I need a new engine for my pickup.

F

Farmer17

Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
5,635
Reaction score
7,357
Location
Edmond, OK
My 2004 Nissan Titan Crewcab has been an excellent truck for the last 9 years but the engine just seized on it and I'm wondering what to do. It has 230,000 miles but the truck is in great shape and it's paid for so I would like to keep it a couple more years while my daughter is in college. The mechanic said it would be $3500 to $4000 to rebuild it, but a friend of mine suggested buying a salvaged engine and having it swapped out. Someone else mentioned buying a crate engine, any ideas what to do?
 
Register to hide this ad
It's usually pretty easy to find a junkyard engine to drop in them and honestly with 230k miles on it I wouldn't put a new one in it. I'm guessing you don't have the mechanical skills to do the engine swap yourself so you'll need to call around to a couple shops and see what they would charge in your area but it wouldn't surprise me if it wouldn't be cheaper for you to just buy another older truck to replace it with. Also check out LKQ and call your local junkyards to find out what they could get you an engine for and then find out what the shop would charge to do the swap and you'll have your answer then compare the cost to the book value on your truck. The major issue you'll have with the junkyard engines though is you never know how long they'll last but I can almost guarantee that buying a new engine and having it installed will be more than the truck is worth. Just my 2 cents take it for what it is.
 
This may or may not apply as it was many years ago. A friend had the same problem with I think a little japanese truck built for dodge. He bought a engine cheap. He said in japan once a truck hit I think, 40,000 miles or whatever??; they had to get rid of the engine due to smog laws. Many were shipped here at huge discount prices according to him. He bought one as was pleased.
 
The potential problem with a used engine is that depending on what model years used the same engine you might be looking at a used engine with a lot of miles on it. If the same engine was used for several years, you might find one with lower mileage and that would be a good gamble.

One of the concerns I'd have would be swapping over the auxiliary equipment, especially things like emissions controls and fuel system components. These change to some extent almost yearly and the new engine is going to have to be retrofitted with your older components.

Nissan and Toyota engines have long had reputations for lasting a long, long time. My family was in the auto salvage business for 60 years and even back in the late 70s and early 80s we sold lots of Ford, GM, and Chrysler engines, but few Nissan or Toyota ones.

A lower mileage engine would likely fit the bill for you if you can find one.

Have you discussed any of this with the mechanic?
 
I would find a good used engine and swap it out.

The truck running is worth what the engine overhaul might cost..and the rebuild could be an ordeal if like the crankshaft was bad or block was ruined...might have to find a good parts engine to rebuild!!
 
Here is my view on it and this view comes from working at a dealership and being the engine repair guy.
As far as rebuilding goes, unless the person checking it out has torn the engine apart to inspect, you could be looking at a bigger bill. If the engine is locked up, possibly rod bearings have spun and siezed onto the crank. If that is the case, a new crank and new rods will have to be put in. If the shop does a engine build correctly, they will have to send the cylinder heads and block out to a machine shop to have them checked and machined. Its hard to price out a engine build without knowing exactly what has failed and what is worn inside the engine.
When replacing with a junkyard engine, you are rolling the dice. I have replace many engines with a junkyard one and I have had some that were not good. Knocked as soon as you start it or it lasted acouple of days. Others, they are still going strong till this day.
I would start to figure out what warrently this shop offers on rebuilding the engine and also the warrenty on a junkyard engine. Most junkyards will only warrenty the engine, and not the labor to remove and replace.
 
Junk yard engines are a **** shoot. You might get a good one and then again maybe not. Even a low mileage engine may not be any good if it wasn't properly serviced regularly. You have no way of knowing.

Jasper Engines is the only way to go.
 
Just a quick question.

Are you sure that it's mechanically seized? Is it possible that your intake leaked internally and filled the top of the cylinders with coolant? (This is called hydrostatic lock, or hydrolock.)
Since you can't compress liquid, if your cylinders are filled with coolant, the engine will not turn over, and will give the impression of being seized up.
An intake gasket set is a lot cheaper than an engine.


Just a thought.
 
