I have an 89 Toyota PU with 261k on it. It died as I was leaving the house, and I’ve been told it needs a new timing chain for $1300. I can’t decide if it’s worth the cost of repair (could more damage have occurred when the chain slipped? KBB lists it as worth ~$1k) or if I should start shopping for a new rig. I’m sentimentally attached to this truck, so I’m having difficulty making a decision. Any advice?
You can’t buy any decent replacement for $1300. Maybe this thing has another 261k left in it. Sounds like you’ve already made the decision.
Is the motor seized up? If not, then it is probably repairable. If the valves had hit the pistons it would be locked up.
If the truck body is rusty, it maybe time to part with it. If the body is good, then why not keep it going another bunch of miles.
Change the chain. I faced the same decision with my '89 Toyota pickup at 200,000 miles. I did the chain. It lasted another 138,000 miles without major work before getting totalled by a Hyundae. Had it not gotten hit it would probably still be running.