Toyota VZ engine
Encyclopedia
The Toyota VZ engine family is a series of V6 gasoline
piston engines ranging from 2.0L to 3.4L in displacement and both SOHC and DOHC configurations. The family introduced many changes for Toyota, including various EFI
, ECU
, and engine improvements from generation to generation. The VZ was Toyota's response to the Nissan VG engine
. The low angle DOHC cylinder heads were designed by Yamaha Motor Company
, and excelled in low-mid torque and power, making the VZ 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. 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.
Applications:
Japan
Applications:
Despite sharing an engine family designation the 3VZ-E and 3VZ-FE have few parts in common.
Applications:
Because the VZ originated for truck and SUV use, the 3VZ-FE happens to be a physically tall motor. To make the engine fit in FWD engine bays, Toyota tilted the motor towards the firewall. This "tilt" is so severe (~15 degrees) that reaching the rear bank of cylinders is nearly impossible without first removing the intake plenum.
Parts-wise, the 3VZ-FE shares very little with the rest of the VZ engine family. The main bearings are shared with the 3VZ-E, but little else. Cams can also be interchanged between the 5VZ-FE and 3VZ-FE heads.
The 3VZ-FE was used on the Camry platform from 1992 to May 1997 depending on the market: North America saw the engine only in 1992 and 1993, while Australia and New Zealand had it from 1992 to 1996. The engine was available in some parts of Asia in the Toyota Windom until May 1997. Following 1994, the 1MZ-FE engines replaced the 3VZ-FE in most applications. However the 3VZ-FE continued to be used in Australia until 1996, especially in the Camry. The power spread of the 3VZ-FE is wide, having 100% torque between 2500–4600 rpm, with power trailing off by 6000 rpm. The stock redline is 6600 rpm, and the ECU's fuel/ignition cut-off is 7200 rpm.
The 1992–1993 engine is rated at 185 hp at 5800 rpm and 189 ft·lbf (256 N·m) at 4600 rpm. Compression ratio is 9.6:1.
Though harder to find in good used condition in North America (unless imported), the 3VZ-FE is fairly common in most parts of the world, having a long lifespan in popular models.
Applications:
Applications:
Japan
, has 4 valves per cylinder with bucket tappets and features large cast connecting rods, a one-piece cast camshaft, and a cast aluminum intake manifold. It also features an oil cooler and coil-on-plug ignition.
Applications:
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
piston engines ranging from 2.0L to 3.4L in displacement and both SOHC and DOHC configurations. The family introduced many changes for Toyota, including various EFI
EFI
-Organizations and institutions:*Enrico Fermi Institute, a research centre by the University of Chicago*Equestrian Federation of Ireland, an equestrian sporting body*European Forest Institute, a research centre...
, ECU
Engine control unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
, and engine improvements from generation to generation. The VZ was Toyota's response to the Nissan VG engine
Nissan VG engine
The VG engine family consists of V6 piston engines designed and produced by Nissan for several vehicles in the Nissan lineup. The VG series started in 1983 becoming Japan's first mass produced V6 engine. VG engines displace between 2.0 L and 3.3 L and feature an iron block and aluminum...
. The low angle DOHC cylinder heads were designed by Yamaha Motor Company
Yamaha Motor Company
, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...
, and excelled in low-mid torque and power, making the VZ 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. 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.
1VZ-FE
The 1VZ-FE is a 2.0 L (1992 cc) version. Bore is 78 mm (3.07 in) and stroke is 69.5 mm (2.7 in). Output is 136 hp (101 kW) at 6000 rpm and 128 ft·lbf (173 N·m) at 4600 rpm.Applications:
Japan
- 1988–1991 Toyota Camry Prominent VZV20 and VZV3xToyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
- 1988–1991 Toyota VistaToyota VistaThe Toyota Vista is a compact car launched in 1982 as a sister nameplate to the Camry by Toyota in Japan. The name was introduced to tie in with the Toyota Vista dealership network, and launched around the same time...
2VZ-FE
The 2VZ-FE is a 2.5 L (2507 cc) version. Bore is 87.5 mm (3.4 in) and stroke is 69.5 mm (2.7 in). Output is 159 hp (118 kW) at 5800 rpm and 159 ft·lbf (215 N·m) at 4600 rpm.Applications:
- 1988–1991 Toyota CamryToyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
- 1989–1991 Lexus ES 250Lexus ESThe Lexus ES series is a family of mid-size luxury sedans sold by Lexus since 1989. Now in its fifth generation, the series has been consistently built on the Toyota Camry platform with a V6 engine, automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive...
3VZ-E
The 3VZ-E is a 3.0 L (2958 cc) version and is the only SOHC VZ-series motor, and the only non-DOHC V6 Toyota has ever built. Bore remains at 87.5 mm (3.4 in) but stroke is pushed to 82.0 mm (3.2 in). At introduction output was specified as 145 hp then later bumped to 150 hp (112 kW) at 4800 rpm with 180 ft·lbf (244 N·m) of torque at 3400 rpm.Despite sharing an engine family designation the 3VZ-E and 3VZ-FE have few parts in common.
Applications:
- 1988–1995 Toyota 4RunnerToyota 4RunnerThe Toyota 4Runner is a mid-size SUV manufactured by Toyota and sold throughout the world from 1984 to the present. In Japan it was known as the Toyota Hilux Surf...
