The 2.5-liter Toyota 1JZ-GTE turbo engine was produced at the Tahara Plant from 1990 to 2007 and was installed on popular rear-wheel drive models of the company, such as Supra, Crown, Mark 2. There are two generations of this engine: the first in 1990 and the second in 1996 with VVT-i system.
One of the most popular turbo engines of the Japanese concern Toyota debuted in 1990. By design, this is more than a classic inline-six with a cast-iron cylinder block and an aluminum 24-valve head without hydraulic lifters. The timing drive here was belt. This unit differed from the atmospheric counterpart by the presence of two CT12A turbines and an intercooler, and it was also initially equipped with a DIS-3 ignition system, and did not receive it after the upgrade. The power of such an engine with distributed fuel injection was 280 hp and 360 Nm.
The second generation of the 1JZ-GTE turbo engine appeared in 1996 and it had a lot of differences: a pair of CT12A turbines were replaced with one CT15B, a VVT-i phase regulator was installed on the intake shaft, and the compression ratio was raised from 8.5 to 9.0. The power remained the same, but the moment increased by 20 Nm.
The JZ family also includes engines: 1JZ‑GE, 1JZ‑GTE, 1JZ‑FSE, 2JZ‑GE, 2JZ‑GTE, 2JZ‑FSE.
The engine was installed on:
- Toyota Chaser 4 (X80) in 1990 – 1992; Chaser 5 (X90) in 1992 – 1996; Chaser 6 (X100) in 1996 – 2001;
- Toyota Cresta 3 (X80) in 1990 – 1992; Cresta 4 (X90) in 1992 – 1996;
- Toyota Crown 11 (S170) in 1999 – 2007;
- Toyota Mark II 6 (X80) in 1990 – 1992; Mark II 7 (X90) in 1992 – 1996; Mark II 8 (X100) in 1996 – 2000; Mark II 9 (X110) in 2000 – 2007;
- Toyota Mark II Blit 1 (X110) in 2002 – 2007;
- Toyota Soarer 3 (Z30) in 1991 – 2000;
- Toyota Supra 3 (A70) in 1990 – 1993;
- Toyota Verossa 1 (X110) in 2001 – 2004.
Specifications
| Production years | 1990-2007 |
| Displacement, cc | 2492 |
| Fuel system | injector |
| Power output, hp | 280 |
| Torque output, Nm | 360 (non VVT-i, 1990) 380 (VVT-i, 1996) |
| Cylinder block | cast iron R6 |
| Block head | aluminum 24v |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 86 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 71.5 |
| Compression ratio | 8.5 (non VVT-i, 1990) 9.0 (VVT-i, 1996) |
| Hydraulic lifters | no |
| Timing drive | belt |
| Phase regulator | no (1990) VVT-i (1996) |
| Turbocharging | yes |
| Recommended engine oil | 5W-30, 5W-40 |
| Engine oil capacity, liter | 5.1-5.6 |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Euro standards | EURO 2 (non VVT-i, 1990) EURO 3 (VVT-i, 1996) |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Toyota Mark II 2003) — city — highway — combined |
14.7 8.5 10.9 |
| Engine lifespan, km | ~500 000 |
| Weight, kg | 260 |
Disadvantages of the 1JZ-GTE engine
- Due to a design flaw, the sixth cylinder in the engine is not cooled enough, which forces the owner to modify the unit. Special kits are available.
- On some versions of this unit, there is a turbine with a ceramic impeller, which can fall apart at any run and ruin your engine with its debris.
- Here, all mounted units hang on one belt with one tensioner and it does not tolerate driving in a torn style, with acceleration and braking.
- The VVT-i phase regulator, which appeared in 1996, does not have a very long resource. Even before 100,000 km of run, it may leak or even crackle and require replacement.
- The weak points of this motor include an unreliable timing belt tensioner bracket, the absence of hydraulic lifters, as well as frequent leaks of the pump and camshaft oil seals.
