Toyota's V12 Engine That Just Won't Die: Insane Reliability Tech Explained

  • The Toyota Century is a luxury sedan that was hand-built for Japan’s elite. It is designed to be understated while exuding elegance and poise.
  • The second generation Century featured a unique 5.0-liter V-12 engine, the only V-12 engine ever produced by Toyota. It had lower horsepower due to a Gentleman’s Agreement between Japanese car brands.
  • The 1GZ-FE engine in the Century is known for its engineering ingenuity, smoothness, and reliability. It has a square configuration, and two throttle bodies, and is underutilized in terms of its tuning potential.

The Toyota Century is Japan’s answer to the Rolls Royce, a luxury sedan rarely seen outside Japan. It is hand-built at select Toyota facilities to chauffeur the upper echelons of Japan’s elite businessmen and heads of state. Unlike its German counterparts, Toyota styled the Century to glide under the radar while drawing minimal attention. It was named so because it came out on the centenary of the birthday of the founder of Toyota in 1967. Since then there have been three generations of the Century. Now in its third generation, the Century is all about understated elegance and poise.

The second generation Century, available from 1997 to 2017, had a unique engine never seen in a Japanese production car. A 5.0-liter V-12, the 1GZ-FE is the only V-12 engine ever produced by Toyota. The official power figures of the engine are 276 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque. This might seem less, especially for a V-12, but the engine was limited due to a “Gentleman’s Agreement” between Japanese car brands in the 90s. Toyota rated the export variant of the Century at 295, and it is widely believed that even the domestic versions had an output of 300 horsepower.

Note: In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Hagerty, Lextreme, Road and Track, Tuning Pro, and Toyota.

3:25

toyota's v12 engine that just won't die: insane reliability tech explained

Toyota Manufacturing

Related

The Secrets Behind Toyota’s Bullet-Proof Reliability

With some simple yet effective techniques, here’s how Toyota perfected the process of building the most reliable and dependable cars on the road

An Example Of Toyota’s Engineering Ingenuity

Close

Every Toyota Century is meticulously crafted by hand, at its own dedicated factory space separate from regular car assembly lines. Situated within Toyota’s East Japan Higashi-Fuji plant, this facility exclusively handles the production of every Toyota Century.

It hosts only the most highly skilled craftsmen, handpicked for their expertise in crafting the Century. The manufacturing process involves numerous specialized techniques, ensuring the creation of the world’s most luxurious Toyota.

Automakers in the past have achieved over 300 horsepower with fewer cylinders. However, Toyota’s approach to employing a substantial V-12 for generating comparatively lower horsepower was rooted in the pursuit of crafting one of the most seamlessly smooth engines ever made.

Toyota has always maintained a reputation for over-engineering its engines to perfection, and this principle certainly extends to its flagship sedan. The inherent smoothness of the 1GZ-FE stems from the shorter interval between successive power strokes, which occur three times as frequently as those in a four-cylinder engine at any given RPM.

Engine Specifications

Engine Code

1GZ-FE

Engine Type

V-12, DOHC, naturally aspirated

Displacement

5.0-Liters (305 cu in)

Output

276 horsepower @ 5,200 RPM

Torque

354 pound-feet

Drivetrain

Rear-wheel drive

Transmission

Four-speed automatic (later six-speed)

(Source: Toyota)

toyota's v12 engine that just won't die: insane reliability tech explained

1997 Toyota Century engine

The 1GZ-FE engine block features slant-squish combustion chambers, Denso iridium spark plugs, and Toyota’s VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent) technology to enhance both smoothness and efficiency. Additionally, the engine block and cylinder heads are made of aluminum, which greatly helps in reducing engine weight while not compromising on strength.

The engine boasts a nearly square configuration with dimensions of 81 mm x 80.3 mm for its bore and stroke. The cylinder heads are positioned at a 60° angle and adhere to Toyota’s “Economy Narrow-Angle” style, emphasizing efficiency and fuel economy rather than prioritizing high performance.

toyota's v12 engine that just won't die: insane reliability tech explained

Front 3/4 view of the 2024 Toyota Century SUV

Related

2024 Toyota Century SUV: The Most Opulent Japanese SUV Ever Made

Representing the pinnacle of Japanese engineering, luxury, and bespoke craftsmanship, Toyota finally unveils its long-awaited flagship Century SUV

The Toyota V12 Engine Is Made Up Of Two In-Line Six Engines

toyota's v12 engine that just won't die: insane reliability tech explained

Toyota Century

The 1GZ-FE is a 48-valve engine with a DOHC design that features timing chains to operate, just like most engines. The 1GZ-FE is a part of Toyota’s Breakthrough Engine with Advanced Mechanism System (BEANS) family of engines. Other notable examples of BEANS engines include the 3S-GE, developed jointly with Yamaha for Toyota’s sportier models, like the Celica. The 1GZ-FE is composed of two inline-six engines sharing one crank.

The 1GZ-FE’s true party trick is that it comes with two throttle bodies, two fuel pumps, and two ECUs. This means that even if one ECU fails, the 1GZ-FE can function as a six-cylinder engine and keep going. This makes the 1GZ a remarkably reliable engine, but it can be a little challenging to tune, owing to the dual ECUs. Valve shims in the 1GZ-FE are specifically engineered to exhibit exceptional resistance to abrasion. This is accomplished by applying an additional titanium coating on the shim surface.

toyota's v12 engine that just won't die: insane reliability tech explained

Red 1967 Toyota 2000 GT

Related

How Yamaha Helped Develop Japan’s First Ever Supercar

Back in the late 1960s, Yamaha and Toyota combined to produce the fast and reliable Toyota 2000GT, widely hailed as Japan’s first supercar

The 1GZ-FE Engine Has Great Tuning Potential

toyota's v12 engine that just won't die: insane reliability tech explained

Golden Smokey Nagata’s Top Secret V-12 Toyota Supra

Depending on who you speak to, everyone seems to agree that the 1GZ-FE is underutilized. The engine is large and versatile enough to make some serious power in the right hands However, the tuning process has to be undertaken with extreme caution as the stock internals of the Toyota V-12 are not built for performance. One of the things that the 1GZ has going for it is its incredible low-end torque which puts out nearly 300 pound-feet by 1200 RPM.

