New V6 Owner.

[Silent Knight]

Hey guys,

I've just bought my 2nd Surf. Firts one was a 2.4 T/D and I've regretted selling it eversince!!

Since I'm pretty new to the V6 I have a couple of queries you guys might be able to help me out with. I'm planning on doing a bit of a service to get everything all cleaned/replaced etc.

What are things to check out on one of these and replace during a service? Are they prone to BHG same as the 2.4TD, if so is there some sort of preventative maintenance that can stop this from happening?
What sort of engine oil does it use and what is it's capacity? - Would like to know the same for the tranny oil.

That's basically it for now, I'm sure there's one or two questions I forgot but I'll post them up as soon as I remember!

Thanks!

[RodLeach]

Hello mate! Welcome to the site.

Bearer of bad news im afriad mate - They do blow head gaskets.
Its similar mileage figure on most aswell i think. Either way - Enjoy your truck!

No doubt some of the V6 owners will be along shortly!

[Silent Knight]

Bearer of bad news im afriad mate - They do blow head gaskets. Its similar mileage figure on most aswell i think. Either way - Enjoy your truck!

When you say 'similar mileage', do you mean they tend to BHG after having done a certain amount of K's? What would that figure be?

[RodLeach]

When you say 'similar mileage', do you mean they tend to BHG after having done a certain amount of K's? What would that figure be?

yeah, spot on mate.


I wanna say 50,000kms But it could be more or less - Its around that kinda figure.

[TonyN]

Its normally just a gasket though, so less tramatic on the wallet than the 2.4's.

My old UK 4Runner V6 was done at about 60,000miles by the previous owner. Who had it fixed by Toyota then sold it! Cheers!

[muller1]

Head Gaskets

I am finding it hard to accept that any vehicle manufacturer especially a large company like Toyota cannot build an engine to last 50,000kms or 32,000 miles, as in 2002 Toyota had built more 4x4 vehicles than all the other makers put together.
Rolls even suffer from head gaskets the same as Bently, Ferrarri, BMW etc etc etc.
It is all down to how you look after it and drive it , or not, as the case may be.

I check my water weekly or when I fuel up DO YOU.
One guy seemed proud to tell the world that his truck took over 2 LITRES to bring it up to the mark, SHAME ON HIM.
All I can say is that he should not be trusted with a motor vehicle on the road , as he may have no brake fluid either.
I feel that after having owned and driven Toyota Surfs,Landcruisers. Camray diesels, and clocked up over 800,000 miles between them and NEVER had an engine ,oil, cooling etc problem even towing in the Sierra Nevada desert.
Steve my business partner drove his Landcruiser over 420,000 miles till it was written off. My last Landcruiser was owned by and driven by me for 17 years drove over 177,000 miles and my son bought it from me last month as I now have an other Surf.
The Landcruiser started , drove ,performed and sounded as it did the day I drove it out of the dealers.
I am sure that it is all down to how you treat it and nothing else.
I feel that if you treat any vehicle with a LITTLE Mechanical sympathy, check the engine and auto box fluids weekly you will not have any problems.

Last part of my RANT AND RAVE Honest, when I walk up to ANY vehicle I am going to drive I glance under it as I approach it to check for any obvious leak, I even do this after I have fuelled up at the garage, It would seem that I am nothing but a sad Bas**rd, BUT I have never had a problem, who is right and who is wrong, make up your own mind.

By the way enjoy your TOYOTA SURF.

Mike
1998 ssrx 3 litre diesel auto

[BUSHWHACKER]

Respect Mike, my thoughts echoed in both your posts

[Silent Knight]

50, 000K's? That seems extremely low!

The Surf has done 202***K's already so I'm assuming if it's still fine that at some point someone must have changed the gasket or it has just been VERY well taken care off at this stage...

She's going in this weekend to get the cooling system flushed, new pipes/top tank etc being put on. Then off to get tranny flushed and new filter put on and I'll probably go for an ATF Cooler as well and then going to get cambelt etc done and the normal engine service. Thought I might as well do it all at once now that I have it and not worry about something possibly going wrong because whom ever had it before me did not do it.

Can anyone advise on the types of oil and capacity that is best suited for the 3VZ?

