Ask an expert

Can you give me an estimate of how much I would pay for a second hand Toyota 2E motor and the likely fitting cost.

Peter

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 9 September 2008

It depends on where you're purchasing the engine from and its overall condition.

I see 2E engines on Trademe start at around the $500 mark.

A wrecker may charge more depending on guarantees such as km's travelled and warranties offered. I would be surprised if the price was to rise above $1000 though.

Fitting - If it is a straight forward same-for-same swap, this engine should only take a few hours to install.

More often than not however, there are slight differences model to model that can make life difficult.

If the engine is from a different generation Toyota or from a slightly different model, you could have issues like electrical connectors not matching, differences in clutch or transmission spigot bush/bearing sizes and cooling system connections not being exactly the same.

These are all issues a good mechanic can sort out, but it does take time and is hard to quote for. You don't know what you're getting into until you start the job.

Remember, if you are going to use a second hand engine, have a mechanic check the compressions if possible before you commit to purchase, and ensure as much of the donor engine is included from the supply source.

It would be strongly recommended to replace the cam belt and water pump before the second hand engine is fitted while checks on the clutch condition, cooling system plugs and oil seals would give some assurance of ongoing reliability.

This all adds up in terms of costs, so you need to be sure the repairs don't exceed the vehicles value.