The ones being used as technicals probably aren't powered by a 3VZ-E, though.

 

Nope, inline 6.

 

Oh...not an F engine, I hope. Well, it's more reliable than a 3VZ-E, but still a heavy, gutless, gas-guzzling 1950s turd.

 

Mine screams with Long Tube headers, 2 1/4 exhaust and an intake... by far the best 3.0 I've ever had

 

I have a 1990 pickup, 4x4, 5spd with the 3vze in it. After I bought it I did a minor tune up on it and this truck runs excellent. The odometer quit working at 193000 miles and its still running strong. I have nothing but good things to say about that motor

 

Newbie here. Enjoyed reading about the opinions on this engine and thought I'd give mine. Owned an 87 and an 88 4Runner with the 22re and 3.0 respectively. Both were stock 5 speeds. The 22re would return 2-3 more mpg while the 3.0 felt like it had a lot more bottom end torque (which it does). Both seemed to rev slowly imo perhaps contributing to their longevity. One difference was in the subjective 'feel' of the truck. The 3.0 equipped 4Runner felt more refined, smoother and just more developed as an suv. As an aside note I'm still amazed by the quality of the interiors, paint and attention to detail of the trucks. That's a big reason why I keep buying these older Toyotas.

 

This has been a very interesting thread. and i agree with a lot about what has been said on this thread not by emotion but by technical spec's. a 3.4 or a 1uz swap are probably the two best swaps considering that they both can be found in trucks and suv's and are plentiful, but I don't think that is the point that vudujoose was getting at. outdated yes, slow yes, time for rebuild yeeessss! In that time of rebuilding where is that spirit of not doing what everyone else is doing and thinking outside the box. In that time of rebuilding sharing ideas on some cheap fixes that solve some of the 3slows problems, honestly haven't checked this site out very much but outside of here there is very little info on how to rebuild and possible squeeze some extra hp's out of a 3 slow and to me that is pretty sad. If you think about vudujoose's story about sx's; to do a Sr20det swap you had to research which motor you wanted since, if I remember correctly there are 2 to 4 different types of sr engines each with there little problems. Buy the whole front clip of the car site unseen from japan and have it shipped over here to the U.S.A swap the Japanese and American smog equipment, freshen up the engine and clutch. Then splice rewire parts of the wiring harness which was why you needed the whole front clip instead of just the engine and transmission. What a lot of time and money that probably could of built 2 fresh ka's for one used sr20 same goes for the 3.4 swap. Like another member said by the time you get a 3.4 freshen it up (since there is nothing worse than swapping something in and a thousand miles later having to tear it apart because you didn't it right the first time.) swap it in, splice some wires and add a resistor, you could of just rebuilt a 3vze for the same amount of money or less, possibly more depending on your definition of refresh is. It's just sad how everyone stands around and gripes about one bad experience, or one persistant problem and do not roll up there sleeves do some research and try something different. or as a low blow be smarter drivers jk. Because hey doing something different even though it doesn't make sense, or this is better than that, or more aftermarket support is here not there, doesn't mean its fruitless or hopeless. It just might be fun despite the headache btw if anyone is still paying attention to this thread and is looking to rebuild a 3slow for more horsepower there is a speedshop that specializes in them called doaracing, ran acrossed it from a guy on craigslist selling his 4runner a while ago got some interesting things to fix some nagging 3 slow problems that might turn a few heads. http://www.doaracingengines.com/

 

It all depends on what you do with the truck. Mine is getting heavier so I would like more power.

I don't mind the extra cost to get it.

I like what I have now too though.

 

I've got a saying about the 3.0: "If you're good to it, it'll be good to you. But if you're bad to it, it will rain hellfire upon your life with an iron fist." Case in point, me. It's a 90 and it's had two previous owners, one being my sister. Neither of them ever took care of it and I've had to bring it back from the dead literally. But aside from a funky problem with it running rough from time to time (which I think is either my oxygen sensor or my EGR temp sensor, more tests to be done), it's great. I have countless stories about how it's been ran into a gaping ditch, into the side of a mountain, the whole motor's seized up, and so forth and it's require only minor fixes if any. It is bulletproof.

 

Not Mine just a F.Y.I. a 3.4 for $400.00 !
http://youngstown.craigslist.org/pts/3648548697.html

 

I'm doing a 1uz swap, this probably makes me a hypocrite, but it was more about the availability of the engine and the fact that I got one for almost nothing.

On the other hand I plan to experiment with the 3vze (I have a spare engine-less 4runner). to test it in. I'm going to work on the heads and see if I can get them flowing better (or find a replacement all together). Then I'm going to look into some sort of boost setup (thinking about a supercharger for low end power and tq. This is far from over IMO.

 

Please do, that will be something to watch.

 

295,000 on my 89 3vze!! Still Pulled and towed Hard like it was under the 100,000 mark! I loved my truck, until some numbnut ran a stop sign, Tboned me (pushed me while in the right line all the way into the left lane). My top was also removed, I walked away with some bruises. His 1 ton chevy was sitting upside down, while my 4runner was chugging along, until it died. I miss you dearly!

 

I'm have owned three 3vze's and they've all been reliable and never let me down. Sure, they're underpowered and we all know that, but they run forever. First one had 280k miles, second was 145k, and my current 1st gen 4runner has only 106k origninal miles. If you've got $5k+ for a motor swap (time and money), by all means go ahead and spend that for 30 more HP!

 

Was a typo, 245hp... Sorry for the long delay in replying and being away, had alot going on here.

 

Yeah it's awesome!

Crap gas milage.
gutless power.
world famous for blowing head gaskets.

what's not to love?

 

I get great gas mileage with mine. I've averaged 22 mpg this summer. That's more than some guys with 22REs. As for power...hey, they have more power than the 22RE. Head gaskets... sure there was a recall, but I think I've read more stories on here about blowing head gaskets on their 22RE than the 3.0L v6

So they're definitely not bad. At least out trucks didn't come with the 2.7L Mitsubishi V6

 

When i bought my 4runner, i wasn't worried about going fast or massive hp/tq figures, i just wanted something that would last a long while.... Fast is what the Camaro is for. Besides, everything is going to require maintenance/repair at some point, i think complaining about a headgasket going is a moot point.


I think the title of "worst engine ever" goes to chrysler's (made by mitsubishi) 2.7L v6. Biggest POS ever. I mean really, who puts a cam sensor, coil and distributor all in one part, and then puts it right underneath heater hoses and the valve covers where it can get leaked on?

 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm ... 22? Holy crap... You must live at the top of one side of a giant cereal bowl! Maybe a skate ramp? Hahahaha... I'm just kidding... I remember what you told me about your area. Anyway, it is what it is and it runs for you and you like it. I'm not sure the 22's burnout more head gaskets... I thought they were just so many more of them, so you're likely to see that report. But I don't know that for sure so what the heck am I saying?... Just saying... Hahahahaha. But, I think when they're rebuilt, many people don't do it right or have it done with the right hg, and it's not done the proper torque and so forth. Same thing with a 3.0 though. The only reason avoid them is because I enjoy having such ease of working on the one that I have, you know what I mean? It's like a raisin a shoebox! Lol...

Oh, and by the way,... If you'd like to visit on a long tour Drive sometime, please let me know so we can go wheeling? On the way there, we can race from 0 to 80 after I put my 32's back on, on flat ground? Now to be fair you have to put around a thousand pounds in the back your truck... But still, as is, I think this little four banger can take you! Hahahaha... You know that I'm just messing around & that I don't care about any of that crap. Well, I do care that you have a reliable car... You're a good dude. I just mean in regards to the 'mine is better than yours crap'. Lol........................... in fact... (Scratching my chin, deeply in thought)... Why don't you take my truck and see if your buddy Ivan can take a look at it and then just keep it until the gremlins are figured out and I'll give you back your truck? Right on, sounds excellent, I'll see you soon!


But I will take you off the line! Heheeheehee.....

 

Did they put that in that Dodge Daytona two door, the old one that was supposed to have all that power? I think they were in the late 80's or something like that ? I remember when going to the mall one day they had them inside of a showroom substation in the freaking mall! Lol. They had that ridiculous LeBaron or whatever it was that was notoriously just one of the worse cars before that Mitsubishi engine... And then supposedly they got more reliable for a while... But I remember the guy saying that 2 door sloping hood pop up headlights type car that I thought was pretty sporty at the time... Had a Mitsubishi engine... My dad had a good sense of humor and he looked really shocked at the guy, explained to him that he worked at TRW building satellites and space ships, and that he never thought he would see the day..." that a company would be so cruel as to put such a fine Japanese engine in such a piece of crap".... Hahaha. Of course at the time I was mortified because the guy looks so ticked off... But then he laughed with my dad pretty hard!....

Do you remember what the car was called? Wasn't it the first Daytona two door? I remember liking the Lancer body style so much more. Anyway,.........