Noob needs help

[Justardnck]

My girlfriend has a 2002 Camry with a 2.4L eng with 100k miles, I have no clue what happened cause she admits to nothing but there is a hole in the side of the engine big enough to drive a NY taxi through.

I either neet to find where I can get a long block from with out returning a core (because it's junk) or should I just sell t cheap and get her a new car

What do you guys recomend?

[Rapid Roy]

Probably cheapest to buy a used engine from Japan. Just google used JDM engines.

[gdanaher]

http://www.billystoyotaparts.com

[TRD VVTi]

You could try Golen or Jasper for a long or short block. Toyota will be hugely expensive for the 2.4 if I remember correctly. You could also try and find a clean used engine. If the current engine was properly maintained there isn't any reason you couldn't use the existing head without alot of addition prep.

I'm guessing that a rod bolt broke. If there wasn't any warning that's usually the cause.

[jermyjerm]

J.B.Weld?

[marc780]

Originally Posted by jermyjerm

J.B.Weld?

that wasn't nice.


Its an 2002 so why trash it if you know how to wrench. Im with the others, drop in a used japan engine BUT do not buy one sight unseen! Alot of them are DIFFERENT in small but important ways!

I know cause i did it to my old 1986 Nissan 200sx - got a used japan and found the following things were diiferent: Intake ports on head (old ones square, new ones oval, but just bolted old manifold over new japan engine and ran it that way). The biggest difference - the cooling pipe for the radiator hose was at the WRONG ANGLE and the intake manifold would not go over it! So had to sweat the old pipe out and put it in the new one.

Get the idea? COMPARE before you buy. If you plan to go this route, it can still be a good idea because these engines are generally good and will run for a long time (Toyota after all). Here's what i'd do - pull whats left of the old engine out and strip off the manifolds, down to what the new-used japan one woud look like. Then take a bunch of digital pictures or better yet, bring the old engine along if you can get a truck, then go used japan-engine shopping.

Compare the location of engine mounts, the cooling pipes, the manifold holes. It may not match 100% (the ideal, of course) but it has to be real, real close. The reason that i said strip your old engine is now you can test fit at least a couple pieces to make sure they'd fit (the manifolds for example).

Most places you can buy these, will also install them too, and if you can afford to do that, i would. It cost me $1,000 to do this back in 2003, not sure what it costs now. If you find an exact swap engine and do it yourslef, you can save $400-500 in labor. You will need to rent or even buy (harbor freight) and engine hoist and engine stand. Set aside at least 3 solid days of work for this, maybe 4 or 5, and you can save this 2002 Camry.

BTW i'm guessing the hole in the side of the engine was from a failed connecting rod cap and a connecting rod punched through the block - the engine probably ran out of oil.