2004 Tacoma 3.4L running bad

[Tiderunner]

Looking for some sound mechanical advise. I own a 2004 Tacoma with a 3.4L 5VZ-FE engine. This is my 3rd Toyota pickup. Purchased it new in July of 04. Just shy of 250k mostly highway mileage. It's running bad. I did a compression test both dry & wet. Cylinders 1,2,3 &6 all ranged from 165-175 dry then 175-180 wet. #4 is 60-65 dry & 65-70 wet / #5 is 45-50 dry & 50-55 wet. After sitting for a few days when starting there is a very small oil puff but no real burning oil cloud. There is no coolant loss either. I noticed about a year ago it started getting a vibration aroud 50-55 mph. I would back off or speed up it would go away. At first I thought it was the u-joints but that was not the culprit. I took it to a local shop & they narrowed it down to the engine after a road test & compression test. At the time I decided to hold off on anything as the truck was not getting much use. The truck was well maintained & is in fairly decent condition. I would like to just replace the heads with a remanufactured set. I've been reading about the 5VZ-FE engine & I'm understanding that the bottom end is a good solid pretty much bulletproof system. My concern is will new heads effect the bottom end. Years ago you would never just replace heads without doing the bottom end but we are talking old muscle car days. I've found a company online that has heads at $400 each complete. I've gotten pricing for rebuilding my heads the local shops and it's allmost the same price. After talking to a few different shops about the heads it scares me to take them to the shops in my area. They just didn't seem to knowledgable about my heads. The company is cylinderheads.com out of Rockwood, PA it looks like they specialize in only cylinder heads. Any questions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Tiderunner

 

[toyotafan]

Looking for some sound mechanical advise. I own a 2004 Tacoma with a 3.4L 5VZ-FE engine. This is my 3rd Toyota pickup. Purchased it new in July of 04. Just shy of 250k mostly highway mileage. It's running bad. I did a compression test both dry & wet. Cylinders 1,2,3 &6 all ranged from 165-175 dry then 175-180 wet. #4 is 60-65 dry & 65-70 wet / #5 is 45-50 dry & 50-55 wet. After sitting for a few days when starting there is a very small oil puff but no real burning oil cloud. There is no coolant loss either. I noticed about a year ago it started getting a vibration aroud 50-55 mph. I would back off or speed up it would go away. At first I thought it was the u-joints but that was not the culprit. I took it to a local shop & they narrowed it down to the engine after a road test & compression test. At the time I decided to hold off on anything as the truck was not getting much use. The truck was well maintained & is in fairly decent condition. I would like to just replace the heads with a remanufactured set. I've been reading about the 5VZ-FE engine & I'm understanding that the bottom end is a good solid pretty much bulletproof system. My concern is will new heads effect the bottom end. Years ago you would never just replace heads without doing the bottom end but we are talking old muscle car days. I've found a company online that has heads at $400 each complete. I've gotten pricing for rebuilding my heads the local shops and it's allmost the same price. After talking to a few different shops about the heads it scares me to take them to the shops in my area. They just didn't seem to knowledgable about my heads. The company is cylinderheads.com out of Rockwood, PA it looks like they specialize in only cylinder heads. Any questions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Tiderunner

So when i face a decision like this it's a balanced decision between desire to keep the truck, sentimentally and plain dollars and cents.

What's your purpose or mid- to long- term plan with this truck? What's the body and front end like? Does it need extra work, etc?

If i were to keep it, I'd get the heads swapped out and would consider doing the bottom end at the same time. If you're just at the cost of the heads that's one thing but we all know that rarely happens that we're that lucky.

How long did it run poorly?

