Help! My 200 Series Piston Rod broke and punched through the motor

[hoser]

It’s a good motor. But things can happen, especially as age and mileage increase.

If my 4.7L 2UZ severely overheats (can’t really think of any other way it would die), I’m pretty confident I could have a donor installed and be back on the road in about a week, and it would cost me ~$5k total. It would suck, but it's manageable, and that's important to me on an old vehicle.

But what we’re seeing is that’s simply not the case with the 5.7L in the 200. There’s nothing cheap about a $16k+ motor swap on a 15+ year old vehicle that’s only going to get older (and lose value). That's catastrophic, IMO.

Every time a 200’s 5.7L blows I see the same thing: “just go grab any 5.7L out of any old Tundra you can find, get her installed and rock on”. But has anyone on this forum actually done -exactly- that? If so what did it cost, and how long did it take?

They sold over 100k LC200/LX570 in the US. There will be used engines for years to come. Right now, about $5k for the engine plus consumables and labor.

 

[LJE]

It’s a good motor. But things can happen, especially as age and mileage increase.

If my 4.7L 2UZ severely overheats (can’t really think of any other way it would die), I’m pretty confident I could have a donor installed and be back on the road in about a week, and it would cost me ~$5k total. It would suck, but it's manageable, and that's important to me on an old vehicle.

But what we’re seeing is that’s simply not the case with the 5.7L in the 200. There’s nothing cheap about a $16k+ motor swap on a 15+ year old vehicle that’s only going to get older (and lose value). That's catastrophic, IMO.

Every time a 200’s 5.7L blows I see the same thing: “just go grab any 5.7L out of any old Tundra you can find, get her installed and rock on”. But has anyone on this forum actually done -exactly- that? If so what did it cost, and how long did it take?

If someone sells me a 200 for cheap I'll document what it takes to swap over a Tundra engine.

I did the same for my 100 series - my replacement engine was from a tech school, originally destined for a Sequoia based on the wiring harness part number.

On a 2UZ the exhaust manifolds, upper oil pan, lower oil pan, and engine mount brackets needs to get swapped over from the LC/LX engine.

 

[rexington14]

If someone sells me a 200 for cheap I'll document what it takes to swap over a Tundra engine.

I think you'd be the first to do it? Which is kind of surprising given how often throwing a Tundra motor into a 200 series comes up on these forums claiming it's a lower cost option. (I'm happy to be proven wrong if someone's done it before)

 

[LJE]

I think you'd be the first to do it? Which is kind of surprising given how often throwing a Tundra motor into a 200 series comes up on these forums claiming it's a lower cost option. (I'm happy to be proven wrong if someone's done it before)

That does seem wild... Seems like it needs to be done for the betterment of 'Mudkind!

 

[Zill]

I think you'd be the first to do it? Which is kind of surprising given how often throwing a Tundra motor into a 200 series comes up on these forums claiming it's a lower cost option. (I'm happy to be proven wrong if someone's done it before)

It just goes to show how rare these engine failures are. OP definitely pulled the short straw out of 1000’s of straws.

 

[gasman4u]

I am not much of a motor head but I knew enough to buy a Land Cruiser when I needed a vehicle for my family in Colorado. I love this vehicle. We've been all over the West in this thing. It has many mods from SLEE but I am at a loss as to what to do with it now. Options are 1. rebuild existing motor (~24K) 2. put in new motor (~16K) or 3. what? sell for parts?
I am leaning toward putting in a new motor and then sell it to someone who want to take it further. Please see the photos below. They are the communications from the Toyota Dealership in Lakewood.

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Bad situation for sure. Was the engine maintained properly? Are you the original owner? What’s the LC’s story?

 

[Artie]

Massive downgrade

Only a downgrade if swapping out a healthy 5.7, if you have recently added a side of the block inspection port and are facing $15-34k 5.7 replacement it would make sense. LS are plentiful, make solid power, and can be affordable.

 

[bloc]

and can be affordable.

I doubt it'll ever be popular enough in this platform to make the integration part of it affordable. Let alone worth the trouble over just finding a 3UR.

