2gr-fks failures - people can’t understand statistics

Can’t be high rpms. I bought my 22 new this last December. I’m at 47236 miles. I just spent 3 months in Canada and Alaska running almost non stop over 2500 rpms with an auto trans and have never gotten as good of gas mileage nor as smooth of a running engine. This includes a metric shit ton of 12 to 16 percent downgrades with lots of extra weight in S2 or S3 with rpms well over 4k on descents and S3 on ascents into the mid 4K rpms with a load.

My 2018 Lexus es350 has the identical motor with the exception of tuning ,gearing, and transmission (fwd/rwd as well). That has 218k miles on it. It lives it’s life from 2k rpms to 3300. Not a peep nor a falter…ever.

I also noticed over the last 4 months with 5 oil changes in 38k miles on the Tacoma that the oil appears to be a bit clearer when I changed it compared to before I started driving in s mode and keeping the rpms up. I think the gearing is too high in our trucks and the low rpms for mpg is actually inherently bad for the engine. Our engine was designed to rev but put in an application where it can’t for the most part. Just my 2 pesos.

 

Agreed, definitely not rpm related. The only issue with this motor that could be related to rpm anyways would be the valve issue, but that isn’t the cause, because none of those live high rpm lives based on the posters. If anything, it’s the lugging that causes the problems.

My truck is manual and I keep it at high rpm almost constantly. I never shift below about 4-5K, I regularly push redline going onto the highway, and I cruise at like 3200 rpm (80 mph) from the regear. My oil comes out looking perfect. There is really no proof at all that low rpm does anything good, especially on this motor.

 

it’s not that we don’t understand statistics, it’s that we don’t even have enough information on this site to get a real answer, so it’s just people’s wild as guesses all day long.


Add in the absolute fact that it’s fun to watch people to get defensive just because they own one of those shitty engines and you get near limitless comedy.

 

I think the engine being in a truck makes it a shitty truck engine. Drive a lotus with this engine. A Lexus. Hell drive a Camry. You will not think it’s the same motor.

In a truck, specifically after 9 months of ownership and over 45k miles in a Tacoma, not the best truck engine. Believe it or not I actually wish I would have gotten the 4 banger with a manual again.

 

Statistics are extremely flawed and often miss calculated bullshit

 

Might it just be the huge volume of Tacoma sales?

 

I doubt it. There have been at least 30-40 Tacomas with the valve issues posted. There have been 0 of those issues that I’ve been able to find on any other 2GR-FKS or 2GR-FE equipped vehicles. Let’s say it was 30 Tacomas and not 40….for us to not have a single Lexus or other Toyota with the issue, that would mean all of those vehicles would have to add up to less than 1/30th total of the Tacomas sold. I know that isn’t the case. I have a feeling either the valve or head is manufactured differently, or it’s a difference in the factory tuning leading to burning out the valve. But no it’s not just the volume of Tacomas, because there aren’t that many more Tacomas than other vehicles with the same motor.

 

Ironically, my mechanic buddy has done multiple Camrys with the 2GR-FKS for burnt valves, specifically cylinder 3. But not one Tacoma lol

 

The tune isn't burning the valve. It burns from not seating.

 

We'll just ignore the headache that is broken timing chain guides on the 22RE.

 

You got a valid point here. So it might be manufacturing defect then.

 

Not a mechanic but could this be related to prolonged short tripping + lugging the engine?

 

Statistics don't lie, statisticians do.

 

That’s fine, but why do the Tacomas not seat but all the others do? I think they’re the same part, but maybe not.

I also don’t get why some of them take so long to fail. Some of the P11 codes come up at 30-40K, some of them at 80K or 150K, and some of them at like 250K. If it’s going to be a problem, I would think it would always fail earlier. Seems weird to make it to 250K and then fail.

 

I don’t know the answer to this. Just saying what causes a valve to burn. I think it’s a manufacturing defect but that’s just an opinion.

 

niOce

 

Look at the parts list for the head. There is a valve seat for intake 11131 and exhaust 11135.
the issue could be related to a dropped seat, which have been seen on other toyota engines.

 

there's a typo on the 2nd page.

 

Statistically, every engine will fail or wear out. If run long enough they will wear out or a part will outright fail. There is not one engine made that will not fail or wear out. So what if a few 2GR-FKS engines have failed. It's bound to happen. It could be worse. Hyundai engines burn up. I am gonna go drive my truck like I stole it and be happy .

 

Yeah at the end of the day, all cars and trucks are shit