Help! Got the dreaded call - need a new motor!

[gijoebruin]

Yesterday, my wife was driving our 2006 LX470 (170k miles) with my 4yr old in the back. She noticed a loud noise from the engine and then some white smoke. She pulled over as fast as she could and turned off the truck. She had to get my son out and go into a hillside since the car wasn’t fully of the road. The truck left a trail of coolant and she told me it wasn’t on for more than a minute after she noticed the problem.

After towing it to the mechanic, he thought he could replace a couple coolant hoses and it would be good to go. Today I got call saying he ran a number of tests and the engine was affected. After replacing the coolant hoses and flushing it out, the car still overheats after 10 minutes. They could hear a rod knock as well. Bottom line is that he is positive I need a new engine or rebuild this one.

I’m out of town and can’t see the truck until tomorrow. Obviously this hurts. I’ve kept this truck so damn clean over the years and wanted to keep it forever.

I’d like to get an opinion from someone in Los Angeles are with experience on these trucks. I don’t know what to do at this point. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

Did I hear someone say, Diesel Swap? Cummins Crate Engines - Get Ready to Repower - Cummins Engines or maybe even something bigger

 

[gijoebruin]

Sounds like a fantastic idea but I don’t have funds to support a project. Would love to get it up and running and look for a newer truck for my wife and kids.

 

[YardPig]

Your choices are pretty clear. Find a good low mileage engine and swap it in and continue ownership, or sell the vehicle as-is at a loss.

 

[gijoebruin]

Any recommendations on where to start looking for a good low mileage engine?

 

[Kofoed]

Cracked cylinder wall or head?

 

[YardPig]

Car-part.com or mypartshop.com

 

[outdoorsman]

I would wait and find out more. Sometimes these things don’t turn out as bad as they are first thought.

Is the overheat problem wrapped head(s), cracked heads, blown head gasket(s)

I doubt it has a rod knock. Piston slap, stuck rings maybe?

Overheating is one thing that can kill our 4.7s

 

[Dannyboy lx470]

I would wait and find out more. Sometimes these things don’t turn out as bad as they are first thought.

Is the overheat problem wrapped head(s), cracked heads, blown head gasket(s)

I doubt it has a rod knock. Piston slap, stuck rings maybe?

Overheating is one thing that can kill our 4.7s

Yeah that's true with over heating can kill the motors are they prone to over heating ?.Important to change heater tees and coolant and hoses to.

 

[camino70]

I would wait and find out more. Sometimes these things don’t turn out as bad as they are first thought.

Is the overheat problem wrapped head(s), cracked heads, blown head gasket(s)

I doubt it has a rod knock. Piston slap, stuck rings maybe?

Overheating is one thing that can kill our 4.7s

Yes, find out more. I'd suggest a second opinion.

 

[flintknapper]

Yeah that's true with over heating can kill the motors are they prone to over heating ?.Important to change heater tees and coolant and hoses to.

^^^^^ No. Not 'prone' to overheating at all. In fact they are a very cool running engine and also easy on engine oil. Overall a great engine design.

BUT...they are 'susceptible' to damage (warped heads, blown head gaskets) if grossly overheated.

 

[flintknapper]

Yesterday, my wife was driving our 2006 LX470 (170k miles) with my 4yr old in the back. She noticed a loud noise from the engine and then some white smoke. She pulled over as fast as she could and turned off the truck. She had to get my son out and go into a hillside since the car wasn’t fully of the road. The truck left a trail of coolant and she told me it wasn’t on for more than a minute after she noticed the problem.

After towing it to the mechanic, he thought he could replace a couple coolant hoses and it would be good to go. Today I got call saying he ran a number of tests and the engine was affected. After replacing the coolant hoses and flushing it out, the car still overheats after 10 minutes. They could hear a rod knock as well. Bottom line is that he is positive I need a new engine or rebuild this one.

I’m out of town and can’t see the truck until tomorrow. Obviously this hurts. I’ve kept this truck so damn clean over the years and wanted to keep it forever.

I’d like to get an opinion from someone in Los Angeles are with experience on these trucks. I don’t know what to do at this point. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

^^^^^^ I'd want to know a LOT more about diagnosis the 'mechanic' came up with.

1. What was the cause of the coolant loss? Burst hose(s)?
2. When flushing the system did he remove/inspect/replace the thermostat?
3. Was the fan clutch checked for proper operation?
4. Was the oil level and oil pressure checked?
5. Did he pressure check the cooling system and radiator cap?

For sure...I would want a second opinion.

