Toyota VZ engine

Toyota VZ engine
2VZ-FE engine in a 1989 Toyota Camry DX
Overview
Manufacturer	Toyota Motor Corporation
Production	1988–2004
Layout
Configuration	60° V6
Displacement	2.0–3.4 L (1,992–3,378 cc)
Cylinder block material	Cast iron
Cylinder head material	Aluminium
Valvetrain	SOHC 2 valves x cyl. DOHC 4 valves x cyl.
Compression ratio	9.0:1-9.6:1
Combustion
Supercharger	TRD (some versions)
Fuel system	EFI Multi-port fuel injection
Fuel type	Gasoline
Cooling system	Water-cooled
Output
Power output	136–190 hp (101–142 kW; 138–193 PS)
Torque output	159–220 lb⋅ft (216–298 N⋅m)
Chronology
Predecessor	Toyota G engine (Straight-six)
Successor	Toyota MZ engine Toyota GR engine

The Toyota VZ engine family is a series of V6 gasoline piston engines ranging from 2.0 to 3.4 L (1,992 to 3,378 cc) in displacement and both SOHC and DOHC configurations. It was the first V6 engine made by Toyota.

Developed in response to Nissan's VG engine series, which was one of the first mass-produced Japanese V6 engines, the VZ family uses a 60° V-angle design and introduced many changes for Toyota, including various EFI, ECU, and engine improvements from generation to generation. The low angle DOHC and SOHC cylinder heads excel in low-mid torque and power, making the VZ series well-suited for various uses in cars, trucks, and SUVs.

The blocks are all strongly made using cast iron with large interconnected main bearing cradles and two bolt main bearing caps. Cylinder heads are made from aluminium. Forged steel crankshafts, and cast iron main bearing support girdles became standard with the 3VZ-FE. Piston and ring construction are typical parts, with rods varying between large and very large for stock V6 production engines.

This series was phased out in several markets and was replaced by variants of the MZ and GR series of V6 engines.

1VZ-FE

The 1VZ-FE is a 2.0 L (1,992 cc) version, produced from 1987 to 1993. Bore and stroke is 78 mm × 69.5 mm (3.07 in × 2.74 in). Output is 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp) at 6000 rpm and 174 N⋅m (128 lb⋅ft) at 4600 rpm. It uses a DOHC layout with a cast iron block and an aluminium 24 valve head.

Applications:

• 1988–1991 Toyota Camry Prominent (Japan only)
• 1988–1991 Toyota Vista (V20) (Japan only)

2VZ-FE

The 2VZ-FE is a 2.5 L (2,507 cc) version, produced from 1987 to 1992. Bore and stroke is 87.5 mm × 69.5 mm (3.44 in × 2.74 in) and the compression ratio is 9.0:1. Output as fitted to the North American Lexus ES250 is 156 hp (116 kW; 158 PS) at 5600 rpm and 160 lb⋅ft (217 N⋅m) at 4400 rpm with redline limit of 6800 rpm. It uses a DOHC layout with a cast iron block and an aluminium 24 valve head.

Applications:

• 1988–1991 Toyota Camry (V20)
• 1989–1991 Lexus ES 250

3VZ-E

The 3VZ-E is a 3.0 L (2,958 cc) version, produced from 1987 to 1995. Bore remains at 87.5 mm (3.44 in) but stroke is pushed to 82 mm (3.23 in). Power outputs ranged from 145–150 hp (108–112 kW; 147–152 PS) at 4800 rpm with 244 N⋅m (180 lb⋅ft) of torque at 3400 rpm. It uses an SOHC layout with a cast iron block and an aluminium 12 valve head.

Despite sharing an engine family designation with the 3VZ-FE, the 3VZ-E and 3VZ-FE have little in common with each other parts-wise.

Applications:

• 1988–1995 Toyota 4Runner
• 1988–1995 Toyota Pickup
• 1988–1995 Toyota Hilux
• 1992–1994 Toyota T100

3VZ-FE

The 3VZ-FE is a 3.0 L (2,958 cc) version, produced from 1992 to 1997. It retains the same bore and stroke at 87.5 mm × 82 mm (3.44 in × 3.23 in). Output is rated at 185 hp (138 kW; 188 PS) at 5800 rpm and 189 lb⋅ft (256 N⋅m) at 4600 rpm, with a compression ratio of 9.6:1. The power spread of the 3VZ-FE is wide, having close to maximum torque between 2500–4600 rpm, with power trailing off by 6000 rpm. The stock redline is 6600 rpm with fuel/ignition cut-off at 7200 rpm.