Go over the rest of the truck first. Suspension worn out? Tires, brakes, interior still ok? How rusty is it? Up here nissans rust real quick. Had a 03 and it had a 28x12 rust hole under the passenger floor.

I have put in quite a few used parts from lkq including engines and transmissions. Honestly its about 60 40. 60 being a good part. You dont want to take that chance.

Having 3 nissans I've never kept one past 175k and thought hey ill throw a motor in and keep it around...and I've had that option 3 times. They have the wonderful qr25de precat and ring problem.

Pull the spark plugs, pull the belts, see if it spins. If not its time to let the truck go

Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
 
The wrench-a-part yards around here charge $150 for an engine and the warranty is $1/day for up to 90 days. The catch is you have to pull it yourself.
 
Collects said:
230,000 miles! Wow! You got your money's worth out of that truck!
Click to expand...

I've driven cars and trucks with a lot more mileage than that. My 1994 truck I drove for over 320,000 miles and when sold it was still running strong. My last dodge truck was a 2000 and I sold it last year at 297,000 miles. Both of those had a V6. My latest truck is at 170,000 miles and it's got a big V8. I'm surprised your 2004 died at only 230,000 miles. Did they say what the reason was for engine failure? Most modern vehicles today can go almost forever with the right maintenance. Since it's paid for I'd suggest a lightly used one from the junkyard. You'll just have to find a way to get it to the shop.
 
Crate engines are nice. They are tested and warranted. You know what you're getting.
 
laskt9 said:
Go over the rest of the truck first. Suspension worn out? Tires, brakes, interior still ok? How rusty is it? Up here nissans rust real quick. Had a 03 and it had a 28x12 rust hole under the passenger floor.

I have put in quite a few used parts from lkq including engines and transmissions. Honestly its about 60 40. 60 being a good part. You dont want to take that chance.

Having 3 nissans I've never kept one past 175k and thought hey ill throw a motor in and keep it around...and I've had that option 3 times. They have the wonderful qr25de precat and ring problem.

Pull the spark plugs, pull the belts, see if it spins. If not its time to let the truck go

Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

This is sound advice here. Don't forget the rest of the drivetrain: trans, t-case, differentials, besides overall condition. They have 230K also. If you've maintained the truck well thus far, I can see you giving this some serious thought. If not, give consideration if your return on your investment will be worthwhile?
 
My experience is as a seller of used vehicles. I have bought several used engines. The man I dealt with would let me hear them run. I usually paid around $300, but I just looked on ebay and all I can say is WOW. Those folks want a lot. I guess I would call around and see what I can find. There is one with 80,000 miles in Haltom City, Texas. Don't know if that is close to you. Another option is to buy a complete wrecked truck. I will say if I had to pay $2000 or more for a used engine I would probably buy rebuilt.

I seem to recall that Japan has a law that you cannot drive a vehicle over 10 years old so they dismantle them and ship the engines to the USA. Since your truck is under 10 years, that may not be an option.
 
Japan has strict emissions laws. No where does it say that once a car hits 40k or 10 years do they dismantle it. It is often more cost effective to buy a new car at 60k or 6 years because of the emissions.
That being said the motors you get are not stored well. They are pulled with no care taken. Connectors will be broken, wires cut, threads pulled through. Often times they pull the motor wash it off and let it sit for months before shipping. Then months on a boat. Then a month or so in the us. No oil, covered in water. You don't want a motor that's been subject to that and not been rebuilt.

Whoever is finding motors with 40k on a daily basis please give me a link. I'd love to get a new motor for my corolla.

Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
 
mr.jbk79 said:
Don't forget the rest of the drivetrain: trans, t-case, differentials, besides overall condition. They have 230K also.
Click to expand...
Sound thought. Much as I love old blue, her engine/drivetrain are at 350,000 and if something inside the engine or transmission goes-it's new truck time. Ya got to know when to let them go. I don't know about Nissan trucks, but if everything on the truck is in good shape (I mean the body etc)-think long about putting in a new engine. It's not as simple as putting a $4000 engine into a $2500 truck. It's putting $4000 into a truck to have a working vehicle for three or four more years vs plunking down $35-40,000 for a new truck. Do the math. Vehicles are tools nothing more nothing less.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top