3.5L V6 Engine Assembly with Oil Cooler for 2014-2016 Toyota Highlander

A quick look at your own vehicle makes sure the right engine shows up:

• Verify that the 5th digit of your vehicle's VIN is 'K' (or 'S' on some Venza models) to confirm it is a 2GR-FE 3.5L V6.
• Verify the presence of an external oil cooler near the oil filter housing (front lower passenger side of the engine) with coolant lines routing to it.
• Confirm whether your vehicle is Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) or All-Wheel Drive (AWD) to determine if you need to transfer your original upper oil pan and mounting brackets.

What the install really takes — plan and budget with confidence:

Special tools this job needs:

• Engine hoist/crane or heavy-duty subframe cradle lift
• Engine support bar
• Toyota-specific crankshaft pulley holding tool / harmonic balancer puller
• Spill-free coolant funnel or vacuum-lift cooling system bleeding tool
• Torque wrenches (ft-lbs and in-lbs)

Budget for these consumables at install:

• Engine Oil (6.4 to 6.8 quarts of 5W-30 or 0W-20 synthetic oil depending on target vehicle spec)
• New high-quality oil filter
• Toyota Super Long Life Coolant (SLLC) (pink) (approx. 2 gallons)
• 6 new Denso or NGK Iridium spark plugs
• Intake manifold gaskets (upper and lower plenum)
• Thermostat and water pump gaskets
• Exhaust manifold gaskets
• New AISIN water pump (Part # WPT-803)
• New OEM thermostat
• Front and rear crankshaft seals
• Serpentine belt (replace if worn)

What your vehicle’s computers will need after the swap:

What’s involved: None

The 2GR-FE is a purely mechanical swap. As long as you reuse your original ECU, wiring harness, and sensors, the vehicle will start and run immediately without any programming or immobilizer re-marriage.

Pro tips for a smooth first start-up — hand them to whoever does the install:

• The 'Hidden' Rear Engine Bracket Bolt: Hard-to-reach bolt on the rear engine bracket near the intermediate shaft. Access it using a long extension with a swivel/flex socket from the wheel well area.
• AWD Transfer Case (PTU) Alignment: Ensure perfect alignment of the splines during mating. Never force the bolts to pull the PTU to the block.
• Timing Cover Sealing Interlock: The upper oil pan and front timing cover interlock. You must remove the upper oil pan first before attempting to pry the timing cover off to avoid cracking the aluminum castings.
• Fragile Knock Sensor Harness: Located deep in the 'V' of the block under the lower intake manifold. The harness becomes extremely brittle from heat; replace this sub-harness (Toyota Part # 82219-07010) proactively.
• Cooling System Bleeding: The 2GR-FE is known for trapping air. Using a vacuum-lift tool is strongly recommended to prevent air pockets that cause overheating.

Easy to get right once you know them:

• Ordering for a Non-Oil-Cooler Vehicle: Trying to install this engine into a vehicle without an oil cooler leaves open oil ports on the block/pan, requiring block-off plates or swapping the upper oil pan.
• Failing to Swap the Upper Oil Pan on AWD/FWD Swaps: Assuming the blocks are different when only the upper oil pan and brackets differ. Axles or transfer cases will not bolt up if not swapped.
• Reusing the Rubber VVT-i or Oil Cooler Lines: Installing the engine as-is without upgrading these lines to all-metal versions, risking catastrophic engine failure shortly after install.
• Not Replacing the Water Pump and Spark Plugs on the Stand: Skipping these cheap maintenance items while the engine is out, leading to expensive, multi-hour headaches later in the cramped engine bay.

Not issues with the units on this page — the manufacturer documented these for every engine of this family, wherever you buy one. Handy for your installer: