Engine Toyota 3S-GTE

The Toyota 3S-GTE 2.0-liter turbo engine was assembled at a factory in Japan from 1986 to 2007 and was installed in sports modifications of such well-known models as the Celica and Caldina.

In 1986, a turbo engine based on the 3S-GE debuted on the 4th generation of the Celica model. It was quite an interesting unit, where the classic 4-cylinder in-line cast-iron block was combined with a 16-valve aluminum cylinder head, developed by Yamaha engineers. The timing drive was carried out by a belt, which, in addition to two camshafts, had to rotate both the water pump and the oil pump. There are no hydraulic lifters here and the valves need to be adjusted.

In total, 5 generations of such an engine are distinguished, and the last two are almost the same:

  1. The 1st generation of the motor was installed only on the Celica ST165 model from 1986 to 1989. It used a CT26 turbine in a single housing and an intake manifold with a T-VIS system. With pistons for a compression ratio of 8.5, this power unit developed 185 – 190 hp and 250 – 260 Nm.
  2. The 2nd generation was installed on the Celica ST185 from 1989 to 1993 and the MR2 SW20 from 1990 to 1995. Here the CT26 turbine was used in a double case, the intake with the T-VIS system was also preserved. The compression ratio was raised to 8.8, the power ranged from 200 to 235 hp and from 270 to 305 Nm.
  3. The 3rd generation of the engine was installed on the Celica ST205 and MR2 SW20 models from 1994 to 1999. The motor got rid of the T-VIS system, received a CT20b turbine, and the MAP sensor replaced the flow meter. The compression ratio was again reduced to 8.5, the power of the power unit increased to 245 hp and 305 Nm.
  4. The 4th generation of this motor was installed on the Caldina GT-T in the back of the ST215 from 1997 to 2001. There is already a new CT15B turbine, cast along with the exhaust, and a modern ignition system. The compression ratio increased to 9.0, and the power of the power unit increased to 260 hp and 325 Nm.
  5. The 5th generation was installed only on the Caldina GT-Four in the back of the ST246 from 2002 to 2007. This version did not differ much from the previous one, it is often called four and a half. There are other nozzles, ignition coils, intake manifold, smaller intercooler. The compression ratio and, accordingly, the engine power have not changed, amounting to 260 hp and 325 Nm.

The S family includes engines: 4S‑Fi, 4S‑FE, 3S‑FC, 3S‑FE, 3S‑FSE, 3S‑GE, 3S‑GTE, 5S‑FE.

The engine was installed on:

  • Toyota Caldina 2 (T210) in 1997 – 2001; Caldina 3 (T240) in 2002 – 2007;
  • Toyota Celica 4 (T160) in 1986 – 1989; Celica 5 (T180) in 1989 – 1993; Celica 6 (T200) in 1993 – 1999;
  • Toyota MR2 2 (W20) in 1990 – 1999.

Specifications

Production years 1986-2007
Displacement, cc 1998
Fuel system injector
Power output, hp 185 – 235 (T-VIS ver. / 1st, 2nd gen.)
245 – 260 (3rd, 4th, 5th gen.)
Torque output, Nm 250 – 305 (T-VIS ver. / 1st, 2nd gen.)
300 – 325 (3rd, 4th, 5th gen.)
Cylinder block cast iron R4
Block head aluminum 16v
Cylinder bore, mm 86
Piston stroke, mm 86
Compression ratio 8.5 – 8.8 (T-VIS ver. / 1st, 2nd gen.)
8.5 – 9.0 (3rd, 4th, 5th gen.)
Hydraulic lifters no
Timing drive belt
Recommended engine oil 5W-30, 5W-40
Engine oil capacity, liter 3.9
4.2
Fuel type petrol
Euro standards EURO 2 (T-VIS ver. / 1st, 2nd gen.)
EURO 3 (3rd, 4th, 5th gen.)
Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Toyota Caldina GT-T 2000)
— city
— highway
— combined
12.9
8.2
9.6
Engine lifespan, km ~300 000
Weight, kg 180

Disadvantages of the 3S-GTE engine

  • As any turbo engine, this one is demanding on the quality of the oil and the frequency of its replacement, otherwise the resource of a completely reliable turbine can be reduced to 30-50 thousand kilometers.
  • At high mileage, oil consumption up to a liter per 1000 km is very common. The fault is always the wear of the valve stem seals or the occurrence of piston rings.
  • In addition to two camshafts, the timing belt has to turn the pump and the oil pump, so the risk of breaking it is quite high. It’s good that the valves usually do not bend.
  • Minor breakdowns: oil often creeps out from under the valve cover, engine speed floats due to throttle or EGR contamination, engine mounts wear out quickly, ignition system components often fail and various sensors fail. There are no hydraulic lifters and the valves need to be adjusted every 100,000 km.

1 thought on “Engine Toyota 3S-GTE”

  1. Josphat Irungu Gathiari

    Very good information. I am now enlightened.
    My question is: Which inline 4 Toyota engines can be fitted in Nissan elgrand 1st generation?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top