Toyota 5VZ-FE engine

This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

Oil leaks from the valve covers Every version One source so far

What to check: Look for oil on the valve covers and smell for burning oil after a drive.

80/20 Automotive says the valve cover gaskets slowly crack and leak small amounts of oil, and names the oil pan gasket and main seals as less common leaks.

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Head gasket failure Every version One source so far

What to check: Look for milky oil, white exhaust smoke and coolant that keeps going down.

80/20 Automotive calls it extremely rare on the 3.4, mentions a past recall of a small batch of gaskets, and says most failures happen past 200,000 miles.

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Loose crank balancer bolt Every version One source so far

What to check: Ask whether the balancer bolt was torqued to spec at the last timing belt job, especially if it starts hard or runs rough.

MOTOR says the 3.4's crank sprocket and balancer are slip-fit, not pressed on. If the bolt loosens, the sprocket wobbles, upsets the crank sensor's signal and causes hard starts and rough running.

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