If you’re not someone who delves into engine options, it can be confusing when people talk about what engine a car has and wait for your reaction. If someone told you that he dropped a 2JZ-GTE on his car and you thought they were talking about a rap album, I’m here to help.
The truth is, 2JZ engines are among the most reliable engines ever made. The manufacturing was flawless and the designers over styled it. As a result, these motors do not suffer from the common problems that less expensive versions have. They last longer and are much more reliable than a standard engine. The 2JZ engines were built in the early 90’s and still hold up very well to today’s standards.
In this guide, I will talk about 2JZ engines. I’ll explain what it is, why it’s important, and why people love them so much, and delve into their reliability. More specifically, are 2JZ engines really reliable?
What is a JZ engine?
A JZ engine is something that is commonly used in JDM vehicles. It is one of the most common engine types and is as well known as the great American LS engine.
It’s an engine that was developed by Toyota, so it was exclusively used in Toyotas and Lexus in the past. It had a production from 1991 to 2007.
Within the 2JZ family, there were three options: 2JZ-GE, 2JZ-GTE, and 2JZ-FSE.
In the automotive world, the 2JZ engine specifically is touted as a legend when it comes to power, modifiability, and reliability. In my opinion, it’s a bulletproof engine that has been dropped in some of the best cars in Japanese history.
You can also find a 2JZ-GTE in a vehicle. In this identifier, the “2” tells you that it is the second generation in the JZ lineup. The “JZ” is the family of engines that doesn’t stand for anything specifically, although people like to guess what the acronym actually stands for.
The “G” means the engine uses a dual overhead cam setup, which is great for performance. The “T” stands for turbocharged and the “E” means the engine is electronically fuel injected and not naturally carbureted.
The 2JZ-GTE that the Supra had was a twin-turbocharged variant and made 227 horsepower at the time (which is a ton of horsepower) completely stock with no changes. With a few configuration changes, the same 2JZ-GTE would make 325 hp for the Toyota JZA80 Supra.
In the early ’90s, that 2JZ-GTE engine allowed for 3.0L of displacement. That was unheard of at the time, and it’s still a very impressive metric.
Engine Toyota Supra (1993-2002) Mk4 2JZ
Where the 2JZ are used
The 2JZ engine is used in many Japanese classics. More popularly, it was used in the third generation of Toyota Supras, and the predecessor 1JZ was found under the hood of any second generation Supra.
You can find a 2JZ engine in any of the following stock options:
Lexus GS300
toyota supra
Lexus IS300
toyota aristo
toyota crest
toyota brand
You may not recognize these cars for two reasons: they were made in the ’90s, and they were much more popular in Japan.
Regardless, the engine says a lot.
What does engine reliability imply?
When it comes to engine reliability, what am I talking about? Your car’s engine is something you probably don’t even think about until you’ve put it over 200,000 miles on it. With a car like any of the Toyotas listed above, the owner may never even think about the engine.
The engine is one of the most expensive parts in your car and is usually a death sentence for older cars. With an older car, once the transmission or engine stops working, it’s usually too expensive to justify fixing it. Instead, the owner will scrap the car and get another one.
When I mention engine reliability, I really mean two things:
Will the engine start every time I turn the key? Will the engine go more than 250,000 miles before failing?
In any car with a 2JZ engine under the hood, the answer is a resounding “yes” to both questions.
1994 toyota supra
1994 toyota supra
Why 2JZ engine is so good
When it comes to engine reliability, it’s all the result of solid construction. The way the engine is designed, built, assembled and installed can make or break an engine’s reputation. All it takes is one weak part of the assembly and the entire engine will fail.
I’m going to cover some of the factors that make 2JZ engines so robust and reliable while explaining what makes the engine so great as a whole.
You can tune it like crazy
When it comes to getting a performance tune up, your car’s engine is often the limiting factor. A performance tune changes the variables in your engine to deliver more power and get the most out of your vehicle. Increases your power and overall performance.
With a 2JZ engine, the adjustability is enormous. Thanks to how the engine is built, assembled, and cooled, a tune done right can turn a 2JZ engine into a rocket ship.
