Our family car was a 95/96 lexus es300 with this engine. We stopped driving it regularly after the issue with steering made it a road hazard. I pretty much ran this car to the ground when I drove it (I was a bad owner and let it run dry on oil 2 years ago). It still starts and runs today by some miracle. I plan on pulling & rebuilding the engine and transmission, repent for my sins, and see how many more miles I can run the original engine on. This video helped a lot, thank you
Suspension and steering rack will be worn out by 200k. Luckily it's pretty cheap to get a new steering rack and tire rod ends, new control arms and ball joints, and new front struts and shocks. It will tighten up your car to a "like new" feeling. I know when it's old and sloppy it can make you hate it, but it's cheap to correct.
@@dennisrobinson8008 I just put in new tie rod ends, control arms, and steering rack bushings. I plan on replacing all my wheel bearings, putting in the new struts like you suggested, putting in a new steering rack, and redoing the brake & fuel lines (I live in rust belt).
Sounds good. My car was trash until i did it and afterwards it's a competent car. I also took care of paint and clearcoat so it has a good appearance.@@Ciruchan
Nothing more satisfying than watching a good old fashion engine teardown while listening to the person doing the disassembling describe parts of said engine.
I have this engine in my 2001 Avalon. Your video guided me through the timing belt, oil seal, timing belt tensioner and water pump replacement at 82K miles. The belt replacement went well except that I buggered a crankshaft oil seal - twice! Right now, I am at 112K miles, and the engine (and the car) runs perfectly.
This is a phenomenal teardown video with clear explanations and no fluff. I will be showing it to my grade 8 students as part of our mechanical literacy unit. Thank you for this awesome resource!
The 1MZ in my '97 Camry was a great engine. Changed oil myself regularly but had the dealer do the belt, pump and plugs around 150km. Ran it 'till 300km then moved on. I can't remember replacing any of the ancillary bits; alt, starter, rad, ps pump. Crazy good car all around.
Still have my 00 Solara with the 1MZ of 13 years.. bought it with 80k Miles currently have 223k and going.. I'm ready for an upgrade but I think I'm going to keep this car around as my daily commuter to work super reliable engine
It was a shame to see an engine that was so clean and in good condition being taken apart. On the other hand, it was refreshing to see an engine that had been taken care of so well.
Great review of a great engine. I just might have the highest mileage version of this one still on the road in my 2000 Solara...622,000 miles and still adding more daily. I picked the car up with 113,000 miles from a coworker so I'm the second owner. I checked the compression recently and it ranged between 400 and 415 psi...right where it should be. I checked valve clearance fairly recently and it was also in spec. Still gets 25 mpg and is still running the original transmission. Amazing engine!
We’ve got a 2001 Rx300 with 230k, the suspension is about to get some TLC but the drivetrain is amazingly strong to this day. Not a single leak and transmission shifts perfectly. We did get lucky that the dealer had maintenance history up to 150k, then through 200k when we bought it, a friends mechanic father had taken good care of her.
Amazing engine, thanks for the tear down! I have an early version from 98 without VVTi, with the waste spark system, and cable operated throttle. It’s currently at 306k miles, with the first 170k being under someone else’s ownership and being very neglected when I got it. I loved seeing you describe all the common issues as it’s so familiar.
You are welcome. I remember you from the club Lexus days. I am familiar with these motors from those experiences that's why this was a favorite for me as well.
Love my '99 V6 Camry sound. I care as much as I can. Now 380kkm - no leaks, no bunig oil. A/T works great. But it starts to rust :( Thanks for all informative videos.
I have an MZ in my 99' ES300. Since learning about its robustness I've put in the time to take care of it. I just did a timing belt/water pump job on it also replacing the cam and crank seals, I replaced the leaking power steering pump and pressure line which has pretty much stopped all of the leaks. I dealt with a burst coolant bypass hose last year where I replaced the knock sensors, fuel injector seals and the gaskets. Radiator hoses, Thermostat, radiator all replaced. Just finished putting some new spark plugs in it and I love how smooth it drives. A big shout-out to you and your channel which has given me the knowledge and confidence to even attempt alot of these repairs. The car has around 180k miles now I want to see how far I can take it. One of next repairs will be to attempt your AUX hack to connect my phone to the stereo which is the only feature I'd like to make it a modern car.
Nice man. I have a 93 es300 with 193k right now. Just did spark plug wires and cap/rotor to clear up a misfire. Old fashion tune up and she runs amazing still
This is great! I literally just finished a lengthy timing belt/water pump/crank, cam seal with new plugs and oem coils on my mom-in-law’s ‘01 Avalon. They really are great engines.
I have a 1mzfe in my 2000 Avalon. It burnt an exhaust valve in cylinder 2 at 189k. I did a top end rebuild and replaced the valve along with a bunch of other parts and seals, and it's running perfectly again now at 217k. Great reliable engine, fairly easy to work on.
I have a 2001 Toyota Solara V6 and it's a great engine. On mine, the oil filter is in the front which makes it a lot easier. I'm about to turn 280,000 miles on it. So far, all I do is oil changes every 3 to 5,000 miles on it (if I'm mostly freeway miles, it's 5,000 miles) and change the spark plugs, timing belt and water pump every 100,000 miles. My only other items replaced were brake pads and one time, the O2 sensor and the rear valve cover gasket was barely leaking but I could smell it on the exhaust manifold so it was replaced. The car doesn't burn or leak any oil other than the one time with the valve cover gasket. The transmission has been holding up fine. This car may outlast me and I have no reason to replace it as it continues to be as reliable as it was when it was new.
So happy to see this video! Just in the last month I bought a 230k mile 1996 Camry with this motor in it. I've been reading about it and preparing to do quite a bit of touching up to counter some of the neglect, but what amazing timing! So far it's an amazing car, even with it's issues. I can see myself having it for quite a while. Makes me proud to have it with that title!
When I bought my 2000 avalon with the 1mzfe, it had no sludge. 3 years later it STILL has ZERO sludge. It's because I use full synthetic with MMO and factory toyota filters. Mostly the yzzd1 filter but when it's available I use the yzzd3 Oem filter. I change it every 5k miles and anytime something is wrong I fix it myself and always do the maintenance on time. I just did my valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, and tube seals. Did much more but don't want this comment to be too long lol. Put over 200k miles on the car with no issues. I'm almost at 300k miles.
BUT, what I learned: if you have a good engine, you can stretch the intervals and it won't be a problem. While if you have a garbage engine, you could change the oil every day and it will still break. There are tons of owners of cars made by GM that can attest to that. If oil was that important, pretty much any engine would last forever, as many people change the oil very frequently in fear of the car breaking (and everybody trying to make extra money off that FUD of "not changing your oil frequently enough" (like claiming that the new interval is now only 1000 miles ;-) Toyota builds these engines extremely sturdy, they use super tough alloys, I have so far owned 5 Toyotas and not one had considerable wear in the engine and I'm talking about a minimum of 300k km (150k miles).
I'm a Toyota apprentice :) and recently got me a Toyota Highlander with this engine! learnt a lot of theory, now it is time to put it into action! Going to replace valve cover gaskets, timing belt, water pump, transmission filter, and rear brake caliper. Wish me luck!
I have same engine in a 2000 Avalon, 294,000 miles. Drives like a dream. I change oil at 3000 miles or 5 months, whichever comes first. I wish I was as good as you are. I would take it all apart, clean, and rebuild. Good video.
Just one comment that might help some people out, you don't need to remove the intake manifold to change the rear spark plugs, they can be changed with the manifold in place. I have been doing it that way on my 1mz-fe for years.
Been happy with my 98 Camry for the past 10 years. I’ve replaced my valve cover gaskets once, I can also attest to power steering pump being a pain to access haha. Around 230,000 miles and never had any real issues, overall great motor👍
Great engine have 422k miles on my 02i and aside from the catalytic converters I just recently popped a code for a knock sensor that keeps it from going into overdrive. This motor is the best part of the entire car.
How is the gas on the 05 v6 Camry? I’m lookin at one as a first car for collage commuting, and it is easy to do the maintenance your self? Since I heard the spark plug and belt are hard to do.
Nice teardown. Brings back memories. My parents had a 96 Avalon with the 3.0 1mzfe. Cable throttle, no vvti, and only 1 set of coil packs on the front bank. This means it was a waste spark design. I guess the advantage is fewer coil packs that could potentially go bad in a very hard to reach spot. Very smooth and refined engine. Exhaust tuned to be whisper quiet. In those days that was what you wanted. It did have valve cover leaks later on. We never addressed that. I believe it was rated somewhere at 195-200 hp which in those days was considered a lot. Even though the avalon was a heavy car it had lots of pep. We never had sludge problems because in those days we always changed the oil every 3k miles. The one thing that always scared me was what it looked like under the oil fill cap. You showed that in your teardown and it wasnt pretty. Little did I know it was probably spotless. I'm amazed at how stout the bottom end is in your teardown. Looks absolutely bulletproof.
@@speedkar99 pretty undramatic ending. They sold it in '09 when I found them a great deal on a used 2006 es350 which they still have. The avalon was good to them. The only major problem it had was a leaking power steering rack that my dad replaced.
Excellent tear down. I've got this Engine on my 2005 Sportivo Camry. She's currently done around 258000 km's and still going strong. Currently in the shop getting new gaskets and water pump. I hope she hits a million. I'm probably dreaming.
I have a 2003 Lexus ES300 with that exact engine. I got it ten years ago with 64K miles, I now have 188K. I have had to replace a few engine seals like you described (the one between the transmission and the engine as well as the valve cover gasket) but other than basic maintenance like oil changes, new spark plugs at 120K and timing belts every 90K I've had to do nothing to it. It's not a race car but it can accelerate on the highway when needed and as you said it's a very quiet, smooth drive. That's the thing I like about it the most. The ES300 is very quiet and comfortable and lets me relax when I have my long commute to work, or a long road trip. As long as you don't drive it hard, it shifts smoothly too. Especially around 50-60mph the thing is so quiet and smooth when I first got it I thought the engine was off because I didn't hear or feel any vibrations. The muffler also helps a lot in this regard over the Camry one as does the suspension. It's basically a cocoon from the rest of the world, and a reliable one at that. I really enjoy this car and still marvel at how comfortable, quiet and smooth it is all these years later. I just realized how often I said quiet and/or smooth. Well, you can see what I like about it, eh?
I just did a timing belt and seal overhaul on my moms 03 Avalon with this engine and 280k miles. That vehicle is a true testament to Toyota’s older reliability. What a pain to do over my Accord J30 engine in the bay.
280k miles, nice! The accords were good motors too, the only thing I appreciate about them is it's easier to get to the rear spark plugs due to the intake design
@@speedkar99 I have done at least 30 T-belts for the J-Series and already 2 too many now for the 1MZ-fe. She runs 87 octane in it and supped to be premium but still runs perfectly smooth with no hesitation. I settled on a 06-6-6 sedan. Accessories are not as reliable on a Honda but those engines really are bliss.
Just completed a round trip Texas to California in a 1995 Camry V6 1MZ. Went sailing past many a Tesla at 30 mph faster than them on i40 and used a range of 420 miles between fuel stops. Had the valve clearances done earlier and also a new timing belt kit. Engine seems as good as new. 207k miles so far. Smooth and powerful, the best engineering. Sets the standard for durability.
Took my 02’ Solara on a round trip from Texas to San Diego to Monterrey, to Las Vegas to Albuquerque then back to Texas a few years ago. I had the car inspected and topped off before the trip and I never had a worry.
@@02SLERA Smart move to get an inspection prior. It can revel many an issue, much easier to fix beforehand than by the roadside! PS. Do keep the gearbox oil changed and fresh.
@@02SLERA I should have mentioned, that Toyota gearboxes can use either combined gearbox and differential oil, or they can be separate. If it is separate, then both the gearbox and also the differential oils should be changed separately. It is easy to overlook this fact, if your car is one of those using the separated arrangement. You can do the job yourself if you want, just use fully synthetic ATF.
Glad you appreciate it. It was more of a joke between us, he happened to walk up with I unbolted the sensor and started nerd out on me on how it works haha
I've got its brother, the 3.3L V6 in an 04 Solara. Thing has 218k miles on it so far and I did nothing but oil change on it before driving from Wichita to Albuquerque and then Silver City, made it back and forth and driven over 2k miles in total. Drove 12 hours straight yet with occasional pedal to the metal, still remains responsive and smooth. I love the hell out of this thing
I know this video is old, but I see that you made the same mistake that I did, so maybe it will help someone. Before removing the exhaust cams, there is a procedure to install a service bolt in the sub gear, so that you don't lose the pre-loaded tension that is there to help with backlash. When this is not set properly, your engine will run fine, but will have valve train noise. It's actually the slop between cam gears. I just did both head gaskets on mine, and put it back together. It runs great, but is noisy. Now, I have to pull the valve covers and do this procedure to quiet it back down. Hope this helps someone.
I goofed and dropped that service bolt down into one of the return oil ports. It fell down into the lower engine. I used a magnet wand to try to recover it and the magnet came unglued from the wand and is still down there somewhere. I removed the lower oil pan and fished out the service bolt.
I have this same engine since 2002 with 130,000 miles. Very reliable, smooth with ok power and fuel efficiency for today's standards. In the last 20 years I had to replace one knock sensor, 2 oxygen sensors, spark plugs, timing belt and water pump. That is it. I tightened the valve cover bolts to stop oil seepage in the winter months. I know I will never own an engine this well made.
There was an old video of a 2gr swapped red MR2. I'm not sure who did the swap, but it sounded awesome. Like an older baby ferrari v12. I have yet to find a similar swap with the same intake and exhaust noise, though. Big fan of sleeper builds using the 1mz engine.
When my wife and I met, I had a 2000 Camry with a 1MZ and she had a 2004 ES330 with the 3MZ, both inherited from our families. For a couple of years they lived side-by-side in our garage until we needed a bigger car for our first kid and I sold the Camry. We still have the ES with 151k but it needs the cam seals replaced and then I think it’ll go for another 100k miles easy. I actually think the 3MZ feels a little smoother among the two. Great engines and excellent video!
Thank you for this excellent video, which explains so much of why this engine is so great. I have a 1999 JDM Toyota Harrier 3.0 Four (4WD) with the excellent 3-litre 1MZ-FE with dual alloy inlet venturi and drive by wire throttle body. It's done 145,000 miles and - with the help of a custom exhaust with equal-length downpipes - makes lots of smooth torque and has an amazing sound! It has great throttle response and really takes off when the VVT-I kicks in. There are a few spec differences to the same engine as used in the Lexus RX300, including shorter intervals for changing the cam belt, and higher power output of 225BHP on 97 octane fuel. Also being pre-OBDII, it has more flexibility on tuning and gearbox integration, such as a manual mode with steering wheel gear change buttons, and the ability for the torque converter lock-up to vary more than OBDII cars. I drove the plastic inlet 3.3-litre version (3MZ-FE) and found it sluggish and unresponsive in comparison. I fall in love with my car every time I drive it, I've upgraded to the 2003-on 18-inch wheels, which work well with the all-independent suspension for a smooth and very composed ride. It's nearly 24 years old but is such a good drive that I can't even contemplate driving anything else. The 1MZ-FE is definitely the strong heart of the car, and - excepting a few design weaknesses like the ABS sensors - everything else compliments it very well. Its only Achilles heel is fuel economy - I can't get more than 19 MPG (UK) from it, but it's totally worth it!
Awesome video! Thanks for showing this tear down! I have one of these in my 2000 RX300 with 290,000mi. It runs just as well now as it did when it was bought with 50,000mi! Keep up the great work :)
Just bought a 2000 es300, runs really good! 104k miles. It's nice and clean inside the motor and I plan to keep it that way! Thanks for the informative video, I subscribed!
Great breakdown video! I have a love hate relationship with the 1MZ. It's very reliable, very powerful, but I lost one due to engine sludge. I bought a used lexus and switched it over to synthetic oil, it loosened up a bunch of sludge which ended up completely blocking the oil pickup tube starving the motor of oil! Idk why the low oil pressure light never came on. just stalled out, and had metal shavings in the oil and rod knock. there was smoke coming out of the oil fill hole when I opened it. I put a used motor into the lexus put full synthetic in it, but going to only drive it 1000 miles then drop the oil pan and check the oil pickup tube. Not losing this motor to that.
I have this engine in my 2000 Solara. I bought the car from a coworker with 113,000 miles on it and I have run the mileage up to 650,000 miles now. It has been super reliable and still runs as good as when I bought it. I did experience low compression in the #4 and #6 cylinders so I removed the left head. The intake valves were leaking as a result of carbon buildup from the PCV and port injection over almost 600,000 miles at that point. I checked the valve clearance since it had never been checked. All valves in that head were perfectly in spec. I cleaned the valves and compressions were all back to spec. The transmission has been almost trouble-free. I replaced one shift solenoid in the valve body recently. Thanks for the video so now I have seen a few other reasons why I like this engine!
My 2000 Camry V6 has a well-preserved, 92,000 mile engine. With this video, I have more of an understanding of those late 90's, early 2000's "Golden Age" era engines built with that expected Toyota quality.
@@speedkar99 Would you have an opinion on what is the preferred gasoline for the 3.0L V6 1MZ-FE? My 2000 Camry manufacturer's manual says: "1MZ−FE engine: Unleaded gasoline, Octane Rating 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher. For improved vehicle performance, the use of premium unleaded gasoline with an Octane Rating of 91(Research Octane Number 96) or higher is recommended." Is "premium unleaded" preferred? Thanks.
i have 2006 Solara 3.3l, about 207.000 miles. still running strong, always synthetic oil and toyota filter every 3,000 or 3,500 miles oil change. tuned up myself. reliable vehicle 👍
I am sure we have this engine in our Toyota Alphard 3.0, imported from Japan. So far it has been silky smooth and pulls like a train. It has only 72,000 miles on it, cam belt was changed in March this year, oil was changed 3,000 miles ago and it starts on the button. Great videos not time waster videos, straight and to the point. Subscribed. Well Done Sir
Thanks mate. Great DEPTH and ANALYSIS, everything I wanted to learn , I bought a car/vehicle with that engine. I am excessively satisfied and YOU HELPED
Wow good stuff as always. Seems like a knock sensor is a really senstive microphone. This engine's been good in our non-interference rx300. No issues so far at 155k miles except rust lol.
Yes the knock sensor is a microphone that's tuned to detect certain frequencies. Gotta keep the rust at bay by frequently Washing off salt and rustproof each year.
I had this engine on my Australian built 2006 3.0 V6 Camry and I can honestly say its the most reliable car I've ever driven. I had it for 15 years until last week.
I just picked up a 1994 Camry with this engine with the cable throttle, metal manifold and no VVT-i and while it's definitely a lazy engine that would prefer to loaf around between idle and 3000 rpm instead of revving out, I have been amazed by its smoothness. The car only has 117,000 miles on it and there's a lot of evidence that it sat for a long time in somebody's garage but that's not to say it's been neglected as the radiator, valve cover gaskets, fuel filter and timing belt are all brand new. I have noticed the coolant overflow tank was nearly dry when I got it and after topping it up (not filling it all the way) a couple times, I think the system is now at level, just above 'low' when cold. This leads me to believe whoever did the radiator didn't fill it all the way. Thanks for this video!
That's funny- -the 1mzfe in my 1999 Toyota Solara doesn't start making power until 3,000 RPM. It makes power all the way to the red-line. Something isn't right with your car. Might have a restricted exhaust or something.
Excellent video. I have three 1MZ-FE's - in a '98 ES300 (242k mi), another '98 ES300 (210k mi) and '00 Sienna (180k mi). I have learned a lot by watching your videos and think you should also sell your brothers toothbrush in the Etsy store. All run well (even though the body on one of the ES's leaves something to be desired) and I have no plans of selling any of them. Taking the Sienna on a 2k mile road trip next month! Keep up the great work. I do all of the work myself thanks to your videos!
I have a 02 Avalon with 84k miles. I read somewhere that the PCV valve is something that should actually be replaced every 30k miles. I came across that after a shop mentioned to me it was leaking and when I went to inspect it, it was all covered in sludge. I changed it which took less than 5 minutes, no noticeable difference in the engine performance, after a year though it seems to be getting covered again. The front valve covers also seem to be leaking but it doesn't seem to be enough to cause a noticeable difference when checking the oil dipstick. Other than that, you would never know any faults exist, it idles and revs extremely smooth.
I just bought a Lexus RX300 2006 with a 3 litre v6, 120,000km. Very smooth and powerful. Took it to 180km, nice. Pulls well uphills. Good transmission. Thanks for showing how well-designed/made it is - especially compared to a complex under-engineered Audi.
Just bought a Toyota Harrier Airs 2003/09 model with 1Mz-FE 3000cc V6. This video helps a lot. Changing timing belt and checking all leaks and new oils 🛢 Thanks for the 📹
I love it, 2005 camry xle, regular oil changes, mine's at 255k miles, original engine. So far I have changed the thermostat, starter, spark plugs, ignition coils as they died out causing dead cylinders (most likely from the worn spark plugs, the gaps were insane), brand new O2 sensors, used fuel injector cleaner additive but I'm still doubting if it worked. Doesn't burn any oil either but my valve covers are leaking slightly which I should take care of, been too lazy but it isn't severe. I haven't done valve adjustment or my timing belt yet but the previous owner did have the timing belt done at 110k miles from the dealer, not sure about the water pump. Changed the coolant too, don't want to risk corrosion. I've been changing my oil every 6 months since I barely build miles everyday using a mobil 1 M204 filter, its just I feel more comfortable using a bigger filter especially considering the potential sludge issue hopefully the filter is catching but I should open the filter up at the next oil change. Royal purple 5w-30 full synthetic, I used to use Valvoline Synthetic but the engine literally turns the oil into mud, the royal purple is holding up better.
02 Lexus RX300 w/ 150k. About to do the timing belt and water pump. 16-18mpg in town and 22+ on the hwy. Most solid ride I've ever owned. Just don't lose any keys. That's crazy expensive.
Such a great video!! No one on the web does these tear downs and explanations better. Next time, can you please make a video on the 3mzfe? And comment on the differences and similarities as compared to the 1mzfe? Lots of these engines still on the road, like the one in my 2nd Gen Solara!
I love the story about your f'up on overtightening the idler pulley. I was feeling down on myself for a big oops i made and it reminds me that even expert professionals like yourself make mistakes from time to time.
Good video with technical accuracy. One small point, the big end of the rod has that oil hole. It spays the cylinder wall, not the underside of the piston. If Toyota wanted that, and sometimes they do, it will get oil squirter jets. The oil is suspended on the cylinder wall in the cross hatch to lubricate the skirt. The excess is pulled down with the oil control rings. The rest is burned in combustion.
@@speedkar99 They aren't the only ones. What is different is Toyota tells you a normal running engine burns oil and it does. They even debunk (long before the internet commandos) or educate people on why their dipstick shows full after 2000 miles, when in fact it has likely burned up to a quart of oil.
I bought a absolutely mint, 45,000 mile, 99 Camry with one of these in it, as a work hack to save fuel and Kms being racked up on my IS-F, and ive grown to love the thing, its smooth as silk, quiet, you don't feel every ripple in the road, like you do in the IS-F and its been boringly reliable, the perfect everyday car.
Great video and narration! I've had my 96 SE 3 liter for about two years. I had no idea it has a cross-bolted crank shaft nor that it has SIX bolts per cap!! Looked like a steel crank from my Keyboard Commando Post but it wouldn't surprise me if they are forged instead of cast steel. This thing has responded the most of any car I have to regular doses of Restore at each 2.5K oil change. Mine is an auto and is a very strong puller and as a matter of fact, the whore caught me "quite" a bit off guard when the torque converter locked up at WOT at 125!! It was like someone rear ended me; I was like "GIT IT, BOY"!! I have a factory S/C off of an Ssei Bonneville just sitting around, as well....
@@speedkar99 Almost all newer auto trans have what's called a "lock up" type of a torque converter. This literally eliminates the inherent slippage that all torque converters have due to their fluid-coupling design. At this point the engines effort & velocity are directly connected via the stator & rotor w/in the torque converter. I 1st encountered this phenomena when I had a 86 Z24 cavalier with an auto that the first time I hit it's lock-up speed of 112, neither me or my buddy that was riding with knew what was going on, either. It was way cool bc I was on the interstate racing a Thunder Chicken who was slowly gaining on me until that point! Then I gapped the loser Ford👍
my Camry's 1MZ-FE has done more than 300K KMs and still going strong, but its leaking oil a little and consumes more fuel than i want, but other than that its very smooth and works very reliably if you care for its oil and coolant
Currently running this in my 1995 Avalon (first production year in the US), currently at 331,000 miles. Bought it at 250,000 for $1,500, daily driver. Best bang for buck I've ever spent. Engine is getting leaky but with some oil additive it's not bad.
When I bought my 99 Avalon 180k, it lost half a quart between 3000 mi changes. I replaced the leaking valve covers and started swapping the PCV every 6k (at which point they are ALWAYS full of oil) and i don't lose a drop anymore. Now at 217k.
@@matthewbowen5841 sure makes it easier to remove the pcv grommet when you replace it often! I remember the first time I changed it. Man, that hardened grommet put up a fight lol
I have 2 of these engines. Well 1 now, my daughter has my old one. Mine is a 2000 Lexus RX300, and the other is a 99 Camry. Both have been excellent and amazing engines. The Lexus grenaded it's transmission shortly after purchasing (for a really cheap price). But, thanks to Rona money, I was able to rebuild the transmission and correct the defective first gear planet pins by welding them in. It works great now. The U140 Is a known issue that should have been a recall, but usually happened after warranty time. I just replaced the thermostat, as it was only getting to 165 max. It was an easy fix. Used OEM parts, which are a tad bit more expensive, but worth it, because it lasted this long already.
5 years ago, I bought my daughter a very nice 04 Avalon with this engine. Currently Has 165,000 miles. I just changed oil yesterday. I chg oil every 10,000 miles Does not use any oil in 10,000 miles. Oil still looks clean after 10,000 mile
I would avoid this engine personally, they are known to sludge up and leak from the valve cover gaskets and are a pain to work on due to how they are mounted. Sludging isnt as much of an issue though, because its usually down to infrequent oil changes, and the engine bot being warmed up which are very easy to remedy. The valve cover gaskets are a pain, you have to take of basically the top on the engine components just to do the gaskets which will definitely leak again at some point because the engine is tilted and features a v design. For this reason, i dont think the motor is worth it, their great when taken care of, but poor maintence can kill them and theres better options out there anyway. An inline 6 is ideal, its mounting is just difficult sometimes
I have a 3VZFE manual transmission lexus ES300. The 1MZ replaced the 3VZ. I love the 3VZ more cuz of it being a cast iron block and can take more boost. Also its OBD 1. And it being mated to a 5 speed manual is match made in heaven.
Had a 2000 Camry XLE V6 with 562,000 KMS that I sold to another guy who still daily drives it. Original Engine and Transmission, everything worked like new. Thanks for bringing back fond memories.
Greetings from Alberta. Mines still going strong 94 camry @ 160km. Timing belt replaced, valve cover done recently. I'll be deleting the egr soon and installing a catch can.
Great video, you did a fatastic job of explaining everything and I learnt a lot! These engines are a popular swap into the mk2 mr2 in the UK, instant torque at low RPMs and consistent powerband thourgh all rpms works well on our cars, other Toyota engines like the 3mz, 3vz and notably the 2grfe are popular engine swaps into the mr2 as well. I would like to put in a 1mz at some point in the future, very cost effective and it is pretty simple as far as engine swaps go. This teardown helped me understand what makes this engine so popular!
I have a 2001 Toyota Sienna with this engine. I have 449,000 miles and only use a half quart of oil every 5,000 miles. I change the oil every 5,000 miles with Castrol Full synthetic . I monitor the color of the oil and have recently started oil changes at 3,000 miles. Runs smooth. Only use OEM oil filter and air filter. Only use OEM electrical and SENSOR PARTS. Have a digital headsup display that can monitor engine coolant temperature. Change coolant every 30,000 miles Change timing belt andd water pump with the tensioners and pulleys with crank and camshaft seals all OEM. The transmission is also the original
Our family car was a 95/96 lexus es300 with this engine. We stopped driving it regularly after the issue with steering made it a road hazard. I pretty much ran this car to the ground when I drove it (I was a bad owner and let it run dry on oil 2 years ago). It still starts and runs today by some miracle. I plan on pulling & rebuilding the engine and transmission, repent for my sins, and see how many more miles I can run the original engine on. This video helped a lot, thank you
May your sin be forgiven 😉
Suspension and steering rack will be worn out by 200k. Luckily it's pretty cheap to get a new steering rack and tire rod ends, new control arms and ball joints, and new front struts and shocks. It will tighten up your car to a "like new" feeling. I know when it's old and sloppy it can make you hate it, but it's cheap to correct.
@@dennisrobinson8008 I just put in new tie rod ends, control arms, and steering rack bushings. I plan on replacing all my wheel bearings, putting in the new struts like you suggested, putting in a new steering rack, and redoing the brake & fuel lines (I live in rust belt).
Sounds good. My car was trash until i did it and afterwards it's a competent car. I also took care of paint and clearcoat so it has a good appearance.@@Ciruchan
3vze is the engine in the second gen.
Nothing more satisfying than watching a good old fashion engine teardown while listening to the person doing the disassembling describe parts of said engine.
I have this engine in my 2001 Avalon. Your video guided me through the timing belt, oil seal, timing belt tensioner and water pump replacement at 82K miles. The belt replacement went well except that I buggered a crankshaft oil seal - twice! Right now, I am at 112K miles, and the engine (and the car) runs perfectly.
This is a phenomenal teardown video with clear explanations and no fluff. I will be showing it to my grade 8 students as part of our mechanical literacy unit. Thank you for this awesome resource!
The 1MZ in my '97 Camry was a great engine. Changed oil myself regularly but had the dealer do the belt, pump and plugs around 150km. Ran it 'till 300km then moved on. I can't remember replacing any of the ancillary bits; alt, starter, rad, ps pump. Crazy good car all around.
What happened to the Camry, sold it?
@@speedkar99 Yes I sold it, back in 2013.
@@GeneFever Why did you end up selling it ? Just curious
@@cgmf-d6t No reason really due to the car itself. It was my commuter for ten years then I retired and didn't need it anymore. I was ready to move on.
Still have my 00 Solara with the 1MZ of 13 years.. bought it with 80k Miles currently have 223k and going.. I'm ready for an upgrade but I think I'm going to keep this car around as my daily commuter to work super reliable engine
It was a shame to see an engine that was so clean and in good condition being taken apart. On the other hand, it was refreshing to see an engine that had been taken care of so well.
Yes it was very clean. It'll be rebuilt into a track car, don't worry
Great review of a great engine. I just might have the highest mileage version of this one still on the road in my 2000 Solara...622,000 miles and still adding more daily. I picked the car up with 113,000 miles from a coworker so I'm the second owner. I checked the compression recently and it ranged between 400 and 415 psi...right where it should be. I checked valve clearance fairly recently and it was also in spec. Still gets 25 mpg and is still running the original transmission. Amazing engine!
you ever change the transmission fluid?
Crazy that it's on the original transmission.
We’ve got a 2001 Rx300 with 230k, the suspension is about to get some TLC but the drivetrain is amazingly strong to this day. Not a single leak and transmission shifts perfectly. We did get lucky that the dealer had maintenance history up to 150k, then through 200k when we bought it, a friends mechanic father had taken good care of her.
400 psi compression reading, not in this universe.
I'm sure you meant compression is 200 to 215 psi, there's no gasoline that won't detonate under 400+ psi , unless it is a diesel..
Amazing engine, thanks for the tear down! I have an early version from 98 without VVTi, with the waste spark system, and cable operated throttle. It’s currently at 306k miles, with the first 170k being under someone else’s ownership and being very neglected when I got it. I loved seeing you describe all the common issues as it’s so familiar.
You are welcome. I remember you from the club Lexus days. I am familiar with these motors from those experiences that's why this was a favorite for me as well.
2000 Toyota Avalon, 260,000 miles and running like a champ. Only issue is a oil leaking valve cover in the back.
Love my '99 V6 Camry sound. I care as much as I can. Now 380kkm - no leaks, no bunig oil. A/T works great. But it starts to rust :( Thanks for all informative videos.
Keep it rustproofed and it'll last a while
I have an MZ in my 99' ES300. Since learning about its robustness I've put in the time to take care of it. I just did a timing belt/water pump job on it also replacing the cam and crank seals, I replaced the leaking power steering pump and pressure line which has pretty much stopped all of the leaks. I dealt with a burst coolant bypass hose last year where I replaced the knock sensors, fuel injector seals and the gaskets. Radiator hoses, Thermostat, radiator all replaced. Just finished putting some new spark plugs in it and I love how smooth it drives. A big shout-out to you and your channel which has given me the knowledge and confidence to even attempt alot of these repairs. The car has around 180k miles now I want to see how far I can take it. One of next repairs will be to attempt your AUX hack to connect my phone to the stereo which is the only feature I'd like to make it a modern car.
Nice work! Keep it well maintained and it'll last. All the best on the aux hack, it's been a while since I've done that.
Nice man. I have a 93 es300 with 193k right now. Just did spark plug wires and cap/rotor to clear up a misfire. Old fashion tune up and she runs amazing still
Just use an FM radio transmitter that plugs into the cigarette lighter! Easy solve.
This is great! I literally just finished a lengthy timing belt/water pump/crank, cam seal with new plugs and oem coils on my mom-in-law’s ‘01 Avalon. They really are great engines.
Nice!
I have a 1mzfe in my 2000 Avalon. It burnt an exhaust valve in cylinder 2 at 189k. I did a top end rebuild and replaced the valve along with a bunch of other parts and seals, and it's running perfectly again now at 217k. Great reliable engine, fairly easy to work on.
Good for saving that motor. Cylinder 2 was the easier to access front bank right?
Mine did the same thing. Exact same car and I replaced it myself. Runs like a champ. Only 176k miles can’t wait to push it to 500k +
Have a 96 Avalon cylinder 2 blown spark plug heavy smoke out tailpipe what could be the problem?
I have a 2001 Toyota Solara V6 and it's a great engine. On mine, the oil filter is in the front which makes it a lot easier. I'm about to turn 280,000 miles on it. So far, all I do is oil changes every 3 to 5,000 miles on it (if I'm mostly freeway miles, it's 5,000 miles) and change the spark plugs, timing belt and water pump every 100,000 miles. My only other items replaced were brake pads and one time, the O2 sensor and the rear valve cover gasket was barely leaking but I could smell it on the exhaust manifold so it was replaced. The car doesn't burn or leak any oil other than the one time with the valve cover gasket. The transmission has been holding up fine.
This car may outlast me and I have no reason to replace it as it continues to be as reliable as it was when it was new.
I miss my 99 Solara. All MZ engines had the oil filter in the same spot under the exhaust manifold.
So happy to see this video! Just in the last month I bought a 230k mile 1996 Camry with this motor in it. I've been reading about it and preparing to do quite a bit of touching up to counter some of the neglect, but what amazing timing! So far it's an amazing car, even with it's issues. I can see myself having it for quite a while. Makes me proud to have it with that title!
One thing all these engine teardowns have told me is that changing your oil regularly is very important.
Agreed!
When I bought my 2000 avalon with the 1mzfe, it had no sludge. 3 years later it STILL has ZERO sludge. It's because I use full synthetic with MMO and factory toyota filters. Mostly the yzzd1 filter but when it's available I use the yzzd3 Oem filter. I change it every 5k miles and anytime something is wrong I fix it myself and always do the maintenance on time. I just did my valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, and tube seals. Did much more but don't want this comment to be too long lol. Put over 200k miles on the car with no issues. I'm almost at 300k miles.
BUT, what I learned: if you have a good engine, you can stretch the intervals and it won't be a problem. While if you have a garbage engine, you could change the oil every day and it will still break. There are tons of owners of cars made by GM that can attest to that. If oil was that important, pretty much any engine would last forever, as many people change the oil very frequently in fear of the car breaking (and everybody trying to make extra money off that FUD of "not changing your oil frequently enough" (like claiming that the new interval is now only 1000 miles ;-) Toyota builds these engines extremely sturdy, they use super tough alloys, I have so far owned 5 Toyotas and not one had considerable wear in the engine and I'm talking about a minimum of 300k km (150k miles).
and Filter ;)
I'm a Toyota apprentice :) and recently got me a Toyota Highlander with this engine! learnt a lot of theory, now it is time to put it into action! Going to replace valve cover gaskets, timing belt, water pump, transmission filter, and rear brake caliper. Wish me luck!
All the best. I have videos for all of those to help you out
I have same engine in a 2000 Avalon, 294,000 miles. Drives like a dream. I change oil at 3000 miles or 5 months, whichever comes first. I wish I was as good as you are. I would take it all apart, clean, and rebuild. Good video.
Beautiful, almost 300K
Just one comment that might help some people out, you don't need to remove the intake manifold to change the rear spark plugs, they can be changed with the manifold in place. I have been doing it that way on my 1mz-fe for years.
I do as well.. 2 from the passenger side and one from the driver's side
Been happy with my 98 Camry for the past 10 years. I’ve replaced my valve cover gaskets once, I can also attest to power steering pump being a pain to access haha. Around 230,000 miles and never had any real issues, overall great motor👍
Great engine have 422k miles on my 02i and aside from the catalytic converters I just recently popped a code for a knock sensor that keeps it from going into overdrive. This motor is the best part of the entire car.
This is the most legendary closed deck v6 engine ever made, and I have owned 2 vehicles with it, 94 and 05 Camry, both ran to 400 k km with 0 issues
How is the gas on the 05 v6 Camry? I’m lookin at one as a first car for collage commuting, and it is easy to do the maintenance your self? Since I heard the spark plug and belt are hard to do.
2003 RX300 Here! Thanks for the complete teardown! Love this engine!
Awesome!! You are welcome
Nice teardown. Brings back memories. My parents had a 96 Avalon with the 3.0 1mzfe. Cable throttle, no vvti, and only 1 set of coil packs on the front bank. This means it was a waste spark design. I guess the advantage is fewer coil packs that could potentially go bad in a very hard to reach spot. Very smooth and refined engine. Exhaust tuned to be whisper quiet. In those days that was what you wanted. It did have valve cover leaks later on. We never addressed that. I believe it was rated somewhere at 195-200 hp which in those days was considered a lot. Even though the avalon was a heavy car it had lots of pep. We never had sludge problems because in those days we always changed the oil every 3k miles. The one thing that always scared me was what it looked like under the oil fill cap. You showed that in your teardown and it wasnt pretty. Little did I know it was probably spotless. I'm amazed at how stout the bottom end is in your teardown. Looks absolutely bulletproof.
One thing I forgot to mention was that I burned my forearms more then once changing the oil filter. Not a great location as you mentioned.
Good story. So what happened to the Avalon??
@@speedkar99 pretty undramatic ending. They sold it in '09 when I found them a great deal on a used 2006 es350 which they still have. The avalon was good to them. The only major problem it had was a leaking power steering rack that my dad replaced.
The explanation on how the knock sensor works is great! Thanks for including that.
Glad my brothers explaination helped
I’ve had mine for 12 years. Never had any engine issues just keeping up with the maintenance. So reliable..
Awesome! What car is it in?
@@speedkar99 2005 Avalon. 3.0 V6 in Australia.
my 22 yr old Lexus ES has it, with 195k on the clock. Still running strong. It's more reliable than most of the modern cars nowadays.
Loved the 3rd gen ES!
Excellent tear down. I've got this Engine on my 2005 Sportivo Camry. She's currently done around 258000 km's and still going strong. Currently in the shop getting new gaskets and water pump. I hope she hits a million. I'm probably dreaming.
I have a 2003 Lexus ES300 with that exact engine. I got it ten years ago with 64K miles, I now have 188K. I have had to replace a few engine seals like you described (the one between the transmission and the engine as well as the valve cover gasket) but other than basic maintenance like oil changes, new spark plugs at 120K and timing belts every 90K I've had to do nothing to it.
It's not a race car but it can accelerate on the highway when needed and as you said it's a very quiet, smooth drive. That's the thing I like about it the most. The ES300 is very quiet and comfortable and lets me relax when I have my long commute to work, or a long road trip. As long as you don't drive it hard, it shifts smoothly too. Especially around 50-60mph the thing is so quiet and smooth when I first got it I thought the engine was off because I didn't hear or feel any vibrations. The muffler also helps a lot in this regard over the Camry one as does the suspension. It's basically a cocoon from the rest of the world, and a reliable one at that. I really enjoy this car and still marvel at how comfortable, quiet and smooth it is all these years later.
I just realized how often I said quiet and/or smooth. Well, you can see what I like about it, eh?
I just did a timing belt and seal overhaul on my moms 03 Avalon with this engine and 280k miles. That vehicle is a true testament to Toyota’s older reliability. What a pain to do over my Accord J30 engine in the bay.
280k miles, nice!
The accords were good motors too, the only thing I appreciate about them is it's easier to get to the rear spark plugs due to the intake design
@@speedkar99 I have done at least 30 T-belts for the J-Series and already 2 too many now for the 1MZ-fe. She runs 87 octane in it and supped to be premium but still runs perfectly smooth with no hesitation.
I settled on a 06-6-6 sedan. Accessories are not as reliable on a Honda but those engines really are bliss.
I miss by accord with the j30 v6
@@thetechlibrarian my friend is selling one for around 2-3k Virginia.
Just completed a round trip Texas to California in a 1995 Camry V6 1MZ. Went sailing past many a Tesla at 30 mph faster than them on i40 and used a range of 420 miles between fuel stops. Had the valve clearances done earlier and also a new timing belt kit. Engine seems as good as new. 207k miles so far. Smooth and powerful, the best engineering. Sets the standard for durability.
0-60 of around 7.6 seconds, top speed of around 138 mph, power of 189hp, torque 203 lb/ft, the car is not short of power btw.
Took my 02’ Solara on a round trip from Texas to San Diego to Monterrey, to Las Vegas to Albuquerque then back to Texas a few years ago. I had the car inspected and topped off before the trip and I never had a worry.
@@02SLERA Smart move to get an inspection prior. It can revel many an issue, much easier to fix beforehand than by the roadside! PS. Do keep the gearbox oil changed and fresh.
@@janet53589 Thanks for the advice, I don’t think I’ve ever had that done!
@@02SLERA I should have mentioned, that Toyota gearboxes can use either combined gearbox and differential oil, or they can be separate. If it is separate, then both the gearbox and also the differential oils should be changed separately. It is easy to overlook this fact, if your car is one of those using the separated arrangement. You can do the job yourself if you want, just use fully synthetic ATF.
Love your videos! I always learn something. Especially enjoyed your brother's cameo explaining how knock sensors work 💯
Glad you appreciate it. It was more of a joke between us, he happened to walk up with I unbolted the sensor and started nerd out on me on how it works haha
Bro respect for posting this. I got an 01 Lexus ES. Same car pretty much. It's great to see an in depth look at the stuff you own.
Yep very similar engine. How's yours running?
@@speedkar99 RUclips sucks lol. Still a smooth chill ride as ever. I don't plan on selling any time soon lol.
I've got its brother, the 3.3L V6 in an 04 Solara. Thing has 218k miles on it so far and I did nothing but oil change on it before driving from Wichita to Albuquerque and then Silver City, made it back and forth and driven over 2k miles in total. Drove 12 hours straight yet with occasional pedal to the metal, still remains responsive and smooth. I love the hell out of this thing
I have a 3.3 Camry. 20 years old still going strong!
I know this video is old, but I see that you made the same mistake that I did, so maybe it will help someone. Before removing the exhaust cams, there is a procedure to install a service bolt in the sub gear, so that you don't lose the pre-loaded tension that is there to help with backlash. When this is not set properly, your engine will run fine, but will have valve train noise. It's actually the slop between cam gears. I just did both head gaskets on mine, and put it back together. It runs great, but is noisy. Now, I have to pull the valve covers and do this procedure to quiet it back down. Hope this helps someone.
I goofed and dropped that service bolt down into one of the return oil ports. It fell down into the lower engine. I used a magnet wand to try to recover it and the magnet came unglued from the wand and is still down there somewhere. I removed the lower oil pan and fished out the service bolt.
I have this same engine since 2002 with 130,000 miles. Very reliable, smooth with ok power and fuel efficiency for today's standards. In the last 20 years I had to replace one knock sensor, 2 oxygen sensors, spark plugs, timing belt and water pump. That is it. I tightened the valve cover bolts to stop oil seepage in the winter months. I know I will never own an engine this well made.
Nice! How's the fuel economy on yours? I know it's a V6 but my Lexus GS350's V6 makes more power and has better fuel economy than my Camry's.
My favorite engine. Mine is going strong at 175k miles. I've learned so much about cars by working on it.
Awesome
The knock sensor rap was interesting, and the cutoff beep was still funny. This looks like a really well designed engine.
Yeah it was just my brother blabbering on about the electronics behind knock sensors. Had to edit it down quite a bit
Love it! Miss MZ engine in old Sienna vs 2GR-FKS in new one.. Way more power in new one, but old one was so much smoother, and sounded great.
Agreed. 2GR has good power, I have the 2GR-FSE version in my GS350 and I enjoy it, however at the expense of Lexus smoothness you'd expect
There was an old video of a 2gr swapped red MR2. I'm not sure who did the swap, but it sounded awesome. Like an older baby ferrari v12. I have yet to find a similar swap with the same intake and exhaust noise, though.
Big fan of sleeper builds using the 1mz engine.
When my wife and I met, I had a 2000 Camry with a 1MZ and she had a 2004 ES330 with the 3MZ, both inherited from our families. For a couple of years they lived side-by-side in our garage until we needed a bigger car for our first kid and I sold the Camry. We still have the ES with 151k but it needs the cam seals replaced and then I think it’ll go for another 100k miles easy. I actually think the 3MZ feels a little smoother among the two. Great engines and excellent video!
Currently whip a 95 camry v6, car is running strong! Odometer currently at 276k miles
Awesome!!
Thank you for this excellent video, which explains so much of why this engine is so great. I have a 1999 JDM Toyota Harrier 3.0 Four (4WD) with the excellent 3-litre 1MZ-FE with dual alloy inlet venturi and drive by wire throttle body. It's done 145,000 miles and - with the help of a custom exhaust with equal-length downpipes - makes lots of smooth torque and has an amazing sound! It has great throttle response and really takes off when the VVT-I kicks in. There are a few spec differences to the same engine as used in the Lexus RX300, including shorter intervals for changing the cam belt, and higher power output of 225BHP on 97 octane fuel. Also being pre-OBDII, it has more flexibility on tuning and gearbox integration, such as a manual mode with steering wheel gear change buttons, and the ability for the torque converter lock-up to vary more than OBDII cars. I drove the plastic inlet 3.3-litre version (3MZ-FE) and found it sluggish and unresponsive in comparison. I fall in love with my car every time I drive it, I've upgraded to the 2003-on 18-inch wheels, which work well with the all-independent suspension for a smooth and very composed ride. It's nearly 24 years old but is such a good drive that I can't even contemplate driving anything else. The 1MZ-FE is definitely the strong heart of the car, and - excepting a few design weaknesses like the ABS sensors - everything else compliments it very well. Its only Achilles heel is fuel economy - I can't get more than 19 MPG (UK) from it, but it's totally worth it!
Awesome video! Thanks for showing this tear down! I have one of these in my 2000 RX300 with 290,000mi. It runs just as well now as it did when it was bought with 50,000mi! Keep up the great work :)
Nice! Keep it maintained and it should last a while
My Harrier 1mzfe is 320000km and still work in good condition.
What a throwback...I subscribed when I had my Solara and found your videos....
Awesome!
My man
Nice detailed work as usual
Dont forget about trouble shooting and maintenance tips for us
Thanks!
Good idea. I will be showing how to fix up and sell a car in the next video.
Just bought a 2000 es300, runs really good! 104k miles. It's nice and clean inside the motor and I plan to keep it that way! Thanks for the informative video, I subscribed!
They're great cars. Watch the transmission on the 99-01 ES
Great breakdown video! I have a love hate relationship with the 1MZ. It's very reliable, very powerful, but I lost one due to engine sludge. I bought a used lexus and switched it over to synthetic oil, it loosened up a bunch of sludge which ended up completely blocking the oil pickup tube starving the motor of oil! Idk why the low oil pressure light never came on. just stalled out, and had metal shavings in the oil and rod knock. there was smoke coming out of the oil fill hole when I opened it. I put a used motor into the lexus put full synthetic in it, but going to only drive it 1000 miles then drop the oil pan and check the oil pickup tube. Not losing this motor to that.
I have this engine in my 2000 Solara. I bought the car from a coworker with 113,000 miles on it and I have run the mileage up to 650,000 miles now. It has been super reliable and still runs as good as when I bought it. I did experience low compression in the #4 and #6 cylinders so I removed the left head. The intake valves were leaking as a result of carbon buildup from the PCV and port injection over almost 600,000 miles at that point. I checked the valve clearance since it had never been checked. All valves in that head were perfectly in spec. I cleaned the valves and compressions were all back to spec. The transmission has been almost trouble-free. I replaced one shift solenoid in the valve body recently. Thanks for the video so now I have seen a few other reasons why I like this engine!
Oops, I see I posted comments about a year ago on my engine. Well, just consider that an update!
Got one in my 01 es300. 192,000 runs smooth and quiet as the day it was made. Love these motors
Beautiful!
Just watch out for the transmission in those 99-01 ES300s
@@speedkar99 already replaced it. Torque converter went out
My 2000 Camry V6 has a well-preserved, 92,000 mile engine. With this video, I have more of an understanding of those late 90's, early 2000's "Golden Age" era engines built with that expected Toyota quality.
Nice, only 92K
@@speedkar99 Would you have an opinion on what is the preferred gasoline for the 3.0L V6 1MZ-FE? My 2000 Camry manufacturer's manual says: "1MZ−FE engine: Unleaded gasoline, Octane Rating 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher. For improved vehicle performance, the use of premium unleaded gasoline with an Octane Rating of 91(Research Octane Number 96) or higher is recommended."
Is "premium unleaded" preferred?
Thanks.
Still have my 2001 Highlander that I bought new. 270k miles. The valves tap pretty loud but only at idle. Smooth and quiet at acceleration.
The 3 plugs in the backside of the engine are easy to remove with ratchet extensions and wobble joints, without removing the intake.
That's my engine! 03 v6 Solara. Runs like a dream.
I miss my Solara.
i have 2006 Solara 3.3l, about 207.000 miles. still running strong, always synthetic oil and toyota filter every 3,000 or 3,500 miles oil change. tuned up myself. reliable vehicle 👍
02’ Solara with 205k and I plan to keep it forever. Not sure how much of this video I will make use of but I love it. Thanks!
I am sure we have this engine in our Toyota Alphard 3.0, imported from Japan. So far it has been silky smooth and pulls like a train. It has only 72,000 miles on it, cam belt was changed in March this year, oil was changed 3,000 miles ago and it starts on the button. Great videos not time waster videos, straight and to the point. Subscribed. Well Done Sir
Thank You. Detail is Meaningless without Context. Your meaning is ULTIMATE. THANK YOU
Wow, thank you!
Thanks mate. Great DEPTH and ANALYSIS, everything I wanted to learn , I bought a car/vehicle with that engine. I am excessively satisfied and YOU HELPED
Glad it helped!
Wow good stuff as always. Seems like a knock sensor is a really senstive microphone. This engine's been good in our non-interference rx300. No issues so far at 155k miles except rust lol.
Yes the knock sensor is a microphone that's tuned to detect certain frequencies.
Gotta keep the rust at bay by frequently Washing off salt and rustproof each year.
I had this engine on my Australian built 2006 3.0 V6 Camry and I can honestly say its the most reliable car I've ever driven. I had it for 15 years until last week.
Nice. I have the 3.3L Camry and it's running strong.
Camry 2005 is my first car in Australia, it has 240000 km now. It’s so quiet and smooth on highway. Such a stressless car.
4 cylinder or V6?
@@speedkar99 3.0L V6 4sp Auto. It has the original head unit that can play cassette tapes, feels like a time machine🤣
I just picked up a 1994 Camry with this engine with the cable throttle, metal manifold and no VVT-i and while it's definitely a lazy engine that would prefer to loaf around between idle and 3000 rpm instead of revving out, I have been amazed by its smoothness. The car only has 117,000 miles on it and there's a lot of evidence that it sat for a long time in somebody's garage but that's not to say it's been neglected as the radiator, valve cover gaskets, fuel filter and timing belt are all brand new. I have noticed the coolant overflow tank was nearly dry when I got it and after topping it up (not filling it all the way) a couple times, I think the system is now at level, just above 'low' when cold. This leads me to believe whoever did the radiator didn't fill it all the way. Thanks for this video!
That's funny-
-the 1mzfe in my 1999 Toyota Solara doesn't start making power until 3,000 RPM. It makes power all the way to the red-line.
Something isn't right with your car. Might have a restricted exhaust or something.
Excellent video. I have three 1MZ-FE's - in a '98 ES300 (242k mi), another '98 ES300 (210k mi) and '00 Sienna (180k mi). I have learned a lot by watching your videos and think you should also sell your brothers toothbrush in the Etsy store. All run well (even though the body on one of the ES's leaves something to be desired) and I have no plans of selling any of them. Taking the Sienna on a 2k mile road trip next month! Keep up the great work. I do all of the work myself thanks to your videos!
Nice! I like my old Toyota Lexus too
Those xv20 camry were so unbelievably good
The xv30's V6 was good too. Not so much the 4 banger
You're the man! great teardown and knowledge packed information
Thanks!! Please share with your network
I have a 02 Avalon with 84k miles. I read somewhere that the PCV valve is something that should actually be replaced every 30k miles. I came across that after a shop mentioned to me it was leaking and when I went to inspect it, it was all covered in sludge. I changed it which took less than 5 minutes, no noticeable difference in the engine performance, after a year though it seems to be getting covered again. The front valve covers also seem to be leaking but it doesn't seem to be enough to cause a noticeable difference when checking the oil dipstick. Other than that, you would never know any faults exist, it idles and revs extremely smooth.
Yes keep the PCV up to date and you'll have less chances of sludge
I just bought a Lexus RX300 2006 with a 3 litre v6, 120,000km. Very smooth and powerful. Took it to 180km, nice. Pulls well uphills. Good transmission. Thanks for showing how well-designed/made it is - especially compared to a complex under-engineered Audi.
RX330 are good reliable cars, if the rust and AwD powertrain don't catch upto them. I have the 3.3L engine in my Camry and it runs smooth.
Just bought a Toyota Harrier Airs 2003/09 model with 1Mz-FE 3000cc V6.
This video helps a lot.
Changing timing belt and checking all leaks and new oils 🛢
Thanks for the 📹
I learn so much with every video, the way you explain everything makes it really entertaining for me, thank you
I'm glad you appreciate my videos
I love it, 2005 camry xle, regular oil changes, mine's at 255k miles, original engine. So far I have changed the thermostat, starter, spark plugs, ignition coils as they died out causing dead cylinders (most likely from the worn spark plugs, the gaps were insane), brand new O2 sensors, used fuel injector cleaner additive but I'm still doubting if it worked. Doesn't burn any oil either but my valve covers are leaking slightly which I should take care of, been too lazy but it isn't severe. I haven't done valve adjustment or my timing belt yet but the previous owner did have the timing belt done at 110k miles from the dealer, not sure about the water pump. Changed the coolant too, don't want to risk corrosion. I've been changing my oil every 6 months since I barely build miles everyday using a mobil 1 M204 filter, its just I feel more comfortable using a bigger filter especially considering the potential sludge issue hopefully the filter is catching but I should open the filter up at the next oil change. Royal purple 5w-30 full synthetic, I used to use Valvoline Synthetic but the engine literally turns the oil into mud, the royal purple is holding up better.
Nice work. Keep it rustproofed if you live in the salt belt and it'll last a while
Ive got a 3.0 in my 03 Avalon XLS..170k miles runs great...great video!!
02 Lexus RX300 w/ 150k. About to do the timing belt and water pump. 16-18mpg in town and 22+ on the hwy. Most solid ride I've ever owned. Just don't lose any keys. That's crazy expensive.
