Engine issue, advice needed

[Built to last]

1997 80 series, 290,000 miles.
My son has been driving this since we picked it up in July. A few issues aside, it’s done as I expected.
Wednesday it stalled out around 30 minutes from home. We had it towed to our local mechanic.
I got a text late yesterday evening from the mechanic telling me the engine locked up.
No details or explanation of the diagnosis but still something i didn’t want to hear. This is a mechanic I have dealt with for years and one I consider trustworthy. I will certainly be following up on Monday for more details.
Assuming this is accurate, what is the next move? Is this an engine repair /rebuild or replacement?
I don’t have the space, resources or the time to attempt this right now at home. I would like to keep this vehicle but fear this becoming a $10,000 repair which certainly would make me consider cutting my losses and selling her.
Appreciate your feedback

 

[vipergrhd]

Let me take a stab at it, I have bought vehicles with bad engine/transmission before and even with my own labor it still cost a significant amount of your own time and money. It is really up to you on how to begin or end it, you have to make a decision how bad do you want this vehicle. Selling it will be quick and take a loss and start over at some point or find a known good engine and find someone to help you drop it in and keep the vehicle. Good luck on the project.

 

[Broski]

Sounds like there’s missing information.
Stalled out and locked up are two very different things.
Who was driving it. Was it running perfectly and then stalled out or did it overheat to the point it stalled out.

And what kind of mechanic sends a text like that on Friday night to let you stew on it all weekend. Locked up could be so many different things.

 

[LongDuck]

How old is your son? Has he taken care of it since July? Was it running well previously? Is it his daily driver?

Too much to know from across the internet, but an engine replacement is every bit of $10k if you're trusting a mechanic to do all the work including diagnosis. Even a knowledgeable 80 owner going into it would easily spend $10k+ with all of the other stuff you'd want to do if you're keeping the LandCruiser long term.

One man's opinion, and none of us can look in the engine bay,

 

[Built to last]

Good morning,
I appreciate all the feedback. My apologies for the lack of detail on the post (limited information.)
Following up with the shop this morning; he indicated that with some manipulation they can turn the engine manually by (what I'm guessing) the crank shaft but, it will ultimately result in binding. My understanding, from a bound position, they reverse the crank, it makes a partial turn, then binds again. His assessment was a blown rod. My thought is that or a timing chain or chain guide failure?
Regardless, I need a better diagnosis..
Decisions to make on my end. All things considered, likely that i will be putting this on the market.
Appreciate all feedback and time. Thank you.

 

[LongDuck]

How much do you know about the past maintenance on this LandCruiser? You could make some assumptions based on that - OR - get it to a LandCruiser specific shop for a better diagnosis.

If it were me, I'd made DAMN sure the current mechanic knows you're not willing to sell it to him...

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Pull the spark plugs then try and turn the engine over. Could be hydro locked from a blown headgasket

 

[Broski]

Pull the spark plugs then try and turn the engine over. Could be hydro locked from a blown headgasket

^^^^ This is what I was thinking right from the start.
But we’re still not getting the full picture.
My guess is the son over heated it the head gasket went and it’s hydro locked.

A head gasket would be less of a fix than replacing the motor.

 

[Built to last]

I made a call to a IronPig Off-road in Fredricksburg VA. They are the nearest Land Cruiser specialist in our area (probably 90 minute drive). I’m hoping he can advise on some options or opinions.
I’ll do a little bit of research on the hydrolock, I’m not familiar with that. I definitely had a fear that the head gasket was living on borrowed time, to my knowledge it was the original.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

I made a call to a IronPig Off-road in Fredricksburg VA. They are the nearest Land Cruiser specialist in our area (probably 90 minute drive). I’m hoping he can advise on some options or opinions.
I’ll do a little bit of research on the hydrolock, I’m not familiar with that. I definitely had a fear that the head gasket was living on borrowed time, to my knowledge it was the original.

Im close well my new shop is close. Moneta va