Looking for Toyota, what years V6 are junk?

91Toyota4x4 · Apr 14, 2005

The only reason thing wrong with the 3VZ is it ins't a 5VZ, and it's a pain to work on. IMO the headgasket isn't really an issue, Toyota made it right so it's all good. I've had 0 problems with 3VZ in the now 3 or 4 years I've had it, the valves are noisy but whatever. The V06 recall was done in 98 and now the motor has 115k on it. It isn't a racecar but then again it isn't supposed to be one! I wouldn't really let the engine type sway you one way or the other, the 22re and 3vz are both fine.

kiyul4130 · Apr 14, 2005

sickfab said:
True, but with the extra torque, most people will only need a single case with 4.7s o 5:1s..........(although having two cases with 5:1s in both of 'em IS more fun!)

ya! fast..... :shaking: meh! i just want to keep making mine slower and slower :flipoff2:

4rnr · Apr 14, 2005

Hey vikingsven, have you ever owned a 3.0. :flipoff2:
I dont think that anyone has the right to talk shit unless they have owned one.
My first 3.0 was in a 90 runner. I liked it alot better than teh 22re I had in my 86. and the 90 had 120k and the PO's didnt hardly change the oil. After I bought it I found some paper work, stating that th elast oil change was at 92k!!!!! I looked into it further and it seemed to be the case. none the less it ran great with the stock hg.
The one I have now is torquey as hell and the power curve is great for my gears. Oh and it has given me no problems. My 22re leaked a quart a month.
Granted the 22re is cheaper, easier. and the 3.4 is probably a better motor. but....
IN NO WAY IS THE 3.0 SHIT
:smokin:

bluerunner · Apr 14, 2005

the valve chatter that i think a lot of people hear isnt the valves at all, its something that has to do with the EFI. i dont know the name of the part, but you can actually feel the pulses in it with your finger, each time the engine makes a tick.

off topic- 4rnr what does " My truck may be slow, but it can your girlfriend places you can't!" mean?

4rnr · Apr 14, 2005

bluerunner said:
the valve chatter that i think a lot of people hear isnt the valves at all, its something that has to do with the EFI. i dont know the name of the part, but you can actually feel the pulses in it with your finger, each time the engine makes a tick.

off topic- 4rnr what does " My truck may be slow, but it can your girlfriend places you can't!" mean?

seriously?
I dont want to explain, then it is less funny.

FrankenToy · Apr 14, 2005

4rnr said:
seriously?
I dont want to explain, then it is less funny.

Don't think it could be less funny...

kyle_22r · Apr 14, 2005

Lap Kitty :) said:
The 3.0 in the pickups was not derived from the 3.0 Camry V6. It's a totally different engine, it just happens to be the same size.

you're both wrong. the 3.0 truck and camry engines are the same block(at least within engine family designation), 3VZ. however for reasons unknown the smaller camry that needs less horsepower got the twin cam version

gnob · Apr 15, 2005

kyle_22r said:
you're both wrong. the 3.0 truck and camry engines are the same block(at least within engine family designation), 3VZ. however for reasons unknown the smaller camry that needs less horsepower got the twin cam version

you know i dont think they are even the same block.
when you see them side by side they are quite different.
a few differences are the bell pattern, the camry has twin knock sensors etc.

obviously there is nothing wrong with a solid 3.0, but the recall is over and people dont maintain them.

id personally hold out for a 3.4 based on the minimal HP gains, expense and weight over an RE motor.

Reno Rich · Apr 15, 2005

gnob said:
id personally hold out for a 3.4 based on the minimal HP gains, expense and weight over an RE motor.

True, but they are a lot more expensive.

I am also very happy with my 3.0 v-6 compared to the 22"gutless wonder"RE. I get 16-18 mpg with a total lead foot, headers, flowmaster exhaust, K&N intake, and Jacobs ignition. 180,000 miles, just replaced my water pump, had the head gasket recall done 60,000 miles ago. I highly suggest a remote dual oil filter set up as the stock filter location SUCKS!

kyle_22r · Apr 15, 2005

well, the blocks aren't identical, but theoretically you can put 3VZ-FE heads on the 3VZ-E. i think the main issue with things is that the 3VZ-FE is designed to be ran transverse so the mounts are funky. i'd love to believe that the bellhousing pattern is the same, like it tends to be on all toyota engine families(all R series, M series etc), but i dunno.

FXRocket · Apr 15, 2005

Thanks guys, I did not expect so many responses! I learned alot. I think for my needs any will do then. If I get the 3.0 and ask about the head gaskets and/or recall work I could be fine. I really wanted a 22R, but dam, I cant find a good (ok even junk) truck in Indiana at all. By the time I find them and call they are gone. I have cash in hand and was looking for a $3000 (or so) extra cab 5 speed 22R truck in any year that was not rotted to the bone. No dice.

I keep looking now, it is friday and the hunt begins anew in the paper!

Thanks guys!