The 3VZ-FE is a revised variant of the 3VZ-E using a DOHC layout with a cast iron block and aluminium 24 valve heads. Because the VZ series was originally designed for pickup truck and SUV use in RWD configurations, the 3VZ-FE happens to be a physically tall motor. In order to make the engine fit in FWD cars such as the Camry and ES300/Windom, the motor was tilted towards the firewall (approximately ~15 degrees). This "tilt" is so severe that it requires a different intake plenum to the installed, and reaching the rear bank of cylinders and spark plugs is nearly impossible without first removing the intake plenum. The 1VZ-FE, 2VZ-FE and 4VZ-FE engines (as well as all other Toyota V6 engines) all inherited the same maneuver used to make the engine usable in FWD configurations.

Parts-wise, the 3VZ-FE shares very little with the rest of the VZ engine family. Only the main bearings are shared with the 3VZ-E, but nothing else. It also has a forged steel crankshaft and cast connecting rods, and the upper intake plenum is of the split-chamber design using Toyota's ACIS variable-intake system, feeding three sets of runners for both heads. Cams are interchangeable with the 5VZ-FE and 3VZ-FE heads.

The 3VZ-FE is fairly common in most parts of the world, having a long lifespan in popular models. It was used from 1992 to 1997 depending on the market: North America only saw the engine from 1992 to 1993 in the Camry and ES300, where it was replaced with the all-aluminium 1MZ-FE engine in 1993 and 1994. Other markets retained the 3VZ-FE engine; Australia and New Zealand had it from 1992 to 1996 (especially in the Camry), and was available in Japan with the Scepter (the Japanese version of the XV10 Camry) and Windom (the Japanese version of the XV10 ES300) until December 1996 and May 1997 respectively.

Applications:

• 1992–1993 Toyota Camry (North America)
• 1992–1993 Lexus ES300 (North America)
• 1992–1996 Toyota Camry (Australia and Europe)
• 1992–1996 Toyota Windom (Japan only)
• 1993–1996 Toyota Scepter (Japan only)

4VZ-FE

The 4VZ-FE is a 2.5 L (2,496 cc) version, replacing the 2VZ-FE as Toyota's new 2.5 L V6 engine produced from 1992 to 1998. Bore is 87.5 mm (3.44 in) and stroke is slightly shorter at 69.2 mm (2.72 in). Output is 173 hp (129 kW; 175 PS) at 6000 rpm. Compression ratio is raised from 9.0:1 to 9.6:1. It uses a DOHC layout with a cast iron block and an aluminium 24 valve head.

Applications:

• 1992–1996 Toyota Camry Prominent (Japan only)
• 1993–1996 Toyota Windom VCV11 (Japan only)

5VZ-FE

5VZ-FE Engine from a 2001 Toyota Tacoma

The 5VZ-FE is a 3.4 L (3,378 cc) version, replacing the 3VZ-E as Toyota's new 3.4 L V6 engine produced from 1995 to 2004. Bore is up to 93.5 mm (3.68 in) while the stroke remains at 82 mm (3.23 in). Output is 190 hp (142 kW; 193 PS) for Tacoma and 183 hp (136 kW; 186 PS) for 4Runner at 4800 rpm with 220 lb⋅ft (298 N⋅m) of torque for Tacoma and 217 lb⋅ft (294 N⋅m) for 4Runner at 3600 rpm. Compression ratio remains at 9.6:1, the same as the 3VZ-FE. It uses a DOHC layout with a cast iron block and aluminium 24 valve head.

The 5VZ-FE uses sequential multi-port fuel injection, has four valves per cylinder with shim-over-bucket tappets and features large cast connecting rods, one-piece cast camshafts, a cast crank (unlike the 3VZ-FE, which was forged) and a cast aluminium intake manifold. This engine also sometimes features an oil cooler (depending on application) and a wasted spark ignition system with three coils. Camshafts are belt-driven. It is a non-interference engine.

A factory supported bolt-on supercharger kit for the 5VZ-FE was sold for the MY1995–2004 Tacoma, MY1996–2002 4Runner, MY1997–1998 T100 and MY2000–2003 Tundra by Toyota Racing Development in North America. It uses a Roots type supercharger, which increased power and torque significantly.

Applications:

• 1996–2004 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
• 1995–1998 Toyota T-100
• 1995–2002 Toyota Granvia
• 1999–2002 Toyota Grand HiAce
• 1995–2004 Toyota Tacoma
• 1995–2004 Toyota Hilux
• 1996–2002 Toyota 4Runner
• 2000–2004 Toyota Tundra
• 2000–2002, 2004 GAZ-3111 Volga

See also

• List of Toyota engines