Looking at these two engines purely in terms of reliability and overall performance, which one stands out? Which one will go down as the most iconic Toyota V8?
5.7 because that’s the one I have lol
Chan said:
5.7 because that’s the one I have lol
I like the way you think.
Chan said:
5.7 because that’s the one I have lol
Fair enough lol.
4.7 all day.
I own a 5.7 and absolutely love it, but for reliability, I’d go with the 4.7. The million-mile trucks you hear about are usually 4.7s.
If you have a 5.7, check this out: https://youtu.be/dfGTI0sWozc?si=InFmp70-oHWXyaNp
The 4.7 is quieter and smoother but has less power. It also needs a timing belt change. The 5.7 is way more powerful but louder and has annoying issues like the starter placement. No timing belt maintenance, though. Overall, both are solid, but the 4.7 might have a slight edge in reliability.
@Marlowe
Yeah, replacing my starter was a nightmare!
@Marlowe
The 4.7’s starter is buried in the intake valley… doesn’t get much worse than that.
scofield said:
@Marlowe
The 4.7’s starter is buried in the intake valley… doesn’t get much worse than that.
If your 4.7 Tundra has the aluminum intake, you can just flip it instead of fully removing it. Saves a ton of time. I can swap a starter in about 30 minutes that way.
I have an ‘06 Tundra Limited 4.7 with 185k miles.
Replaced the timing belt, secondary air pump, and alternator, but it’s never left me stranded. Runs great even at 90 mph on long drives.
Gas mileage isn’t great but better than the 5.7. I plan to keep mine forever.
I own both. My 4.7 (187k miles) needed a water pump, air injection fan, valve cover gaskets, MAF sensor, and cats—nothing major. My 5.7 (135k miles) hasn’t had a single issue yet. It’s 10 years newer, but still, I’m impressed.
@Del
The air injection system is the weakest part of the 4.7. If you can delete it where you live, you’ll never have to deal with it again.
@Del
Had a 4.7 in my ‘06 Sequoia and it was a great engine. Did my own timing belt/water pump at 150k. Valve cover gaskets leaked, and I had to bypass the air pump, but otherwise solid. Had a 5.7 in my ‘08 Tundra—only issue was replacing the starter twice. If you raise the engine a little, you can do it in 40 minutes.
@Del
My 2000 4.7 never had any of those problems lol. But yeah, this whole thread is just personal experiences.
Doesn’t matter, the frame will rust out before either engine dies.
Tao said:
Doesn’t matter, the frame will rust out before either engine dies.
Not the discussion we’re having here 
4.7 any day.
I love my 5.7, but a 4.7 in a 2007 Tundra made it to a million miles and was still running when Toyota tore it down to study it. Here’s the story:
https://www.motortrend.com/features/million-mile-tundra-the-tear-down/
@FaithJones
Yeah, plenty of 5.7 and 4.7 trucks have hit a million miles.