Vudujoose

I'm not even sure where to start here so I'm just gonna start at the beginning.

I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with Nissan, but I myself grew up with them. I have worked on them all my life and still own 2 (Xterra and 240sx). Both of these cars boast a KA24DE (240sx is a KA24DET) considered to be one of the worst truck engines of the 90's (back then).

Back when I bought my 240sx it was just cause I couldn't afford the insurance on a Z32 Twin Turbo 300ZX. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise to me. The only thing I knew about the 240sx back then was that there was this engine that they made in Japan called the SR20DET and a few people had talked about swapping them in to the 240sx. I opted to go a different route because I've never really been one to follow the crowd. I decided to rebuild my KA24E (SOHC) truck engine and throw a T25 turbo I had sitting in the garage on it.

I left it at stock compression 8.6:1 since it seemed to be a good comp for boost. I used a factory Nissan rebuild kit including timing chain and guides (bad idea on the guides). I then had my dad help me with a crude log style manifold and a mild steel downpipe flanged for the T25. The stock boost for the T25 on the TT 300ZX was 7Psi. (per turbo). I did a bit of research and found that the top feed injectors from a turbo eclipse would be an upgrade (with resistors). I never once thought about the electronics. I made 195 RWHP on that engine and kept learning every time I rebuilt it (and technology caught up to me).

Fast forward to about 1998-2002 when the big SR20DET craze was happening. I upgraded rods and pistons from Eagle to forged Hbeams, and did a bit of research on electronics and found that the guys over on the NICO forums were experimenting with Eproms and reprogramming the ECU. I got my hands on the parts to build an Eprom chip burner, modified my ECU and started tuning. I was making well over 280 RWHP while the SR20DET guys were still bolting on T28's from S14 SR's and GTI-R's and couldnt break 250RWHP with a DOHC turbo motor pushing 17Psi. (I was on a T28 as well but only running 14Psi. on a SOHC 12 valve)

Fast forward to today...

The SR20DET is now considered a pile of "ish" and that old crappy truck motor the KA24E/DE has now made history making 1000Hp as seen on this full race KA24DET 240sx.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LCjTQpCTRM[/youtube]

For anyone interested... Ka-t.org home of the 1000 HP KA's

I'm not saying the 3vze can ever do what the KA did, but for the love of god don't dismiss it just because Toyota couldn't do anything with it. Go against the grain, try to prove some people wrong.

Puts flame suit on....

I apologize but I just got done talking to a guy who told me that the 3vze was the worst engine ever built and I should feel embarrassed to have one in my Runner. Sounds reminiscent of my days with the KA, sounded like a challenge to me!

/end rant

ToyoTech559

yup. i have nothing against the 3vze. i have one at 230xxx miles and didnt fall under the headgasket recall. i dont need a fast motor but the v6 is much better than the 22re for my use since i tow with it. with 4.88 gears and 32inch tires. i smoked a 1st gen xB lol.
im also auto which robs even more power

most dont like the 3vze because its underpowered and known for headgasket issues but if the recall has been done or you replaced it with OEM parts. its just a matter of maintenance.

so what are your plans? i want to keep my motor stock and reliable as it has been. only thing i have done is headers because the crossover creates too much heat near number 6 cylinder which is where the headgasket goes. too much heat!! removing that and keeping up with my coolant changes. i should be good i hope haha

Inferno451

Personally i loved my 3.0 in the 92' that i had. Don't really understand people's fascination with the 22re, frankly. It's a decent motor, but mechanically speaking i don't see anything particularly heroic about it. My 87' is on it's third motor, the original started knocking around 150k and was replaced by a slightly higher mileage motor from an 89. That one threw a rod on me going down the highway doing 2k rpms under no load, and it had been babied. I think all toyota motors are great, but all have their ups and downs. The 4 cylinder definitely gets better mileage!

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

I think it has to do with personal experience with the 3VZE, it is for sure one of those motors that you either love it or hate it, me personally, I have had way more trouble with them then my 22re and that has twice the mileage of the 3.0's that I have dealt with. To say that they are the worst motor ever built is a huge exaggeration, I can't say that I hate the 3VZE but to say I will never own another one is something I will say.

ThatGuy1295

The fact that it has more moving parts scares the simple minded.
I mean extra valves and pistons and bearings and vacuum lines and torque and huh, theres no way to maintain that much stuff.

Its hands down better than the chevy 2.8 V6, I think anyone with google will agree on that.

I love mine, sure I have done some work to her, but 230K and still


Do these people really believe yota would build a bad motor, and stick it in their trucks for 7 years in a row?

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

Agreed, I've owned the 3vz and the 22re. I was not impressed with either. Both are limited and both take too much money to make any real power. IF left in stock form though, they last.