 

[Spike555]

Did your mechanic change the oil too?
When you overheat a engine you also overheat the motor oil, the motor oil then looses it's ability to lubricate and things make noise.
This can be exacerbated depending on the oil that you had used, oil at the end of it's life will not take the overheating as well as one that's at the beginning of it's life for example.
And of course a conventional oil will not take the overheating as well as a full synthetic oil.
All of these things work together, engine coolant and motor oil both cool the engine. Cook either one and you're going to have problems.

I would wait until you get home, have it towed to your place, change the oil and go from there.

 

[2001LC]

White smoke was likely coolant entering cylinders. First would be looking for presents of coolant oil. Second test would be compression test. Third a borescope.

Here's a videos of badly scored cylinder in an overheated 2UZ-fe VVT. Why it overheated will never no for sure. But clues point to it started with a partially block radiator, running hot for a long time. Then likely low coolant level form improper burping. Finally excessive heat and running low of coolant (Air drying plastic of tees) aged heater tees prematurely. Then head gaskets blew. Coolant then dump into cylinders.

 

[2001LC]

Blown head gasket, combustion gases coming from engine coolant heater core inlet line (tee blown out)

 

[2001LC]

Good cylinder walls.

 

[2001LC]

Believe me, it's a bigger more costly job to find a good VVt engine then is commonly thought in this forum. Most used engine out there, have not been stored properly. To have a shop install new OEM short block, heads, hoses, radiator, etc is about $14K. Shops often pick up a used engine that are USA made from a Tundra or Sequoia. These have issues best steered away from. Most recyclers have not properly protected the Japanese engine that they have. Finally 50% report milage much much lower than actual.

Where some in mud have stated you can pick engine for $1k in toss in a weekend. It ain't so! Especially when dealing with a VVt. A ton of time is involved in just finding a good one. Also engine will mostly like have to come from a non Land Cruiser/LX47, as the 4 or 5 VVT available now aren't good targets IMO. This means a 4runner or GX470 engine, which increase labor and parts needed to ready the engine.

I hope your mechanic is wrong, but not likely.

You must consider not just cost and time. But will you get what you pay for, and will it be as good as what you had (test of time).

Good Luck!

 

[REZARF]

I disagree, I'd find a 4.7 and pop it in. You'll be up and running in the fastest least out of pocket costs and enjoying your cruiser again. @2001LC we all know you do TOP NOTCH work, but not everyone wants, needs or can even afford to do everything "perfect." Drop a new motor in it and enjoy it. OP, in LA you should be able to find a 4.7 donor motor with ease and drop it in without too much hassle.

In my opinion it's a donor motor or start over with a new rig. Heck, it can cost more to repaint a rig than drop another donor motor in it. Do your homework, find a donor and go for it.

 

[2001LC]

Sounds easy "drop in".

I'm not saying he shouldn't just replace engine. Just saying it more of a job then has be tossed around in the forum for years, especial with a VVT.

If he can find a good Land Cruiser/LX470 swap-in, it will save tons of time. With his higher mileage there is one in the USA that may work for him that I saw ~$3,400 w/shipping. I went for under 100K, fresh with perfect history plus some other factors that weighed-in. There are some issue with just picking any engine out there, which I learned the hard way.

Yes I do like them top notch. But drop-in's of non VVt are much easier to find, than VVT. Believe me I just bought one last week, it's not a drop in.

Sweet smell & looking inside in this GX470 w/98K engine with perfect Lexus service history. Timing belt done at 97K 4 months ago. Vehicle sat with good hood & fenders protecting from elements. Engine ran just before being pulled in last 60 day, and as you can see intake was still on, this is import.
Off with old pans.

On with new pans last night.

Heading to Dealer soon for an intake gaskets. My bad, order was missing one yesterday Will be swapping oil filter bracket, cooling housing today. Then swapping starter wire harness which means pulling intake manifold. A.I & switches, water by-pass rear, water pipe, starter, etc.
next will be exhaust manifold and dip stick and other small stuff install. Labor and parts add up.

Two most time consuming issue we don't think about:
1) Doing homework on finding a good replacement engine, to find one that gives best chance of getting a sweet one.
2. Cleaning & recondition parts. It takes forever, time most shop don't have.

 

[YardPig]

Your over thinking it for a guy sitting there with a mechanics phone call saying he needs a new engine.
If the OP trusts his mechanic, have the mechanic find a good running engine with the same or less mileage, or do the homework yourself and locate one, do the timing belt job and 'stuff' it in the hole. This isn't rocket science.

Autowreckers are in the business of selling parts, not hanging stuff on the wall like a museum. Reputable wreckers will do basic compression test, oil pressure and audiable running condition tests before they sell. They offer a warranty.

Nice used engines are swapped into millions of vehicles a year...