Timing cover reseal needed, unsure whether to repair or sell

Just got the unfortunate news that our 2010 4runner with 188k miles needs a timing cover reseal. Right now oil is leaking onto the alternator and almost making it back to the exhaust manifold. Dealership is trying to charge 4300 and a local shop I trust is at 3200. We are not sure if we should fix it or sale it. We are having to pay a lot right for infertility stuff we are going through right now so it’s just bad timing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated we are so stressed right now and need the advice! It is SR5 Premium 4wd and in excellent condition we have really taken care of it. We know 4Runners are usually worth it to repair but just not sure. Thanks yall

 

If it's in excellent condition (aside from the leaking timing cover) I'd say bite the bullet and repair it. I bet it'll go another 188k miles before another major repair is due.

If you choose to sell it and buy a new vehicle, now you're stuck with payments that will greatly exceed $3200. I'm assuming the 4Runner is paid for. That's my 2 cents, but don't let random guys on the internet make your decision for you. It's your money, do what works best for you and your family.

 

I concur with @Borracho Loco.

Shitty timing, no doubt.

But selling this one and buying a newer car would likely cost you a minimum of $3200.

 

If you are mechanically inclined, you could watch a few YouTube videos and attempt the repair yourself. It should not be a difficult fix I would think. Or you could try Scotty Kilmer's recommendation of AT-205 RE-SEAL. He says it works very well. I dont know how well it would work on a timing cover seal though. The timing cover might just be a bead of high temp silicone.

$36 AT-205 Seal Leak Stopper 8 Ounce - 2 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017C5YWN...KXUvNqmPoGWgfHdhzdIJgHb_YnkLAghp5haLaRGz5e_ml

 

Tough luck.
But I must tell you, although $3200 is not a bad price for rectifying timing chain cover leak, very often it leads to other leaks simply because you have to tear down the entire front end to reach it. It's not the complexity of the job but the time it takes to take everything apart. It's a 12 to 14 hour job start to finish. And if you there, at 188k miles, it makes sense to change everything that may remotely be wearing out.
Not to mention, it's going to be a bummer if it leaks again and from my experience, once the engine is opened outside the factory, it's never the same specially high milage engines.

 

I have no idea what the cost is. But want does a new crate engine cost? Maybe that’s better than trying to fix it and still cheaper than getting another ride?

 

To me it depends of how much you depend on your truck. At this age and mileage I would expect some other stuff might need replacement due to tear and wear depending of how and where you're driving your 4runner. So I think money wise it worth to keep fixing it, normally 4Runners don't have too much issues. From other hand 2024 is the last year of 5th gen, I guess next year you won't be able to buy a new 5th gen and buying a used car is always a lottery.

 

Selfishly i would fix it with the understanding more work will need to be done sooner rather than later. But it also sounds like you may/will need a more reliable car in the near future so selling it and using that and the money you save by not fixing you could get something new.

 

I concur with others recommending repair. However, I would strongly consider the dealership, especially if they're decent to work with. Being such an involved repair, having the extra leverage/warranty on the repair, plus the dealership using OEM parts, might make the additional money worthwhile. The shop you trust simply may not have everything on hand, especially if there are other 'might-as-well-replace' items discovered during the repair.

 

Anybody know what a new 4.0 engine costs to put in? Other cars as a gauge I’d say $8k. For $8k I’d put in a whole new motor and start fresh if the frame of your current 4R is ok

 

First, are you seeing oil pooling in your garage or driveway? Have you cleaned the oil off and monitored how much it's leaking? Timing covers can leak for hundreds of thousands of miles and not be a real issue. My wives Corolla has had a timing cover leak since it had 20K miles on it. 17 years and 200K miles later the leak is exactly the same. One drop per day. I bought an oil catch mat. Dealer could be just drumming up business. Not all leaks are catastrophic or need to be fixed. You...need to assess the amount it's leaking and decide.

 

I have a buddy who has a 4.0 being put in a 14 FJC for $9K right now in AZ.

It's not new. It is either rebuilt or a junkyard motor.

 

Toyota doesn't sell long block or crate motors. You would have to build it from a short block and parts. Prob. cost about $12-15K.

 

How many miles and what happened?

 

He is the only person I have know to have killed two 1GRFEs. The first one was at 135K (he was not the original owner) and he says he drove it over 120mph in summer AZ heat. This one was the replacement motor from that incident, a junkyard motor they told him only had 60K on it at the time. He's put just 30K on it and says it has a cracked block. Quite a few unknown/unconfirmed elements in this case.

 

Wow! Sounds like he is trying to destroy them. I have never heard of a block cracking on them.

 

He's a good friend but a terrible driver. I can't stand to be in the passenger seat with him at the wheel.

 

I don't blame you.