2.7 vs 3.5 Reliablity wise?

Yeah! That's it, now someone say the 2.7 sucks balls so we can get a real turd flinging contest going.

New twist - poll.

You suck.. no you suck more.

Same old, same old.

 

These questions have no answer until they have an answer, which won't be for for several years yet.

I would suggest the de-tune of the Lexus engine and lower stress of the V6 would equate to good reliability, but who knows? No one on this forum that's for certain.

The 3.5L displacement GR engine has been made in various builds for 13 years. I would assume they've got most of the bugs worked out. I've yet to read a single post from anyone stranded by their 3.5 Tacoma engine failing. Same can be said for the 2.7.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_GR_engine

 

I've got a 1st gen 4 banger at 220k miles. It runs the same as it ever has. Great. And I know a few handfuls of Tacoma owners back home, whose trucks are still on the road...not a 6 among them. As is the case here in the east...never met a 1st gen 6 cyl here, but have spoken with 2 1st gen 4 banger owners. Now that there are no more timing belts in these trucks, it would have been possible to see more longevity in a 6, if it weren't for the entire engine being dipped in dumb shit. HP Fuel pump, direct inject and self cleaning cycles...


As others have said, we would have to wait and see. I'm just going on current fuck ups. Typically, an entire first page of complaints against the 6. And then you have the threads where the lower trim 4 banger types are all very satisfied.

And best of all, going off history. How many people are still rocking those 3.4s vs. the 2.3/2.7? Looking back at the first gen to see what's still kicking is a good indicator.

 

Oh man, you're in deep now..

 

Looking across Toyota's entire fleet, there aren't any major engine issues. Maintain it well and it won't matter much.

Again, it's a Toyota. Reliability is expected and better than most other brands. Take care of it and buy what fits your needs and budget.

 

1 guy on here had his 2.7 fail pretty quickly, they swapped in a new long block if memory serves me.

 

Stun gun will have no part of that, sir.

 

The 2.7 L and 4.0 L are if nothing else proven engines with 20 and 10 years respectively "under their belts". The 3.5 L faux "Atkinson cycle" engine has no such track record¹. As I stated earlier in this thread, ask again in 10 years--we'll see.

I see the 3.5 L engine more as a temporary and not especially good corporate reaction to that the Tacoma's fuel economy, by virtue of it being a truck, is not a strong marketing point; and to make the Feds happy. Also the majority of Tacoma buyers don't really want a truck--or at least what "truck" means to me. They think spinning a truck engine up to 5k+ rpm is "sporty".

But real working truck engines are by definition relatively slow spinning things with usable low-end torque--the venerable 2.7 4-banger and the 4.0 V6 fit this definition much better than the buzzy little 3.5...

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¹ - Frankly I would be surprised to see it survive this current frenzied rush toward maximum "efficiency", and the Japanese fascination with 3.5 L engines--a country where the maximum speed limit is 100 kph, a whopping 62 mph. I would further speculate that the Tacoma as we know it (body on frame, front engine RWD) will be phased out over the next 5 to 7 years, in favour of a more "Ridgeline" type product for the masses.

 

A bunch of people were left stranded because of the CPS sensor in the 3.5. Is it an engine failure? Not so much. Does it inspire confidence in reliability? Not so much.

 

I disagree. Failure of a recalled sensor doesn't really seem like a long term reliability engine issue to me. However, I see your point.

 

There were a good bunch of those. And yes, a few were stranded. None of them were 2.7s if I recall, but it is possible for a 2.7 CPS to shit the bed. Not sure if its happened. So. I agree.

 

Had my 3.4 for 15 years and 170k... ZERO problems.

 

3.4 was a solid motor on a much smaller lighter truck. The 3.5L has a lot to prove.

 

Peak Torque was at least 1000 RPMs lower in the Rev Band too on the old 3.4.

 

Performed better for the application (as a truck)

 

You're talking performance now...
The 3.5 has as much torque at 1500 rpm as the 3.4 does at maximum (220lbft/298Nm).
2016 Tacoma Dyno Torque HP Crve
(Not that it's usable with the AT.)

...and I'm getting ~33% better MPG now.

 

However, an I4 engine has 5 crankshaft main bearings while a V6 only has 4. Inline engine blocks are much stronger internally than V blocks.

 

Both will probably last well over 200K if you do your part.... I really imagine that 300K is probable if you do your part and don't beat on it.

I've had a couple of old Chevrolets that had over 220K when I sold them. So what? Maybe the 4 banger types just have lowered expectations.

Seriously though, most engines will last quite awhile if you take care of them.

 

Which is more reliable? A teflon skillet or an iron skillet?

 

It does have a smog pump that will give out and cost $1000 to replace. But yeah, the core engine has fewer parts.