Toyota V-6 engine type

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Hello, My neighbor just took possession of a 1995 Toyota Camry with a V-6 engine w/automatic transmission.

I have searched alot here and elsewhere online and cannot find the name of the engine.
EXAMPLES: I had an 8-RC in a 1970 Corona Mark II and a 2-TC in a 1972 Corolla de Lux and a 20-R in a 1977 Celica GT Liftback; California GT.

Does anyone here know Toyota engine names?
I found an owner's manual on Amazon and had her order it. I should feel like Sherlock Holmes but I don't. Kira
 
It's a good solid engine from which Toyota has obtained more HP in newer versions. The only weak point in the Gen 3 Camry is the "convenient" way the two exhaust manifolds are joined under the car, one feeding into the pipe before the converter at a right angle. There have been aftermarket kits offered to turn that into equal length head pipes which provides a bit more power and a nicer exhaust note. My 08 has factory equal length pipes which taper together so Toyota recognized the problem.
 
Didn't a few of the V6 cars have transaxle problems if driven hard? Or was that the previous generation?
 
It is a great engine.

Challenge is the 3 spark plugs at the rear near the firewall are hard to change as in the later iteration of the engine also.

So, when changing the spark plugs, get the longest life Iridium spark plugs so it does not have to be change every 120k miles.

Clean or change the PCV fairly often to reduce the sludging probability in addition to good oil and oil filter.
 
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
1995 is the 1MZ-FE ...

A very good motor but some are prone to sludging. I had a 2000 Solara and had no problems but my brother had a somewhat earlier Camry V6 (don't know what year) and it sludged before that issue became generally known. He dumped that otherwise good car on the advice of his mechanic - it had begun using oil like mad and was seen to be sludged when they pulled off a valve cover.

I would use a synthetic oil, change it at 8000 Km (5000 Miles) and attend to the PCV valve regularly. Otherwise don't worry, drive and enjoy it - very quiet at idle, reasonable fuel economy, peppy.
 
Yup it's a 1MZ-FE. 1995 is supposed to not be a slugger. Non-interference timing belt engine. They're pretty good, my brother had one in a 1996 Lexus ES300. That car was a pile, but it ran fantastic. He followed me at 80 mph from Montana to Phoenix and it got 28 mpg. Definitely could have done better if we slowed down.
 
Been happy with my 1MZ-FE (VVTi) so far.

The sludging issue is mostly overblown on these, but it's suggested to keep an eye on the PCV system, and to not do extended oil change intervals.

FWIW the pre-VVTi 1MZ's, like in that '95, have an EGR system I hear people complain about a lot. Also, from experience, the PCV system tends to gunk up the throttle body with oil, causing problems with the idle air control valve, so those need to be cleaned out periodically- maybe once a year or two. Or get a catch can.

The A541E transmission in that 95 is marginally less problematic than the later U140E, but similar to the sludging issue, transmission problems can be typically be attributed to inadequate maintenance.
 
I agree that slugging probably isn't as bad as they say it is.

My car is supposed to be a sludger too, it's very clean under the valve cover.

I'm at about 8,500 miles on this oil change. Probably changing it tomorrow though.
 
1MZ-FE. It's a known sludger, doesn't hurt to be a little OCD on OCIs. My parents have the newer version in their Sienna(3MZ-FE) - just a small bump in displacement and VVT-i.

Besides from that, they are great engines. Just remember to replace the timing belt/WP every 100K - Aisin kit works just fine. The back set of plugs is a BIG PITA though, the plenum does need to be pulled, I've read of some people leaving the plenum on and using a flexible extension to get to the back 3 plugs - if your engine uses waste-spark ignition for the rear bank.
 
Sludge problem same as in VW 1.8T. If you use bad oil it will sludge.
Stick to full synthetic oil and good filter, but before that tel neighbor to clean PCV.
 
You can also use a good PCMO that's known to clean or have a stout add pack - PYB(or PCYB), Chevron Supreme, QSGB - shorted OCIs.
 
You guys are great! She LOVES the old car.
She called her insurance company and changed the VIN. She had me screw on her old plates. It has NJ inspection through May of next year.
She's just driving it around with relish. Sooner or later she'll go to Motor Vehicles and update the registration.
She's so old that a cop might just let the mauve-silver '95 Camry pass as silver '02 Corolla.
Every panel is so square. The doors and hood shut so solidly.

The engine looks more "old Japanese" to my eye. A 4 would look more so.
All I have to do is replace the hood's assist cylinders. They're on their way from RockAuto's Bronx warehouse.

Many thanks for the comments.
One person sent jpeg downloads of service manuals. I can't thank him by name because the copyright police might be reading.

Cheers, Kira

ps One more thing as I prepare dinner.
This thread with its many helpful, first hand responses made me feel good.
This is what I think captures a lot of what America is about not the Hoo-Haa garbage which is the hallmark of this election campaign.
How the bits of news and all the lies, omissions and mean chatter hurt this country is only going to get worse. K
 
Forgot to mention that a 1995 V6 would have the stock dual-piston brake calipers, which are sometimes sought as an upgrade for the earlier and later single piston calipers found on the Camry platform.

Also nthach is right about the timing belt, though Toyota says 90K miles
wink.gif
. 1MZ's are thankfully non-interference engines (including the VVTi variant, despite what the internet says.) The larger displacement 3MZ's are indeed interference engines, though.
 
Toyota timing belts - provided it's either a Mitsuboshi or Gates/Unitta are good for 100K. There's reports from the Lexus and Tundra guys they can go for a bit more, but why risk it?

When I pulled the OEM timing belt from my parent's Sienna, it was in great shape. Can't tell the supplier, those marks worn off. Replacing the cam/crank seals isn't a bad idea either - I used an eBay tool to make the replacement painless.
 
Originally Posted By: JMJNet

Challenge is the 3 spark plugs at the rear near the firewall are hard to change as in the later iteration of the engine also.

So, when changing the spark plugs, get the longest life Iridium spark plugs so it does not have to be change every 120k miles.


YES - I had to pull the plenum and cowl to do them on a 3MZ-FE. Not a fun job, I also do the valve cover gaskets and plug tube seals at the same time as a matter of access. Use the OEM Denso or NGK double Ir design on these. Bosch's OE-style finewire or Autolite's iridum plugs might also work, so would Denso's Iridium TT.
 
Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: JMJNet

Challenge is the 3 spark plugs at the rear near the firewall are hard to change as in the later iteration of the engine also.

So, when changing the spark plugs, get the longest life Iridium spark plugs so it does not have to be change every 120k miles.


YES - I had to pull the plenum and cowl to do them on a 3MZ-FE. Not a fun job, I also do the valve cover gaskets and plug tube seals at the same time as a matter of access. Use the OEM Denso or NGK double Ir design on these. Bosch's OE-style finewire or Autolite's iridum plugs might also work, so would Denso's Iridium TT.


If you're going that far, you may also want to remove the lower intake and reseal the valley plate. That plate tends to leak coolant from a failed RTV seal. And if you're doing that, you should replace the knock sensor harness and the bypass hose.
 
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My brother has one of those in a '95 Avalon. Scarcely any problems in well over 300K miles by now. It has subsisted on various brands of synthetic 5W-30 (including Rural King lately) its entire life.
 
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