For all those frustrated 3.0 v6 owners
02-12-2008, 12:26 PM
#101
quote: post#11 The basic fact is:
ANYTHING can be fast for the right price.
The difference between the 3.4 swap and upgrading the 3.slow:
3.4 swap has huge down time
3.slow upgrades can be done in a couple hours work (most of them)
3.4 swap is a HUGE chunk of money all at once
3.slow upgrades can be done over the years and generally cost less then the 3.4 does alone much less the parts needed.
3.4 has more power yes but california won't smog it in a 3.slow rig.
3.slow upgrades take a lot less inginuity.
now that's funny!!
i will add my .02.....because i am deciding between the two and have been researching this over the past year and a half now.
what i have gathered is:
first off, comparing 3.0 stock to the 3.4 stock is useless, because when the 3.4 goes in, most of the time it's goin in with headers and exhaust. (and in some cases other goodies)
also, it kinda also depends on what your used to and what you expect.
if your other cars are peppy to say the least, the lack of power the 3.0 has will be more apparent.
doa's v6 engine's are SUPER pricey and more than twice 3.4 swap! - http://www.doaracingengines.com/page7/page7.html
the 3.0 is not a crap engine by any means and those with 250k plus will tell you.
the 3.4 IS a better engine but isn't usually that the case with any newer engine?
for me, the 3.4 swap is a great OPTION. retain all yota parts and a CONSIDERABLE increase in performance. it's quite smoggable in CA.
downtime for some was the weekend. any mod can take a long time, just depends who's wrenching, and.....
why do you care if some poor chap dumps thousands of $$$ on the slow old 3.0.....or why do you care if he drops in a 3.4 for a perfectly moddable 3vz?
it's all about what YOU want...ftr!!!
reseach FACTS hidden among heresay and opinions and do whateverthehell you want!!!! - it's your $$$, it's your rig
ANYTHING can be fast for the right price.
The difference between the 3.4 swap and upgrading the 3.slow:
3.4 swap has huge down time
3.slow upgrades can be done in a couple hours work (most of them)
3.4 swap is a HUGE chunk of money all at once
3.slow upgrades can be done over the years and generally cost less then the 3.4 does alone much less the parts needed.
3.4 has more power yes but california won't smog it in a 3.slow rig.
3.slow upgrades take a lot less inginuity.
now that's funny!!
i will add my .02.....because i am deciding between the two and have been researching this over the past year and a half now.
what i have gathered is:
first off, comparing 3.0 stock to the 3.4 stock is useless, because when the 3.4 goes in, most of the time it's goin in with headers and exhaust. (and in some cases other goodies)
also, it kinda also depends on what your used to and what you expect.
if your other cars are peppy to say the least, the lack of power the 3.0 has will be more apparent.
doa's v6 engine's are SUPER pricey and more than twice 3.4 swap! - http://www.doaracingengines.com/page7/page7.html
the 3.0 is not a crap engine by any means and those with 250k plus will tell you.
the 3.4 IS a better engine but isn't usually that the case with any newer engine?
for me, the 3.4 swap is a great OPTION. retain all yota parts and a CONSIDERABLE increase in performance. it's quite smoggable in CA.
downtime for some was the weekend. any mod can take a long time, just depends who's wrenching, and.....
why do you care if some poor chap dumps thousands of $$$ on the slow old 3.0.....or why do you care if he drops in a 3.4 for a perfectly moddable 3vz?
it's all about what YOU want...ftr!!!
reseach FACTS hidden among heresay and opinions and do whateverthehell you want!!!! - it's your $$$, it's your rig
Last edited by Redeyejedi; 02-12-2008 at 05:27 PM.
02-20-2008, 03:53 PM
#102
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just wanted to add that the 3.0 isn't gutless. I can successfully do brake stands including a shift to second with the A340H tranny, 4.10 gears, and 31x10.50's. Thats both tires churning too. Creates a nice smoke screen 
and turns a lot of heads. coughing is common too, along with wrinkled noses.
and considering I am the only one it seems who is happy with the 3.0 power, even with the wrong gears and tires, I wonder if the previous owner did some modding... Bought it with ADD disabled and Aisin manual hubs installed. should check Toyota boards and see if I can find it anywhere...
and turns a lot of heads. coughing is common too, along with wrinkled noses.and considering I am the only one it seems who is happy with the 3.0 power, even with the wrong gears and tires, I wonder if the previous owner did some modding... Bought it with ADD disabled and Aisin manual hubs installed. should check Toyota boards and see if I can find it anywhere...
02-21-2008, 10:46 AM
#106
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02-21-2008, 05:56 PM
#108
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02-21-2008, 06:03 PM
#109
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02-21-2008, 06:39 PM
#110
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Regardless of what I or anyone thinks about the power, this 3 L motor is reliable. Look at all the people with over 200K miles without rebuilds. Although I must also say I quite enjoyed a 5 speed, 4.3 L V6 GM motor in my 91 S 10. 28 MPG on the hiway and would love one in my 88 4 Runner. In my opinion this is a good motor with longevity and would have been worthy of Toyota copying.
