Toyota 2GR-FE 3.5 V6 Engine Review

It is among the businesses of car manufacturers to produce various engines to sell them separately. This kind of business opens up a vast new world of creativity and customization in the automotive community and industry.

Toyota is among the automotive industry giants with many famous products in the marketplace. Nevertheless, it has some lesser-known items as well in many forms. Among those products is the 2GR-FE engine. It is a truth that the 2GR-FE is not the most popular choice of engine to perform an engine swap.

It does not mean that this engine is a terrible one. It offers its potential to anyone who willingly chooses this engine. When it comes to Toyota, the more common options will either be the 2JZ or 1JZ. It is crucial to know all things about this engine before putting it into the engine bay of any project car you have at the moment.

What is Toyota 2GR-FE Engine?

This motor from Toyota is a part of the  GR series of machines. It is there to replace the previous machines of Toyota. The JZ Inline-6, MZ V6, and VZ V6 are replaced. It comes with noticeable characteristics that span its entire family.

The 2GR-FE engine is an open-deck piston V6 powered by gasoline. It features aluminum DOHC cylinder heads and die-cast aluminum blocks at 60° in its specs.

It was made by Toyota in 2004, to follow the previous release of 1GR-FE in 2002. This 2GR engine comes with a feature of transverse mounting. Compared to its predecessor, it is lighter in terms of its weight.

That boosts the popularity of this version away from the 1GR. There are about 18 cars of Toyota in total that use this engine. They are mostly trucks and SUVs. Engine-swapped MR2s, a few Lotus cars, and a Bolwell Nagari 300 are also using it.

Toyota 2GR-FE Overview

Checking out the specifications of an engine is the first thing to do before buying and using it. In terms of the positive sides of the Toyota 2GR-FE engine, it offers magical cooling efficiency at its base level.

The dual VVT-i system addition to this engine enhances the torque and power simultaneously. Overall, the latest version of 2GR-FE is a reasonable engine to consider if you are into the world of an engine swap.

When it comes to the power outage, the 2GR-FE is affected by the vehicle specs that use it. There will be a different range of maximum horsepower depending on the car models.

The official information regarding the power output of this engine mentions a range from 295hp to 315hp. Meanwhile, the torque ranges from 248 pounds/feet to 260 pounds/feet. One thing to note, it can reach 360hp at 367 pounds/feet with the best build of the car.

This engine weighs 395 pounds, and it comes with an 83mm stroke, 94mm bore. When the 4-valves per cylinder design pairs with the DOHC system of Toyota, the efficiency increases noticeably.

The fuel system that transports gasoline from its tank is a sequential fuel injection system. It combines a direct injection system plus port injection. This V6 engine is naturally aspirated so that there will not be any iconic sound of turbo coming out of it.

Toyota 2GR-FE Problems

It is as pivotal as knowing the full engine specs to understand the common problems. This particular engine from Toyota has been around since 2004. It means that there are people who have been experiencing issues along with its use.

These are some of the problems that happen to this V6 engine from Toyota. Some recommended solutions to help you if you still decide to go for it anyway. The following problems are also common with 2GR-FSE and 2GR-FKS.

Oil Leaks

This problem occurred to any 2GR-FE engine up to the 2010 release. If you want to avoid this problem, it is better to find the one that comes out after 2010.

The ultimate cause of this problem is using a rubber hose in the VVT-i system. Toyota replaced this hose with the one from metal starting in 2010. The new metal hose is a straight fit to any year model of 2GR-FE. Over time, the rubber will wear down, and there is an oil leak problem of this engine.

Some hints that your 2GR-FE has this issue include smoke, low engine oil level, oil pressure loss, and visible leak on the hose and around it. Replacing the rubber hose with the one from metal is the best solution for this problem. It is okay to find some aftermarket brands that also provide this part. The hose will cost about $20 to $40 to buy online.

Idler Pulley Problems

The nature of the issue itself is not a serious one. It is another problem that happens to any model of the 2GR-FE engine up to 2009. Unfortunately, the symptoms of this problem can be annoying for most car owners. It creates squeaking and rattling sounds that can be very loud.

If you experience those symptoms with this engine, it is better to check the idler pulley. Most likely, that part remains the original part from 2005 to 2008.

Following this issue, Toyota released a heavy-duty idler pulley starting in 2009. The part itself can cost $40 to $50. That is the perfect solution to handle this problem.

Keep in mind that there will be different pulleys needed for some car models. Even if there are no symptoms, checking this part is a recommended thing to do. If the pulley is the old one, it is better to replace it immediately.

Water Pump Issue

The next common problem for you to face when owning and using this engine is its water pump. There was an update to fix this issue back in 2010. It means that this problem also happens to any 2GR-FE machine released before 2010. This part is among the so-called wear and tear parts that will eventually break. Nevertheless, that will take longer than this problem to happen.

