TuanNg

Hello all, I'm new here hope I'm not posting this in the wrong place. Just need some help, I have a 99 es300. Because I lost my job so I have to fix my valve cover myself. to make a long story short, after I put everything back I spray it down and somehow got water in my engine, the engine make noise now and it will stall when i drive it. My mechanic said I need a new engine. my research showed that from 99-2003 all have 1mz-fe VVTi engine, and 99-2002 have sludge problem. however the 03 model is not reported for sludge. In my situation I need this car to last me for awhile. Since 02-03 is the model change, yet they still have the 1mz-fe VVTi engine. Since I have to buy the engine, my question is if I buy the 03 engine to avoid the sludge issue, will I be able to put it in my car, will it fit or I will have fitment issue because of model difference? It seem that 03-06 Camry V6, 00-04 Avalon, 99-04 RX also use the 1mz-fe VVTi engine. I can't afford another car, I can't afford to buy the wrong engine because shipment and return cost is an arm and a leg. this is not my option but it have to be. Your help is greatly appreciated. Sorry all for the long post everyone.

msekanha

The 4es is equipped with drive-by-wire technology and the 3es is not. Not sure if they would be interchangable or not.

mdbrown

Physically the engine will probably fit, having to install the matching wiring loom and ECM probably isn't worth it.

hypervish

Don't worry about the sludge. It's not very common, and the engines that did have sludge have already been replaced by Toyota with the extended 8 year warranty.

I suppose you are getting the engine from the junkyard. In which case pull the valve cover before you buy it. Most junkyards will let you do it, some may make you pay a bit. But, it's worth it!

TuanNg

I don't know much about car so I didn't even think about that, I just thought same engine same plugs. when I seal the rear valve cover there were lots of wires, scary to think of it. I only venture into fixing it cause I was out of a job, and $$ issue. That help a lot, thanks msekanha and mdbrown.

Thanks for your advice hypervish, sorry for being a big noob but base on what msekanha and mdbrown said, I can only buy 99 engine or can I buy newer model engine up to 2001 since they all same model years (3rd gen)? Newer model tend to have less mile, almost the same price.

I have thought of variety of possibility, even buy rebuilt head for $350 each on ebay. but I'm not sure if the piston is the only problem from what I was told, so that's why I opt. to buy. And no I neither have the knowledge the know how or the tool to pull an engine. And if they pull it already, I wouldn't know how to test it. i would just have to buy one have my mechanic put it in, that's why all the question. hopefully I can get this out of the way, get a job and pay for it.

Your advice is really really really appreciated!