Pre Post Facelift Engine Numbers

[loadswine]

You can probably go earlier than that, two of my confirmed facelift cars had 1zz125*** and 1zz13****

[frogger]

Looks like I've had some early ones then!

Registered 1999  =  1ZZ0434177  (Proper Oil Burner, from a VERY early MR-S)
Registered 2000  =  1ZZ0499415  (On it's way to being an oil burner when scrapped)

And the recon block I am using (very good, no oil loss) = 1ZZ1155444

[AndrewMason]

Pre Face lift
First registered: 31 Oct 2002
Engine no.: 1ZZ10822**
50k. FSH. No oil issues.

[roguk]

Pre face lift
First registered September 2000
Engine no 1zz0528403
70K no oil issues

[MattPerformance]

Sorry to be a bit of a "naysayer" on this but there is very little difference between pre-2002 engines and post-2002 engines in terms of the likelihood of oil control ring failure.  I can also tell you that there are pre-facelift cars with the interim engine upgrade (having just rebuilt the engine on a 2002 pre-FL car which had the supposedly post-FL pistons from the factory).
The newest engine (albeit that I didn't record the engine number) that I have had to rebuild for OCR failure was on a 2005 "Red" special edition car with 70k.
55-plate cars onward seem to be the only ones that are immune to OCR failure.  I can confirm however that service history has a massive impact on the occurrence of OCR failure - if you are checking service history make sure that a service has been carried out at least within every 12 month period AND within 10,000 miles to have the best chance of getting a good engine.  I have yet to see an engine failure (this is only my experience so I cannot say this is a proven fact) on an engine that has this level of service history.

[Anonymous]

TF300
Registered Nov 2006
Engine No 1ZZ23818**

[psvpilot59]

Registered JULY 2003
1ZZ13789**

[loadswine]

So Matt, are the pistons NOT different then, ie greater number of holes around the piston skirt? Or are they fitted randomly and not in line with the engine number sequences?
Info on actual opened up engines is really useful.

[MattPerformance]

Early pistons have two small holes in the OCR recess.  The next engines have two holes of the same size that are off-centre that overlap the OCR recess and piston skirt.  This change was intended to resolve the oil consumption issue, but it did not.  The latest engines have four larger holes that are also off-set overlapping the OCR recess and piston skirt.  Officially Toyota also made some changes to the block combined with this latest change to increase flow in the oil galleries.
I'm sure that these changes will have been made sequentially (engine number wise) but how that fits in with MR2 production is another matter.  It has kind of been assumed the first changeover took place with the facelift car but my experience suggests it took place before that.  It's rather academic since the first change didn't work anyway!  The second change took place in 2005 but it seems likely that this means that only 55-plate onward cars are sure to have the very latest engine design.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to be a bit of a "naysayer"

Part of the reason for this post was to be able to spot engine sellers that were selling older high mileage engines and passing them off as newer low mileage units.

[pauls0212]

30/06/2003
engine no. 1zz13343**
74,000 and not checked pre cats yet   s:flame: :flame: s:flame:

[Paul-B]

Here ya go:

Bought by me 20/02/2013

Reg date:  20/10/2000
Engine:     1ZZ0595657

Engine rebuilt and pre-cats removed by Matt March 2013 at 95,000 miles due to big-end rattle.

[Wabbitkilla]

2003 03 Roadster facelift registered March 2003.

1ZZ1273492

Definitely facelift pistons.
Precats removed around 35K miles.
Tuned with stage1 cams and lots more.

100K miles saw small oil usage after years of Zero use. 110K miles saw increased oil use when driven consistently aggressively.

Rebuild at 115K miles shows valve guide seals leaking. Blowpast on piston rings, stretched chain beyond tolerance, and a little wear in big end shells. 2005 design pistons in, New big ends, little ends, chain, followers, oil pump, water pump, belt and pulleys.

[chimpman]

2005 "chrome" edition with a style bar and stupid chrome ring around the filler flap registered may 2005

Engine number 1ZZ2224894

Serviced every year, previous owner always had and engine flush with the oil change. Only about 25K miles (yes really) so fingers crossed it will outlive me, it's strictly a weekend toy so not expecting issues (famous last words)

[Jock]

FL 22/5/03
Engine number 1ZZ1377491
45K miles
pre-cats done within 1k miles ago.  Previous owner said they looked ok.

[krazysteve]

Just removed an engine out of a 2001, had a donor engine from a Celica. engine No120005

[Rexy2]

In my service book its got 1ZZFE 0410** 03 plate 89,000 miles, 5 gears. This was imported from Belgium, so is this a 03 plate and a pre post car??? The first service stamp I have is 19/05/06 with 8965 miles on clock.

[Reeflodge]

FL 08/01/2003
1ZZ11369××
77k
Toyota serviced up until 72k
New Main Cat replaced 04/15
Manifold precat removed last week as precaution.

I think I may have the earliest Face lift on here!

Is this likely to have the better piston rings?

[Carolyn]

just bought a fixer-upper for very little.

It is a 2,000 but had a recent engine swap.  This engine was sold as first registered in 2006.  Had a peek and the engine number starts with a 2.  Looking at the accumulated list, it would seem that if you want an engine with eight-hole pistons, the engine number needs to begin with a 2.

[Pminett]

Reg 12/9/2002
Chassis jtdfr320800051342
Engine. 1zz-1042914

Only had for couple of weeks

[tets]

Registered 09.06.2000
Original and blown engine 1ZZ0510254 no idea of mileage
New engine 1ZZ1603732 - again no idea of mileage as it was changed prior to me buying it.

cars on 102000 miles now

[Aki42]

Face lift engine numbers.  Black mr2 31/03/2003versionzzw30r-akfqhw(1e).   Engine 1zz1310226

[alancsalt]

In Australia first registration can be long after build, so I'm wondering why not build dates?

Here in Oz the 2003 model was released in August, 2002. I have a November 2002 build Facelift SMT Six speed, supposedly first registered Feb, 2004.

VIN - JTDFR3204 000560**
ENG - 1ZZ11998**

[trooper99]

So, after reading hundreds and hundreds of posts...I still don't have a clue if my engine is an oil burner or not   s:evil: :evil: s:evil:  
Its a (if I recall correctly) a Nov 2003 car, registered 04/2004.
The engine number is 1ZZ1707##9
Can I please ask just one very simple question: Is this an engine that will use loads of oil...yes or no?   s:scared: :scared: s:scared:  
I've driven about 600 miles since just after I got it, when I filled it to the very top mark on the dipstick, it hasn't dropped a mm yet, not used a drop in over 600 miles of mixed high speed motorway and back road thrashing.
Is this a 'good' engine, or a dodgy one?
then IF i decide to keep it and fit my Toyosport decat manifold, should I expect trouble free miles of fun, as I will have removed the dodgy pre cat material that kills engines?
These are just very basic questions, I'm honestly very surprised that no clear answers can be found, as Toyota are excellent cars and have one of the best customer back-up support and loyalty bases around   s:D s:D

[Bernie]

So, after reading hundreds and hundreds of posts...I still don't have a clue if my engine is an oil burner or not   s:evil: :evil: s:evil:  
Its a (if I recall correctly) a Nov 2003 car, registered 04/2004.
The engine number is 1ZZ1707##9
Can I please ask just one very simple question: Is this an engine that will use loads of oil...yes or no?   s:scared: :scared: s:scared:  
I've driven about 600 miles since just after I got it, when I filled it to the very top mark on the dipstick, it hasn't dropped a mm yet, not used a drop in over 600 miles of mixed high speed motorway and back road thrashing.
Is this a 'good' engine, or a dodgy one?
then IF i decide to keep it and fit my Toyosport decat manifold, should I expect trouble free miles of fun, as I will have removed the dodgy pre cat material that kills engines?
These are just very basic questions, I'm honestly very surprised that no clear answers can be found, as Toyota are excellent cars and have one of the best customer back-up support and loyalty bases around   s:D s:D

It's all down in the main  to how well the car has been serviced in the past, it's not a case of every engine is going to become one

All you can do is regularly check your oil to monitor use by the sound of it no use in 600 miles is a good start

The problem was that many previous owners who maybe used the car as a 2nd neglected the 10,000 mile or 1 year service interval, ran them without checking and either left it too late to intervene and they went bang or sold them on for someone else to inherit a poorly maintained car

There is no harm in replacing the manifold or getting the pre dats removed from the OEM one as a precaution but it's not the pre cats being in place that sets the chain of events off in the main

Most people that have them removed say they are in good condition

So better out than in but don't get too paranoid about it, what service history do you have ?