KevinM

iTrader: (2)

I searched and couldn't come up with anything so I'm hoping you guys can help me out a little.

I looked at a 2000 RX300 today with 168k. Owner didn't use synthetic and probably didn't change oil often enough. Anyway: sludge = lost a rod. Otherwise, as expected, it's a pretty solid vehicle. 2nd owner car purchased lease return at dealer with 38k in 2003.

It's at the repair shop and when I looked at it the mechanic (older gentleman) was convinced the 3.0 in the fwd and awd were different. Basically he was positive the 1mzfe only came in the fwd and it was a different motor in the awd which is more $$.

I hadn't heard of that nor can I find anything related to a different motor.

Basically, am I safe picking it up and finding a 1M-zfe out of anything for it? Or do I need to source a awd motor? (his point was the motor was different for the tranny/transfer case.

Thanks guys!

code58

I wish I could be of more help Kevin, but I'm almost positive my DIL's RX ('99, early '98 build with AWD) has the 1MZFE engine. I have worked on it several times and I believe the mechanic may be mistaken about that. The AWD and the FWD MAY use a different engine (different in some small ways) but you also might consider looking into a Highlander and also a RAV4 which both used the 3.0 engine and had AWD. Not sure if there were more that Toyota used those units on but at least that would expand what you have to chose from. That precise info is sometimes hard to get with absolute accuracy but I'm sure there are those that WORK on them that would know.

Sorry about that- I thought because the RAV4 AWD trans is supposed to fit the Rx, that they used the 3.0 also. I see that is not true. Possibly only the Highlander uses the same engine and trans. Several cars and trucks made by Toyota use the 3.0 engine, but I don't think the FWD ONLY Camry, Avalon, ES 300, etc. engine will fit the AWD RX application.

bob2200

I think there was a posting on this forum in the past year describing where somebody put a Highlander engine into an RX300. Some of the mounting points were different, as I recall, and he had to fabricate some adapters.

thomas1

The only difference is probably the motor mount positions...My neighbor has a highlander and discovered this the hard way...Some of the blocks are not drilled for the mounts in the same locations...Be very careful. THe engine itself is the same. We ended up rebuilding his after we sent back the long block that was shipped to him...

code58

But Thomas, wasn't that a NON Highlander 3.0 1MZFE? I thought that the Highlander was the same as the RX as long as you used AWD=AWD or FWD=FWD.

thomas1

Not sure. The Highlander motor mounts are different than my RX....

KevinM

iTrader: (2)

Thanks guys. I spoke with the guys at Nix99 here in Seattle (used Toyota and Lexus parts) and they confirmed that there was a difference in the 1m that comes in the AWD Rx and the rest of the vehicles.

This is some very important info since it makes a pretty big difference in replacement engine prices.

Kevin

code58

Now we know. Thanks for that info, and thank you Thomas for your input also. The more informed all of us are the better off for all of us.