yeah so i've been here about 2 months now and i've lreaned alot...but one thing seems to puzzle me...why dose everyone knock the 3.0L...i've had mine for 2 years and the engine has given me no porblems so far...it has 184,xxx miles on it and it's still strong...the tranny suxs being an auto...but the engine is great...alots of power and plenty of low toruqe...i used it to pull out middle sized tree stumps a couple of time...and besides the fact that it will need a haed gasket and vaule job done when it reaches about 200,xxx miles it's been great...so why dose everyone knock it...i want to know...are they all just jealosu???

 

com'on someone...anyone wnat to tell me...

 

Some of us with the magic 3.0's love them. I agree with you. I think my runner pulls nicer than my dads 99 (his is an auto...) But i hit 123k last night. most major problem ive had: T-Case leak...which was no real biggie eaither (i had it fixed the day after it started)
when i hit 150k im going to replace my spark plug and rotor (still stock) Than my PCV and 02 sensor will come along...

I have almost every origonal part from 1988 when my truck was built. My truck has been out driving around longer than I've been alive!

 

sasme here...but now it needs a real big tune up because i want more power out of it...

 

I got my 1989 3.0 in 1996, with 65k. I bought it from a local Toyota dealership. All scheduled maintenance had benn done on time. I forget exactly when, but I got a letter from them about the engine problems, mine was running fine. Basically said bring it in for a free repair, so I did. I drove it daily for 9 years with no major problems and it always ran like a champ.
I think the reason the 22re is more popular is that they have a proven track record of reliability & performance, they are easier to self-maintain & rebuild and parts are cheaper. But IMO, the 3.0 is a good engine if maintained properly.

 

The 3.0 is a good engine in the grand scheme of things, it is pretty reliable, very smooth, and very driveable with a pretty flat torque curve. Unfortunately, compared to the other engines on this board, it's at the bottom. There is little, if any, aftermarket support, the HP/liter is low, the gas mileage is poor considering the power output, and it takes up a ton of space in the engine bay with all the cables and vacuum lines. As far as I know, it was ONLY used in the trucks.

The 22R/RE (2.4L 4cyl) are bulletproof, and there's tremendous aftermarket support. They can easily be built to make as much or more power than the 3.0. There is A TON of extra space in the engine bay. These engines were used in a wide variety of vehicles - trucks, 4Runners, and Celicas.

The (code?) (2.7L 4cyl) makes as much power as the 3.0L, with much better gas mileage.

The 5VZFE (3.4L V6) make a bunch more power, better gas mileage, and there is actually more free space in the engine bay. Aftemarket (or even factory) performance parts are abundant.

 

I have heard a ton of people say that the 22re can be built up very cheaply and easily to have as much power as the 3.0 but I have yet to hear or see of anyone actually doing it, for the thousands of dollars you may end up spending to get it up to the 3vze, you might as well just buy the 3vze, especially when you may be compromising the 22RE from a reliability standpoint by building it up that much. The 3vze also comes with a heavier duty standard transmission than the 22RE, (W56 vs. R150F), so you may want to opt for the 3vze.

The 3rzfe 2.7 4 cyl in 95.5-04 Tacoma's/96-01 4runners makes about as much horespower and torque stock as the 3vze but it doesn't have as much low end torque as the 3vze.

3rzfe 2.7 I-4
150 HP @ 4800 RPM's
177 TQ @ 4000 RPM's.

3vze 3.0 V6
150 HP @ 4800 RPM's
180 TQ @ 3400 RPM's

And yeah, you know what, the headgaskets aren't considered the strong point of the 3vze, but we have all heard stories of the 22RE having head gaskets blow as well (not it's strongest point either). And the timing chain on the 22RE isn't it's strong point.
Albeit both of these engines are EXTREMELY reliable if maintained, and considering the 3vze was Toyotas very first V6 they ever produced, it is a damn fine machine.

Everyone bitches tha the 3vze is a "dog" and "slow." It is not the engine that is slow. It is the fact that you have a 150 horsepower, relatively smaller displacement engine, with a single overhead cam, pulling around a 4000 plus pound truck. Any 150 horsepower engine will have problems pulling around that much weight, and be considered a dog.

 

I had a 3.0L 3VZ in my '93 XtraCab pickup. Overall, I was pleased with the engine for the 150K miles it gave me until it got totalled. It was 'adequate' for low-end torque without pushing it hard. I thought its real strong point was cruising - on the expressway it would provide good sustained speed with enough overhead for maneuvering / passing.

Other than scheduled maintenance, the only issues I ever had were:

- head gasket showed signs of leakage and was replaced under warranty (once - no further issues afterward)
- water pump replaced at around 90K-miles

I now have a 3.4L Tacoma, and the 3.4 is clearly a superior engine in all respects.

 

exactly...my flys at highways speeds and passes easily...also has qiute a bit of low end punch from a stop...

 

too bad ur tranny swallows.....

 

yeah...i know....wish it was a 5spd

 

one word: headgasket. (or is that two words?)

 

yes but the 22r and 22re headgaskets aren't that relible too...or so i hear...

 

I have a love hate relationship with my 3slows

 

me too: i love the thought of something better, hate the thought of letting it go.

 

Taking mine (3.0) to the repair shop last night it ran like a scalded dog! Threw me back in the seat going up those hills!

I'll reserve my opinion till I find out EXACTLY what is wrong with it..

If its a cheap fix I love it, an expensive fix I hate it