Vohaul

Really, My 3.0 / 5 spd 91 on 35's gets 15 mpg....roughly converted from good ol kms....or summer 400km per tank...winter 330 or so......i dont find it that underpowered either....course ive never taken it over the rockies....(we have a minvan foir that I wonder if the intake, headers and coil make a lot of difference...

But back on toipic...my 3.0 / 5 spd is dependable as ever....starte everytime and gets better gas mileage than my old ford v8

heh, and it even keeps up with ROBD's 3.4 swapped 4runner...offroad of course

cheers

Paul

isaac338

dude, nobody's knockin ya. i'm poor too. but, when i cheap out on repairs to my vehicles, i don't complain when they fail prematurely, and i definitely don't complain that the thing was engineered wrong.

runethechamp

How many miles do you want to get out of it?

RobD

Yeah, but my 3.4 sounds cooler!

shwuz

Hmmm... This feels like a trick question somehow, runethechamp...

I'd like to get as many miles as possible out of it, of course!

Is there something wrong with engnbldr stuff? I thought it was supposed to be top-notch.

runethechamp

Service is top notch from engnbldr. As for the parts, you get what you pay for. I've posted earlier about the comments the guy at my machine shop gave me after I first bought those parts. "And the pistons, they're from INDIA! Not that I'm saying that everything that comes from India is (*^(*&, but you get what you pay for." There's some more comments (not only from me) in a headgasket thread further down the page here somewhere.

ernest t bass

1990 toyota 2wd xtracab 22re automatic -
18 to 20 mpg
top speed 95 mph
0 to 60 = 13 to 14 sec
no burnout at all
needed headgasket at 145,000 and 207,000
needed super unleaded or it would ping badly

1993 toyota xtracab 2wd 3.0 automatic -
18 to 24 mpg
top speed 105 plus
0 to 60 = 10 sec flat
lays quite a patch

in socal traffic grand prix(75 to 85) my 3.0 can compete in the fast lane.
my 22re was such a dog, slow lane only

MudHippy

Mine likes to smoke clutches. The gearing I've got ain't helping that much though, 4.30's with 35x12.5's.

shwuz

Thanks for that comparison on between the 22re and the 3vze, that's helpful. Like I said, I had the 22re in a 4runner before with a 5spd and I found it adequate. There were definitely times when I would have liked some more power, but it took me to mexico and back 4 times, 20 hours nonstop each way, cruising at 90 sometimes. The only time it really felt weak was when I got into the mountains of the continental divide, but even then I was able to work the gears (constantly) to keep it moving.

The time it really impressed me was when my surfing buddy who does a lot of offroading told me to head down this one section of really soft sand on the beach, then go through the lagoon opening and up the bank on the other side. I said, are you sure? He's like, oh yeah no problem. So, I put it in Lo-range and just kept it moving. He told me later that he was trying to get me stuck because his jeep wouldn't make it through there.

So yeah, the point is that if the 3.0 has just a little more giddy-up than the 22re, that's just fine with me. But at least I know how to make do with less.

By the way, it took me a long time to learn that the 22re really did like to rev to get some power, and not to fear the revs. Where's the meat of the powerband on the 3.0?

Azusacanyonbogger

what gears are you running? i have the factory 4.88's with a 5 speed manual as well.

GV27

Yeah they did, actually. But Toyota fixed it for free well out of warranty.

Gearing and gearing. My truck has stock gearing and stock tires (31x10.5 stock) and still has the original clutch! 50k miles ago my mechanic was like "I don't think your clutch has more than 10k miles left in it!".

LOL - well, I can respect that. A REAL motor woulda been OK for ya.....

Vohaul

I'm pretty sure theyre stock..(maybe 4.88's)..5th gear isnt much good except on flats....

but it is running perfectly....new plugs wires, etc etc...

just finished a tank....says 295km on the trip meter...but add 15% due to tire size difference..so..roughly...350km

and robD...i dont remember do you have the stock exhaust?..

elripster

I'm pretty sure factory 4.88's did not come with the 5 speed. That was an option on 2nd gen 4runners with the auto tranny and 31" tires. You would need at least 33" tires to bring the gearing anywhere close to stock.

