There was a thread where someone was talking about the engnie having a different degree as to how the camshafts were placed...becahse it was a "f" motor instead of a "G".

Well this could be the only thing holding me back from getting the car.

Im trying to read up on the engine. It sounds like they got rid of all the engnies and this is their new "technology"

Toyota is accelerating hard on its "core" engine update. Significantly, these engines share the second character "Z," beginning with the type-ZZ that was first adopted in the U.S. Corolla and more recently in the revived mid-engine sports car MR-S. It was followed by the NZ-family propelling various small vehicles, including the Echo sedan.

The Z-gen engine for Toyota's mid-size cars and vehicles is the all-new type-2AZ-FE, making its first appearance in the second-generation Estima minivan (the first-generation Estima was the Previa). The 2.4-L 2AZ will power the next-generation Camry replacement as the base engine and other future mid-size vehicles. The 2AZ-FE incorporates many features of Toyota's dual-overhead-camshaft, four-valves-per-cylinder engines, including the slant-squish combustion chamber, offset cylinder and crank centers, and the VVT-i continuously variable intake valve timing system. The aluminum engine measures 626-mm (25-in) long, 608-mm (24-in) wide, and 681-mm (27-in) tall.

The 2AZ-FE obtains a total displacement of 2362 cm3 with 88.5-mm (3.5-in) bore and 96.0-mm (3.8-in) stroke. The cylinder block is now an open-deck, midi-skirt die-cast aluminum type with cast-in iron liners and a die-cast aluminum lower crankcase and a stamped oil pan. The forged steel crankshaft is fully balanced with eight counterweights and supported by five main bearings. A helical gear pressed in No. 3 counterweight drives twin contra-rotating balance shafts in the shaft housing within the lower crankcase. The balance shaft geartrain includes plastic Nos. 1 and 3 drive gears, meshing with steel gears.

The dual overhead camshafts are driven by a single-stage roller chain of 8.0-mm (0.3-in) pitch, enabling a narrow included valve angle of 27.5°. The camshafts act on four valves per cylinder via bucket tappets. As in the recent Toyota engine practice, no clearance adjusting shim is employed. Valve diameters are 34.0 mm (1.3 in) for intake and 29.5 mm (1.2 in) for exhaust, with 8.0-mm (0.3-in) lift for both intake and exhaust. The four-vane VVT-i device is fitted on the intake camshaft, altering timing by 50°. Fuel is injected sequentially via an ultra-fine-atomization injector with twelve small injection holes, each 0.18 mm (0.01 in) in diameter. As in the smaller NZ engine, the new AZ adopts a plastic, built-up, and vibration-welded intake manifold integrating a large volume plenum chamber (3.5-L (214 in3) volume including a 1.3-L (79 in3) resonator). Twin three-way catalytic converters, each with a 0.84-L (51 in3) volume, are mounted immediately downstream of the stainless tubular exhaust manifold. The front exhaust pipe, collecting from the catalysts, has a separator in the pipe that reduces exhaust gas interference and improves low- and mid-speed torque.

The type 2AZ-FE engine that powers the Estima minivan is rated at 118 kW (160 hp) at 5600 rpm and 221 N•m (163 lb•ft) at 4000 rpm on a 9.6:1 compression ratio, requiring regular-grade, unleaded gasoline. A smaller version of this engine, the type-1AZ 2.0-L unit, powers the recently updated RAV4 light SUV. The Japanese version of this engine, designated 1AZ-FSE, features the fuel-efficient "D4" direct-injection head.
The 2AZ-FE incorporates Toyota's latest engine technology, including dual overhead camshafts that are driven by a single stage roller chain of 8.0-mm (0.3-in) pitch, enabling a narrow included valve angle and compact combustion chamber shape.
Jack Yamaguchi

AEI July 2000
^taken from SAE.org

Woohoo a minivan engine

The power of plastics :D

"As in the smaller NZ engine, the new AZ adopts a plastic, built-up, and vibration-welded intake manifold integrating a large volume plenum chamber (3.5-L (214 in3) volume including a 1.3-L (79 in3) resonator). "

The power of plastics :D

"As in the smaller NZ engine, the new AZ adopts a plastic, built-up, and vibration-welded intake manifold integrating a large volume plenum chamber (3.5-L (214 in3) volume including a 1.3-L (79 in3) resonator). "

plastic manifold=easy porting...grab the dremel, now to find a aftermarket throttle body

so wait.. plastic is bad because why??

let's see.. it is cheaper... it is lighter...

you'd rather pay more for more useless weight?? just cause your dad had a hemi doesn't mean bigger is better...

why not complain about the lack of power seats or leather...??

you see my point.....

Look at it this way, the "f" Series motors are actually quite better for a daily driver, commuter, and almost all situations. Its very responsive when the gas pedal is pressed which makes it an easy drive. Yes the HP is not there, but the low end speed is. Take a look at the Celica. Now, there is a little difference in the two motors that Toyota decided to use. The GT uses a 1.8 liter "f" series engine. It is stroked out more with a little less bore, but because of the responsiveness and low speed torque, it becomes a zippy little car. Most people, even with the extra money to afford the gt-s, preffer the GT, just because of its characteristics. Granted, the GT-S motor is a lot faster, especially when lift in enabled and with the "G" series head, but when getting off the line, using normal driving techniques, the GT-S is very slow, driver feedback is very sluggish. And when shifting, you end up revving it up to 5k RPMs. Now, for those who are seriously interested in racing and speed, the "G" series motor is fantastic, especially since once your off the line, you never want to drop out of the higher rpms, or lift in the vvtl-i model (Vtec, same thing pretty much) you are able to fly down the road. But getting there the "f" series head with get you off the line. And also, the TC is actually a fairly heavy vehicle, a "G" series head would only accentuate it until the higher rpms. So, in a sense, Toyota made a good decision with a motor that will make the car zippy, especially around town seeing as this car was not made as a true "sports car". But it's all to your taste, the high revving motors are sooooOOOO much fun sometimes, but when all you need to do is to get from point A to point B, the torquier motor is much nicer. My .2.

man there's inflation for you... I gave my 2 cents... you gave two dimes...

great info though...

bmukai, that was very informative. thanks.

Yea man thanks for that info!

And about the plastic manifold, I have on of those in my civic! idont see whats so great about it...other than it being more heat resistant...and yea weight savings

I wonder if vortech will have a charge coooler for the TC's supercharger!

That thing will add like 40whp

nicely put, bmukai. tanx man.

Holy thread revival Batman