How to Determine if Your 3VZ or 5VZ Engine Has an Oil Cooler
Toyota installed oil coolers on most 3VZ and 5VZ engines, but not all. Before ordering an engine, it’s important to determine whether your engine is equipped with an oil cooler, as the water pump and gasket set differ depending on this detail.
While it’s sometimes possible to identify this using the VIN number, this method can be unreliable and is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.
The most dependable way to check is by inspecting the thermostat housing area on the water pump:
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On engines with an oil cooler, there will be a metal nipple on the side of the water pump (just behind the thermostat housing) with a rubber coolant hose connected to it.
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The oil cooler itself is mounted on the driver side of the engine, near the rear of the block. It can be a bit difficult to spot while the engine is still in the vehicle, but it’s typically visible through the driver side wheel well.
