funkmaster phat

Hello there,

I am looking to buy a Toyota 4x4 for a nice trail rig but had a concern first...

When did toyota start having the head gasket problems with the V6? I want the V6 over the 22re because I need the extra power to pull my quads

I am looking at about an '87 or '88

thanks in advance
Funkmaster Phat

SEAIRESCUE

1988 was the first year of V6's. Some claim 1988 and 1989 were worse for head gasket problems. I do not suscribe to those claims. Overheating is what causes the problems. ONE overheating is enough to start the head gasket death spiral. This is why I highly recommend trashing the stock fan and installing a flex fan. I have seen too many stock fans bite the dust. And, if you lay them flat, there is a history of them going bad. This I don't grasp but some service manuals warn of laying them flat while off the vehicle. I suggest you get rid of the rear cross-over pipe. They join at #6 cylinder and that is were many head gaskets fail. I don't encourage headers as they put too much heat into the engine compartment during the summer. Keep the engine on synthetic oil and maintain it and it will do OK.

My $0.02

881stGenRunner

The early 3.0s (ie 88 & 89) were the most stable 3.0s and had the LEAST HG failures. Toyota originally designed this engine to use an asbestos HG. They did this for a couple of years, until it was banned in the US. Toyota then changed the material the HG was made of from around 90-94.

With that said. the 88-92 3.0s put out around 140 hp, the 93-95 3.0s put out around 150 hp.

If you really want to get all the power you can out of this engine, buy a 5spd. The A340H automatic transmission makes this engine an absolute dog.

tc

If you need towing power, find one with a blown motor for cheap and swap in a 3.4L ... really.

infiltrator

well just so you guys know, my 95 had a recall on the hg's wayy back when and they have NEVER failed me.

that is very interesting on the tranny advice 88. i am thinking my tranny is starting to slip, so when it goes kaput, i will definately weigh that in my options.

funkmaster, rather than year of toyota i would see what truck you could get for your buck. if a 2nd gen is cheaper, but has fewer miles and looks cleaner, get it.
vise versa with the 1st gen trucks.

funkmaster phat

Thanks for the replys fella's

So would I be better suited to get a truck with the 22R? What is the HP on one of these bad boys?

Thanks again
FP

4banginRunner

116ish for the 22RE's, feels like 50 if u get one with an auto

apalmer1

22RE is 116hp@4800rpm and 140ftlbs@2800rpm, 3VZ is 145hp@4800rpm and 180ftlbs@3200rpm. personaly id stick with the 22RE because they are very durable not to mention they have one of the largest aftermarkets for performance parts of any engine ever. You could easily build a 22RE to be far more durable and powerful then a 3VZ... IMHO

eightnine

i have an auto 22re and it isnt THAT bad in my 1st gen altho i cud c it being a nightmare combo on a fat 2nd gen 4door 4runner. I have full exhaust and it goes pretty good. It does have decent torque but dont expect it to go any faster than 140km/h without pushing it hard.

Jay351

The 3vze and 22r(e) all like to eat hg, you don't hear about the 22r(e) as much because the 3vze was MUCH more popular back in the day.

I like my 3.0, I know that i would never go to anything less powerfull then this, if you plan on driving it all the time at least.

leiniesred

yeah, the 3.0 v6 head gaskets suck. My 1989ers have only lasted 262,000 miles so far.

geTBeNt2NIghT

i have had the 22r built to a manual tranny, it was a powerhouse, .40 over, trd cam, weber, and all usual goodies. best motor ive had in a yota. ive had the 3.0 to a manual tranny, it was nice...thats all. i currently hace the 3.0 to an auto, it sucks.

bigarms23

you can take out the 3.0v6 and do a 4.3 chevy v6 swap it will give you 40more horsepower in stock form

Matt16

22RE head gaskets are also much easier to change than on the 3ZVE. Thus it is a bigger deal when it occurs on a 3VZE.

Jay351

of course it sucks, you are running a 37" tire on stock 4.88 gears with an auto.....

TOY89

I agree with Jay351

81redbluffyota

wtf? You cant honestly believe this? A 22r and a 3.0 do not eat headgaskets at the same rate. Headgaskets are the #1 failure of any engine. If you have ANY motor long enough, the headgasket is gunna blow. How many posts do you see for a 3.0 hg vs a 22r hg? 95% of the 3.0s I see have had a head gasket or TWO. Now I do see some 22rs with a headgasket job, but FAR less. This leads me to believe that they have an issue with em. Just like the jeep 2.8s had a leaky fuel pump recall. Toyota realized they had designed a junk motor, and scrapped it for the 3.4. Why do you think it was only offered for a few years, whereas the 22r was offered for almost 15. The power and torque gains are not worth the mileage and unreliability. And I smoke my buddys 89 with an auto, with my stock 81 22r 5 speed. I can also change my hg in a day, dont know if I could say that about a 3.0, I prob wouldnt even try, just do a 3.4 swap. Dont mean to rant, but hearing someone, especially a contributing member saying sumthing like this is crazy.

Jay351

Okay, I can admit that I was a little hasty on my post, but I am sick of people smashing this engine. With proper scheduled matinece you are not very likley have another problem after the original hg issue that toyota fixed.

And a 3.0 with an auto seems to perform around the level of a 22re/5sp

All I am saying is I would rather have the 3.0 with its quirks then the 22r(e), the power is low enough.

elripster

Get the 3.0, the 22RE is horribly slow. As mentioned, get it with a 5 speed and you'll tow your quads just fine.

The stock fan pull more air than any electric fan you will install. It's not that the electric fan isn't a good upgrade, the stock fan consumes power, but it pulls an ungodly amount of air through the radiator.

The 3.0 makes more torque and idle than the 22RE does peak to give you an idea of what it will be like to get that load moving with one engine Vs. the other. Yes you will see more 3.0 HG's failing but there are WAY more 3.0's sold and more importantly still on the road today.

If you do get the auto, don't go up in tire size over stock without regearing. My truck came with the auto and factory 4.88s with the 31" tire option. It gets around very well. I don't find myself unable to keep up with traffic ever and pull all but the steepest hills in San Diego in OD. If was to go up to even 32's all that will change due to the lock up torque converter not locking and other things.

Lastly, two things. One, 4runners weigh more than pick ups. The 22RE can be livable in a pick up but in the 4runner it's horrible. Add tires, armor, etc... and forget about it. A PU with the 3.0 is a pretty quick truck though. Second, you cannot just mod the 22RE to get the power of the 3.0. You are talking major expensive engine building to to even approach that and you won't have the torque. You'll just move the power band higher and higher to increase the rate the engine is doing work. Without lowering the gearing below stock that won't help you get a load moving.

Frank

81redbluffyota

I guess some people have different opinions. The number 1 thing an engine should be is EFFICIENT. I dont have any buddys with a 3.0 that get over 20 mpgs. And thats highway. I constantly get 20-25 no matter how much pedal I give it. I can do the speed limit, and pass if need be. I towed a 16 foot fiberglass boat, with a 80 horse outboard, about 150 miles. I did a LEGAL 55 mph, prob cud have done 65, but that would have pushed it. Got 19 mpgs. And that was with blown piston rings. Smoke was pouring out. It did just fine. You can throw a quad in the back of a pickup no problem, would barely feel it. And with a healthy 22RE, maybe more. In my opinion the 3.0s were the only thing toyota EVER did wrong. Not worth the metal they were made from. Just my opinion tho.