Even after the tune, your engine will still hold on. It has seven oversized bearings that hold the crankshaft firmly, and the stock water pump can hold up even after heavy modifications.
Some vehicles have misfires in other places if the engine is over tuned, but 2JZ cars avoid this problem.
Better air-fuel mixture
Another part of tuning a vehicle’s engine is optimizing the air-fuel ratio used. Having the perfect ratio will optimize your vehicle’s performance, improving almost all speed and acceleration stats.
With a standard 2JZ engine, the fuel-air mixture is already almost optimized. There are four cylinders on each valve as the dual cams are housed on top.
The block is very stiff
Stiffness is another way to find out how reliable a part is. It could have a solid engine block, but if it’s mounted with little fasteners on a little strip of metal, then it’s not rigid.
Motors create a lot of force as they move. With a block that isn’t rigid, you’re asking for trouble down the road. Every mile you drive has a higher chance of failing.
If the motor rattles and hits nearby components, it can also be damaged.
Toyota’s 2JZ engines are incredibly stiff. The block is really big, uses thick walls, and comes with massive mounts. As a result, the assembly was bulletproof. I could push the engine to the limit and it wouldn’t vibrate out of control or misfire.
Lexus SC300 with the 2JZ engine
fewer moving parts
This gets a bit in the weeds, but I’ll try not to get too technical. Simply put, a 2JZ engine uses a very simple mechanism for the entire combustion process. It has fewer moving parts than other engines.
With reliability, fewer parts mean more reliability. It all comes down to the fact that fewer things can break, so you’ll find fewer broken parts.
If you want the more technical version, here it is: The 2JZ engines used a bucket-style lifter on the camshaft lobes instead of “rocker arms” and “pushrods.”
A cast iron closed deck engine
When you’re making an engine, you have a lot of decisions to make. There is usually a trade-off, and it comes down to making the right decisions to get the right end product.
Toyota’s design team made two critical decisions for its 2JZ engines. They were made of cast iron and chose a closed deck configuration.
Cast iron is an incredibly strong metal to work with. As a material, it’s hard to break, hard to work, handles heat well, and doesn’t expand as much.
As an engine material, it is one of the best to choose. It means the motor can be pushed hard and won’t break or fail.
Configuration-wise, a closed platform means that the shared area between cylinders is very small. As a result, the cylinders can handle higher compression points and handle much more power before misfiring.
The configuration and material chosen are much more expensive and difficult to manufacture, but they are infinitely more reliable.
much used steel
Every 2JZ engine used multiple layers of steel in the head gasket design. What does this mean? It means greater rigidity, strength and reliability at one of the most frequent failure points.
When an engine fails, it is often due to a blown head gasket. The gasket can break, leading to a host of mechanical problems that ultimately cause the engine to stop running.
A blown head gasket will cause you to lose coolant and overheat, lose compression and have a rough idle, or contaminate your oil and seize the engine.
With Toyota’s head gasket design on the 2JZ engines, this is not a problem.
Are 2JZ engines reliable?
2JZ engines are some of the most reliable engines ever made. Vehicles with these engines are still running, more than 30 years later.
I mentioned a few reasons why these motors are so reliable. The bottom line is that Toyota’s development team put a huge emphasis on power and reliability when they were building this engine, and it’s very clear on the eye.
They used cast iron, a closed deck configuration, fewer moving parts, more coolant runs, lots of extra metal, and extra layers of steel where it mattered most. As an engine, it’s over-engineered. Mechanically, it’s bulletproof and can run forever before failing.
Conclusion
The 2JZ engine family that Toyota came up with in the early 90s is one of the best engine choices ever. It propelled some JDM classics to the top of the list and as a testament to the greatness of this engine, there are plenty of cars with this engine still on the road today.
References:
biker
Why is the 2JZ engine so strong? This breakdown shows why
driving line
15 Reasons Why The Toyota 2JZ-GTE Rules (Still)
Wikiversity
2JZ engine
Wikipedia
toyota supra
subaru capitol
5 Signs Your Head Gasket Is Burnt – Capitol Subaru Auto Care Articles
