2001 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner Crew 5VZ-FE/Auto with 143,xxx miles.
Came in last Thursday, One of the other "Tech's" drew this job. He diagnosed it as a bad engine because it was missing & smoking-----BADLY. It would fill the whole shop with bluish smoke.
The Service Writer couldn't find a used engine with less than 200K local, A rebuild/reman was beyond what the customer was willing to spend.
II'l admit that I was being nosey albeit curious as to WHY this engine would all the sudden start smoking. The truck was in the shop a couple weeks prior for brake work & has been in for various repairs for the last 7 years per the ShopBoss software we use.
The customer had declined an oil change a total of NINE times, Timing belt Three times, And Drive Belts Five times.
I've managed/foremanned several shop operations in the past & have seen my fair share of strange problems that force out-of the-box diagnostic strategies. I make more money & work fewer hours being a Flat Rate Tech than I ever did in a Management Position.......
In a attempt to stay in my own lane....I advised the SW & Tech that the engine could be sludged & sucking oil through the PCV or fresh air tube. With everyone still in "Holiday Mode" around here......The SW turned the diagnostic over to me.
The fresh air return tube was dry, Removed the air intake tube to access the PCV valve & Hose.......Found the IAC Valve port ahead of the throttle plate full of oil along with oil flowing out of the upper intake past the throttle plate. Removed the hose at the PCV valve & of coarse it was full of oil as well.
Wrote up an estimate for pulling both valve covers, Lower Oil Pan, Flushing the engine (2 gallons of Berrymans Chemdip & 2 gallons of Kerosene), Timing Belt/Water pump, Drive Belts, Spark plugs, Camshaft seals, Antifreeze, Oil/Filter, PCV Valve, GM upper cylinder cleaner Piston soak, And all related gaskets.
Came out too @$2,800 with the emphasis that the engine could fail at any time afterwards & I am NOT responsible for anything beyond workmanship. SOLD the job......Even after being pretty short with the customer about his blatant lack of maintenance. Also advised that the Catalyst's & O2 sensors are poisoned at this point & will require replacement. He decided to roll the dice on this as it just started the missing & smoking.
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/pOk8yzc.jpg "[Linked Image]")
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/tASkeZ6.jpg "[Linked Image]")
Came in last Thursday, One of the other "Tech's" drew this job. He diagnosed it as a bad engine because it was missing & smoking-----BADLY. It would fill the whole shop with bluish smoke.
The Service Writer couldn't find a used engine with less than 200K local, A rebuild/reman was beyond what the customer was willing to spend.
II'l admit that I was being nosey albeit curious as to WHY this engine would all the sudden start smoking. The truck was in the shop a couple weeks prior for brake work & has been in for various repairs for the last 7 years per the ShopBoss software we use.
The customer had declined an oil change a total of NINE times, Timing belt Three times, And Drive Belts Five times.
I've managed/foremanned several shop operations in the past & have seen my fair share of strange problems that force out-of the-box diagnostic strategies. I make more money & work fewer hours being a Flat Rate Tech than I ever did in a Management Position.......
In a attempt to stay in my own lane....I advised the SW & Tech that the engine could be sludged & sucking oil through the PCV or fresh air tube. With everyone still in "Holiday Mode" around here......The SW turned the diagnostic over to me.
The fresh air return tube was dry, Removed the air intake tube to access the PCV valve & Hose.......Found the IAC Valve port ahead of the throttle plate full of oil along with oil flowing out of the upper intake past the throttle plate. Removed the hose at the PCV valve & of coarse it was full of oil as well.
Wrote up an estimate for pulling both valve covers, Lower Oil Pan, Flushing the engine (2 gallons of Berrymans Chemdip & 2 gallons of Kerosene), Timing Belt/Water pump, Drive Belts, Spark plugs, Camshaft seals, Antifreeze, Oil/Filter, PCV Valve, GM upper cylinder cleaner Piston soak, And all related gaskets.
Came out too @$2,800 with the emphasis that the engine could fail at any time afterwards & I am NOT responsible for anything beyond workmanship. SOLD the job......Even after being pretty short with the customer about his blatant lack of maintenance. Also advised that the Catalyst's & O2 sensors are poisoned at this point & will require replacement. He decided to roll the dice on this as it just started the missing & smoking.
