2UZ-FE’s Place in the History Books? (1 Viewer)

[Drunken Ira Hayes]

Wondering where everyone thinks the 2UZ falls when reflecting on the storied history of Toyota engines. I was pondering this earlier today as I was ordering some parts and thought it would be an interesting topic to discuss. When I first purchased my LX it was a fourth vehicle that I bought mainly because it was a good deal. I had always had a mild interest in the 100 series, but I never felt it would spark the same passion as my 60s, 1st gen trucks and 4Runners, Supras, euro cars, etc.
Three years into owning my 100, I have concluded that the ownership experience is similar to that of my previous Toyotas. I am in the midst of a pretty thorough mechanical restoration and find myself on Mud and combing parts catalogs on a regular basis. It’s scratching an itch I didn’t expect it to.....the old Cruiser obsession!
I’ve rebuilt, to varying degrees, several 22R/RE and 2F motors in the past, I’ve also dealt extensively with 3RZs, 5MGEs and a slew of European and Domestic power plants. I know the positives and negatives of the earlier Toyota truck engines, specifically the simple, bulletproof, but relatively gutless 22R and 2Fs. I sold my last Tacoma with the 3RZ at 300,000 still purring like a kitten, all of my 2F and 22 powered vehicles went deep into the odometer and rarely disappointed.
The LX has 273000 on the original engine and runs like a top. I’ve found the 2UZ to be very smooth, reliable, and fairly easy to work with. It’s not fast but relative to the older Yotas I’m used to, it’s more than adequate. Where would you all rank the 2UZ in terms of US market Toyota SUV/truck engine offerings? Is it the best? The worst? Are there others you prefer? Interested to hear your opinions on the venerable 2UZ!

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I agree with most everything you posted. I’ve owned and worked on Toyota 4x4s with a lot of different engines, though I certainly don’t have experience with all Toyota engines. I’m also a poor backyard mechanic with no formal automotive mechanical training, so I’m basically an idiot hillbilly who learned out of financial necessity first, curiosity and enjoyment second/third. My rankings would be:
1) 2UZ
2) 5VZ
3) 3F
4) 22R
5) 2F
6) 1FZ
7) F
Infinity worst) 3VZ

 

[Hokie99]

Interesting topic for sure! Oddly enough the only Toyota engines that I have owned are all V8’s.
Lexus LS 400 sold years ago with 285k, last I heard it was near 400k with no engine work
2 100 Series 235k, 250k...both of my kids drive these currently
2010 Tundra 5.7 260k

The Toyota V8s are just so smooth and great power. I drive a lot on the interstate for my job so I like a lot of steel around my person.

Also none of have ever let me down. I sell medical devices so when I have to go, it has to start every time without fail.

Having said that the 3UR on my Tundra is such a beast, has never leaked, smooth reliable power. It is the best engine I have ever owned and has the timing chain, so I like that as well.

At age 43 I have driven close to a million miles since I graduated college and I have owned almost every make of vehicle and nothing else comes close to reliability and durability of the Toyota V8s in my opinion.

Other vehicles I’ve owned

1985 Mercedes 380sel
2001 Jeep Cherokee 4.0
2003 Volvo V70t
2003 BMW 530i
2007 Yukon xl
2000 Dodge 2500 Cummins
2005 F350 Powersroke 6.0

Out of the above the only one worth mentioning is the 07 Yukon, my wife has 200k on it with very little issue outside of the fact it loves to eat oil and leaks oil.

 

[cjmoon]

If it wasn’t a timing belt engine I’d agree. There for 22re and the GR series motor would be on the top of my list.
2GR-FE 3.5l is an amazing platform.

I’m bias though. I’ve had to opportunity to build several Lotus Evora’s that use it. “The Sexy Camry”. 500hp all stock internals.

 

[97 AZ LC]

I much prefer a timing belt / non-interference motor. Timing chains are a pain in the ass when they get older, especially on a V8.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I much prefer a timing belt / non-interference motor. Timing chains are a pain in the ass when they get older, especially on a V8.

