Toyota 3.4-Liter Swap Success Stories
Is your old motor close to giving up? Maybe it’s time to consider the ever-popular Toyota 3.4-liter swap!
Here at Yota Tech, we’ve got an entire subforum covering nothing but the Toyota 3.4-liter swap. And that’s a pretty good indication of their popularity. As much as we love our old engines, modern mills carry several distinct advantages. Namely more power, better efficiency, and sometimes, improved reliability. So it’s no surprise that quite a few Yota Tech members have made the switch.
One of those folks, auassay, posted about his experience with specialists Toy Only Swaps several years ago. And unsurprisingly, curiosity has kept it alive even to this day.
“On Thursday I payed Cliff and Justin at Toy Only Swaps a visit and dropped off my ’94 4Runner to get a heart transplant with the 3.4 from a 2000 Tacoma. Can not wait to get the 4Runner back in a couple of weeks. After several e-mails and a couple of calls it was great to meet the guys in person. Very professional guys and had everything lined up. Their crossover looks great!”
Shortly thereafter, the OP got his 4Runner, complete with a fresh Toyota 3.4-liter swap, back. And he was clearly quite pleased.
“I picked up my 4Runner on Friday and made the 500 mile drive to Nevada today. The swap was totally professional and very clean. All wires were armored/bundled and look like a factory job. I can not comment enough about how clean and professional the job turned out.
They completed the job in a very timely manner and the cost of the job is well worth having them do the swap. I highly recommend Toy Only Swaps for their swap parts. But if you are near the West Coast, it is worth the drive to have them complete the swap.
For those thinking about doing the swap, take the plunge. The power difference is night and day. I am running 31/10.5/R15 aggressive tires with 4.30 gears and the 5-speed. No problems starting out in second gear now and I can pass with ease on the road. My 3.0 had 216k on it and the 3.4 is no comparison.”
With a starting price at $3,500 including the cost of the motor, it’s no wonder why folks were interested. But how well did the swap hold up after several years of use? We’re glad you asked.
“My 4Runner is a daily driver for me, and I have pushed it hard off-road as well. I am happy to say I have not had any trouble with the motor swap. I still touch base with Cliff and have nothing but good things to say about their work. Honestly, I will drive my 4Runner until I can not repair it any more. Over the past four years, other than minor things like brake pads and a clutch hydraulic line, I have just changed the oil and filters when needed.”
It was enough to convince White4Runner to do the Toyota 3.4-liter swap too. Well that and a worn out old motor.
“I finally pulled the trigger on one of these swaps. I love my old 4Runner but the 3.0 was to the point of ridiculousness. It seemed just about every time I put the key in the ignition I was having some type of problem, albeit mostly minor stuff. The final nail in the coffin was a burned intake valve.
The rig is up in OR now and is done and ready for pickup. I have to work, but my wife is flying up there next week. One of the guys from the shop is going to meet her at the airport. Then off she goes for a 1,300 mile drive down the coast and into AZ.”
And a couple of weeks later, success!
“The guys at Toy Only Swaps have the swap completed. The rig is back home now. Close to 2,000 miles on since the swap.”
So if your old motor is getting close to giving up, a 3.4-liter swap might just be what you need to keep your Toyota going for another couple of decades. And hey, getting more power in the process is never a bad thing, either!
