Unfortunately my trustworthy OzBargain sanctioned Toyota Camry requires a new engine.
I am looking to have the engine replaced, however was interested in other OzBargainer's experiences in having your engine replaced - specifically, if you managed to get much more life out of the car, or whether you experienced ongoing issues with your replacement engine?
Admitting to owning a Camry doesnt make sense…
all ozbargainers own 2 cars
a Toyota Camry
and a high yield Merc AMG
I've only managed to buy the Camry :(
Wrong.. Tesla
The only feasible way i can see this happening is if you drain it of all fluids and drive it for 100,000k's
"whether you experienced ongoing issues with your replacement engine"
I installed a fully re-conditioned engines and it lasted 200k
if you managed to get much more life out of the car, or whether you experienced ongoing issues with your replacement engine?
So many variables. How many kms on the new engine? How much warranty are you getting for the job? How old is your car?
You might get lucky and find an engine that's only done 30k km. I'd expect the car to run for another 100k km after that replacement (maybe even 200k km).
What caused the engine to die?
also how many klms on the car? Are you talking a reco engine, or one from a wrecker?
I've replaced one in a Barina and Datto 1600… the Datto got the 180B donk which I sold but it still lasted years… the Barina wasnt worth the effort..
What has actually failed? Why has it failed? What engine is it, camrys have had many different engines over the years.
Time for a 2JZ swap
2JZ? No shit.
Overnight from Japan
I remember watching that scene and thinking, how bloody much would overnight delivery of car panels cost, surely in the thousands per part.
@AdosHouse: back then it was expensive but it wasnt thousands. I recall possum bourne cooked a head? sent a mechanic to go pick one up from subaru japan and fly back for the race the next day.
He told me hire car to the air port, flight, taxi from air port in japan. Taxi back to air port, flight back, hire car, back to hotel. was like 12 hours then he still had to help fit it. Flights alone were 4k and that was 20? years ago.
OP doesnt say what engine his Camry has.
The V6 for example, of all ages, has problems with old sludging esp. on the top end.
It becomes a cost benefit case… if you have a fairly late model Camry that is worth say $8,000 then you may look at an engine replacement if the total bill is around $2,500… to me this is better than risking a 2nd hand car if you know your car is otherwise solid and you dont mind spending the money.
Saying that its was a long time ago when an engine swap was done and dusted at only $2,500…
Goes back to sunk cost. If you bought a $5k Camry and it costs $3k to fix perhaps it might be better if you do a 'greenacre trade in'… with fire… I kid.
if you have a fairly late model Camry that is worth say $8,000
You'll find 10+ year old camry's are selling for 8k or more these days. I'd hardly call that "late model".
Can confirm, my family's old V6 Camry sludged
Let me guess, it's a 4 cylinder and burning excessive amounts of oil? 2AZ-FE
Twice as long as half of it. Engines should be good for more than 200,000km if serviced. Sometimes they fail before that for ‘reasons’. If installed properly ty should get similar kms out of it.
Should you go ahead? How long do/did you want to keep the car for? How much are you willing to spend on it or would you prefer to get a new one?
A loooooonnnnggggg time ago I replaced an engine cheap DIY. It kept going fine for as long as the car lasted. I was taught to repair first, replace as a last resort.
Its not as simple as that.My V6 engine on 17 year old camry is fine but valve cover gasket is leaking oil.The labour cost makes it uneconomical to be fixing things every year once the car is 2 decades old.If you are a mechanic yourself or a DIY expert then fine but otherwise spending $2000 every year on maintaining a car which is worth $4000……………..
Yeah it’s not a simple equation summing up repair or replace. As we have no idea how old OPs car is we can’t really give any advice other than engines last a long time, except when they don’t.
If the engine blew up in my vehicle I’d be up for $5-8k which starts a different conversation to contemplating a $500 wrecker engine swap in the front yard.
It’s like a childhood myth has been ruined.
How can a Camry engine die? I was told this was impossible, yet OP tells us it has happened.
It can surely only be through neglect, or worse, sabotage?
As the owner of a 25 yo Camry I can barely believe this to be true, yet mortality faces us all.
I hope there’s a full coronial enquiry into the old engine before it is laid to rest.
25 yo Camry !
How are the gaskets holding up?
I have a 17 year old Camry with V6 engine and valve cover gasket is leaking oil and got a quote of $700 for gasket replacement.
The problem is its 17 years old and all the gaskets and other parts are 17 years old except the battery and tyres and starter.It must be having so many gaskets which could be next in line.The labour cost is astronomical.
So i bought a new RAV4 hybrid and will get rid of the 17 year old camry soon.
Had my valve cover gaskets replaced last year.
Kits were 2 x $65 each = $130
Labour was $290
So all up $410
Also had the plugs replaced at the same time, which cost another $150….
Lol damn still too expensive really. Insane how obselence is also caused by high labour costs.
Barra time
OP - swap dented corner rear bumper while you're at it
Yeah, like most car threads, need the age, engine spec and model. Plus your issue. If it has vvti is usually an easy fix unless it's one of the "bad engines". Does look pretty serious beforehand though…
Nevertheless, OPs question was for information from those who had actually done it.
Not asking whether to do it.
So far she/he has received only 2 or 3 actual answers. About FB average…..
No one can answer whether it's a good idea, without more information. To replace a damaged engine with one that is likely to suffer the same fate, is stupid. To replace one that has suffered a catastrophic overheat, with one with no known issues, is likely a good idea. I've replaced plenty of Toyota engines, ops complete lack of info makes it very hard to advise them either way.
It's a real crapshoot. I would be very careful about who rebuilds or replaces the engine. Naturally I'd probably go the safer route and replace with a known good engine, but the issue is having knowledge of a good engine. If you can get a known good motor swapped into it, I'm sure it'd be fine, but be very very careful.
Ask a wreaker that has those motors
Where abouts are you?
I should say, where is the car?
Toyota Camry and a failed engine. That doesn't make any sense