The 4.0-liter V6 Toyota 1GR-FE engine has been produced in factories in Japan and the USA since 2002 and is installed in many pickups and SUVs, but is best known for the Land Cruiser Prado. There are two generations of this power unit: with VVT-i and Dual VVT-i type phase regulators.
In 2002, a new 4.0-liter unit debuted on the Land Cruiser Prado 120 SUV. By design, this is a classic V6 engine for its time with a 60° camber angle. It has distributed fuel injection, an aluminum block with an open cooling jacket and cast-iron sleeves, aluminum DOHC cylinder heads without hydraulic lifters, a timing chain drive. The first generation of this motor was equipped with VVTi phase shifters only on the intake shafts.
In 2009, the second generation of the unit debuted on the Land Cruiser Prado 150 SUV, the main difference of which was the presence of VVTi phase regulators already on all camshafts. Also, most modifications of the motor were equipped with hydraulic valve clearance compensators.
The engine was installed on:
- Toyota 4Runner 4 (N210) in 2002 – 2009; 4Runner 5 (N280) since 2009;
- Toyota FJ Cruiser 1 (XJ10) since 2006;
- Toyota Fortuner 1 (AN50) in 2004 – 2015; Fortuner 2 (AN160) since 2015;
- Toyota Hilux 7 (AN10) in 2004 – 2015; Hilux 8 (AN120) since 2015;
- Toyota Land Cruiser 70 (J70) since 2009; Land Cruiser 200 (J200) in 2007 – 2021; Land Cruiser 300 (J300) since 2021;
- Toyota LC Prado 120 (J120) in 2002 – 2009; LC Prado 150 (J150) since 2009;
- Toyota Tacoma 2 (N220) in 2004 – 2015;
- Toyota Tundra 1 (XK30) in 2005 – 2006; Tundra 2 (XK50) in 2006 – 2021.
Specifications
| Production years | since 2002 |
| Displacement, cc | 3956 |
| Fuel system | distributed injection |
| Power output, hp | 230 – 250 (single VVT-i) 250 – 285 (Dual VVT-i) |
| Torque output, Nm | 365 – 380 (single VVT-i) 365 – 390 (Dual VVT-i) |
| Cylinder block | aluminum V6 |
| Block head | aluminum 24v |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 94 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 95 |
| Compression ratio | 10.0 (single VVT-i) 10.4 (Dual VVT-i) |
| Timing drive | chain |
| Phase regulator | VVT-i on intake shafts Dual VVT-i |
| Turbocharging | no |
| Recommended engine oil | 5W-20, 5W-30 |
| Engine oil capacity, liter | 5.3 (single VVT-i) 6.3 (Dual VVT-i) |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Euro standards | EURO 3/4 (single VVT-i) EURO 5 (Dual VVT-i) |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2007) — city — highway — combined |
16.7 9.8 12.4 |
| Engine lifespan, km | ~500 000 |
| Weight, kg | 166 |
Disadvantages of the 1GR-FE engine
- This is a reliable unit without any weaknesses in the design and the most common reason for contacting the service station is a breakdown of the cylinder head gasket after a severe overheating of the engine. On the second generation of engines, the intake system was redesigned and this problem disappeared.
- Quite often, owners are faced with a crackling of the phase regulators when starting the car, but many drive like this, despite the fact that the clutch is broken and the unit is unstable. The phase regulators are equipped with filter grids and their cleaning increases the service life of the couplings.
- The main cause of floating idle and unstable engine operation is contamination of the throttle assembly, injectors and sometimes the fuel filter in the tank. And on the second generation, the soured secondary air supply valve is the culprit.
- Weaknesses also include a not very effective crankcase ventilation system, short-lived coils, a pump, and lambda probes that are sensitive to the quality of gasoline. Do not forget to adjust the valves, many versions of the motor do not have hydraulic lifters.
