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2.0L 16v - 3S-GE
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2.0L 16v - 3S-GE
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Set of 8 trimetal connecting rod half-bearings for the naturally aspirated Toyota 3S-GE four-cylinder and the turbocharged 3S-GTE.
The 3S is the 2.0-litre (1,998 cc) four-cylinder of Toyota's S family: twin overhead camshafts, 16 valves, 86 mm bore and stroke. It comes as the naturally aspirated 3S-GE and the turbocharged 3S-GTE, and powered the Celica (including the GT-Four), the MR2 SW20, the Carina, Corona, Caldina, Camry and Vista, the Altezza and the RAV4. All these versions share the same crankpin diameter: a single bearing set covers the whole family.
From the factory, this engine is fitted with standard production connecting rod bearings, sized for the loads of the original engine: as soon as power, engine speed or boost pressure increase, they reach their limits.
A trimetal bearing combines three layers with complementary roles: a steel back that provides structural strength, a copper-lead intermediate layer that takes the heavy loads and an anti-friction running layer that protects the crankpin. The complete set contains 8 half shells, i.e. 4 pairs.
An aluminium bi-metal bearing, intended for low to medium loads, tops out at around 8,000 psi; a performance trimetal bearing holds up to 12,000 psi, 50% more load capacity. It therefore gains strength and service life on turbocharged, supercharged or high-revving engines.
| ACL / King bearings Crankpin Ø 47.985 / 48.000 mm Housing bore Ø 51.004 / 51.024 mm Width 21.3 mm (ACL), 21.2 mm (King) |
| Reference | Brand and treatment | Size | Wall thickness (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4B8366H-STD | ACL Race - Untreated | Standard | 1.488 |
| 4B8366HX-STD | ACL Race - Untreated | Std, increased clearance (HX) | 1.475 |
| 4B8366H-.025 | ACL Race - Untreated | +0.025 | 1.501 |
| 4B8366H-.25 | ACL Race - Untreated | +0.25 | 1.613 |
| 4B8366H-.50 | ACL Race - Untreated | +0.50 | 1.738 |
| CR4209XP STDX | King Racing - Untreated | Std, increased clearance (STDX) | 1.476 |
| CR4209XP.026 | King Racing - Untreated | +0.026 | 1.502 |
| CR4209XP0.25 | King Racing - Untreated | +0.25 | 1.616 |
| CR4209XPC | King Racing - pMaxKote | Standard | 1.489 |
| CR4209XPC STDX | King Racing - pMaxKote | Std, increased clearance (STDX) | 1.476 |
| CR4209XPC.026 | King Racing - pMaxKote | +0.026 | 1.502 |
| CR4209XPC0.25 | King Racing - pMaxKote | +0.25 | 1.616 |
| CR4209XPC0.5 | King Racing - pMaxKote | +0.50 | 1.743 |
Running clearance is the space left between the bearing and the crankpin, permanently filled by the oil film.
With the engine running, the crankpin does not touch the bearing: it rides on this oil film, which takes the load. The clearance sets the film thickness. Too small, it restricts oil flow, raises the temperature and invites seizure; too large, it lets the oil escape, the film loses its load capacity and oil pressure falls. The right clearance combines sufficient lubrication with an oil film that keeps carrying the load.
| Size / grade | When to choose it | ACL Race Series | King XP / XPC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (STD) | Standard journal, not reground | 0.051 to 0.061 mm | 0.048 mm - 0.055 mm |
| Increased clearance (HX / STDX) | Wider clearance: high oil flow, high rpm | 0.076 to 0.086 mm | 0.073 mm - 0.080 mm |
| +0.025 / +0.026 mm | Polished journal | 0.051 to 0.061 mm | 0.048 mm - 0.055 mm |
| +0.25 mm | Journal reground to 0.25 mm | 0.051 to 0.061 mm | 0.048 mm - 0.055 mm |
| +0.50 mm | Journal reground to 0.50 mm | 0.051 to 0.061 mm | 0.048 mm - 0.055 mm |
Checking on assembly: lay a calibrated strip (Plastigauge) on the journal, torque the rod cap to spec (see the torque table below), then compare the crushed strip against the gauge to read the clearance.
| Bolts | By torque | By stretch (gauge) |
| Forged rod ZRP, ARP2000 (3/8″ × 38 mm) | 61 Nm | 0.140 to 0.152 mm |
| Forged rod ZRP, ARP L19 (3/8″ × 38 mm) | 67.8 Nm | 0.152 to 0.165 mm |
ARP recommends the stretch method (gauge).