Such a great video!! No one on the web does these tear downs and explanations better. Next time, can you please make a video on the 3mzfe? And comment on the differences and similarities as compared to the 1mzfe? Lots of these engines still on the road, like the one in my 2nd Gen Solara!
You are welcome. I'll do a 3MZ if I ever get one but as you say most are still on the road.
I love the story about your f'up on overtightening the idler pulley. I was feeling down on myself for a big oops i made and it reminds me that even expert professionals like yourself make mistakes from time to time.
Yes. That was 10 years ago when I was just starting to work on (real) cars and not just bicycles and computers
My family has multiples of these engines from different years. 1 and 3mz. Great engines.
Good engines indeed. Keep the oil changed on the older ones to avoid sludge
Good video with technical accuracy. One small point, the big end of the rod has that oil hole. It spays the cylinder wall, not the underside of the piston. If Toyota wanted that, and sometimes they do, it will get oil squirter jets. The oil is suspended on the cylinder wall in the cross hatch to lubricate the skirt. The excess is pulled down with the oil control rings. The rest is burned in combustion.
Yeah I noticed that Toyota likes to spray the wall with the rod hole. Interesting design
@@speedkar99 They aren't the only ones. What is different is Toyota tells you a normal running engine burns oil and it does. They even debunk (long before the internet commandos) or educate people on why their dipstick shows full after 2000 miles, when in fact it has likely burned up to a quart of oil.
My 1999 Sienna use this engine, with 460K miles is still running strong. Not burning oil. This engines are "Hard to kill".
I bought a absolutely mint, 45,000 mile, 99 Camry with one of these in it, as a work hack to save fuel and Kms being racked up on my IS-F, and ive grown to love the thing, its smooth as silk, quiet, you don't feel every ripple in the road, like you do in the IS-F and its been boringly reliable, the perfect everyday car.
Awesome! My Camry is my beater to save my Lexus GS
Delighted to watch this video. Well done
Thanks
I could watch these videos all day long!
Thanks! I have many engine teardown
Great video and narration! I've had my 96 SE 3 liter for about two years. I had no idea it has a cross-bolted crank shaft nor that it has SIX bolts per cap!! Looked like a steel crank from my Keyboard Commando Post but it wouldn't surprise me if they are forged instead of cast steel. This thing has responded the most of any car I have to regular doses of Restore at each 2.5K oil change. Mine is an auto and is a very strong puller and as a matter of fact, the whore caught me "quite" a bit off guard when the torque converter locked up at WOT at 125!! It was like someone rear ended me; I was like "GIT IT, BOY"!! I have a factory S/C off of an Ssei Bonneville just sitting around, as well....
Why did it lock up?
@@speedkar99 Almost all newer auto trans have what's called a "lock up" type of a torque converter. This literally eliminates the inherent slippage that all torque converters have due to their fluid-coupling design. At this point the engines effort & velocity are directly connected via the stator & rotor w/in the torque converter. I 1st encountered this phenomena when I had a 86 Z24 cavalier with an auto that the first time I hit it's lock-up speed of 112, neither me or my buddy that was riding with knew what was going on, either. It was way cool bc I was on the interstate racing a Thunder Chicken who was slowly gaining on me until that point! Then I gapped the loser Ford👍
Love the 1mz-fe community
my Camry's 1MZ-FE has done more than 300K KMs and still going strong, but its leaking oil a little and consumes more fuel than i want, but other than that its very smooth and works very reliably if you care for its oil and coolant
Agreed. My last Camry had about 320Km and ran beautiful. No leaks no burns.
4:00 "So as you can see there are two lines that go to this throttle body because this throttle body is pretty cool" 👍😎
Currently running this in my 1995 Avalon (first production year in the US), currently at 331,000 miles. Bought it at 250,000 for $1,500, daily driver. Best bang for buck I've ever spent. Engine is getting leaky but with some oil additive it's not bad.
My 99 ES300 with the 1MZFE is at 215k. Oil level barely drops between oil changes. Engine and transmission still running great.
Nice! Back when I had a 99 Solara I always wanted to trade up to the ES300
When I bought my 99 Avalon 180k, it lost half a quart between 3000 mi changes. I replaced the leaking valve covers and started swapping the PCV every 6k (at which point they are ALWAYS full of oil) and i don't lose a drop anymore. Now at 217k.
@@matthewbowen5841 sure makes it easier to remove the pcv grommet when you replace it often! I remember the first time I changed it. Man, that hardened grommet put up a fight lol
Found this video very informative and engaging.. I still own one of these and do not plan on letting go anytime soon.
I have 2 of these engines. Well 1 now, my daughter has my old one. Mine is a 2000 Lexus RX300, and the other is a 99 Camry. Both have been excellent and amazing engines. The Lexus grenaded it's transmission shortly after purchasing (for a really cheap price). But, thanks to Rona money, I was able to rebuild the transmission and correct the defective first gear planet pins by welding them in. It works great now. The U140 Is a known issue that should have been a recall, but usually happened after warranty time. I just replaced the thermostat, as it was only getting to 165 max. It was an easy fix. Used OEM parts, which are a tad bit more expensive, but worth it, because it lasted this long already.
First-gen 1MZ still going strong in my 94 Camry. I'm pretty sure mine is pretty well sludged though.
The 94-96 didn't suffer from sludge as much as the 97-01
5 years ago, I bought my daughter a very nice 04 Avalon with this engine.
Currently Has 165,000 miles.
I just changed oil yesterday.
I chg oil every 10,000 miles
Does not use any oil in 10,000 miles.
Oil still looks clean after 10,000 mile
As always great teardown vid, wish it was always as easy to work on as it was when you have it out of the car.
Agreed. It's not easy on any transverse V6
I would avoid this engine personally, they are known to sludge up and leak from the valve cover gaskets and are a pain to work on due to how they are mounted. Sludging isnt as much of an issue though, because its usually down to infrequent oil changes, and the engine bot being warmed up which are very easy to remedy. The valve cover gaskets are a pain, you have to take of basically the top on the engine components just to do the gaskets which will definitely leak again at some point because the engine is tilted and features a v design.
For this reason, i dont think the motor is worth it, their great when taken care of, but poor maintence can kill them and theres better options out there anyway. An inline 6 is ideal, its mounting is just difficult sometimes
I have a 3VZFE manual transmission lexus ES300. The 1MZ replaced the 3VZ. I love the 3VZ more cuz of it being a cast iron block and can take more boost. Also its OBD 1. And it being mated to a 5 speed manual is match made in heaven.
Check out my 3VZ video!
Had a 2000 Camry XLE V6 with 562,000 KMS that I sold to another guy who still daily drives it. Original Engine and Transmission, everything worked like new. Thanks for bringing back fond memories.
Nice! Wonder if he'll make it to a million kilometers
@@speedkar99 Haha I have no doubt! ;)
I have that motor in my 95 Camry Wagon, so far so good. I will need to replace some seals soon but no big worry. Thank you for sharing
Greetings from Alberta. Mines still going strong 94 camry @ 160km. Timing belt replaced, valve cover done recently. I'll be deleting the egr soon and installing a catch can.
160km is brand new
Great video, you did a fatastic job of explaining everything and I learnt a lot! These engines are a popular swap into the mk2 mr2 in the UK, instant torque at low RPMs and consistent powerband thourgh all rpms works well on our cars, other Toyota engines like the 3mz, 3vz and notably the 2grfe are popular engine swaps into the mr2 as well. I would like to put in a 1mz at some point in the future, very cost effective and it is pretty simple as far as engine swaps go. This teardown helped me understand what makes this engine so popular!
You guys ain't know joke, really spot on. Outstanding video.. Wade Out..
I am currently driving a 2003 Avalon with 310,000+. I would like to rebuild the engine one day, thank you for the helpful information!
I have a 2001 Toyota Sienna with this engine. I have 449,000 miles and only use a half quart of oil every 5,000 miles. I change the oil every 5,000 miles with Castrol Full synthetic . I monitor the color of the oil and have recently started oil changes at 3,000 miles. Runs smooth. Only use OEM oil filter and air filter. Only use OEM electrical and SENSOR PARTS. Have a digital headsup display that can monitor engine coolant temperature. Change coolant every 30,000 miles Change timing belt andd water pump with the tensioners and pulleys with crank and camshaft seals all OEM. The transmission is also the original