94toy22re

Toyota made there best vehicles in the 80's and 90's and the 3vze is a pos compared to the other 6 cylinder Toyota had at the time. 7mge or a 2jzge would of been a 40-60hp more hp while getting the same if not better mpg and then you get the i6 power band and smoothness. the 7m did have a head gasket problem but it was easily remedied with a better hg and more torque on the head bolts, but at least the power wasn't anemic like it is on the 3vze. nothing wrong with the ka but it will never be = a 2jzgte, lsx or a dohc ford

Punchy

The problem is that toy shortchanged the resurch on the 3vze to be the first EFI v6 in a SUV.
Small valves, intake runners compared to the rest of 6 cyl at that time, Even using fuel managment system for a 4cyl (Heard that one directly from one designers) to keep the cost down instead of using the one from supra.
You slightly over heat and it blows #6.
They used a torque converter with to high stall on a transmission that needs high hydrollic pressure to keep the transfercase working correctly (The trans itself is actually fairly good though)

Simple mods to the 7mge far surpasses the 3vze in HP and TQ and still gets better MPG.
The 3rz (4cyl) with a cold air intake makes more HP then the 3vze.

Have I had luck, Sure, I put 340K mi on my last one and the oil is still clear after 2k mi change.
Only parked it because the the knock sensor harness failed and the rear main seal was failing.

808-3VZE

Has anybody tried to port and polish a set of 3vze heads? Also extruded honed the intake manifold and plenum?

bmcghie

Can't expect a 20+ year old motor to impress anyone, EXCEPT by the ability to keep ticking. For the time, the 3vze and the 22re were both pretty powerful. Emissions were also a higher concern than mileage back then.

Get some shorter gears, some fatter tires, advance the timing, lean it out a bit... and rip it off the line Until you have to shift to second or third.

For me, the 3vze goes far enough up the trail to get into trouble off-road, and can't go fast enough to get me a speeding ticket on the highway. Great!

n2o302

Working on a set for my 90 right now also gonna tryout a set of those colt cams with it as far as extrude hone goes I had it done on a couple of efi 302 intakes awhile back in the days but as of today the prices they are offering to get them done has double compared to several years back. I did some previous porting and cleanup on my 95 runner and that seemed to help it out some but as of right now comparing the auto vs manual 3vze there is a difference in sotp power the porting on my 95 with the auto setup made a difference with the DT Longtubes and new exhaust, with the 90 and its manual setup plus stepping up to ported heads, cams, intake this time along with some longtubes and exhaust outta help this one move allot quicker. I'll post up progress when I get closer to finishing the motor.

n2o302

As far as reliability is concerned ever since the rebuild with longtubes and exhaust on previous 95 I have had zero problems and that was with over 10k on that motor before i sold it along with some decent abuse.

n2o302

Another thing is I've had a chance to drive both auto and manual versions of the 4runner in v6 and 4cyl and I thought my v6 was gutless I can't even tell you how in the world you guys could say that the 22re is an awesome motor that thing is even a bigger dog once you start slapping on a set of 33's or larger, true it has less headgasket problems than the v6 but come on that thing especially with bigger tires took forever to accelerate to 60mph it just makes me appreciate my 3vze even more. I helped a friend rebuild his 3vze w/ headgasket problem 4yrs ago used the engbbldr headgaskets along with new headbolts cleaned up the intake just like i did to 95 and he added exhaust with the longtubes and that 4runner has since put on over 20k of out of town traveling with zero problems. Call it all you want a pos motor but when its rebuilt the right way I personally think the 3vze better option than the 22re in 4runner. I've been in one modified 4runner with the turbo 22re and that was about the only time I actually appreciated that motor.

n2o302

I'm done ranting and I love my pos 3vze.

Vudujoose

Dunno man, 2 extra cylinders on the JZ and still making the same power for the money, LSX I wont argue, the SBC 350 holds a special place in my heart, and really a DOHC ford? mkay.....


My 21 year old KA impresses me every day.

Luvmeye22re

I like mine and loved the previous one I had in a 92 regular cab 4x4 5 speed (that little truck was pretty fast actually!). I wish my Runner had a manual instead of the auto but that can be remedied eventually. Being a novice mechanic I liked my 22re more because it was much simpler to work on but for driving purposes I love my 3vze!

808-3VZE

Sounds like an animal project! Lmk how it turns out!

runs-on-4

iTrader: (1)

ive had 2 3vzes and 2 22re's i liked them both equally. when saying that im not putting power in as a factor because i dont use the word "power" to describe a toyota... but ive had a few problems with both motors but none have ever left me stranded sure my 22re's have not wanted to start for a few minutes but those problems always seem to fix themselve.. and that is why i drive a toyota. that and theyre just all around awesome

jslone

iTrader: (1)

Hahaha, I had that piece of garbage in my 86 cherokee. no power (like 110? hp on a v6) , constant maintenance and blew the head gasket very early on.

Own that for a year and then tell us what you think about the 3vze.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

I've had just a few Toyotas and my current 3.0 has 252k miles on it. Given it blows smoke, leaks oil like Valdez and with the auto behind it slower than a fat woman on the cookie aisle at Walmart, but it still runs.

I won't buy a 3.0 on purpose, just one to 3.4 swap.

:wabbit2: