If it was a Tesla people would be: Told ya so panel gaps and Musk is whack and Tesla will be outta business any day now and Teslas are only for rich CA granola heads. Ha!
The Car Care Nut- Front timing cover reseal
- Thread starter Highboy
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edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Don’t worry, there will be, as soon as people get their turn in service.
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It really is a well designed and reliable engine, but there are three things that can happen to this engine - and it’s just that this guy is a master tech and sees the worst of what can happen. And the “worst” that can happen with this engine is you can (maybe, although not likely) get some oil seepage from the front timing cover, that most would never consider fixing at 200,000 miles...and would just add half a quart per oil change. The other thing that could happen to this engine is an oil line could leak, which can be fixed with an updated part for under $100 bucks. There is also the off chance you could get a ticking noise/rattle, upon start up that lasts for 3 seconds, from the cam actuators on high mileage engines (also rare).
Otherwise, it’s a 270-280 HP engine, that will give you 32 mpg, getting you from 0-60 in 5.8 seconds. With no misfires, oil consumption, hesitation, check engine lights, mysterious noise, trouble, headaches, or anything. All while doing it on extended Toyota recommend 10,000 mile oil changes using whatever cheap 0W20 oil you want. But working on the front of that engine is a bear. Even changing the serpentine belt isn’t fun.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
32 mpg? That engine in my Sienna could get above 21mpg if I pushed it down the cliff on the Pikes Peak (with turned off engine).
It has good hp. But torque is abysmal and in very short rpm range. It is mediocre in every possible way performance wise.
I dealt with this job on my 1GR-FE '07 4Runner, it's a real bear even when the engine's mounted forward-facing. Lots of sealing surfaces to clean, lots of bolt threads to clean, laying down that bead of FIPG and not smearing it during assembly...I'd not want to be a Toyota Tech doing this job often. The Lexus oil pump alignment tool he showed would have been really nice to have when I did mine.
Wasn’t this engine in Camry also?
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Yes.
So it could hit 32mpg there? I doubt that anyone was thinking it could do 30mpg in a Sienna.
Toyota "reliability". 
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
32. Could be if driven really carefully. I mean I did once 37mpg on BMW.
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My lifetime average with this engine in my 2016 Toyota Avalon is 28.1 - that’s at 111,000 miles.
Now, I could average 32 mpg in it, however I don’t drive it all that easily. I set cruise control at 75 on the highway, and at times (due to traffic demands) I’ll go faster. The thing that kills my mileage is cold weather...I spend four months out of the year in freezing temps and it hurts the overall average.
But in warm weather, going slower than 75, I have easily averaged over 30 mpg.
A Sienna I suppose is a different ballgame, it’s heavier.
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I removed a 2GRFE engine from a Venza yesterday for demonstration purposes. It’s rare that we have a Toyota V6 to show. All I can say is. Wow. Very well built and engineered, BUT forget working on that side of the engine while it’s in the car. It’s extremely tight. I dread the day when I have to do a water pump or something on my own car.
Been a while but for a bit I wanted a V6 RAV4. It’s a real bear to do the WP on those. That said, I came across a thread or two about how if you remove an engine mount or two, you can lower the engine an inch or two on that side and then you can get the WP out, w/o pulling the engine. [Or did they raise the engine an inch?]
Too long since I looked into the particulars, just mentioning in case you run into that job. Maybe see what the RAV guys do (did), maybe you can steal an idea.
Same here and it looks like it was more of a sip than a leak.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
At 75 and cruise control one gets usually very good mileage.
Our speed limit is 75 on hwy. I never use cruise control as I get bored and don’t want that. Usually I do 85-90mph on hey and I drive aggressively regardless of vehicle I am in.
My wife can get in Tiguan 27-30mpg, and Tiguan is really not known as mog friendly due to weird programming of that Aisin transmission. I on other hand cannot get more than 25mpg.
BMW on other hand in open will do easily 30-33mpg even at 90mph.
Sienna’s problem is shape, and the fact that that engine has all power really high and it is very narrow torque range. So every time you need to do “something,” it requires high rpms. Going up the Rocky Mountains to ski I managed to average 14.5mpg.
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Yeah, I definitely agree that the way people drive has an enormous effect on MPG.
But, the van weighs 1,000 pounds more than the Tiguan, and probably 1,500 pounds or more, than the BMW. It’s not comparable. And that’s before even considering the shape and aerodynamics.
Have you ever driven a car with the 2GRFE in it? It’s a totally different experience, even though it’s a Toyota. I’m not saying it’s a BMW, I’ll take a BMW for performance and even maybe fuel economy (depending on the model) over a Toyota, but the 2GRFE in a passenger car or the Rav4 is a very capable engine, that delivers excellent fuel economy.
$2600 can buy a lot of oil. I am with you.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
I did, numerous times. Again, it is about driving. I have never seen it above 25-26.
And transmission in Camry is geared toward economy. The gears are high.
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I’ll check it out. There is a mount attached to the front head that might help, plus I suppose I could loosen the four subframe bolts a little bit. I took this engine out this week. Car was totaled and I’m trying a few things with it - you should see how clean it is under the valve covers at 120,000 miles. Beautiful.
