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Toyota V8 Engines are Showing a New Problem

Here is why this mechanic says that you really do not want to bring back the V8 engine in Toyota trucks due to a new problem that is trending in this particular Toyota engine series.
Avoid Toyota Trucks with This Engine Series

Just two years ago, we learned how Toyota truck owners were bemoaning what they considered to be a big mistake by Toyota―putting V6 engines into the Tundra when customers really prefer a V8 for its performance.

The fear was that in order for Toyota to compensate for its lackluster V6 power, it was putting in not just one, but two turbochargers. While the move was promised to deliver more fuel efficiency to the Tundra, Toyota fans were concerned that the turbochargers would result in lower reliability with additional (and expensive) repairs and shorten the life of the engine.

"Bring back the V8" was their collective wish.

As it turns out, that wish might be one better off unfulfilled.

A New Problem in Toyota's V8 Engines from Yesterday

According to a recent Car Care Nut YouTube channel episode, if Toyota were to bring back the V8 engine, he hopes it will be the UZ Series engine and not the UR Series. He says this because he is seeing a disturbing trend in Toyota trucks with the UR Series engines―the engines are suffering from a lack of coolant service or extended coolant service, which is causing head gasket failures.

As an example of the problem he is observing with the UR Series V8, the host of the channel displays a 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser in his garage with less than 200,000 miles on it that has already broken down.

Follow along with the host and discover:

  • A little history about valve-dropping problems during the early years of the UR.
  • Easy to identify indicators of coolant leaks within the engine.
  • What a blown head gasket looks like.
  • The good and bad of metal head gaskets and where they tend to fail.
  • Why you should never take a Toyota with head gasket problems to a small garage without your model's experience and expertise.
  • Why changing your engine coolant during the recommended 100,000 miles is a mistake.
  • How Toyota 2GR engines have a similar problem.
  • Why even a small coolant leak can result in a ruined engine with just a two-thousandths (0.0020) of an inch warp
  • Why machining a warped surface or using a thicker head gasket is not always the answer to a slightly warped block fix.
  • Why typical engine solutions for the problem are not practical and should be avoided despite another mechanic telling you they can fix it.

If you do not have time to watch the entire video, a summary of the most important points is provided immediately below the video for your convenience. However, watching the entire video is highly recommended as it provides very useful blown-cylinder head information you can use.

Toyota V8 New Problem Trend is Starting To Worry Me! Here's How to Prevent It.

 

Important Points Video Summary

The cause of blown head gasket in the UR Series Toyota engine (among some other Toyota engines as well) is due to the metal head gasket used and the fact that coolant will turn acidic over time. The coolant eats away at the spots on the gasket with the least material between the cylinders resulting in an eventual coolant leak in one or more cylinders.

The solution: It all comes down to meticulous maintenance. You have to watch for the signs of a coolant leak very closely with this engine so that a repair can be done before the engine block or cylinder heads develop warpage from overheating. Changing your coolant more often can help. Having your head gasket replaced before a problem can result is an option―but an expensive one and might not be worth the vehicle depending on its overall condition.

If you are considering buying a used Toyota truck, it pays to find out exactly what series of engine it has and do your research about any reports of trouble with the particular engine.

For additional articles related to Toyota engine troubles, here are a few useful ones for your consideration:

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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Image source: Deposit Photos

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Comments

Stazz man (not verified)    September 11, 2024 - 2:08PM

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I rarely ever leave a comment but goodness sake is this article complete and total click bait. The new tt v6 is doing exactly what Tundra owners said it was going to do become unreliable. Toyota announced they are replacing 100k + ttv6 Tundra engines due to improper cleaning of the block before assembly and metal particles are causing the ttv6 to blow up. This article tries to say that a bad head gasket in a 5.7 V8 after 200k miles of improper or lack of maintenance is comparable or worse than a complete failure of ttV6 ie spun main bearing and broken crankshaft. Do your homework, don't write ridiculous articles. Toyota please bring back the 5.7 V8 I will happily take that and the cam tower leak over the ttV6.

Brian (not verified)    September 12, 2024 - 9:11PM

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I just learned from our parts dept that they will be receiving shirt blocks from toyota for the 6 cylinder motors being replaced we the techs are all wondering, how the hell is toyota going to warranty a rebuilt engine, God forbid there's a piece of metal somewhere that wasn't caught...

Cuda (not verified)    September 13, 2024 - 12:23AM

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My thoughts exactly Stazz man! The carcarenut hyped up the new Tundra and purchased one himself just before the engine failures started being reported. He purchased himself a lemon and royally ate his own words. Now what does he choose to do? He starts pointing out a phantom problem with the old V8's in order to justify his own idiotic mistake! When you look at the big picture, who could take him seriously after he made himself look like a fool. Rather than own up to his major oversight, he chooses to rag on the old Tundra in order to save his number of subscribers. My guess is that like other YouTube channels, Toyota is now endorsing him to not say anything negative about the 3rd gen. In order to reverse the stagnant sales in NA, get him to post made up crap about the tried and true V8. That way people will start to accept the overpriced piece of plastic being the 3rd gen and let the "bring back the V8" notion go once and forever. Manufacturers don't want anything lasting anymore as they want continuous revenue in parts/labor. The main reason they added turbos that eventually fail.

Andrew (not verified)    September 13, 2024 - 12:40AM

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Too be fair the engines blowing up due too the metal debris is not really a sign of unreliability, it's because someone didn't do their job properly. These engines haven't been out long enough to determine if they are shit engines or not yet, wait a few more years until these trucks really get some miles on them. Besides, Toyota is replacing the affected engines whether they blow up or not. We've yet to see one blow up at the dealership I'm a tech at so far. And yes this is definitely another BS click bait article like 99.9% of them are.

Nick pidoulas (not verified)    September 11, 2024 - 4:36PM

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Alot of people want v8 land cruisers, a friend of mine still has a 100 series with the lexus v8, he loves it. We recently did the heads on it, it had 390000 trouble free miles before the heads needed to be done. Not everyone caresabout fuel economy, especially when buying these big bohemeths to get around in. I myself wont buy a new car because of all the draconian bullshit controls built in that i am stuck with. If manufacturers built anew 4wd with minimal electronic features it would be well receivedm when you say v8, i referr to gasoline v8, not the nightmare 4.56 turbo diesel, they are a custer f of expensive repairs and too unreliable. Bring back the port injected lexis v8. That was a good engine.