Cheers!

[Bogus]

I am finding it hard to accept that any vehicle manufacturer especially a large company like Toyota cannot build an engine to last 50,000kms or 32,000 miles, as in 2002 Toyota had built more 4x4 vehicles than all the other makers put together.
It is all down to how you look after it and drive it , or not, as the case may be.

Mike
1998 ssrx 3 litre diesel auto

So are you saying that all those V6 head gaskets go due to neglect ?

I thought that that it was because the original gaskets as fitted by Toyota were crap. Oh and another thing, nobody is asking you to accept that Toyota cant build an engine to last 50,000 k. Theyre asking you only to accept that head gaskets will likely fail at that mileage on a V6 Surf. Hardly the same thing is it ?

Bogus

[TonyN]

Nice rant, cheer up, most people arn't perfect. I always look over the truck when walking up to it, don't give it any stick of the first few minutes of driving, its never been anywhere near the line line on the rev counter, etc....

Accept it, Toyota made a mistake in the late 80's to earily 90's with the headgasket design, have a cruise around any Supra or 4Runner website, specifially in the US, where the numbers of cars and trucks sold is staggering.

Toyota were sorting it out as a service recall up to a few years ago, they would'nt do that is there was any possiblity that is was neglect.

As for the 2.4's who knows how they where looked after in Japan, but I know from experiance that any 2.4 that was working fine, then gets hot for what ever reason will usually need a head a few weeks later.

[Sancho]

Muller1, as Tony said, cheer up. The reason this forum exists is because the people on it want to know more about their vehicles and look after them better. You are right, they should all be well maintained and most of us strive to do that. Coming on here and having a go at everyone because you're so perfect makes you look arrogant and presumptuous.

As Tony has also said, why would Toyota issue a recall and replace all the HGs for free if it was all down to the shocking negligence of those of us who have to cope with being inferior to you? If you bothered to find out your facts first, you would know about the changes in HG material that were brought in around the time that the 3VZ engine was being used, you would know about the heat issues with the crossover pipe and you would know about the head movement problems that afflict the engine. But you don't. Ignorance is fine (I know ) but ignorance combined with arrogance and self-righteousness is offensive and dangerous.

As for 'SHAME ON HIM'. Honestly, the guy's got something wrong and your best advice is that he's a bad person? Keep it to yourself. Read Karma Supra's IOTW thread - man does something stupid, people offer help, man is helped by friend, people tell him he was stupid and not to do it again. Not man has problem, other man doesn't care and tells him he's stupid, the end. Where's the benefit in that?

Silent Knight, the HGs are generally accepted to go at around 100,000km. They need to be replaced with a different material gasket to minimise the head movement. A good quality modern gasket should meet this requirement. After that, you should be fine, but do maintain the cooling system and be aware that there is a lot of temperature build up in the engine bay so no great margin for error.

Oil capacity is about 5litres and 10w40 semi synth will be fine. Use something thicker in the summer if you're in Auckland, don't bother in in Invercargill .

You will need 5-6 litres of standard ATF for the transmission.

[PDR]

The 2.4’s weakness is the badly designed cylinder head whereas the V6’s problem was down to the head gaskets being made from an inferior, non-asbestos material (to comply with new laws). These gaskets usually blew within about 60k, so providing yours has been replaced with the improved design, you should have a good reliable engine that will last for many more miles.

My 1994 V6 was imported into the UK in 2005 by one of the members of this forum.
It was soon discovered that the “bottom end” of the engine was damaged. The Surf had covered approximately 144,000Km (89,477miles). A low mileage replacement engine was sourced and fitted.

I bought the Surf in October 2006 with 147,823 km (91,852 miles) on the clock. Three months later, around Christmas time one of the gaskets blew at 152,197Km (94,570 miles), but of course the actual engine had covered far less so I do believe that this would have been the original gasket set.

I had the gaskets replaced early Feb 2007 (I was overseas all of January) and the Surf is now showing 163,402Km. I’m doing less than 10,000 per year but it runs great and is totally reliable. I don’t see any reason why this engine can’t do another 100,000 which would probably take me until 2018 at this rate.