The signs of this problem are engine steam, overheating issues, and coolant leakage. The only reason it happens is the low-quality level of the pump given by Toyota to the old models of this engine. Replacing the pump will cost about $80 to $150 for the part.

The labor cost for this job ranges from $250 to $400. It is a rather costly fix for this motor. That thing is unfortunately unavoidable if you have a car with 2GR-FE. Overheating is not a thing to tolerate when it comes to an engine.

Spark Plugs & Ignition Coils

It is the last major problem that will be there in many 2GR-FE engines. Misfires, stuttering, power loss, and rough idle are among the signs that this problem is in your machine. The end of this issue will be a decrease in the power and efficiency of the automobile. All in all, the car will not be comfortable to drive at all. The replacement for these parts is usual after 150,000 miles. Unfortunately, it happens to a 2GR-FE engine in only 100,000 miles.

This engine has six spark plugs and ignition coils since it is a V6 engine. It is best to replace all six of them after reaching 100,000 miles. The spark plugs are the more crucial parts to replace than the ignition coils. A set of six spark plugs can cost up to $50 to buy. Meanwhile, ignition coil sets can cost about $150 to $250. It is easy to replace so that even the labor cost can be cheap.

Is The Toyota 2GR-FE 3.5L V6 Reliable?

Before we talk about the reliability of 2GR-Fe, it would be nice if we saw some of the Toyota vehicle owners’ feedback below. 

I have a 2013 Aurion with the 3.5L V6 2GR-FE, it’s smooth, fast, and sounds pretty good if you floor it. The economy for a Petrol 6cyl is pretty good too – around 10L/100km in town and 7L/100km on trips. 

https://whrl.pl/Re1pL4

07 Aurion (2GR-FE engine) with 220,000 km the dial. Serviced every 15,000 with fully synthetic. Never had an engine issue. Oil still looks mostly golden towards the end of its service interval, which I think is pretty impressive for 15k intervals. womble89

https://whrl.pl/Re1wlZ

Some people prefer reliability over anything else when it comes to a car. The reliability of the automobile itself is affected by many things, including the engine. Although the 2GR-FE engine from Toyota has those common issues, it remains above average for its reliability level. Those problems are in it with solutions to deal with them already. Even the cost to fix those problems is not too expensive at all.

Keep in mind to perform routine maintenance and replace those sensitive parts at the right time. That will ensure that the engine is at its best reliability level. It is possible to run this engine up to 200,000 miles straight without serious problems.

That will happen with regular maintenance plus proper use and care for the machine. Of course, the area where you are driving the car will also affect this matter.

This one of many engines manufactured by Toyota has its takes over other models. It is not the most popular engine swap with performance increase in mind. Nevertheless, it is a durable and reliable engine for daily driver cars. You will need to note those common issues and the use of this engine. That will reduce the chance of you busting the machine in just a short period of use.

Toyota 2GR-FE Technical Spec sheets

ManufacturerKamigo Plant, Shimoyama Plant, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama,
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky
Production years2004-present
Cylinder block materialAluminum
Cylinder head materialAluminum
Fuel typeGasoline
Fuel systemSequential fuel injection;
Direct injection + port injection
ConfigurationV
Number of cylinders6
Valves per cylinder4
Valvetrain layoutDOHC
Bore, mm94.0 mm (3.7 in)
Stroke, mm83.0 mm (3.27 in)
Displacement, cc3,456 (210.8 cu in)
Type of internal combustion engineFour-stroke, naturally-aspirated
Compression Ratio10.8:1 – 2GR-FE;
11.8:1 – 2GR-FSE/FKS
Power, hp249-360 hp (183-265 kW)/6,000-6,600
Torque, lb-ft234-367 lb-ft (317-498 Nm)/3,200-4,800
Engine weight360 lbs (163 kg)
Firing order1-2-3-4-5-6
Engine oil weight5W-30
Oil change interval, mile6,000 (10,000 km) or 12 month
Engine oil capacity, liter6.1

Cars With Toyota 2GR-FE Engine

  • Toyota Camry
  • Toyota RAV4
  • Toyota Highlander
  • Toyota Tacoma
  • Toyota Alphard
  • Toyota Aurion
  • Toyota Harrier
  • Toyota Mark X
  • Toyota Mark X Zio
  • Toyota Sienna
  • Toyota Venza
  • Toyota Crown
  • Toyota Estima/Previa
  • Toyota Avalon
  • Lexus GS 350
  • Lexus GS 450h
  • Lexus IS 350
  • Lexus ES 350
  • Lexus RX 350
  • Lexus RX 450h
  • Lotus Evora S/GTE
  • Lotus Exige S
  • Bolwell Nagari 300

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