The ACL and King connecting rod bearings shown here are trimetal bearings built for engine tuning and racing. They withstand far higher loads than a standard bearing and come in several sizes: the standard size, a +0.025 / +0.026 mm size for a crankpin that has only been polished, +0.25 and +0.50 mm regrind sizes and the HX / STDX version with increased clearance for high-revving engines or engines needing a high oil flow. This range lets you refit a reground crankshaft without changing product line and match the clearance to the oil and use chosen.
 | Founded in Australia in 1949, ACL Bearing Company designs high-performance engine bearings. Its Race Series brings together precision trimetal bearings, offered in a wide choice of sizes and fitted to built engines around the world. |
 | An Israeli maker of high-performance engine bearings since the 1960s, King Engine Bearings developed the pMax Black trimetal alloy for heavy loads, and offers the pMaxKote coating as an option (XPC version). |
| Criterion | ACL Race Series | King Racing |
| Cross-section |  |  |
| Type | High-performance trimetal bearing | High-performance trimetal bearing |
| Country of manufacture | Australia | Israel |
| Construction | Trimetal: steel back, copper layer, soft surface | Trimetal: steel back, copper layer, soft surface |
| Alloy | Race Series (copper-lead) | pMax Black (hardened copper-lead) |
| Protective coating | No | pMaxKote (optional, XPC version): polymer coating on the surface that limits wear when lubrication drops (start-ups, thin oil film). |
| Available sizes | Standard to +0.50 mm (+ increased clearance HX) | Standard to +0.50 mm (+ increased clearance STDX) |
This connecting rod bearing set fits the 3S-GE and 3S-GTE four-cylinder engines of the following Toyota models:
| Brand | Model (chassis) | Engine code | Power | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOYOTA | CARINA ED I (_T16_) 2.0 | 3S-GELU | 160 hp | 1985–1989 |
| TOYOTA | CELICA Hatchback (_T16_) 2.0 GT / 2.0 / 2.0 AWD | 3S-GEL, 3S-GELC, 3S-GTE | 137–193 hp | 1985–1989 |
| TOYOTA | CELICA Convertible (_T16_) 2.0 GT | 3S-GELC, 3S-GEL | 140–150 hp | 1985–1989 |
| TOYOTA | CORONA Coupe (_T16_) 2.0 | 3S-GELU | 160 hp | 1985–1987 |
| TOYOTA | CELICA Coupe (_T16_) 2.0 Turbo 4WD / 2.0 | 3S-GTE, 3S-GEL, 3S-GELC | 137–185 hp | 1985–1989 |
| TOYOTA | CAMRY (_V2_) 2.0 | 3S-GE | 140 hp | 1986–1990 |
| TOYOTA | CORONA Saloon (_T17_) 2.0 / GT-R 2.0 | 3S-GE | 160–165 hp | 1987–1993 |
| TOYOTA | VISTA Saloon (_V2_) 2.0 | 3S-GE | 140 hp | 1988–1990 |
| TOYOTA | CARINA ED II (_T18_) 2.0 | 3S-GE | 165 hp | 1989–1993 |
| TOYOTA | CELICA Coupe (_T18_) 2.0 / 2.0 4WD | 3S-GE, 3S-GTE | 156–208 hp | 1989–1994 |
| TOYOTA | CORONA EXIV Saloon (_T18_) 2.0 | 3S-GE | 165 hp | 1989–1993 |
| TOYOTA | CELICA Convertible (_T18_) 2.0 GTi | 3S-GE | 156–160 hp | 1989–1993 |
| TOYOTA | MR2 II (SW2_) 2.0 16V / 2.0 Turbo / 2.0 | 3S-GE, 3S-GTE | 156–245 hp | 1989–2000 |
| TOYOTA | VISTA / CAMRY Saloon (_V3_, _V4_) 2.0 | 3S-GE | 165 hp | 1990–1994 |
| TOYOTA | CARINA E VI (_T19_) 2.0 GTi / 2.0 GTi 16V | 3S-GE | 158–175 hp | 1992–1997 |
| TOYOTA | CARINA E VI Saloon (_T19_) 2.0 GTi 16V / 2.0 GTi | 3S-GE | 158–175 hp | 1992–1997 |
| TOYOTA | CARINA ED III (_T2_) 2.0 | 3S-GE | 170–180 hp | 1993–1998 |
| TOYOTA | CORONA Saloon (_T19_) 2.0 GTi | 3S-GE | 170 hp | 1993–1995 |
| TOYOTA | CELICA Coupe (_T20_) 2.0 i 16V / 2.0 i Turbo 4WD / GT-FOUR 2.0 4WD | 3S-GE, 3S-GTE | 170–256 hp | 1993–1999 |
| TOYOTA | CELICA Convertible (_T20_) 2.0 i 16V / 2.0 GTi | 3S-GE | 170–175 hp | 1993–1999 |
| TOYOTA | CURREN Coupe (ST20_) 2.0 4WD / 2.0 | 3S-GE | 170–180 hp | 1993–1998 |
| TOYOTA | RAV 4 I (_A1_) 2.0 4WD | 3S-GE | 165 hp | 1994–1999 |
| TOYOTA | CALDINA Estate (_T19_) 2.0 | 3S-GE | 175 hp | 1994–1997 |
| TOYOTA | CALDINA Estate (_T21_) 2.0 4WD / 2.0 | 3S-GTE | 190–261 hp | 1997–2002 |
| TOYOTA | ALTEZZA (_E1_) 2.0 VVTi | 3S-GE | 200–209 hp | 1998–2005 |
| TOYOTA | CALDINA Estate (_T24_) 2.0 4WD | 3S-GTE | 260 hp | 2002–2007 |
A failing connecting rod bearing does not fail alone: it scores the crankpin, sends debris through the oil circuit and calls at least for a crankshaft regrind, when it does not also take out the rod and the block. On a built engine, a bearing set costs only a fraction of a regrind, and even less of a full rebuild: it is the cheapest part of the rotating assembly and the one whose failure costs the most.