- 1988–1995 Toyota Pickup
- 1993–1995 Toyota T100Toyota T100The Toyota T100 was a full-sized pickup truck introduced by Toyota in late 1992 as a 1993 calendar year vehicle....
3VZ-FE
The basic design is a revised 3VZ-E iron-block motor, mated with aluminum DOHC 24 valve heads. It has a forged steel crankshaft and cast connecting rods. The upper intake plenum is of the split-chamber design with Toyota's ACIS variable-intake system feeding three sets of runners for both heads.Because the VZ originated for truck and SUV use, the 3VZ-FE happens to be a physically tall motor. To make the engine fit in FWD engine bays, Toyota tilted the motor towards the firewall. This "tilt" is so severe (~15 degrees) that reaching the rear bank of cylinders is nearly impossible without first removing the intake plenum.
Parts-wise, the 3VZ-FE shares very little with the rest of the VZ engine family. The main bearings are shared with the 3VZ-E, but little else. Cams can also be interchanged between the 5VZ-FE and 3VZ-FE heads.
The 3VZ-FE was used on the Camry platform from 1992 to May 1997 depending on the market: North America saw the engine only in 1992 and 1993, while Australia and New Zealand had it from 1992 to 1996. The engine was available in some parts of Asia in the Toyota Windom until May 1997. Following 1994, the 1MZ-FE engines replaced the 3VZ-FE in most applications. However the 3VZ-FE continued to be used in Australia until 1996, especially in the Camry. The power spread of the 3VZ-FE is wide, having 100% torque between 2500–4600 rpm, with power trailing off by 6000 rpm. The stock redline is 6600 rpm, and the ECU's fuel/ignition cut-off is 7200 rpm.
The 1992–1993 engine is rated at 185 hp at 5800 rpm and 189 ft·lbf (256 N·m) at 4600 rpm. Compression ratio is 9.6:1.
Though harder to find in good used condition in North America (unless imported), the 3VZ-FE is fairly common in most parts of the world, having a long lifespan in popular models.
Applications:
- 1993–1996 Toyota ScepterToyota ScepterThe Toyota Camry XV10 is a mid-size car that was produced by Toyota between 1991 and 1996 in Japan and North America, and 1993 and 1997 in Australia. The XV10 series represented the third generation of the Toyota Camry in all markets outside of Japan, which followed a different generational...
, Japan - 1992–1993 Toyota CamryToyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
, USA - 1992–1996 Toyota CamryToyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
, Australia, Europe - 1992–1996 Toyota Windom
- 1992–1993 Lexus ES300, USA
4VZ-FE
The 4VZ-FE is a 2.5 L (2496 cc) version. Bore is 87.5 mm (3.4 in) and stroke is ever so slightly lower from the 2VZ-FE at 69.2 mm (2.7 in). Output is 173 hp (129 kW) at 6000 rpm. Compression ratio of this engine was raised from 9.0:1 to 9.6:1. In production from 1992 until 1996, it was built to replace the 2VZ-FE as Toyota's 2.5 L V6. Engine was only sold with Japanese market vehicles.Applications:
Japan
- 1992–1996 Toyota Camry ProminentToyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
- 1993–1996 Toyota Windom VCV11
5VZ-FE
The 5VZ-FE is a 3.4 L (3378 cc) engine which replaced the 3VZ-E. Bore is up to 93.5 mm (3.7 in) and stroke is 82.0 mm (3.2 in) while the compression ratio stays the same as the 3VZ-FE at 9.6:1. Output is 183 hp (142 kW) at 4800 rpm with 217 ft·lbf (298 Nm) of torque at 3600 rpm. It has a cast iron engine block and aluminum DOHC cylinder heads. It uses sequential multi-port fuel injectionFuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, has 4 valves per cylinder with bucket tappets and features large cast connecting rods, a one-piece cast camshaft, and a cast aluminum intake manifold. It also features an oil cooler and coil-on-plug ignition.
Applications:
- 1995–2004 Toyota TacomaToyota TacomaThe Toyota Tacoma is a pickup truck produced and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation since 1995. The Tacoma was a compact pickup until a model redesign in 2005 when it was reclassified to a mid-size...
- 2000–2004 Toyota TundraToyota TundraThe Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck introduced by Toyota in the year 2000. It was widely considered to be the first full-size import-brand truck built with an American look and feel and a refined V8 engine. The Tundra was eventually nominated for the North American Truck of the Year...
- 1995–1998 Toyota T-100
- 1996–2002 Toyota 4RunnerToyota 4RunnerThe Toyota 4Runner is a mid-size SUV manufactured by Toyota and sold throughout the world from 1984 to the present. In Japan it was known as the Toyota Hilux Surf...
- 1993–2004 Toyota Land Cruiser PradoToyota Land Cruiser PradoToyota Land Cruiser Prado is a, mid-size four-wheel drive vehicle in the Toyota Land Cruiser range produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. The Prado is one of the smaller vehicles in the range...
- Toyota GranviaToyota GranviaThe Toyota Granvia is a large MPV produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota. Available with seven- and eight-seater configurations, it is based on the Hi Ace Powervan. Sales of the Granvia started in Japan in 1995.It has been sold in Europe and Australia and at different destinations in Asia...