05 Tundra engine

good day to all, i need a little guidance on an 05 Tundra SR5- timing belt broke and damaged the engine- mechanic says replace timing belt, head set kit and bolts, head set gasket kit and thermostat. Other than the engine, the truck body is in good shape. Would it be better to replace the the whole engine or just these repairs? Also, can anyone put a value on it in current condition? about 210k miles, spray in bed liner and clean inside with little cosmetic defects.
any help is appreciated.
thanks.

 

Well, first off, welcome aboard.. I would buy a used engine and swap it out, as opposed to putting the same amount of money/labor/time into rebuilt heads and new gaskets. Keep in mind the piston tops probably have some dingers as well..

what is the quote for all the work? Is it a truck you'll want to drive long enough to recoup the investment?

you should be able to purchase a decent engine in the 900-1500 dollar range.

You've got some ciphering to do...

 

thanks for the reply! repair estimate is around $5200- im not much of a mechanic but know there is a good bit of labor involved in the rebuild. I plan to sell with or without repair- just trying to get a good idea of the best route.

 

I would just sell it as is and walk away and go find another good truck. There is no telling the damage that was incurred without tearing it all the way down ie...rods, rod bearings, pistons, cylinder walls etc.. You could put a different engine in it but they are not cheap and you have no way of knowing if it is good or not. Either way you go (rebuild or used engine) you are putting half of what the truck is worth into fixing it. Just my thoughts.

 

thanks.

 

LS SWAP IT!
Twin Turbos
Ssskrrttt!!!!

 

In July I sold my 04 Limited plus topper with 198,000 miles for $5500. It was in fair condition and mechanically sound except the AC did not work. The timing belt had not yet been replaced and that was a big concern for most buyers. The kid who bought it fixed the AC and did the timing belt right away. Probably a good thing based on the mileage of your timing belt crumple.
Walk away and take what you can get for it.

 

New used engine might be in order. BTW, why did your timing belt break?

 

If you do not plan to keep to the truck either way, cut your losses, save yourself the aggravation and stress and move on. Replacing the engine would be the best option but it ultimately may cost more than present quote. Used engine will need timing belt replacement, tune up, address the exhaust recirculate emissions crapola etc.

That’s my budget of advice for today, the whole 2 cents. I guess I have to go back to being a clown the rest of the day.

 

Good luck with your project . . .

 

Sell it, don't go through the trouble of engine swapping. Most jobs take longer and cost more than the initial estimate. Value will decrease with an engine swap as well. Scares a lot of people off. I personally would go the LS swap route if my engine blew. My truck has very few electronics to mess with. Could just LS swap, lift and reharness the truck for less than $5200. Of course I would have to do the work.....

 

Considering we are still in a global pandemic with future uncertainty, should you be buying a newer vehicle? I guess if you’re financially ok I think there are some really good deals to be had in the new trucks at the moment, used cars are seeing a higher than normal market. If you’re not to comfortable with the financials looking into the future, I would say budget around $8-10k and invest in what you have. I’m assuming you already own it outright so insurance is cheaper. This option can net you 10 more years with little maintenance costs.