I agree. I had a chain guide break on a 22R and nearly destroy the engine at just 80k miles... Still boggles my mind that Toyota put plastic guides on those engines.

 

[ElixerGxer]

I have had 3 2UZs (4tr, gx, lx) now and Ive come to be okay with the timing belt. I have a coworker whose ford f150 with timing chains that detonated the motor cause they broke at 130k. So with timing belts it just allows you to be in more control of the maintenance and inspecting the workings of the motor (as long as you change them when your suppose to of course). Smooth, dependable as they come, and plenty of power for what majority of people will need, I cant say ive driven a motor I like more.

 

[hickuptruck]

I 100% understand the timing belts on the 2UZ. Theres no way a timing chain could have produced the smoothness and quietness required in the 1UZ for the Lexus LS. Well, that timing belt is what contributes to all the nice things about the 2UZ.

 

[Drunken Ira Hayes]

Agreeing with a lot of you folks on all fronts! Chain guides on the 22 series were definitely a weak point, I think LC Engineering and a couple others make a metal guide kit. I’ve replaced quite a few of those plastic guides in the past. Loving the responses, keep it going!

 

[Hokie99]

I think Toyota has perfected the timing chain/guides, etc... I have not heard of a guide failure on a Toyota chain since the 5.7 came out in 2007. Mine has 260k on it with easily another 500 hours of idle time. I change the oil every 10k, with regular Toyota 5/20 and my last oil analysis was pristine. Amazing engine.

Although I do agree that it does force the owner to replace the water pump or at least look at it every 100k if you have a belt instead of chain.

What mileage do most of you all replace your timing belts? Anyone gamble and go 200k or more...that would be ballsy, and I’m sure we have some folks on here pushing the envelope.

 

[jLB]

Having owned (2) 1UZ and (6) 2UZ powered Toyota/Lexus vehicles, and coming from the 1FZ, my only complaint is where they chose to put the starter.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I agree with most everything you posted. I’ve owned and worked on Toyota 4x4s with a lot of different engines, though I certainly don’t have experience with all Toyota engines. I’m also a poor backyard mechanic with no formal automotive mechanical training, so I’m basically an idiot hillbilly who learned out of financial necessity first, curiosity and enjoyment second/third. My rankings would be:
1) 2UZ
2) 5VZ
3) 3F
4) 22R
5) 2F
6) 1FZ
7) F
Infinity worst) 3VZ

Oh god, the 3VZ. Had a 91 pickup with that. What a pile, haha. Incredibly weak, noisy and for me, unreliable. Did a HG job on that with all new gaskets. I expected it to quiet down a little, but it never did. Noisy, gutless and poor MPG. The perfect trifecta for a bad motor, haha.

I haven't experienced quite as many as you folks (unless you include my time as a Toyota dealer lot tech driving 100 cars in the parking lot per week), but the 2UZ is exceptionally quiet and calm at high mileage - more so than anything else I've driven. Lots of motors (Toyota and otherwise) are quiet when new, but over time they get loud and noticeable. The 2UZ is extremely impressive to me in how smooth it is in the long run. Easy to make an engine seem good at 25k miles. Maintaining that smooth and quiet feel for 250k miles is an entirely different feat.

 

[Drunken Ira Hayes]

Having owned (2) 1UZ and (6) 2UZ powered Toyota/Lexus vehicles, and coming from the 1FZ, my only complaint is where they chose to put the starter.

Couldn’t agree more, it does force you to refresh a few things that would otherwise be neglected like injector O-Rings etc....one positive, I guess!