 

[linuxgod]

I think you'd be the first to do it? Which is kind of surprising given how often throwing a Tundra motor into a 200 series comes up on these forums claiming it's a lower cost option. (I'm happy to be proven wrong if someone's done it before)

I’ve read at least one thread where someone had done it. There are some accessories that had to swap over as well and some other stuff to make it work but if you search it around here somewhere

 

[rexington14]

I’ve read at least one thread where someone had done it. There are some accessories that had to swap over as well and some other stuff to make it work but if you search it around here somewhere

Maybe the extra labor involved in "making it work" just burns any excess funds available after purchasing the Tundra motor in the first place? Maybe it's more difficult to find a mechanic willing to transplant a Tundra motor (and warranty that work), when they can insist on a "drop in" LC motor?

Regardless, we have to see decreased costs. Point is a $16k+ engine swap on an older 200 with a blown motor may as well be a 1 way ticket to the junkyard for most owners. Especially in the future as these trucks approach and exceed 20 years old. Imagine 80 series / 100 series owners spending over $16k to get replacement engines in their old trucks? Not gonna happen.

 

[Artie]

I doubt it'll ever be popular enough in this platform to make the integration part of it affordable. Let alone worth the trouble over just finding a 3UR.

I should have clarified that “affordable” was directed at the cost of the motor and assuming anyone taking on this project would be doing this as a sadomastic DIY pet project,

 

[Sud]

Bad situation for sure. Was the engine maintained properly? Are you the original owner? What’s the LC’s story?

This is what I’m interested in

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

I would love to see what is destroyed and what is useable on the op's engine. I surmise that a valve dropped (valve spring failure), compressing the valve into the head and breaking the connecting rod, allowing the stump of the connecting rod to point downward, punching through the upper oil pan...

Are there other possibilities here? Faulty connecting rod?

A borescope inspection of the cylinder would be very interesting in identifying the mode of failure.

 

[linuxgod]

Maybe the extra labor involved in "making it work" just burns any excess funds available after purchasing the Tundra motor in the first place? Maybe it's more difficult to find a mechanic willing to transplant a Tundra motor (and warranty that work), when they can insist on a "drop in" LC motor?

Regardless, we have to see decreased costs. Point is a $16k+ engine swap on an older 200 with a blown motor may as well be a 1 way ticket to the junkyard for most owners. Especially in the future as these trucks approach and exceed 20 years old. Imagine 80 series / 100 series owners spending over $16k to get replacement engines in their old trucks? Not gonna happen.

Yeah I don’t disagree that 16k is crazy. A motor swap on my old 66 Mustang was under a grand for a crate engine and the labor 30 years ago. Even with inflation… geez

 

[TeCKis300]

Maybe the extra labor involved in "making it work" just burns any excess funds available after purchasing the Tundra motor in the first place? Maybe it's more difficult to find a mechanic willing to transplant a Tundra motor (and warranty that work), when they can insist on a "drop in" LC motor?

Regardless, we have to see decreased costs. Point is a $16k+ engine swap on an older 200 with a blown motor may as well be a 1 way ticket to the junkyard for most owners. Especially in the future as these trucks approach and exceed 20 years old. Imagine 80 series / 100 series owners spending over $16k to get replacement engines in their old trucks? Not gonna happen.

I agree that shops will itemize and inflate the cost of this and that. And they should as it's a business.

But damn, work to swap ancillaries when the engine is on an stand, with full access to everything is cake. Takes 10 minutes what would potentially take hours in car. Trivial work to baseline and swap stuff.

I've swapped just about every ancillary things in previous engine swap work on my toys. Where the Tundra / 200-series will almost be like for like and won't have significant things to work through.

 

[bloc]

But damn, work to swap ancillaries when the engine is on an stand, with full access to everything is cake. Takes 10 minutes what would potentially take hours in car. Trivial work to baseline and swap stuff.

I've swapped just about every ancillary things in previous engine swap work on my toys. Where the Tundra / 200-series will almost be like for like and won't have significant things to work through.

Agreed. The most complicated and time consuming part I can think of would either be the upper oil pan (but I think that depends on year) and the harness itself.

Stuff like the alternator/power steering pump/etc would be trivial with an engine on a stand.

 

[rexington14]

Good news, I guess, if true.

Although meaningless if it doesn't bring the costs of the job down.

 

[skrypj]

How the hell is it $16k to replace the motor? Woof.

 

[linuxgod]

How the hell is it $16k to replace the motor? Woof.

I feel you but $6-7k for a used motor delivered plus 40-48 hours of labor at $100/hr and you’re in for $12k right there. Dealer labor rates will be a lot higher, fluids, ancillary parts you might want to swap while the engine is out, etc

 

[hoser]

All Data suggests 15.2 hrs to Remove and Install Engine alone.