Here's my take: If you can do the work yourself, get a used engine and put it in. However, if you are going to have to pay a shop to do the work, sell it as is for whatever you can get. You'll pay so much in labor that it just doesn't make sense.
Need help pricing my '85 FJ60 after engine seizure... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter mmarenyi
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FJ60Seth
SILVER Star
6 quarts is a LOT of oil to lose quickly with no visible signs of a leak. I’d want to know where it went, just to satisfy my curiosity and maintain my sanity. At a minimum I’d pour some light oil into the spark plug holes and try to turn the motor by hand. I’d pull the oil pan and look at the bearings too.
I’d be surprised if you could find a reputable shop to swap a 2F for less than 5K plus the cost of the motor. They only way this would be cost effective is to patiently wait for a good motor and do the work yourself. A good motor is a local one that you can evaluate, or one from a trusted seller. Personally, I wouldn’t by one from a wholesaler.
As your truck sits, as you described it, I think it’s worth 5K tops. If you want it gone quicky, then 3K.
If you decide to pay for the work, talk with Georg at Valley Hybrids in Stockton. He does a huge amount of LC work, and a lot a engine swaps. He has one of the best reputations of any mechanic here. He goes by orangefj45.
I’d be surprised if you could find a reputable shop to swap a 2F for less than 5K plus the cost of the motor. They only way this would be cost effective is to patiently wait for a good motor and do the work yourself. A good motor is a local one that you can evaluate, or one from a trusted seller. Personally, I wouldn’t by one from a wholesaler.
As your truck sits, as you described it, I think it’s worth 5K tops. If you want it gone quicky, then 3K.
If you decide to pay for the work, talk with Georg at Valley Hybrids in Stockton. He does a huge amount of LC work, and a lot a engine swaps. He has one of the best reputations of any mechanic here. He goes by orangefj45.
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Another concern with a used engine and swap, at least in Kalifornia, is passing smog.
The used engine needs to be in good enough condition to not fail smog, and all the smog bits need to be working and swapped. This may narrow the donors list. Be dumb to more work and not be able to pass smog!
I know it's a hard decision, but only the owner can make it.
I'm 10 minutes away in El Segundo if you would like me to take a look at it?
The used engine needs to be in good enough condition to not fail smog, and all the smog bits need to be working and swapped. This may narrow the donors list. Be dumb to more work and not be able to pass smog!
I know it's a hard decision, but only the owner can make it.
I'm 10 minutes away in El Segundo if you would like me to take a look at it?
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- #45
Again thanks everyone for the input, insanely valuable. Apologies for the radio silence, I had to go to Poland (yes, Poland) for work for the past 10 days, but now I'm back and ready to tackle this.
The shop emailed me in the mean and says they are struggling to source any engines, and have quoted me 8-9k for the work and 6-8 weeks. Without a doubt, I'll be doing this myself.
I definitely want to find someone to work on her with, I'd like to dive into this. I have zero tools and minimal experience, but I able bodied and eager and I've got friends who would be willing to help too.
Of the guys who've offered, does anyone has a space and tools to work on the truck? I'm happy to pay whatever is fair for the time, tools, and knowledge.
I am in Playa Del Rey (as some of you correctly and somewhat scarily guessed from just the photos haha).
Anyone still up for it?
@RodrigzCrzr @doug720 @mattressking
The shop emailed me in the mean and says they are struggling to source any engines, and have quoted me 8-9k for the work and 6-8 weeks. Without a doubt, I'll be doing this myself.
I definitely want to find someone to work on her with, I'd like to dive into this. I have zero tools and minimal experience, but I able bodied and eager and I've got friends who would be willing to help too.
Of the guys who've offered, does anyone has a space and tools to work on the truck? I'm happy to pay whatever is fair for the time, tools, and knowledge.
I am in Playa Del Rey (as some of you correctly and somewhat scarily guessed from just the photos haha).
Anyone still up for it?
@RodrigzCrzr @doug720 @mattressking
... Saw this thread while looking for another issue ...... it is now December 2019, what was the conclusion to this story?
I'm the original owner to a 87 fj60 with 235k miles. A lot of 4 wheeling with 2 boys and adventure outings with Scouts and geocaching.
I'm the original owner to a 87 fj60 with 235k miles. A lot of 4 wheeling with 2 boys and adventure outings with Scouts and geocaching.
Does this mean you seized an engine, also ?
$8k to do an engine swap. Holee sheet. I’m in Vermont and have a local shop that fixed an exhaust manifold leak on my sprinter with the 5cylinder turbo diesel. They pulled the engine. Got the manifold off had the manifold milled flat replaced all the exhaust studs. Put on my new down pipe and reassembled and installed everything for $1000.
Yeah, but you guys are also responsible for Bernie Sanders so Vermonters must just want everyone to pay each other's bills
I siezed one back in 91. It was a 69 fst 40, I was 17 driving back from Puerto Penasco Mexico and I cracked an oil line to the external oil filter, somehow that f engine got me home to Tucson, and was getting hot, so I shut it off and let it cool down. Well, it didn't start again, after about a week an old(but younger than I am now, ha!) and more mechanicaly minded fella told me to use tranny fluid in the cylinders and let that soak for a couple days. I did. Two days later it fired right up, and it had been siezed solid, where trying to tow and bump it would lock up the tires. Sadly it developed a knock, and I didn't know enough to fix it myself. I have regretted selling that fj40 ever since. It was Freeborn red, I loved it and the experience made me learn. Now I must go have an adult male cry. Don't look at me!
If $8k was the price for pulling the old engine, doing a full rebuild and reinstalling then that’s a price that could be pretty close. A full rebuild with all new parts, machine shop work, and someone else’s labor could run you $3000 to $6000 depending on all the various variables of variation and variability 