The internals of the 1GZ-FE require a complete overhaul to deliver more power, which includes forged rods and pistons with ported cylinder heads. Hartley’s Performance makes performance parts like forged conrods, pistons, billet cam covers, and intake manifolds designed exclusively for the 1GZ-FE engine. In the past Hartley’s performance has squeezed nearly 720 horsepower out of a custom build 1GZ-FE in which they completely swapped out the internals and individual custom throttle bodies for each of the 12 cylinders.

Some Notable V-12 Builds

  • One of the most popular builds of the 1GZ-FE was done by none other than the drift king himself – Smokey Nagata. He swapped out the 1GZ into his personal Supra and tuned it to make a surplus of 1000 horsepower. The 1GZ in Smokey’s Supra has gone through a handful of changes and modifications to become the fire-breather it is today.
  • Drifter Jaron Olivecrona built a 700 horsepower Nissan S14 with a 1GZ using custom-made parts from Hartley performance. The engine has a compression ratio of 13:1 and consists of new sturdy internal components completely designed and manufactured in-house at Hartley. They built another one for the 2020 season which had twin turbos, a new camshaft, and a new exhaust system rated to make about 1017 horsepower.
  • John Proulx built a V12-swapped Subaru WRX that manages to produce a respectable 1000 horsepower. In this particular WRX, to accommodate the anticipated increase in power, a BMW dual-clutch unit has been chosen as the transmission and is connected to the Toyota engine through a custom adapter plate.
  • South African custom shop FatBoy Fab Works builds a 1GZ-powered Hilux that makes 535 horsepower and 715 foot-pounds of torque thanks to a couple of Garett GT35 turbos. The truck was built in a record time of two weeks for the Simola Hillclimb event and features a custom prop shaft and the Hilux’s original differential.

3:54

toyota's v12 engine that just won't die: insane reliability tech explained

White Toyota Avalon / Silver Lexus ES

Related

The Real Difference Between Toyota And Lexus

We take an up-close look at the similarities and differences between mainstream and luxury brands

The Toyota V12 Was A Game Changer And Continues To Be An Amazing Project Engine

Close

The Toyota 1GZ-FE was an underrated engine, that was a testament to Toyota’s engineering prowess and consequently, it also boasted exceptional reliability. It exhibited minimal common issues or major flaws over long-term ownership, save for the typical oil consumption expected in high-mileage engines. The 1GZ engine could run more than 200,000 miles before requiring a rebuild, showcasing remarkable durability. Its reliability was so remarkable that it served as the preferred power plant for transporting the Japanese Emperor during the mid-2000s.

Over the long term, the 1GZ-FE generally encounters minimal issues, primarily revolving around oil consumption and occasional electrical wiring shorts. Oil usage tends to increase after surpassing 100,000 miles, though it remains within reasonable limits. Early models of the 1GZ faced sporadic electrical concerns related to components such as throttle bodies, ECUs, and sensors. However, these issues were largely addressed from the year 2000 onward, with instances being relatively uncommon and not widespread.

These engines have become rarer to be found in the wild as they are no longer in production. However, since it was in production for 20-odd years or so, you can find an example if you are in the market for one. As the only 12-cylinder engine ever to come from Toyota, the 1GZ-FE is highly sought after, especially for performance teams across the world. If you’re looking for a piece of automotive history with buttery smooth performance and reliability, look no further, you have found the perfect powerplant.

News Related

OTHER NEWS

Lawsuit seeks $16 million against Maryland county over death of pet dog shot by police

A department investigator accused two of the officers of “conduct unbecoming an officer” for entering the apartment without a warrant, but the third officer was cleared of wrongdoing, the suit says. Read more »

Heidi Klum shares rare photo of all 4 of her and Seal's kids

Heidi Klum posted a rare picture with husband Tom Kaulitz and her four kids: Leni, 19, Henry, 18, Johan, 17, and Lou, 14, having some quality family time. Read more »

European stocks head for flat open as markets struggle to find momentum

This is CNBC’s live blog covering European markets. European markets are heading for a flat open Tuesday, continuing lackluster sentiment seen at the start of the week in the region ... Read more »

Linda C. Black Horoscopes: November 28

Nancy Black Today’s Birthday (11/28/23). This year energizes your work and health. Faithful domestic routines provide central support. Shift directions to balance your work and health, before adapting around team ... Read more »

Michigan Democrats poised to test ambitious environmental goals in the industrial Midwest

FILE – One of more than 4,000 solar panels constructed by DTE Energy lines a 9.37-acre swath of land in Ann Arbor Township, Mich., Sept. 15, 2015. Michigan will join ... Read more »

Gaza Is Falling Into ‘Absolute Chaos,’ Aid Groups Say

A shaky cease-fire between Israel and Hamas has allowed a surge of aid to reach Palestinians in Gaza, but humanitarian groups and civilians in the enclave say the convoys aren’t ... Read more »

Bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families to march together in anti-hate vigil

Demonstrators march against the rise of antisemitism in the UK on Sunday – SUSANNAH IRELAND/REUTERS Bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families will march together as part of an anti-hate vigil on ... Read more »
Top List in the World