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Toyota Sienna 3.5L power?



  • hause7hause7 Posts: 153
    Can someone do a 0-60 video of there 07 Sienna and post it on youtube? i have a video of our 04 Sienna.
  • lxpatellxpatel Posts: 34
    Thank You, I plan to try the Synthetic at 10k oil change and stickier tires that has a traction rating of A, at about 20k.
  • Hello
    I'd like to get some of you 3.5L owners to weigh in on my post in "slipping/non-responsive trottle". I think it is closely related to power issues!. I previously owned a 2001 sienna, and I swear that car had more pep and response than my new 2008 sienna. This unresponsive throttle issue is making me not feel the power!!! What do you think??
  • siennamisiennami Posts: 116
    You're kidding, right?? I drive an '07, which has the 3.5L engine, and it has plenty of pep. I live in the midlands of South Carolina, which isn't really hilly, but has some hills in various spots. On my way home today, my Silver Shadow took those hills like a champ! There was no problem at all accelerating up the hills. I will have to admit that the one thing that I've noticed is when cornering, and I've lifted my foot from the accelerator, the van does jerk whenever I do put my foot back on after making the turn. I don't remember my '00 doing that, but it's been 4 yrs. since I last drove that one, so my memory may be faulty. Other than that, I really don't have any throttle problems that I can point to.
  • hause7hause7 Posts: 153
    Glad to see the 3.5L doesn't have problems going up hills. Could you do a 0-60 video to post on Youtube? a lot of people keep talking about the Honda Odyssey being more powerful when it is not.
  • Please do your homework on these new 2008 Sienna's. This apppears to be a similar problem that has been plaguing the Camrys and Avalon for a few years. You can read other owners and expert opinions as well as technical reasons for the poor design on it at this website: ms-expose-toyotas-problem-reporting-problems/.
    All the symptoms they describe are exactly what is happening with my new van. If you test drive one be sure to do this coasting/ then acceleration thing, between 6-8mph. You will REALLY notice it if you hit the gas after breaking, and coasting over a speed bump.
    By the way there is no doubt this car is powerful, but this lagging acceleration after coasting really makes the car very annoying to drive. Maybe it isn't a slipping trottle thing. I wish I'd listen to my gut when I first brought this car home and not let the salesperson convince me that "the car needed to break-in", it was a "drive by-cable thing" and "the car learns how you drive". I would have brought it right back and asked for my money back.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Posts: 72,587
    Just as an FYI, the Sienna uses the U151E transmission, while the problematic 6 speed in the Camry/Avalon is a totally different design, code named U660E.

    C&D just tested all the latest vans and the Sienna was quickest in every single acceleration test, including their 5-60 "street start", which is 1mph below what you are reporting, but still shows a lag isn't normal even from a running start.

    Sienna was also quickest in all the passing tests.

    In another thread, I linked to the intake modification you might be interested in. Check that out.
  • Thanks for the FYI. Perhaps it isn't exactly what the Camrys are expereincing, but this problem has been written about in 2005 and 2006 Siennas. My van IS fast in acceleration. The problem isn't the constant application of the gas pedal-no problem there. The problem comes when you accelerate, then you cruise, then you apply the gas again. This is where you will feel a noticeable lag until it catches up and goes. The car will rev like it is in neutral then literally lunge after it (goes into gear?).
    I happen to be very annoyed by it on a daily basis, because I have a winding subdivision to navigate before I hit the road and I'm often at this under 8mph and coasting mode.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Posts: 72,587
    I tend to strive for good fuel efficiency, so I roll in to the throttle gently most of the time. That seems to work well for me.

    The few times were I punch it, though, mine seems to respond pretty quick, in fact some times I get more than I wanted (more noise, too much speed).
  • siennamisiennami Posts: 116
    Hey, ateixeira..... are you willing to bring your family on a visit to sunny South Carolina so that you can do one of those modifications on the Silver Shadow for me? :shades: I'm pretty much used to the hesitation that I feel; to me it's a small price to pay for the fact that I'm back in a Sienna! And have "y'all" noticed? Doesn't that 3.5L engine sound all "muscle-y" when you accelerate? That's what tickles me to death about mine; it sounds powerful, and it is when I need it to be, especially driving around the peeps around here like I do! ;)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, the 3.3l (3MZ) had a timing belt, but the 3.5l (2GR) has a chain. It makes a more metallic sound, more authoritative.

