Blown head gasket. How much is the truck worth?

I have a 2001 Tacoma 2wd extended cab. A head gasket popped and two mechanics say I need a new engine. How much could I sell the truck for as is?

 

Has 196,xxx on it. Tires have about half tread on them. Interior is in good shape. What else would you like to know?

 

Really depends a lot on where you're at.

 

San Diego

 

You're in luck. Ground Zero for asking top money BUT it's prob. worth fixing then selling.

It looks pretty good in photo. Gone are the days i could buy broken down 4R's and trucks for 500 bux.

 

Edit: NVM 2wd

 

Sell the cap for 500-600, sell truck for 2k.

 

impossibro...

 

@Speed Freek May be your answer send him a pm and ask if it's worth fixing or not.

 

Hehe, I paid that for my '80 4WD Pickup a couple years back that was broken down at the time. Just needed a carburetor and new fuel lines but the guy didn't wanna mess with it! It's in great shape too surprisingly, most are beat to hell.

 

Just fix the head gasket at 2k, it has plenty years left in it

 

Do you need a new motor, or a head gasket? You could pull the cylinder head in the driveway and put a new HG on. I would go ahead and redo the timing chain as well (you have half of it off when you pull the cylinder head). It is a pain in the ass to change (I pulled the motor completely).

*Edit: If you are going to get rid of it, I would pull the cylinder head and replace the HG. I rebuilt mine at 197730. Bottom end looked fine. I wasted many months and $$$ rebuilding it (because I was in no rush), but I could have easily swapped the HG and Cylinder Head in a single day.

 

There is a reason why he took it to someone, no time or no experience. Which is why the op is pondering whether it should be wise to pay that amt on an engine replacement or put it into another 1st gen.

Most of us are sentimental to our 1st gen's therefore we'll keep it until the mighty lord or, to be respectful of different religions, their god decision to strike it down.

 

You can get a jdm engine swapped in for $2k or find a local donor motor or just fix the head gasket. Your truck should fetch $5k when it's running again. W/o running engine probably $2k like others have mentioned.

 

Question: Why a new engine vs. a repair. Is the head or block cracked? Yes, 196K miles is a bit but if the only the gasket is bad or the head just needs machining, I would think you have many more good miles left on it. If the oil change interval has been good you could see 400K miles on it.

 

I don't think the block is cracked but the mechanic said there is risk hurting the engine after the cracked head gasket gets repaired. I think I'm going to do a JDM swap and keep my truck alive!

Thanks for the responses!

 

The price and / or time into doing two head jobs would be the same or less than a simple engine swap, plus you can redo all the seals and clutch in one shot. Lower mileage engine with one bank I could see doing the repair, but since OP said he wanted to do both, that's at least the cost of a new long block.

 

OP, can you do the work yourself? I am assuming not but??? I did my 2rz head job, its not bad. OEM gaskets should be used and are pricey but even if the head needs resurfaced its not that expensive.

 

Those engines are known to crack the head. But a new head and install. Bottom end is solid I bet, unless it was run til it quit and melted the spark plug wires. Clean truck btw

 

OP said he wants to pull both heads... that would put some serious hours into the job and you're right - there's a good chance he could find cracks in the valve seats. But he won't know that until he or someone else tears apart both heads. Found some in both of the heads from the bhg long block I tore down for fun...