Frank

shwuz

Hey, quit derailing my thread!


So, it looks like I'm going to go for the newly rebuilt 3.0. I'm going to have to travel a bit to meet him, and it won't be till next week that we can link up. Any last advice on particulars to look for on a freshly rebuilt 3vze?

elripster

Sorry about the hijack.

That engine should rev freely throughout the rpm range and not ping. Also, it should not be leaking anywhere.

I would pay close attention to how the tranny shifts. It should not flare between gears and should engage drive and reverse without much delay.

Frank

shwuz

5 speed, otherwise I wouldn't even be looking at it.

MudHippy

Mine pulls good and steady from the word go till redline and then some, with a few cheap mods. But if I could afford the gas, I'd keep it at 3000 rpm and up as often as possible to experience the meat of the power band. I'll tell you right now that I can't even imagine how any engine in it's class could have a wider, more useful power band than my 3VZE.

ozziesironmanoffroad

well, ive driven one with the 3.0, and it didnt seem to have much more power than my 22re. in fact, mine seems to have a little bit more torque. considering thats what the 22r series motors are meant for: low end torque. i cant say they are better or worse, since i havent owned one, and im not gonna sit there and dog something i have almost no idea about, and that info i do have i learned from other people. i would think that any engine will last a long time as long as you take care of it. i mean my truck has been through hell and back, and its still running strong, 256,000 miles on the original engine. never even had a head gasket done. in april im gonna use my tax return to put a header on it, then use a bit of my savings to put a flowmaster on. anyways, the BIGGEST repair ever made to it was a timing chain 2 years ago(still isnt making noise and timing is perfect ) and i had the crankshaft seal fixed today, since im sick of it marking its territory. i cant emphasize enough on MAINTAINANCE and CARE. remember its a truck, not a vette.

elripster

Um, you have it exactly backwards. The 3vze makes more torque at idle than the 22re does peak. The 22r series has a shorter stroke when compared to its bore which is more inline with a car or motorcycle engine. The 3vze has a longer stroke than it does a bore which is more inline with a higher torque engine and therefore more appropriate in a heavier vehicle like a truck. The 22r series is a car engine first.

You are correct on the maintenance especially at the ages of these engines in our trucks.

Frank

bigtrucknwheels

Isn't that something to do with over square? or something like that...


Anyways,

I've got 3VZ-E Powar (haha) under my hood. truck has 186k on the odometer, though I have 31x10.50's on, and I'm not sure how long they were on by the previous owner(s). To be safe, somewhere close to 200k miles on the engine.

My engine just missed the service campaign, so it didn't get a free head gasket. but, it is the original head gasket, with almost 200k on it. Compression is good all around, but the Stealership said that they are leaking oil... Ok? anyways, she fires every time, and has yet to leave me stranded (knock on wood) by a mechanical failure that wasn't human error. (had a mishap where someone hooked up some jumper cables backwards and fried my alternator... sucked). I do several kinds of driving with this truck too. Long trips, short 20 minutes or less commutes, errand running, and 4x4ing. I find the extra power to be great in all areas. you'll really enjoy the torque curve on this truck when you are 4x4ing...

I think this engine, despite it's seeming ability to eat head gaskets, is better than the 22R-E for the purpose of owning a truck. I have owned and driven both. I once had a 22R-E 5 speed regular cab, all stock, and that thing couldn't get out of its own way. Now, with over sized tires, and an Autotragic (puts gun in mouth for buying the blasted truck...), I can lay rubber and still out-gun a few Fiestas and an occasional Metro.

Go with the 3VZ-E. It seems the guys that do all the maintenance like they should (coolant flushes, etc.) have no problems squeezing just as many miles out of this engine as the 22R-E guys. Only thing is, if you don't do the work to keep it mechanically sound, it won't be near as forgiving as the 22R-E.

Just my .02
Hope it helps!

Clint