02-21-2008, 07:34 PM
#111
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Maybe my tires are crap or maybe my 3.0 is the hulk. Either way the 3.0 is still obese. Restricted breathing. Overweight. Over-eating. Drinks alot. Farts intimidate others. Yea, my 3.0 needs a diet.
02-23-2008, 06:50 AM
#113
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You Guys Should Really Drive A 3.0 In A 2wd Pickup. The Motor Really Pulls Right Out Of First Gear. But Yea I Can Only Imagine How Slow The Motor Is In The 4runner With All The Weight It Has To Haul Around. Even In My Truck I Took Off The Spare Tire And Bumper And Gave A Lot Better Response And Power. But Really You Guys Should Drive A 2wd Pickup With The 3vze You Will Be Very Suprised!!
02-23-2008, 07:45 AM
#114
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You Guys Should Really Drive A 3.0 In A 2wd Pickup. The Motor Really Pulls Right Out Of First Gear. But Yea I Can Only Imagine How Slow The Motor Is In The 4runner With All The Weight It Has To Haul Around. Even In My Truck I Took Off The Spare Tire And Bumper And Gave A Lot Better Response And Power. But Really You Guys Should Drive A 2wd Pickup With The 3vze You Will Be Very Suprised!!
04-30-2008, 10:14 PM
#116
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and mine is a 4runner now i have 35 inch pro comp xterrains and it will powerbrake them too its a 5 speed but hey jackass maybe all of yall stupid people have pos truck and dont know how to drive them so frenchtoast all of yall who talk sugar.
Last edited by Elvota; 04-30-2008 at 10:18 PM.
04-30-2008, 11:21 PM
#117
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Yea, I have a 3.0, and there is def. a learning curve to getting the most out of that engine. I love it. Never let me down on the trail, all that matters right? Ok, for you younger kids, smoking a tire is fun.. but dang it, good tires is expensive! Why waste the tread on the road and not the trail?
05-01-2008, 12:29 PM
#118
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This is the first Toyota I've ever owned, and honestly, it's not that slow. It gets around alright, it won't lay down rubber passing someone, but it gets from zero to the speed limit in a reasonable time, and I don't feel afraid of the left lane when I'm on the highway.
Then again, I'm coming from Dodge trucks with twice (or more) as much horsepower, and was honestly not expecting that much out of the little 6cyl in the 4runner.
It's all in how you look at it, I reckon.
And by the way, I've got 4.10 gears and 265/75/16's, and I can brakestand and spin a (single) tire in the rear.
Then again, I'm coming from Dodge trucks with twice (or more) as much horsepower, and was honestly not expecting that much out of the little 6cyl in the 4runner.
It's all in how you look at it, I reckon.
And by the way, I've got 4.10 gears and 265/75/16's, and I can brakestand and spin a (single) tire in the rear.
05-14-2008, 10:31 AM
#119
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Since everyone is giving their $0.02 i thought i would. The 3.0 is not a bad engine, it is very reliable and if maintained right it will last almost forever. The main issues with the 3.0 is the fact that it is underpowered (in the 4wd vehicles) and it has headgasket issues.....I know that this has been beat to death so sorry for bringing it up again. What I have not seen to many people talking about it the power to weight ratios. I have a 91 pickup with the 3.0 and one of my dads cars is a 91 Alfa Romeo spider. That car has an I4 with less than 150hp (which the 3.0 is supposed to have stock) but that car weighs absolutley nothing. So even though that car has a smaller enigne with less hp than my truck, i still have a hard time keeping up with it. Another factor is the way the vehicle is geared (transmission, differentials, and the like). Another example: My dad also owns a 06 Jeep wranger rubicon (I know its a jeep but bear with me). That has I6 with close to 200 hp (i dont know the exact amount it might be more or less) but it is geared so low that my truck with 233k miles on it is faster. Also comparing the 3.0 to the 3.4 is like comparing apples to oranges. Dont get me wrong the 3.4 swap is a very common thing and no doubt the power gain is noticable, but those engines are complety different, I know that they share the same block but that is about it. The 3.0 was designed and produced in the late 80's and earley 90's where as the 3.4 was desinged and produced from the mid 90's until 2004. So the technology and knowlede bases are going to be different and no doubt the engine that was produeced later (the 3.4) is going to be beter. But I digress.....It all comes down to how people want to spend their money, some people for one reason or another would like to try and upgrade the 3.0 (albeit just fixing parts of the problem), others would like to not worry about the 3.0 and put a newer more effiecent/powerful engine in (the 3.4), and there are even the ones who put domestic enignes in their Toyotas. But if it is soley more power that you are after and your 3.0 is still running, and you just love your truck too much to trade it for one that comes with a 3.4, just buy a sporty 4 cyl. car, WRX, civic SI and the like (great gas mileage and power -win/win) and just use the truck on the trails. Oh.....thanks for listening I wasn't trying to rant too much. lol
05-14-2008, 03:08 PM
#120
i just don't see why you would want to pour probably 2 or 3 grand into an engine thats worth not even a grand. you can put a 3.4 for about 3 grand (thats making your own harness and pretty much as cheap as i was possibly able to do it) and then supercharge it for another grand and have 290 horse. and still probably not have as bad of gas mileage. i just think its a waste of effort to do all of the stuff that the guy that got 190 horse out of his engine did.
