Great thanks, that should help me out a lot.

 

Updates on the transmission shop?

 

With a little over the phone help from Gadget and a peek at one of his timing maps, I got my truck tuned pretty well this weekend. It's very quick and has a lot of grunt.

I ended up removing a lot of the timing retard above 3000 RPM and only dialed in retard where I really needed it which was around 2500 RPM and 5 - 9 psi.

Next will be the tranny cooler.

 

I received my Tru Cool 4454 tranny cooler on Wednesday. I'm gonna try to install it this weekend. I need to do something about the stock exhaust as I feel it's restricting the power, then I'll talk to the tranny shop to see what they think. It will probably be weekend after next.

What muffler do you guys think I should run? I'm gonna do 2.5" exhaust from the 2nd CAT back. I've pretty much decided on a Magnaflow muffler but don't know what size. I don't want it too loud, but a little rumble would be ok, just not obnoxious (too old for that anymore). I was thinking maybe a 5" x 8" x 24" P/N 12276 or 5" x 11" x 22" P/N 12576.

Suggestions?

 

I've got a 24 inch magnaflow, 3 inch turbo back exhaust and no cats and it sounds great. Nice purr at idle and a deep, mellow tone at wot. Not ricey or too loud at all.

 

I have a Flowmaster 40 series Dual Chamber and really like it..It is not to loud and has a nice clean rumble to it..Just an FYI...

 

I have 2.5 cat back and a 24"magnaflow .. its nice

 

You guys with the 24" Magnaflows....which one is it?

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/s...ne=main&id=301

 

I got the # 12286 5x8 oval offset/center 2.5" 30" overall.

 

Ooops, I lied. I just crawled under and measured real quick. I got this one

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/s...ne=main&id=846

5x8 oval, 18 inch, 3 inch inlet center, 3 inch outlet offset

 

I went by a couple of exhaust shops today to get estimates. I want to bolt up this custom exhaust to the flange at the back of the 2nd cat just like the stock system does. This will allow me to unbolt it later and bolt the stock system back on later if need be.

Any ideas where to get a flange? No exhaust shops had one to fit.

Also, should I fool with getting mandrel bends to have welded in for passing the exhaust over the axle or just let the local place crush bend the 2.5" pipe?

On a related note, one of the shops told me I'd be wasting my money with a cat back as 90% of the restriction was in the cats.

 

I got a Flowmaster 50 series on my runner, They make a SUV version of the 50 series. I couldnt find any place that had one so I just got the normal one. Sounds good, not loud, but can be when you want it to be. You will spend a pretty penny to get one that is a bolt up system. I spend $130 on my muffler and installation, they just cut my old one out and welded the new one in its place. I was even a cheap ass and didnt get a tip. so it looks stock but sure as hell doesnt sound that way

 

I got the Tranny Cooler installed this weekend. I think you guys will like my implementation. I ran the lines through the front clip like the stock A/C lines. Did a little write up on the site as well at www.hooliganbiketech.net/sportrunner.

 

Back to exhaust now that the tranny cooler is complete.

So 18" or 24"?? I called Magnaflow and they say there's zero performance difference since they're both straight through. He said it's just how loud I want it.

I can't find any good clips of both to compare. Anyone heard both to give me some advice? I had a Flowmaster 40 delta single in dual out on my 1999 Taco and liked it a lot, but I was younger then and it was a truck and not a 4Runner so I'm not sure on this one.

I'm gonna try to have it put on next Thurs or Fri so I gotta get the parts together. I'm STILL trying to find a flange. My next stop tomorrow is a junk yard to see if I can find a 4Runner to cut one off of.

 

The 40 series of the flowmaster is pretty much for v8's or racing cars. They are pretty much gutless straight through exhaust. I havent heard any of the magnaflows except for the one my brother installed on his mustang v6 which was dual exhaust. But in now way will compare to how it will sound on a toyota. So i cant help out on the size and sound of one of those for you.


EDIT: Awsome job on the installation of the tranny cooler. No one would ever realize that it was aftermarket. Blends in as if it was stock when you bought the truck.

 

Before you spend the cash on doing up a cat-back, I think you should be looking into headers.

Going with a Flowmaster (or whatever) will get you probably 5-7hp. Running a free-flow cat will get you another 3hp. Headers will get you 20+. You have to let that engine exhale as much as it's inhaling, and the stock manifolds are VERY restrictive at this point.

If you're not ready to pull the trigger on headers, at least get the cat now and have it installed when you re-plumb.

 

I'm in on the DT group buy over at CT for headers. My manifolds are the new tube type which according to TRD flow really well, but I'll probably do headers just the same.

My 02 has 2 cats on it. I doubt I'll go as far as replacing those. There's talk of a front cat delete for those that buy the DT headers. I'll probably do that if it's an option and have the URD 02 sim for any CEL issue.

 

Here's a video of the Flowmaster 40 Series Delta single in dual out I had on my 1999 Tacoma TRD 4x4. This is the best sounding exhaust I heard on a 3.4L to date. Video size is 2.5MB.

I'd love a sound similar to this for the 4Runner. The reason I'm not gonna use a Flowmaster on my 4Runner is there not as performance oriented as the Magnaflow with it being straight through design.

The Flowmaster also droned a tad in the cab. I didn't mind it when I was 25, but now....

Anyway here's the video:

http://www.hooliganbiketech.net/host...0Low%20Res.mpg

 

Went by the transmission shop and had their master tech drive Project SportRunner. He started off checking the fluid, smelling it etc. He then got in and did a reverse, 1, 2, etc test going back and forth. Then we hit the highway. He did a normal pass to 60 just cruising and listening. Then he turned down a back street and did some WOT runs. He told me the truck DID NOT need any VB work done. He said the tach dropped quickly to the next gear and the shifts were quite firm. He said I need not be concerned about transmission damage. I trust his diagnosis as this would have been an easy $300 for him.

After we got back to the shop I asked him if VB upgrades were an "on/off" proposition or could you gauge the level of shift firmness and modify the VB accordingly. He told me it's "on or off" and that 90% of the ones he's done, even when they're a kit with specific instructions, the customers were not happy after the work was done. He said VB modifications are natorius for causing banging gear shifts, which some people have e-mailed me off line they are experiencing with the VB upgrade.

Bottom line, I'm leaving mine as is. If it ends up having an issue I'll get it fixed and regroup.

For those that didn't see the other post about this.....this guy does all the VB mods on the local mail Jeeps with the A340 tranny, so he knows what he's doing. They're a very professional shop. He also told me these transmissions are extremely tough and that the few he's seen fail have been due to a bearing failure and that could happen with or without a VB upgrade.

The only two people I've seen that have had a failure are Midiwall and Gadget. I believe both of which drive their 4Runners much harder than I do. If you're the type that likes to WOT it from red light to red light, or go spinning the tires up sand dunes, then a VB upgrade is probably necessary. For me, I doubt I'll have any issues. Time will tell.

 

Well, just ordered the Magnaflow 24" satin SS muffler with Center inlet/offset outlet P/N 12286 that has 2.5" inlet and outlet size from www.hottexhaust.com along with this tip:



I'm gonna have it run straight out the back to the right of the hitch.

I picked up a flange off a stock exhaust system from a local salvage yard. They raped me on the price at $35 but that's the only place I could find one after searching all day. I'll basically do a custom cat back exhaust using this salvage yard flange to make it "bolt on" so that I can keep the stock system completely in tact should I need it in the future. The flange I picked up is the one that connects the stock tail pipe and muffler to the second cat.

For those looking for exhaust, www.hottexhaust.com is running a sale. I got the muffler and tip shipped for $128.