3.0 1mz-fe ?

January 1, 2004

I just bought a 97 Camry with the 3.0 DOHC 24v. motor. I have looked but can't find much info on the motor.

I'm 42 and have worked on motors and such since I was 12 working with my brother. But I'm new to the Toyota motors.

I'm impressed with the thing, but I'm wondering what other people feel about it. How long has Toyota been using the motor?

Thanks.

February 8, 2004

The all-aluminum V6 is potentially a great engine. There are those of us who have built the lower end with JE pistons (8.5:1) and Toyota 22R Eagle rods (machined to width),and enlarged the intake valve springs (using 3SGTE springs (celica and mr2 turbo) and specially made (blackdiamondvalves.com) valve retainers)--all to run a 10 PSI TRD supercharger. And some of us are working on the Lexus VVT-i heads (which require some oil galleys to be drilled to maintain the camshaft oiling and oil control valve, but the block is beefed up for these new galleys already) but are being slowed because controlling the VVT-i with an aftermarket unit is not possible, that I know of, yet, and making the appropriate controller takes some knowhow). The base engine will work quite well with the TRD SC at 4 PSI. As far as I know, the engine has been around for about 10 years but has changed from an iron block to aluminum and then to VVT-i in the RX300. The engine uses the E351 transmission which is the same as the E153 from the turbo MR2 (except for shifter linkage direction) and is compatible with the S54 transmission as well. The engine fits very nicely in other applications, like the celica and mr2. Because of its light weight, it is almost a better engine than the 3SGTE although the 3SGTE has a lot more performance groundwork/application/bolt-ons available. It is true that the valve angle in the heads is not as free flowing as the 3SGTE but with the supercharger, this is not an issue and the SC is more responsive (no lag). There is a lot more to be said; you could go to the MR2 club and read the hybrid section there as well.

February 10, 2004

Thanks for the reply.

I've had the car since Oct-10-2003 and have put 6 thousand miles on it. It has never failed to impress me, the thing just seems to like to run.

I don't plan on doing any moding to the motor, but it's great to know there's that much stuff out there if I change my mind.

My last car had a Quad 4 DOHC 16 val. motor in it. For a 4 banger it would almost keep up with the 1mz-fe, but not quite. Threre is almost NO after market for Quad 4's.

March 2, 2004

I love the 1MZ--every big muffler kid in a Honda I come up against thinks 4-Doors can't move worth **** and they end up in my mirror every time. Mine's only got very mild modifications and it still hammers 2002 RSX's no problem. And not only does the thing have a tendency to run whenever possible it loves octane booster. I run 92 pump with run of the mill octane booster (putting it somewhere around 96 - 100 octane) and the 4500 - Redline range just screams. It has so much torque in that range that its hard to steer the car and I sometimes end up in the opposite lane :D Leave it to Toyota to put such a tiger in something like a Camry.