    Toyota actually added more sound insulation to the fire wall and door sills to compensate.
  • My 2006 does the same thing. I notice it in parking lots after going over a speed bump then trying to speed up. Also when slowing way down, then making a 90 degree, or more, low speed uphill left turn. But, different from the article referenced, I have never been in danger. I do not work for Toyota, nor gain anything by endorsing their products. While the slip, or rev is slightly annoying, as long as I am 100% sure that the tranny fluid is full/clean, and the tranny is not wearing out, I can live with it. I discovered it is just about the only time I (just speaking for Me) can justify manually downshifting. Works every time I've tried it. That is the 'slightly annoying' referred to above. Under brisk (brisker?) acceleration, the 3.3 does just fine. Always :) I also agree 100% that it has EVERYTHING to do with gas mileage, and not wanting to turn back the clock on the gains Toyota has so cleverly managed to wring out of its powerplants.
    PS - the Dodge Chrysler Vans I have rented over the years did the same thing, but I thought it was more pronounced then my '06 Sienna.
  • siennamisiennami Posts: 116
    While making the 2 hr. trek back from the hospital after visiting my father, I was reminded again to be grateful for the choice I made in vehicles. The Silver Shadow is incredibly easy to drive on the interstate. She darts in and out of traffic if needed. And, hause07, to answer your question about 0-60: it does so quite easily. Before I knew it, the Silver Shadow and some Dale Earnhardt fan were about to become really close friends! The Sienna is very responsive, I believe, and I get where I need to in a very comfortable way. Obviously I am very biased......... :P
  • ateixeiraateixeira Posts: 72,587
    27.9 mpg on a round-trip to the coast this weekend. Not bad considering there was some traffic.

    Gotta love this powertrain, the combination of power and efficiency is unreal.
  • hause7hause7 Posts: 153
    i wanted to ask if you set cruise control and travel up steep grades, does the new engine require a downshift or does it hold it's gear at the same speed up the incline without problem? thanks in advance. We just got back from a road trip to Washington and through Mt. Shasta our 04 had to down shift to hold 70mph up some grades.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Posts: 72,587
    It will shift down.

    Keep in mind the gearing has not changed. It's very tall geared. At 55mph it's barely idling along at something like 1500rpm. At 70 I think it's just barely over 2000 rpm.

    As flat as the torque curve is, you hit an incline and it will shift, though mine has only ever shifted from 5 -> 4, never two ratios.
  • hause7hause7 Posts: 153
    So you would be around 2,500 RPM to pull up a grade @ 70mph? or would it require more than that? Our current 04 has to go up to 3,000-3,300RPM to pull up some inclines with cruise set @ 70mph.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Posts: 72,587
    Not sure about the rpm in 4th, but the gearing is the same as yours, so I doubt that will change.

    The 3.5l has roughly 10% more torque across the torque band compared to the 3.3l. So there may be a few scenarios where that 10% makes enough difference.
  • hansiennahansienna Posts: 2,312
    Does ANYONE have a link to a graph for each?

    Toyota specifies 87 octane for the 3.3L in the Sienna but states that the 3.3L provides more power on higher octane premium. Does the 3.5L also develop MORE power using premum? :confuse:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Posts: 72,587
    On paper, the 3.3l made 215hp by SAE measures. Figure you lost a few on 87 octane, but it's still probably about 210hp.

    One of the few manufacturers that stated HP for both types of fuel was Subaru, when their H6 engine came out. It made 212hp on premium, 208hp on regular. Since power output is similar for the 3.3l Toyota engine, it seems reasonable to conclude there would be a similar HP loss.

    Now, to the 3.5l, Toyota states an SAE output of 266hp. This is low for the 2GR, other models make 268-270hp from the same engine. The RAV4 is rated for 268hp even on regular fuel.

    Can they make more HP on better fuel? It depends, if Toyota tuned the engines to advance the spark timing, then yes, they could squeeze out another 5hp or so, is my guess.

    The catch? We know the 3.3l is capable of running on 87 octane, because that's all that is required. So it was tuned to be flexible enough for both types of fuel.

    We don't know, however, if the 2GR (3.5l) is tuned to take advantage of higher octane (by advancing spark timing beyond stock settings). Any answer is just a guess, we don't really know.
  • In the 07-10 models with the timing chain (3.5L) how often does the timing chain need to be inspected? is that an easy operation?
    Also at some point I would assume it does need replacement- when?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Posts: 72,587
    It should outlive the rest of the van. Something else will give in well before the timing chain does.
  • yatesjoyatesjo Posts: 186
    As Ateixera said, it will probably last the life of the engine. Also if ever does start too loosen up too much the timing will start to slip but is very unlikely to fail suddenly and catastrophically like a belt would. There's nothing to do about it in the meantime so don't worry about it.
  • Very Cool,
    I race mountain and Cyclocross bikes an find it amazing that I can constantly break chains on a mountain bike- but they last many years on a car. It must be the size of the chain and the shifting action on the bike.
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