Parts for your 2000 Toyota Crown-Thrust bearing

2000 Toyota Crown thrust-bearing: what’s there, what’s not, and how to look after it

According to Toyota’s S170 Crown technical literature (New Car Features and Repair Manual) and the Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue for the 1999–2003 Crown range, these models were supplied with electronically controlled automatic transmissions (A340/A341/A650 series). That means there’s no clutch assembly and therefore no clutch release/“thrust” bearing fitted. However, every 2000 Toyota Crown engine option (1G-FE, 1JZ-FSE/1JZ-GE, and 2JZ-GE) does use crankshaft thrust bearings as part of the main bearing set. Toyota’s engine repair manuals detail the thrust bearing function and crankshaft endplay checks for these engines, so a thrust bearing is definitely present inside the engine—it’s just not a routine external service item like a clutch release bearing.

On the 2000 Toyota Crown, the crankshaft thrust bearing’s job is to control axial movement (end float) of the crank under load. In day-to-day driving, the torque converter and accessory belt loads can nudge the crank fore and aft, the thrust bearing carries those axial forces, keeping the crank centred so the gearbox, oil pump, timing gear and seals all live a long and happy life. If the thrust bearing wears, endplay grows and you can end up with odd noises at idle, wandering idle speed as the crank sensor gap varies, premature front or rear main seal leaks, or fine metallic debris in the oil. It’s not a part that gets “serviced” on its own, it’s inspected during engine work. A technician measures crankshaft endplay with a dial indicator and compares it to the Toyota spec in the repair manual. If it’s out, the thrust bearing halves (part of the colour-coded main bearing set) are replaced and clearances rechecked with Plastigauge, with main cap bolts torqued to the correct figures.

Owners can help the thrust bearing last by keeping oil changes on schedule, using the correct viscosity, and making sure any transmission work is done properly—misaligned torque converters and excessive converter end thrust can punish the bearing. If there’s a sudden change in idle behaviour after a gearbox swap, or fresh oil starts weeping from the rear main area, it’s worth having endplay checked. Replacement is usually carried out during a bottom-end refresh or rebuild, while some shops can service thrust bearings by dropping the sump and main caps in-chassis, best practice on these engines is an engine-out job so the crank, bearings and mating surfaces can be inspected and cleaned properly. Get this right, and a Crown’s JZ or G-series engine will rack up the kilometres with no dramas.

• Does a 2000 Toyota Crown have a clutch thrust/release bearing?
• What are signs of a worn thrust bearing on a Crown’s 1JZ/2JZ/1G engine?
• Can the crankshaft thrust bearing be replaced with the engine in the car?

Does a 2000 Toyota Crown have a clutch thrust/release bearing?
No. Per Toyota’s S170 Crown service info and EPC, these cars were built with automatic transmissions only, so there’s no clutch and no release (throwout) bearing. The “thrust bearing” that does exist is internal to the engine and manages crankshaft end float.

What are signs of a worn thrust bearing on a Crown’s 1JZ/2JZ/1G engine?
Look for excessive crank endplay noted by a mechanic, metallic glitter in the oil, new front or rear main seal leaks, or idle quality changes. In severe cases you might hear a dull knock that changes with load. Proper diagnosis involves measuring endplay against Toyota’s spec in the repair manual.

Can the crankshaft thrust bearing be replaced with the engine in the car?
Sometimes it’s possible by removing the sump and main caps, but the tidy way on these engines is an engine-out job. That allows thorough inspection, correct bearing selection (colour codes), accurate clearance checks, and torqueing everything to spec so it’s sorted first time.