sienna motor durability

[spinedoc]

i am in the market for a sienna. I believe they changed the motor from a 3 liter to a 3.3 liter around 2003(?). is this a much better engine, any problems overall with either engine? any advice would be helpful as i search for the right vehicle. Thank you. Eric

[Leighcm]

The old 3.0 V6 had the occasional sludging issue, but usually only when the car hasn't been maintained. Haven't heard anything bad about the 3.3.

[colonel mustard]

yes...beware...the engines are the same as they use in the more powerful Camry passenger cars...but...We have a 98 sienna and we were a part of the oil sludge law suit settlement case. The engine on ours went bad three years ago. We had to pay $3000 for a new used one. That is the bad news. The good news: Because we were a part of the suit the $3000 was given back to us and we were given a slightly used motor with 60k on it. Plus I got to drive a 07 Pontiac Rental car for a week. The thing about the Sienna engines as it was explained to me is this: If the vehicle that was affected by the oil sludge issue was not properly cared for and the oil was not changed at regular prescribed intervals then it had the high possibility of having oil sludge issues. Which most did. It was said that the first 50K miles was the important period. Our 98 was a leased vehicle that was then sold at auction and bought by a dude in Orlando. We got it from him, but the damage had already been done. It now has 168k miles and running strong. No problems at all.

i am in the market for a sienna. I believe they changed the motor from a 3 liter to a 3.3 liter around 2003(?). is this a much better engine, any problems overall with either engine? any advice would be helpful as i search for the right vehicle. Thank you. Eric