Ok here goes, I've got a 3VZE, and my friend just bought one too. I love this truck, and the engine's just fine, I'm gonna keep it. But if I had to do it all over, I'd get a 22RE. 15MPG is just too low, and it's irritating working on that big ol' engine in such a small bay.

 

I bought my 4runner about two years ago. did my suspension did my gears and replaced the motor a week after buying it. there a good strong motor except they blow rreally easy with not even expecting it. i've owned two trucks with 22re's one with 220k miles ran like a champ and one with 180k and they both ran like a champ

 

They are what's known as a fickle, female dog...

They can't take the abuse and neglect a 22R can... No way. But stay up on the PM, NEVER run it low on oil or hot... And if it was put back together by a good machinist/ mechanic, it'll be fine. And you HAVE TO run top shelf parts on this thing... Never cheap out on the rebuild or PM... TBT, that's prolly what gets a lot of V6's... Cheap gaskets and poorly rebuilt components.

Good motor. But the 22R just steals its thunder so bad, it makes it look bad...