options-dead engine 96 camry 110 k miles

[hookedtocamry]

My perfectly running Toyota Camry 96 model, one morning died and the reason is still not clear. The mechanic told that the oil level was low and there were deposits. It gave knocking sounds and now its not even running.
The car was in a small wreck a week before this, and this had damaged the front bonnet and bumper a little bit, but nothing happened otherwise and the car was running fine. Even before this could be fixed, the engine died without any prior warning.
Can anyone suggest me what options I have with the car. I am the third owner and bought it for 4000 bucks. Is there any way I can get my money's worth on this? Its been just 4 months owning this car and I was extremely satisfied with the performance.
Any suggestions?

[Kep]

If you can determine that it was accident related the insurance company might be able to help out with an engine replacement.

Does it turn over and not start or does it not even turn over?

How low was the oil? Where might it have gone to? Is there oil in your coolant?

Kep

[hookedtocamry]

it does not even turn over any more, its been sitting now for almost a month. My insurance covered only liability so that option is not gonna work for me. I am not sure how to tell the level of oil but it seemed to be less than a quarter on the strip. Did not check the coolant for oil either, but what do you suggest with that?

[atobe]

you can always get a used engine .. may be 1000$ for engine+ labor... may be 600$ if you do it yourself

[hookedtocamry]

do you know any reliable sources where I can find a used engine, and is there a manual I can get to fix it myself? How difficult is it....and how risky not to damage other parts in the process

[atobe]

you can check car-parts.com for local wrecking yard that has the engine.. or sometimes you'll find them in the for sale section of this forum

[TBayToyotaBoy]

Originally Posted by hookedtocamry

do you know any reliable sources where I can find a used engine, and is there a manual I can get to fix it myself? How difficult is it....and how risky not to damage other parts in the process

Check eBay for a factory service manual (an actual Toyota publication), it will have step-by-step instructions on everything. Check your local library system while you're at it.

Replacing an engine is a fairly laborious procedure, and you'll need a cherry- picker (an engine hoist) amongst other things. If you're very mechanically inclined, you should be able to do a job this big; if you've never gotten your hands dirty on something major before, pay someone else to do it. Backyard mechanics will usually charge $300 or $400 cash to do it.

Also a question: did your oil light come on before the engine seized?

[hookedtocamry]

Also a question: did your oil light come on before the engine seized?[/quote]

No, unfortunately, there was no initial warning of an oil light....

[Kep]

Replacing an engine is a huge project. Not something generally undertaken by a novice. There are excellent instructions in the shop manuals and a lot of pointers on this forum. However, if you need the car quickly, plan on having someone who knows how to do it do it. Make sure that the correct engine is installed, matches the ECM and meets your local requirements.

Before you condem the engine you need to evaluate it a lot more thoroughly. There are several checks that you can do. Is the battery still charged up after a month or more? Can you remove the spark plugs and turn the engine over by hand? There are more...

Frankly, running the engine after the accident probably killed it. The knocking was a very bad sign.

Kep

[marc780]

Replacing an engine is a huge project. Not something generally undertaken by a novice.

Absolutely right. You can do it if you have done at least a little serious wrenching before, and/or know somebody that has and is willing to help you - for free or otherwise. You can save at least $500 in labor if you can do it.
I think id try a used japan engine. All the good places will test the engine for you before you buy it - they will do a compression check or a valve leak down check while you watch.

Beware though, people here say that many "Used japanese " engines are actually junkyard salvages. Nothing wrong with this as long as the engine is in good shape but again, beware.

Also and even more important - you must compare any replacement engine to your old one before you put down your money! I went this route on my old 1985 Nissan 200SX and the engine was a little different! The engine was still install-able BUT the intake ports on the new engine were square and the old intake manifold was oval shaped...and the large coolant pipe pressed into the engine was at an angle and the old one was straight so the intake manifold would not fit!!! (Ultimately the coolant pipes got swapped by heating up the old pipes and swapping them).

You CAN get a good used japan engine but take lots of pictures of your old one to compare to the new one before you buy - getting your money back if you have to, could be very problematic at most of these places!

Whether you go this route, or use another source for a rebuilt engine, set aside twice as much time as you think you will need, and obtain a running vehicle for parts runs; there are always issues when changing any engine - parts that dont fit, fasteners that strip out, special tools needed, etc. I have done several engine swaps and all were successful, but the nicest way i can say it is that each one was an "adventure"!

[eyeball96]

Get a second mechanic to look at it...before changing engines!

I moved this thread to the gen 3-4 section, u have a gen 3.5!!

[hookedtocamry]

thanks everyone for the advises.
I am now in two minds and am more for selling it as is. It seems to be a lot of hassle changing an engine and nothing granted that the car is still not going to give any trouble, more so since I have no experience doing this kind of job. I have to move in a few days from TX to NY, so this adds to the trouble.
Now the question is, should I go to a car mechanic to sell or auction or dealer or elsewhere? How should I minimize the loss? I have spent over 4000 bucks on it already.

[xtremeskier97]

Post pics here..You may be able to part it out if you have the time/space.

[Slooooooow]

The 96 has a 3VZ-FE?

[Tecumseh]

This guy is from California, but the car seems to be a perfect donor for you if you decide to bring your car alive anyway.
95 Camry V6 Complete Part Out Socal

Otherwise, I personally need abs sensor and transmission speed sensor (1MZ-FE, A541E) if you prefer to part it out.