How much can the 5VZ-FE handle?

Hey guys!

So I have a 98’ taco PreRunner with the 5VZ-FE. And I’ve always been curious and never have been able to find an answer for this.

how much can it handle before things go boom. Right now I’m sitting with 189k miles and it still runs like I bought it yesterday fresh off the lot. But I wanna make some big upgrades soon once I get the money, so I wanna know how much the stock internals, drive shaft, diff etc. can handle before a rod goes into the atmosphere. From what I’ve read from all sorts on different people on the forums that it can actually handle quit a lot before things start to happen. I wanna make sure that’s true before my crankshaft slams onto the ground cause then I won’t have the money to fix it.

Any info will help!.

 

Whatsup! Welcome to TW.

Check out this thread - https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1-ton-first-gen-tacoma.684321/

Some one-ton axle conversions that push along just fine. The engine can handle quite a lot if you're maintaining it, and an has been known to be a trooper through some grimey abuses. What exactly are you planning to do with your truck, in terms of big upgrades?

 

I can’t really decide just yet. But what I have been think off is either a TRD supercharger or a turbo. I wouldn’t go anything bigger then those two things. And thanks for the welcoming to TW!. Besides stuff under the hood I plan on getting a 3-6 inch lift with 33’s or just keep it the height it is right now and run 33’s.

 

There's tons of great info about supercharger builds; yes you can go wrong and blow an engine. So just read up before attempting to do it yourself. The tires and lift will be NO problem, IMO. I watch people (friends lol) push 35's with their 2rz and 22r engines.

 

Yeah I have been leaning toward the supercharger side but like you said imma keep reading stuff before I break something. Another question is how likely will it be to blow if I don’t have that stuff. Cause right now all I have done under the hood is a air intake and chip. And I send it into 3,000-5,000 rpm a little bit. I do maintain it very well though. Oil, spark plugs, belts, other fluid are changed regularly. So I just wanna know how likely it would be that it would blow without anything and just bone stock

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...hanol-injection-reg-cab-650-000-build.478395/

 

Everyone's situation is different. If you're not the original owner then you can never really know what's going on inside. However, I think you'd get some big warning signs before you blow your engine. I think the most reasonable fear would be a cracked head because there was damage, for example the P.O let it overheat and it got hairline fractures in the head. Now you own it and those cracks are just growing bigger over time. You'd perhaps notice it because you're getting oil in in your coolant, or blowing tons of white smoke out the rear. That's just one example of things to look out for. You're much more likely to continue enjoying your truck for 100's of thousands more miles to come if you take care of it as you have been. A little suspension and wheel upgrade won't send you down any terrible paths

 

Maybe you want to start with a Fresh Rebuild all new bottom end.

You have close to 200,000 miles with no real history .

Timing Belt Ever changed ?? Was the oil Ever changed ?? How sure can you be.

I have seen just a change in driving style cause things to go boom

You don`t have the money to fix it then don`t play the game.

 

Compression test - if you're getting oil in your coolant boosting won't matter, something's toasted beyond repair (unless you're lucky and only the hg is bad)

 

This - you could blow a brand new rebuild that just had a mistake or a low miles engine that just didn't make the miles several thousand others did - you'll never know.

 

Yeah from everything I know about the engine right now is nothing is cracked or broken as far as I’m concerned. No signs have shown yet but I don’t wanna jinx that. Cause I do send it a lot in this thing but still maintain it pretty well and baby it at the end of the day. Like I said the internals rn are bone stock and just wanted to know how much it could handle me sending it but still maintain it good. Thank you for all the answers guys I appreciate it

 

Mechanical things break most often at the worst time

Talk to the people running 12 to 14 second cars about things exploding .

You can build a bullet proof engine then you work at destroying the drive train something is always going to be the next weak link it just never ends if your lucky you get off the merry go round.

 

You can get 500k plus without any issues,

Your biggest problem is the head gaskets, cast iron block aluminum heads.
Heads don’t like heat.

If you over heat your engine even once it might come back and get you.

I got 490,000 on my 1st motor ( head gasket started to leak) supercharger it’s whole life
with some mods as a daily driver.

My engine did over heat badly from a hose under the throttle body that broke when I was pulling my enclosed trailer.
The supercharger is plug and plug and the drive train will handle the power 300 rear with no problems.

Turbo u get more power but after 350 at the wheel the drive line will be at its limits to start having issues once miles are racked up.

Supercharger uses 65 hp to run, turbo uses zero so turbo is 65 hp ahead out of the gate,
But a ton of work to make it fit and tune etc.

Supercharger is super reliable,

My trucks at 656,000 miles ALL Supercharged with max 13 pounds of boost 300 hp rear wheel and runs circles around the new Tacoma and 4 runner.

I got a custom aluminum radiator made that keeps my temperature at 170-190 max regardless of outside temperatures now