 

[Tiderunner]

Lets call it the balance between keeping dollars & using common sense. I'm pragmatic. I'm not a miser but I will not have another vehicle payment just to have a new truck sitting more than it gets used...(it's not a boat)! I'm past that 60 mark and semi-retired. The move we made 2 years ago was into the last house we intend to live in...which is in the process of being completely rehabbed (by me). We are looking to purchase at least 1 more new vehicle for my wife. There is no new vehicle in my future & I refuse to bye somebody else's headaches. There is no sentimental value. The long term plan is to use it up....every last mile I can until it's dying breath or until we only need one vehicle. It now only gets used for towing my boat to the local ramp (20-25 mile round trip) trips to the local lumber yard & maybe a trip to the local landfill a couple times a year...as with me it's final years will be traveling back country roads and a few divided highways here and there. I noticed the problem starting to occur around 12-18 months ago...(less than 1000 miles...it now rarely gets used). Body is in fairly good shape...just a couple of little fender benders years ago that were repaired. As far as rusting away it's still in pretty good shape, no major flaws yet. Front end is a little loose but nothing that can't be repaired from time to time with a new bushing here or there. My goal is to get it back running as close to the low side of repairs as possible.

 

[toyotafan]

Lets call it the balance between keeping dollars & using common sense. I'm pragmatic. I'm not a miser but I will not have another vehicle payment just to have a new truck sitting more than it gets used...(it's not a boat)! I'm past that 60 mark and semi-retired. The move we made 2 years ago was into the last house we intend to live in...which is in the process of being completely rehabbed (by me). We are looking to purchase at least 1 more new vehicle for my wife. There is no new vehicle in my future & I refuse to bye somebody else's headaches. There is no sentimental value. The long term plan is to use it up....every last mile I can until it's dying breath or until we only need one vehicle. It now only gets used for towing my boat to the local ramp (20-25 mile round trip) trips to the local lumber yard & maybe a trip to the local landfill a couple times a year...as with me it's final years will be traveling back country roads and a few divided highways here and there. I noticed the problem starting to occur around 12-18 months ago...(less than 1000 miles...it now rarely gets used). Body is in fairly good shape...just a couple of little fender benders years ago that were repaired. As far as rusting away it's still in pretty good shape, no major flaws yet. Front end is a little loose but nothing that can't be repaired from time to time with a new bushing here or there. My goal is to get it back running as close to the low side of repairs as possible.

And you're going to do the work yourself?

 

[Tiderunner]

Yes...My mecanical background is pretty good. Built/Rebuilt my share of engines & countless other repairs through the years.

 

[Robin Veerman]

Tiderunner, I had a similar issue years ago with my 2000 Taco and had the heads rebuilt at about 350,000kms, close to your current mileage. The bottom end wasn't touched and I eventually sold the truck and the last I heard it had over 700,000kms and still going... The truck ran on 10W40 Amsoil since new. Not that oil was a factor as these trucks are tough, but I drove over 120,000kms a year, and using Amsoil was the only way that I could manage reasonable oil change intervals. So, I say rebuild/replace the heads and carry on. Dutchy

 

[larkowski]

Might sound obvious but have you checked your plugs? I had a bad spark plug in my 97 t100 3.4 and it ran rough. It would idle fine and go still but ran really rough. These engines also take the dual electrode plugs as well

 

[Tiderunner]

Tiderunner, I had a similar issue years ago with my 2000 Taco and had the heads rebuilt at about 350,000kms, close to your current mileage. The bottom end wasn't touched and I eventually sold the truck and the last I heard it had over 700,000kms and still going... The truck ran on 10W40 Amsoil since new. Not that oil was a factor as these trucks are tough, but I drove over 120,000kms a year, and using Amsoil was the only way that I could manage reasonable oil change intervals. So, I say rebuild/replace the heads and carry on. Dutchy

Thanks for the reply. I have read on other forums several post similar to my situation & most of them are saying the same thing. I'll be making my mind up in the next week. Thanks Again

 

[Tiderunner]

Might sound obvious but have you checked your plugs? I had a bad spark plug in my 97 t100 3.4 and it ran rough. It would idle fine and go still but ran really rough. These engines also take the dual electrode plugs as well

Yes the plugs are okay. The compression test says it all. 2 almost dead tubes.
Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[toyotafan]

so what did you decide to do?