Toyota 3ZZ-FE 1.6 engine

Characteristics

The advantages and positive factors of 3ZZ-FE

About the merits of this unit, the conversation will be short. In this generation, the Japanese designers have taken care of the client’s purse only when determining the volume of oil in 3.7 liters – you will have 300 gr from the canister for refilling. Small weight can also be attributed to the advantages of the unit.

It is worth considering such benefits of operation:

• economy in all driving conditions, as well as minimal emissions into the atmosphere;
• good injectors, reliable ignition coil, no need for frequent ignition adjustment and system cleaning;
• pistons are reliable and lightweight, one of the few elements of the piston system that lives a long time here
• not bad attachments – Japanese generators and starters live long enough and do not cause problems;
• work up to 100 000 km without breakdowns, if you change oil and a set of filters for the unit in time;
• mechanical gearbox serves as long as the engine, it does not have special problems with it

Also, a number of parts in the cylinder head and fuel equipment have a simple design. For example, this is one of the few units in which you can wash the injector with your own hands. True, more effective will be washing at the service. Does not cause special problems and the engine cooling system. But with any breakdown it is worth immediately eliminate problems – overheating is fraught with very serious problems.

Problems and unpleasant moments in the operation of 3ZZ-FE

Like the 1ZZ, this engine has a whole set of problems and shortcomings. You can find photo reports about repair, which show the amount of work when replacing the wheels or reassembly of the cylinder-head. Overhaul can not be done here at all, so that the resource of the unit is limited to 200 000 km, then you have to change the engine to a contract engine, and rarely owners again buy ZZ.

The main problems that owners talk about are as follows:

1. Very low life and inability to repair the block. It is a disposable motor, which is not expected from Toyota.
2. The timing chain rattles. Even before the warranty mileage, many people had a ringing under the hood, which is not eliminated even by replacing the chain tensioner.
3. Vibration at idle. This is a hallmark of the entire series of motors, so replacing the engine cushions does not solve this problem.
4. Failure to start from a place. The power system, intake manifold, as well as bugs in the stock ECU firmware are often involved.
5. Instable idling, the revs drop for no reason. The abundance of environmental engineering turns out to be a real problem for diagnosis, sometimes it is very difficult to repair the car.
6. The motor trots. Especially this occurs if the replacement of fuel filters is not done in time, bad fuel is poured.
7. Oil caps. They have to be changed often, and on the way also to eliminate a number of other problems in the cylinder-head.

Without changing the plugs in time, you will get a number of engine deficiencies in operation. For example, you will have to perform such a rare procedure as replacing the oil seals of the plug wells. Special attention should be paid to the temperature sensor. If it breaks, you will miss the moment of overheating, the motor will come to an end.

Valve adjustment is needed manually, there are no compensators. Valve clearances are usual – 0.15-0.25 for intake, 0.25-0.35 for exhaust. It is worth buying a repair book, any mistake will cause a number of problems. By the way, after tuning and repair of the cylinder-head there is lapping of valves, you have to drive carefully.

Maintenance and regular service – what to do?

It is better to change the oil every 7500 km of mileage, although the manual indicates 10 000 km. Many owners in reviews talk about reducing the replacement interval to 5 000 km. It is in this mode it is more convenient to change the oil filter, fuel filters. Every 30,000 inspect the generator belts. It is better to replace the chain at 100 000 km together with the tensioner. True, the price of such a procedure is very high.

Together with the replacement of the chain, it is often necessary to replace the pump. At the same mileage, the thermostat is changed, the throttle is necessarily cleaned, if it has not been done before. If the mileage approaches 200 000 km, repair and expensive maintenance does not make sense. It is better to look for a contract motor or look for a replacement for swap in the form of another type of engine.

Tuning and turbocharging 3ZZ-FE – is there a point?

If you just bought a car with this unit, you may notice that the stock power is enough only for the city, and that without much advantage. So the thought of tuning may arise. This should not be done for many reasons:

• any increase in the potential of the engine in the form of power and torque will reduce the already small resource;
• turbine kits will take out the motor for 10-20 thousand kilometers, and you will have to change a lot of parts;
• the very process of modifying the fuel and exhaust system will drag on a very large amount of money;
• maximum percentage increase in potential – 20%, you will not even feel this increase;
• charger kits are expensive, installing them will require going to an expensive station.

You will also have to re-flash the ECU, work with the block head, install a straight-through exhaust. And all this for the sake of an additional 15-20 horsepower, which will kill the motor very quickly. Such tuning does not make any sense.

Conclusions – is it worth buying 3ZZ-FE?

As contract units it makes sense to look at this engine if you want to sell the car, and the old motor failed. Otherwise, it is worth looking at another engine that was also installed on the body of your car. You can check this with the help of Toyota services or ask an experienced master at the service station.

The engine is difficult to call good. Its only advantage will be economy, which is also comparative. If you spin the motor and try to squeeze all the soul out of it, the consumption will increase to 13-14 liters per hundred in the city. Moreover, maintenance and repair of the motor will cost quite expensive.

Feedback

1. 200000, the flight is normal, the only problem is oil spoilage, at 10000km 3 liters.
2. 2004, engine 3zz-fe, mileage 350 000 km., no repair and the chain is native, oil change once every 15 000 – 20 000 km., oil spoilage is almost no, although the revs at idle fall, there are vibrations, well, it’s kind of normal for this engine.
3. 2004 year, mileage 275tysyach mileage oil is not waiting, oil change once 5 thousand, the motor is clean, almost no lacquer deposits cylinders alive. Died only suspension, and crankshaft oil seal rear.
4. 2003 year, 380 thousand, everything inside the engine is native. I change the oil once every 8-12 thousand, oil eats 0.5-1 liter from replacement to replacement, no problems with the engine. But the box did not live.
5. 127000 km the engine pinging, the axp began to twitch Toyota Corolla e120 2006 year restyling, poured oil Cupper stopped working noisily, fuel consumption fell by 2.5 liters, all the gaps it lubricated.
6. 2003. 437 thousand. so far there have been no problems. I change the oil in 10 thousand. between the change I fill 1-1.5 liters. The oil is semi-synthetic.