Lap Kitty :) · Apr 15, 2005

kyle_22r said:
well, the blocks aren't identical, but theoretically you can put 3VZ-FE heads on the 3VZ-E.

Well, that doesn't make them the same engine, and obviously you don't even know if that's even possible.

I think one reason the 3.0 gets such a bad rap, is because it's often compared to the 22RE, which is such a great engine.

Hvy_Chevy · Apr 15, 2005

you can put 305 heads on a 350 - big whoop

kyle_22r · Apr 16, 2005

and what differences besides bore and stroke do those blocks have, it's still a big heavy boat anchor :flipoff2:

ADD · Apr 16, 2005

I had an 88 xtra cab with the V6. The head gasket took a shit at 61,000 original miles. $2200 later I had a new head gasket in it and that thing was a quick son of a bitch, even with 33 inch TSL's and 4.10 gears.

My 89 extra cab which is slowly being built up as my trail rig has the 3.0 in it as well. The previously owners had the engine replace at 230,000 miles with another 3.0 from Sun Engines. I took it into Import Auto today because it was running like shit. I just got it back about an hour ago and it turned out that the number 3 spark plug wire was shit. A new wire and a compression check on the whole thing, and now it runs like a champ.
I still prefer my 85 with the 22r as my daily driver though just to be on the safe side.

88wildrunner · Apr 16, 2005

OOP'S said:
I have been wheeling a 90 3.0 V-6 for seven hard years, please tell me why they are "JUNK"!!! I have had not one problem with the engine except when I first bought it the water pump went out and my neighbor had it pulled in under the headgasket TSB. I will dispute you all day about them being Junk!!!! :flipoff2:

no offense but if you researched before you got one, you would of found out that toyota put out a recall for the 3.0 v6's cuz of the head gaskets on them withc is the problem with the majority of them. my brother ran one and his engine died after a trip to pismo and he had to get a new engine.

SeaBass44 · Apr 16, 2005

88wildrunner said:
no offense but if you researched before you got one, you would of found out that toyota put out a recall for the 3.0 v6's cuz of the head gaskets on them withc is the problem with the majority of them. my brother ran one and his engine died after a trip to pismo and he had to get a new engine.

It was never a recall, it was a campaign

& he knew all about it before he bought the truck :flipoff2:

OOP'S · Apr 16, 2005

88wildrunner said:
no offense but if you researched before you got one, you would of found out that toyota put out a recall for the 3.0 v6's cuz of the head gaskets on them withc is the problem with the majority of them. my brother ran one and his engine died after a trip to pismo and he had to get a new engine.

I did research; I talked to my neighbor whom just happens to be the Team Leader of all the Tech Teams at Roseville Toyota. The majority of the Toyota techs I have talked think that is a damn good engine aside from the HG problem. I have seven hard years of wheeling on this engine and it has never failed me except for the starter, the same problem that the 22r’s have and my teenaged Daughter also drove it for three years to high school. Many people say they are hard to work on, not when you have a Tech that lives down the street to let you in on how to do it the easy way, Roseville Toyota is a “flat rate shop” so the techs want to get it done ASAP.

So please do not tell me I should have done research. It is a great engine with a shit load of torque. Especally when your crawl ratio is 207-1!!!!! :grinpimp:

sickfab · Apr 16, 2005

88wildrunner said:
no offense but if you researched before you got one, you would of found out that toyota put out a recall for the 3.0 v6's cuz of the head gaskets on them withc is the problem with the majority of them. my brother ran one and his engine died after a trip to pismo and he had to get a new engine.

Hey, no offense but, If your brother wouldnt have been such a helmet to keep driving on a blown head gasket, he could have gotten it fixed and not had to replace the motor!!!!! :shaking:

wildtoyota · Apr 19, 2005

vikingsven said:
Ok, They are junk...

with the exception of OPP's, and sickfab's...and sickfab's friend's...

Otherwise they are junk. :flipoff2: :shaking:

I quess that make both of mine junk.... :flipoff2:

How many have you owned? Cant talk shit without owning one....

I have 2 V6's.... a 91 260,000 still wheeling strong.

And my daily driver 94 with 140,000

I own a repair shop that I specialize in are toyotas and hondas. In the years of being in business have not seen many issues except for the head gasket problem when the motor first came out, toyota did make good on installing new updated gaskets. I have only seen one head gasket fail after toyota installed updated gaskets. ( I also found that the block was helicoiled from a stripped head bolt, and other loose headbolts, mechanic at fault not motor).

So.... no they are not junk. :flipoff2:

Looking for Toyota, what years V6 are junk?

91Toyota4x4

kiyul4130

4rnr

bluerunner

4rnr

FrankenToy

kyle_22r

gnob

Reno Rich

kyle_22r

FXRocket

Lap Kitty :)

Hvy_Chevy

kyle_22r

ADD

88wildrunner

SeaBass44

OOP'S

sickfab

wildtoyota

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