Red Wagon

Nashman, what did you do to your 3VZE?


So headers, intake and exhaust. What else after that without killing reliability?

Are some of these engines just lemons not worth rebuilding? Mine seems to be just fine after the headgasket recall job. What would I look for in my spare engine to see if it's worth playing with? It's not the devil I know.

My spare looks rough at a glance it's in a 1st Gen 89 that came from Eastern Canada. It's got corrosion on it but runs.

ToyoTech559

did you know the mr2 guys wasnt using the 3vze but the 3vzfe that is found the camry and not our trucks and runners.
3vze is SOHC while the 3vzfe is DOHC

gennro

This thread is pretty entertaining. You can make any engine reliable and have tons of power dependent on how much money you are willing to spend.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Hey, what about the 3VZFTEGT? hehehe. JK, but hey, I did see a 7MGTE available with harness for 1500$..... LOVED that motor when I rolled in it for a while

ksti

All I can say is that I entered a whole new world when I bought my rig with a 3vze. I had no clue as to what I was getting into. I've worked on so many engines through my days, but never really had to to bear down and diagnose, test and re-test and repair the way I have since owning my rig. Its been a challenge and its been humbling, but I must say its been a great learning experience and has tought me alot. Many thanks to all that have enriched me with your knowledge. No matter how bad the 3vze reputation is, I'm still glad I have one to work on and learn from.

Discombobulated

I just like toyotas I could care less what motor they have

runs-on-4

iTrader: (1)

with that statement this thread should end

that is the truth right there for me and im sure a lot of us

Red Wagon

Too true eh!

jslone

iTrader: (1)

yes, agreed.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Was about 3 hours from grabbing an 89 V6 5Spd 4Runner this morning.... When the guy, a nice Russian Kid, called me, saying, "Chef Mark.... I'm sorry man, but my brother takzt it froms me... He was gun 2 beat my arse if I sold it".... Nice kid, and didn't have to call me back... Coulda hid, hehehe. JK, anyway, I was looking forward to having 'one of each' for a while before fixing it up and selling it, lol(1000$, running, ....fairly clean..... BUMMED, lol).

Oh well, they're out there.... Just rare on the 5spds, from what I've seen.

Duffdog

I'm just curious, but does anyone remember back in the 80's and 90's what other options we had in small trucks? Do you remember how people always said that toyota trucks were waaaaaaaay more powerful than the other small trucks of the day? I remember being about 12 while riding in a ford courier...and getting passed by a 4cyl 4runner up donner summit like the courier was standing still. Or, attempting to get a Chevy LUV to go up a hill with people in the bed-- that was a joke and a half. Maybe you fancied the Subaru Brat with its awe inspiring 90hp engine. Or the carbureted nissan trucks of the day that couldn't get out of their own way. The point is, many (if not all) of these other 80's trucks don't even exist anymore because they were such horrible piles of junk. The only trucks that people kept and restored were toyotas, it comes as no surprise to me that nowadays we think that the 3vz is terrible. Unfortunately, we have nothing else to compare it to as all the other v6 engines of the time are broken or in junk yards.

The 3vz is just an old engine. It was Toyota's first try and it the fact that it was made by toyota has more to do with its reliability than its design. The design is pretty janky when comparing it to a new engine. But mine hasn't died yet-- 289k and still moving.

Red Wagon

I hope to see mine tick a million.

ThatGuy1295

I have to agree with you on that. Im sure even the most power diesel pickups we have now will be considered slow in 10 or even 20 years. When the 3vz was first released it was the best in its class. And no it cannot be compared to nissans v6 at the time because non of those motors ever broke 250K without serious help. And nissan's were worthless in the 80's and 90's, hell still are. Doesn't it look like a dana 30 in the rear of those titans? Cheesy..

JohnnyCanuck

Having only driven one since February, I don't know alot about it, but, it runs smooth, it has adequate power, and it's relatively easy to work on. Regular maintenance is key, no matter what the engine is. Thinking back, I'd say the slant six I had in my '65 Fargo took everything I could throw at it and more and it ran well beyond what an engine should have, I couldn't kill that engine.

