Change motor or rebuild top end?

[ac011]

I have a 1991 Camry 3SFE with 180000 miles. One of my Cylinder went bad yesterday and I am thinking of either rebuild my top end or change a used japanese motor? I know number of japanese engines all claim under 60000 miles, but can you believe all engines export from Japan are low mileage? or you have to be lucky to get a "real" low mileage one?

Any suggestion if I should take my luck for a use engine or rebuild my top end?

Thanks,

[Tommy]

They are all infact that low of milage. Japan has strict safety/emissions rules, and its you know, a small ass country so not many miles will be racked up. If a car is in a wreck, its nearly impossible to get it fixed enough to meet standards again, hence why there are so many engines on the market.

if you lost a cylinder, youll need more than just a head. and if thats the case, you might as well go for the whole engine. I did, just do a search for JDM 3SFE and there will be a few threads about this topic on what to look for and what to do when you get the engine.

[OBwan]

Engine changes are very straight forward. A Camry with 180k is worth less than a grand. If you want to keep driving it just drop a junkyard motor into it and press on. It's a 500 dollar fix for a 750 dollar car.

I did it twice and got about 150k on each engine. I think these motors have a reasonable life of about 250k. Buy a yard motor with 80k on it and it should give you another 100k miles. I'll bet you get rid of it before your car has 280k miles on it....

Mine BTW is at 515k miles off the second junkyard motor. I changed them at 250k, and 395k. They had around 65 to 80k when I installed them and I paid around $5-600 each.

If you get a newer motor make sure the flywheel is compatable with your old one. I think Toyota went from 6 to 8 bolts on the crank around 1991.

[88 LE]

I would swap out the engine. Doing a rebuild is going to cost more and theres more work involved vs. swapping the engine.


http://www.attarco.com/index.php?mai...ab630f6be432e4

^ Give the Richmond store a call and ask for a quote on a 3S-FE. I was quoted $225 from the Sacramento store.

[ac011]

Are you sure it's $225? I just called them and they told me $325?

[Tommy]

times change, prices go up. 88 hasnt had a camry in years.