Toyota's 2JZ engine is an incredible feat of engineering. Sold in a slew of vehicles in the Nineties and Aughts—including the legendary Mk. 4 Supra—it's gained a reputation of being the most robust internal combustion engine ever built. The venerable straight-six is capable of holding huge power numbers with the right mods, and, as this teardown video shows, can go for hundreds of thousands of worry-free miles with just basic maintenance.
The I Do Cars YouTube channel got its hands on a running 2JZ engine out of a Lexus GS300 with an incredible 415,000 miles on the odometer. Curious to see what this engine might look like after so many miles, the channel's host, Eric, decided to take it apart.
Surprising no one, the inside of this 2JZ is in shockingly good shape, all things considered. While no motor can be perfect after 400,000 miles, the head and camshafts show only minor wear and limited varnish staining. Most engines look like this after just 100,000 miles, even with good maintenance records.
Going deeper into the engine reveals more of the same. The cylinders still show most of their original cross-hashing, with only minor scoring in a couple of sections. Not perfect, but after 400,000 miles, we'd say that's a win. And aside from some sludge in the oil pan and normal bearing wear, the bottom end is otherwise healthy.
If you, for some reason, had any doubt about the 2JZ's reputation for bulletproof reliability, we hope this teardown convinces you otherwise.