[muller1]

My last words

I believe in the fact that it is only but correct to speak of my own experiences and not what "someone else says or thinks"
My thoughts and experiences are based on MY OWN FINDINGS.
At no time did I break into personal abuse.
The first words that seemed to be offered to a new guy is "sorry mate bad news". Your motor WILL need new gaskets etc
Why not tell the whole truth, your motor will die, rust, cost you an arm and a leg, and be scrapped and give no hope at all, so do not waste your money.

If everyone had the same one minded opinion there would be no need for this forum.

It is only with collective input that we all benefit, but it seems that if anyone has different experiences or thoughts from yours they are wrong and should not be allowed to say so.

To put your mind at rest I will not stoop to the Mauist "red book" approach and have one thought for all.
To save you further frustrations I will adopt the approach that I perhaps will not bother to enter into any other discussion on this form again as my having a different opinion to you seems to cause so much trouble and perhaps we had all better allow someone superior to tell us what to think and do..

Mike

[Bogus]

I believe in the fact that it is only but correct to speak of my own experiences and not what "someone else says or thinks"
The first words that seemed to be offered to a new guy is "sorry mate bad news". Your motor WILL need new gaskets etc
.

If everyone had the same one minded opinion there would be no need for this forum.

It is only with collective input that we all benefit, but it seems that if anyone has different experiences or thoughts from yours they are wrong and should not be allowed to say so.

I perhaps will not bother to enter into any other discussion on this form again as my having a different opinion to you seems to cause so much trouble and perhaps we had all better allow someone superior to tell us what to think and do..

Mike

Hey Min, fit are ye on aboot, Calm Down, Dont forget, the guy in the first post did ask if there was anything he should look out for and theres enough evidence to suggest that gaskets are it. and to be fair here, your,re post is somewhat contradictory. Youre praising the expression of different viewpoints while appearing to go in the huff because a couple of people maybe disagreed slightly with some of your points. I dont agree with lots of things I see on the forum. I dont suppose anyone agrees with the junk that I post but I certainly beleived Ive benefitted. Im an "auld mannie" like yourself, and I like to think I take care of my vehicles, my lawnmower, in fact all of my stuff, but I was grateful to be told of the 2.4 head problem, as it encouraged me to do things I would not otherwise have done, like changing the stat every five minutes, renewing the rad cap, which didnt look like it needed renewing, doing a silicon oil change on the viscous fan. etc etc.
Chill oot min, and enjoy the forum, keep reading, keep posting, but dont expect to be agreed with all the time or to agree with everything. Folks on here are pretty friendly really. ( They put up with brokendowntruck dont they ? ) and even tolerated mtbbilly until he got totally out of hand

Bogus

[TonyN]

Bwahahaha.

Mate, you've got to lighten up, the guy asked for advise about this motor, and specifally the head problem.

You want us to lie? Ignore him?

95% of every V6 Surf and 4Runner I've been involved with has had one of the gasket blow at around 60-80,000 miles. (and its been a few....)

As has been mentioned, absesbos replacement gaskets in the eairly 90's didn't cut it.

I don't recall to much abuse? The whole point of this place is to have a discussion, But your post basically said everyone who had a problem with their truck had it coming, ignoring some solid provable facts to the contrary.



Peace.

I believe in the fact that it is only but correct to speak of my own experiences and not what "someone else says or thinks"
My thoughts and experiences are based on MY OWN FINDINGS.
At no time did I break into personal abuse.
The first words that seemed to be offered to a new guy is "sorry mate bad news". Your motor WILL need new gaskets etc
Why not tell the whole truth, your motor will die, rust, cost you an arm and a leg, and be scrapped and give no hope at all, so do not waste your money.

If everyone had the same one minded opinion there would be no need for this forum.

It is only with collective input that we all benefit, but it seems that if anyone has different experiences or thoughts from yours they are wrong and should not be allowed to say so.

To put your mind at rest I will not stoop to the Mauist "red book" approach and have one thought for all.
To save you further frustrations I will adopt the approach that I perhaps will not bother to enter into any other discussion on this form again as my having a different opinion to you seems to cause so much trouble and perhaps we had all better allow someone superior to tell us what to think and do..

Mike