Paid for new engine, or did I???

I agree, that the wiper nuts and plastic cowling look untouched.

Do you have an invoice that lists the engine serial/VIN number that was installed?

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$2,750. will not buy a new engine. i think gasket masters can do it in an hour?

can you post paperwork? did they tell you it needed a new engine and quote $2,750?

 

idk how long it takes to replace an engine, but two hours seems fast. is it possible they worked on it longer?

 

sorry you are in this position chabelo. GM does head gaskets with 2 guys in about 2-3 hours total, based on the videos i have seen. I haven't watched an engine replacement but doubt it could be done faster than a head gasket swap. There are coolant additives to stop leaks - if that's what the issue was. "Bars Leak" is something i have heard of. These are generally not well recommended based on what i have read, since they can clog up much more than just the leak holes.

As far as inspecting the engine, here are a few things that can build the story:

1. Are the nuts on the wires, and parts on the engine dirty or clean, or at all slightly nicked, as having been wrenched?
2. are all the electric plug assembly clips clean or dusty, as having been touched?
3. is the oil (check from dipstick with white towel) fresh looking or black? Should have fresh oil in a new engine.
4. look in the engine oil cap with a flashlight. the valves components that you can see should look very clean. A gummed up engine might have slime on those components.
5. a lot of the rubber hoses get dusty. if those were removed, there should be some "clean" areas around the grab point.
6. Your 12v battery would almost definitely been disconnected, or you shouldn't pay them even if they did the swap!
7. Did you loose your recent trip info, clock or radio presets? These go when the 12V is disconnected.
8. Those leaves and debris suggest cowl wasn't removed. that means no engine swap.
9. I think the black nuts on the windshield wipers get scratched a little when you take them off. I think its easy to see scuffs on those.
10. the engine block serial number is between the intake manifold and water pump or around that area. I dont think you can see it unless you take off the intake manifold. if you had a mirror, maybe can inspect that and give to Toyota.
11. Ask shop to show you, your old engine and take pictures of the serial number. Call Toyota. Seems like you did that!

hope this helps!

 

The pictures look way too untouched, for even a head gasket replacement; maybe they just added a (very expensive) bottle of stop-leak...

Maybe take off the front/passenger wheel, take a close look at the bottom of the timing chain cover: it, and the oil filter bracket, and the water pump on the other side, everything around there should have the grime disturbed, fingerprints, oil.

Take the ornamental plastic cover off the top of the valve cover too, take a look at the coils: is there undisturbed dust on them? No way that should be; if they did head gasket it would all have been pulled off.

 

is this a reputable shop, or do you not know anything about them?

 

Sounds like you paid to get the head gasket changed only.

 

Well in my five vehicles it's my job to know whether the engine's been swapped the head gaskets been replaced or they've poured some crap in the radiator it's on me to know that I don't drop off stuff and say whatever and drive off on my motorcycle oh no sir And I don't believe anything about the JDM motors I would much believe they're untouched by American human hands and that's probably a good thing they have stringent requirements that kind of force cars to come off the road extremely ridiculously early it seems like and here we have no gun laws I mean that's just the way of the world in their world and in ours.

SM-A715F ?

 

Seems like maybe the HG wasn't even changed, based on the debris on the windhshield cowl. It would be near impossible to change the head gasket without even pulling the windshield cowl.

 

It really doesn't look like it was touched. I've done both, engine swap and a head gasket, and swapping engines is definitely quicker. Around 50 less bolts to take off, don't have to set timing, and no gaskets to clean off and reseal.

 

This is just bad as an idiot putting together my engine with a fisher cracker hole in top of the piston I mean just pure careless ignorance I shouldn't have paid the dude for that work but it was a friend of mine's son and I'm caught in the middle of that shit it was terrible I basically paid some clown $800 for absolute nothing The worst feeling in my life and I told the kid and his partner that this would be the last time they would ever hear my name ever in this world if this is the kind of work they were going to call themselves doing I did this kind of work for their parents for years and for their friends and family their child picked up the trade that child ought to be a greeter at Walmart

SM-A715F ?