You Won’t Believe How This 2JZ Looks After More Than 400,000 Miles

Ever wondered what a bone-stock 2JZ engine looks like after 415,000 miles? You’ll be surprised by what you see in this teardown video.

As the team at I Do Cars pulls apart a naturally aspirated (but potentially turbo-friendly) 2JZ-GE from a ’99 Lexus SC300, we get to see what the 2J looks like when it hasn’t spent its lifetime being thrashed sideways at max boost. (At last, someone managed to resist the temptation!)

Although it’s not the holy grail 2JZ-GTE we all dream of, it’s still super impressive to see just how well it’s aged.

There’s no signs of rod knock or mysterious metal chunks in the oil pan, just clean internals that prove these engines really are bulletproof when maintained properly.

The cam lobes show minimal wear, the combustion chambers are surprisingly clean, and even the original bearings are still hanging in there. Toyota sure built these things differently.

It probably won’t be a huge surprise that there are still genuine parts throughout – from the timing belt to the oil filter. It just backs up how well they’ve looked after it. Disappointingly, not a single zip tie, no JB Weld, and no questionable fixes anywhere. (Is that even a thing?)

It seems the mythical “one careful owner” does actually exist!

The oil pickup showed some sludge buildup, but nothing like you’d expect considering the mileage. Even the rod bearings, while showing their age, looked better than most would after a single drift season (or day, for that matter!)

That SC300 rear sump oil pan is pure gold for the drift community. It has become a unicorn part because it’s perfect for 2JZ engine swaps, as its shallow design clears cross members in the likes of S-chassis builds.

Looking at the pistons and cylinder walls, we can’t help but imagine how this same engine would look after a few seasons of drifting. We’d love to see a high(ish) mileage drifted 2JZ for a side-by-side perspective to see how the internals handle a lifetime of limiter bashing!

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