first time? The common radiator crack on the upper tank?

How much recourse you have with the shop can depend on state laws, and especially if there was any kind of warranty on the work. Have you tried to talk to them about it yet?

It seems suspicious that you could drive without problems for two weeks and any air bubbles wouldn’t have worked their way out, personally.

 

[Sandroad]

First, yes, the "reputable local independent dealer" should take alook at it and offer to fix it, if it turns out it was their faulty work. Second, a used engine is a good idea because when fixed, you'll have a vehicle that is worth more than the trade-in value plus the replacement engine. Others on here will probably chime in to find a Tundra engine. Bummer on the problem to being with........maybe the infamous radiator crack and fall?

 

[D21FJ60]

Was the temp guage pegging on the hot side for the full 10 min? Strange that an air bubble would toast one of these engines. Irregardless I would pursue recourse with the indy shop. If their diagnosis was wrong, what was the dealer daignosis?

 

[LCMemphis]

A little clarification.....the second time when the engine lights came on, the thermostat was showing all the way HOT and then suddenly want all the way cold. This occured while I was driving. I don't trust the local mechanic(small town) to try and fix b/c the engine is gone and most like, one of his mechanics overlooked something. There's simply too much coincidence.....I will check with local atty since this was in MS, about 80 miles from Memphis. At the end of the day, not sure I want to chase the mechanic for money and all that hassle when I'm still needing a complete engine replacement. Is the Tundra engine the exact same b/c that would give me more options/ Thanks.

 

[Moby]

Oh, this sucks. Sorry to hear this. I agree that the root cause doesn't seem to be clear, including if the indy shop is actually at fault or not. But in the long view, it may not matter. If you want to keep the truck for the next 5 years, build a motor. Otherwise drop in a good used and sell it. Either way you might be able to get the Indy shop to work with you on labor if you trust them to pull and reinstall an engine. But given what you've said I'm not sure that I would.

 

[TeCKis300]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

Moving forward, I would not care for any type of repair or rebuild of the existing motor. It's done. Overheat events warp all major parts and nothing is salvageable as part of a reliable engine going forward. Even short of that, I personally don't believe most mechanics are capable of building a motor anywhere near stock clearances.

I would source a low mileage used motor from car-part.com. You might even be able to get a service history from the VIN. Tundra or Sequoia is fine. The swap is already proven good and it's a straightforward job most mechanics are capable of. Just swap most of the ancillary parts from the current motor. Cooling system parts should be replaced.

 

[Moby]

I should clarify - I didn't mean rebuilding the existing engine, I meant finding a good core to build. And do not let just anyone build it, you need an automotive machinist, one that really loves their work. Yes, there is risk in building an engine (I've been down the path of a bad rebuild unfortunately). I just personally would not go through the cost of having a shop pull and drop in an unknown engine. Who knows how it has been treated. But again, really depends on the longer term plans for the truck. Low mileage used might be the right thing for the situation.

Again, sorry for this. The only thing worse than engine failure is body rust. I've had both. At least with engine failure you can have some fun Build a stroker or go with Darton sleeves, lowered compression and the big, stage 2 Harrop blower.

 

[stolikat]

You can get a tundra crate motor from Summit racing for $7k.

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Find TOYOTA TUNDRA Crate Engines and get Free Shipping on Orders Over $109 at Summit Racing!

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Also, this...

Toyota Lexus 3URFE 5.7L Tundra Sequoia LX570 Remanufactured Engine 2007-2015 | eBay

 

[slowride]

Jasper Engines

3 year / 100,000 mile warranty

Approved network of Install shops

 

[LCMemphis]

Thanks gang....all of you have been a huge help and I'm gonna look into some of the links you sent for used and remanufactured engines. I'll probably approach the auto shop owner this week when I'm back down there and see what he's willing to do restitution wise but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[rscoleman]

I would go crate motor route if it was my 200. Good luck in what ever you chose.

 

[LCMemphis]

Can anyone please clarify if the Tundra or Sequoia engines will line up the same and if they need some different parts. My toyota dealer says the intake and oil pan aren't the same and would have to be ordered. However, the car-part vendors and reman vendors so no problem on the sway..so I'm confused on who's right and don't want to make expensive mistake

 

[CharlieS]

Can't you swap them over from the parts motor?

 

[ton504]

@LCMemphis

You can always compare short block and long block part numbers to see where the differences are.

 

[40Man]

Can anyone please clarify if the Tundra or Sequoia engines will line up the same and if they need some different parts. My toyota dealer says the intake and oil pan aren't the same and would have to be ordered. However, the car-part vendors and reman vendors so no problem on the sway..so I'm confused on who's right and don't want to make expensive mistake

There is a thread on here where someone did a Tundra swap. They talk about what didn't work.

 

[kcruiser200]

would I be completely out of my mind to think about a crate diesel motor straight from Cummins in situations like these?? I know may not be a direct fit, but what if it could be done?? like I said, i may be outta my mind.......

 

[gaijin]

would I be completely out of my mind to think about a crate diesel motor straight from Cummins in situations like these?? I know may not be a direct fit, but what if it could be done?? like I said, i may be outta my mind.......

Unless you want to restrict the future life of your LC to farm duty off all public roads, then yes, you're outta your mind

 

[eatSleepWoof]

would I be completely out of my mind to think about a crate diesel motor straight from Cummins in situations like these?? I know may not be a direct fit, but what if it could be done?? like I said, i may be outta my mind.......

Anything is doable with enough time and money, but I highly doubt that approach will give you a satisfactory ROI.

Electrical will be a huge challenge. ECU, mapping, etc.

 

[bloc]

Diesel? Haaahaahahaha

What transmission? Want to stare at a Christmas tree on your dash for eternity? These engines are extremely integrated into the vehicle communications.
Physically fitting it would be hard enough.. Keep in mind we have a low hood, short engine bay, and a differential practically siamesed with the oil pan.

Toyota used a v8 diesel in the markets that could support it for the same packaging reasons. Until then straight six was and probably is the most bomb-proof setup (7 mains, inherently balanced, etc) but they just couldn’t cram one under the hood.