OrRunner

iTrader: (1)

Yea, toyota is toyota, and like stated above regular maitenace is key to any trucks longevity.

I picked up my rig about a month ago for 500 bucks, so seeing that a set of headers is 600+ new is kind of making me scratch my head! However, if it increases the longevity of the motor, so be it.

My main concern is, the head gasket thing. Since this runner is not covered by the recall, it is my understanding that it was do to the design and the design changed during the recall years.

Cany anyone shed any truth to the "gaskets outside the recall are fine" stuff that I am reading online, or is it simply a design issue with all the 3.0's. Mine was manufactured in 10/89!

Red Wagon

The headers should fix that shouldn't they? The crossover exhaust is part of the reason the headgasket goes from what I read in the forum.

I want to get headers too.

Team420

People like that are just plain stupid! Yes... it may be the worst motor toyota ever built (pre-04), but its still better than 90% of the other motors out there. I have owned half a dosen of them myself, and never had issues before 200k miles... ya, pretty terrible motor huh? Even after 200k miles, I havent had a lot to deal with other than basic maint. stuff (timing belt/waterpump, tstat, various sensors, etc...) I currently still own 2... the 93 in my sig I bought in 2000, it had 99,xxx miles, and I havent had a single issue with the motor at all, other than the knock sensor, tps, etc... no mechanical issues at all, still has between 160-180psi across the board... and she has been beat, submerged, and just plain old used up...still runs great! got some noise comin from the rear 3rd, but after 310k miles, and a lot of towing, and beatings, its to be expected...

The 94 in my sig has almost 280k miles, I paid $600 for it 5 years ago... I have less than $1500 into it (including purchase price) and has been my skidder and dd for the last 2 years... I finally pooched the transfer case by dragging out a 60' long red oak that was 38" in diameter, with almost no oil in it... other than that... she still runs great....

So... ya... out of all the 3vze's Ive owned over the years...Ive never seen one go less than 200k miles before imploding... and thats usually due to owner neglect, not poor design!

phildelfino

first to address post 71 where the first v6's are discussed.

anyone ever owned a chevy 4.3L? i have. they last as long, if properly maintained. had more hp. all chevy v8 stuff hooks up to it front and back. epitome of versatility right there. bolt on mods are cheap and 200+hp is easy to attain. don't need much more than that in a little vehicle. many transplant these into their toyotas. my s 10 pickup got 28 mpg hiway.

toyota 3L had 2 different head gaskets, before 92 and after 92. after 92 were recalled and dealer redid them. alot went bad again. the downfall of 3vze is a) the routing of the crossover. it doesn't help any, b) overheating the engine.

mine was fine till i took a trip and it overheated. the earlier head gaskets seemed to last longer if properly maintained.

if properly maintained is a catch phrase. many things last a long time if properly maintained.
even with 241,xxx miles on my 4runner (with autotragic tranny) i am gonna redo the top end soon and put it back on the road, run it till i can buy a rebuilt motor or find a cheap (or free) replacement to rebuild.
i even have a complete 4.3L to put into it but the smog nazis told me it would be illegal.

this is "as i see it".

Team420

I agree 100%... the vortec 4.3l is a solid motor... I've owned a few, and the only problems I ever had with them were the garbage tranny's and gm fuel pumps, I had to replace the fuel pump 4 times on my blazer, b4 I got one that lasted more than 1k miles... But that was all due to crappy gm electronics... The motors themselves are solid.

Add to the fact you have to replace ball joints every 10k miles, and I can see why some people would rather have the 4.3l in their yota, than their chevy... lol

MaK92-4RnR

I'd love a 4.3 v6 in my 4Runner but I dont like how it requires a 3" body lift and a diff drop just to clear it on IFS.

3.4 is a great solid motor. I hear good things about a supercharged motor, and I hear better things from a N/A motor.

I'd love to have a 2.7 in place of my 3.0 as well