'92 Lexus E300

[jimoshel]

Anybody know if the 3.0 engine is 60* or 90*?

[yxmj]

looks like a V

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_ES

[FrankTheDog]

Looks like a 60 degree V6.

[Incommando]

Toyota quietly had a lot of problems with that engine both in the ES & Camry twins and the Taco/4runner. 

[jimoshel]

Boy is my face red. Faux Pas, Mia Culpa, whatever. I was offered a wrecked Lexus for free, just get it out of the guys yard. Don't know why but I was thinking Lexus=Chevy. Just found out it's Toyota. Had visions of a new engine in a '86XJ I got.

Moderators.Don. Could you please delete this post and save my spotless reputation from any more embarrassing ridicule? :fs1:

[Incommando]

You certainly have a reputation but I have never heard of it referred to as spotless.... :rotfl2:

[jimoshel]

Not going there

[HOrnbrod]

Did you go look at it Jim? I read the Lexus ES models from that era had the Aisin A340 auto trannys with a deeper oil pan than the Jeep AW4, and that it's a bolt-on for the XJ/MJ. Only problem might be that the dip stick might not come up on the right side of the engine as the AW4 does. Never could find that part out.

[jimoshel]

Already decided I'm going to go get it. Just because it's free. We'll see.

[johnj92131]

Did you go look at it Jim? I read the Lexus ES models from that era had the Aisin A340 auto trannys with a deeper oil pan than the Jeep AW4, and that it's a bolt-on for the XJ/MJ. Only problem might be that the dip stick might not come up on the right side of the engine as the AW4 does. Never could find that part out.

The Luxus E300 was an upgraded Toyota Camry.  As such it is/was front wheel drive with the V6 engine sitting transverse, not inline.  The engine and transmission are dead reliable.  My Dad purchased an 89 V6 Camry with the 2.5 liter version of this engine.  My son still drives the car.  No problems in 150K miles. The AW4 is the rear wheel version of the Toyota A340 transmission.  Toyota trucks used the rearwheel drive version of the A340 for many, many years.

[Incommando]

 

Did you go look at it Jim? I read the Lexus ES models from that era had the Aisin A340 auto trannys with a deeper oil pan than the Jeep AW4, and that it's a bolt-on for the XJ/MJ. Only problem might be that the dip stick might not come up on the right side of the engine as the AW4 does. Never could find that part out.

The Luxus E300 was an upgraded Toyota Camry.  As such it is/was front wheel drive with the V6 engine sitting transverse, not inline.  The engine and transmission are dead reliable.  My Dad purchased an 89 V6 Camry with the 2.5 liter version of this engine.  My son still drives the car.  No problems in 150K miles. The AW4 is the rear wheel version of the Toyota A340 transmission.  Toyota trucks used the rearwheel drive version of the A340 for many, many years.

The 3.0 had numerous head gasket and even oiling issues. If you complained enough they quietly took care of the blow-ups and head gasket failures up to 100K or would extend your warranty. Much like the engine leaks/fires in the god-awful Previa and the short engine life of the 1.8L turbo Celica GT-s for a few years Toyota was masterful at spending ad money to quell negative press. Note your dad did not have a the 3.0. While the 2.5 & 3.0 ( some 3.0's were SOHC, others DOHC, for example. Toyota still considers them the same engine family despite such major differences) are similar they are not identical. Many problems often show up when you increase the bore without other upgrades. No one in my family buys Jap but my mother-in-law's 3.0 2000 Camry blew up due to an internal leak at just under 100K. She had it maintained at the dealership and had never missed a service requirement or deadline and they covered the blow-up with a small deductible.

[johnj92131]

Think the 3.0 also had a taller deck height than the 2.5

[airspeed]

I have a 99 ES300, that is the best car I have ever owned.  At 170k (other than wear items) the car has had (1) mechanical failure, starter motor.  The engine and drive train is flawless, smooth and quiet.  The quality of the paint, trim, fit and finish is much better than the standard Toyota.  I have owned 31 cars over the last 47 years and it holds the top spot!

[Incommando]

Think the 3.0 also had a taller deck height than the 2.5

Most of toyo's V6's for 20 years were considered the same family but they do have some pretty significant differences. SOHC vs. DOHC for example.

 

I have a 99 ES300, that is the best car I have ever owned.  At 170k (other than wear items) the car has had (1) mechanical failure, starter motor.  The engine and drive train is flawless, smooth and quiet.  The quality of the paint, trim, fit and finish is much better than the standard Toyota.  I have owned 31 cars over the last 47 years and it holds the top spot!

My dad put over 200,000 on an '87 B250 that he bought new with nothing but normal wear repairs. I put 230,000 on a '93 D350 the same way.  The guy who was best man at my wedding bought an '89 C2500 new. His nephew still drives it with 350,000 on it. My MJ has 235,000 and from the history I can piece together has had nothing but normal wear items replaced. What makes a car great to some but not others is very subjective.  I can point out that even the best reviews of the Camry/ES twins often talk about them being boring on several levels. In 2004 I took "hot laps" on a race track for a  Car & Driver magazine comparo involving a M-B E320, BMW 535, Cadillac STS, and an ES330 and,as was the consensus of the 6 people on hand, found the ES to be outclassed and lame at anything other than basic transportation speeds. (For the record the voting finish was 535, STS, E320, & ES330.)  I stopped counting at 65 cars owned ( only 13 of which were bought new, though) and I would not own a Camry whether it was the dressed up ES version that (from what I read) comes off of the exact same assembly line as a Camry or not. I guess that is why they make different cars.