 

[geanes]

The 2UZ simply has to be at the top of the mountain. Maybe the 3UR as well? The thing that always amazes me is how "easy" these engines are on oil. Despite being 21 years old and nearing 250k, when I change my oil (every 5k with Mobil1 5w-30 synthetic) it drains looking just a little darker than new....never black and never smells burnt. It fires up the first time, every time and just runs so smooth. People can't believe it's as old as it is with as many miles as it has. Nearly every example of even minimally maintained 2UZs I've ever been around just run so dang smooth and never seem to cause much, if any, trouble at all. Heck, saw one a few weeks ago with 475k on it and it fired right up and sounded better than my uncle's T4R TRD Pro. Just can't believe how smooth, quite and reliable these motors are.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Oh god, the 3VZ. Had a 91 pickup with that. What a pile, haha. Incredibly weak, noisy and for me, unreliable. Did a HG job on that with all new gaskets. I expected it to quiet down a little, but it never did. Noisy, gutless and poor MPG. The perfect trifecta for a bad motor, haha.

The worst! I still own one, too

 

[suprarx7nut]

The 2UZ simply has to be at the top of the mountain. Maybe the 3UR as well? The thing that always amazes me is how "easy" these engines are on oil. Despite being 21 years old and nearing 250k, when I change my oil (every 5k with Mobil1 5w-30 synthetic) it drains looking just a little darker than new....never black and never smells burnt. It fires up the first time, every time and just runs so smooth. People can't believe it's as old as it is with as many miles as it has. Nearly every example of even minimally maintained 2UZs I've ever been around just run so dang smooth and never seem to cause much, if any, trouble at all. Heck, saw one a few weeks ago with 475k on it and it fired right up and sounded better than my uncle's T4R TRD Pro. Just can't believe how smooth, quite and reliable these motors are.

Precision engineering/manufacturing and unimpressive power specs! Not very sexy in a car magazine, but perfect for something that you want to last decades. I'm all about it.

 

[geanes]

Precision engineering/manufacturing and unimpressive power specs! Not very sexy in a car magazine, but perfect for something that you want to last decades. I'm all about it.

Power specs look fine if you ignore the 3+ short tons of weight it has to motivate

 

[Eicca]

The 2UZ in my mom’s 100 is the reason I bought a Lexus GS400 with the 1UZ. Hers was running absolutely perfect at 250k when the shop botched an oil change and roasted it. We made them replace it with a 140k-mile motor that also runs like new. My 1UZ has a little bit of lifter tick at 217k, probably from the neglect of the previous owners, but still runs like a top and has almost zero blow-by. Burns no oil as far as I can tell.

Other than the starter, the UZs are the easiest motors I’ve ever wrenched on. The timing belt isn’t even bad as far as timing belts go.

One thing I do like a little more about the URs is their eagerness to rev out. The UZs are happier between 2.5-4K rpm and tend to lose a little gusto toward the redline. The URs beg for more revs like a Honda 4-popper. Different personalities. Both excellent motor families.

 

[Drunken Ira Hayes]

I think Toyota has perfected the timing chain/guides, etc... I have not heard of a guide failure on a Toyota chain since the 5.7 came out in 2007. Mine has 260k on it with easily another 500 hours of idle time. I change the oil every 10k, with regular Toyota 5/20 and my last oil analysis was pristine. Amazing engine.

Although I do agree that it does force the owner to replace the water pump or at least look at it every 100k if you have a belt instead of chain.

What mileage do most of you all replace your timing belts? Anyone gamble and go 200k or more...that would be ballsy, and I’m sure we have some folks on here pushing the envelope.

90K, or maybe more importantly, at minimum every seven years. In my opinion, idle hours and age are sometimes overlooked in the recommended intervals for TB and associated components. I work for a dealer group with Volvo and Audi under our umbrella, on those particular lines we often make suggestions based on time as much as mileage.
At least historically, the tolerances are a little looser on Asian and Domestic makes, but the Euros and some of the more highly tuned models from other origins don’t do so well with old or worn components. I’m sure there are some who really get their money’s worth out of a timing belt, but I’m not one of them! I like the 5.7 too, we have a few in our fleet with over 300K, still going strong.

 

[95Fantasma80]

There is rumors that the 100 series is the most reliable vehicle ever brought into the USA, the engine is a legend.

I'm still curious which V8 will come out on top in the history books the 4.7 on the 100 series or the 5.7 on the 200 series, we all know it's the last of a dying breed and Toyota is axing the V8 for the next 300.