millwrightbrian

Hello guys i recently bought a 1992 toy truck that needs a engine replace everyone at my work says dont waste money on a 3.0 buy a 3.4.... now i am going to do this job right and not cheapest way out, so my question is how many of you guys have done this and what all is involved... I still cant believe i found this site wow lost of info... kickass...!https://www.yotatech.com/forums/imag...s/headbang.gif

Thanks Brian

slacker

iTrader: (1)

it's a great board .. I too really like this board ..



3.0 compared to the 3.4 .. there is none . 3.4L is overall much better . better HP , fuel economy .. + more options avaliable .. and very compareable costs on "replacement"

i'm doing one in my Trekker (79-83 4Runner) but still .. it was actually compareable to me doing a rebuild on my old 4 cyl !!!


I say do it .



.

millwrightbrian

i guess i should explain my self a little better... For one i am not set on going to a 3.4... this truck came with a spare 3.0 motor my plan was to rebuild that spare motor and install it... until i started hearing that they are crap and it will blow up... is this true? is the 3.0 to 3.4 a huge job and not smog legal? or am i safe with doing a complete rebuild and head job on my spare 3.0 motor? Thanks in advance

RaginYota

I am having the same issue, what to do. I want to do the 3.4 swap but I don't have the shop to do it in. I have been quoted from a shop close by to me to install one of his reman'd 3.0's.

But if you are going to go for it, I would invest one of the kits from http://www.offroadsolutions.com/engine_conversions.html I was going to go with the full kit, just to save any added headaches.

My other question about doing the swap, how is it going to effect the smog since we both live in Cali. I know that the VIN says I have a 3.0 and not a 3.4.
If someone was able to help me out I would be doing the swap. (anyone, anyone, I would pay you for your time) But living on a military base they don't like people doing this type of work in base housing.

So I am probably just going to do the remand 3.0 install. It sucks but I need my truck. I hope this helps you out.

If you have the shop do it, you won't regret it.

Laterz
Jeremy

RobD

I did the swap in my brother's carport. I used nothing from the ORS kits and managed to do it with minimal outside assistance.

Mechanically, the swap is easy. The 3.4 is more powerful and gets better mileage. The 3.0 does have its issues, but is okay for 90% of the population.

There are dozens of threads and tons of us who have done the swap. You're in the right place if you have questions or need assistance.

olharleyman

I am preparing to do a 3.4 super charged swap and I failed emissions with the 3.0 and all they do is a sniffer , they did not even open the hood and we have the same emissions test as Cali even more tough.

With your truck being a older truck I believe you should have the same sniffer test since your truck did not come set up with a obd II reader port.

As for the 3.0 it is a reliable motor but it has a bunch of small issues that get old and annoying , but and to build it for horsepower is way to expensive to do just to get to the stock hp of the 3.4.

Getting power out of the 3.4 is easy and cost vs. power actually equals out pretty good for dollar payed to power gained way more then power for dollar on the 3.0

Elvota

I second RobD (as usual).

I'll assume you've found this valuable little section of YT already

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f160/

nix4x4

I am probably the only supporter of the 3.0 on this forum.
For me, it makes an excellent trail motor because it is just torquey enough to
get the job done, but not powerful enough to be constantly spinning tires.
I have 208,xxx miles on mine, and it runs very good, especially for the abuse it takes.

Don't gt me wrong, the 3.4 is nice. I've driven many 3.4 powered trucks, and to me, it just doesn't have that "night and day" feeling to make me want to put that much extra money/effort into a swap.

RobD

You second me only because I beat you to it this time.

But listen to Elvota. He's usually right.

millwrightbrian

thanks to all your answers and thanks robd for the link to all the questions i most likely will ever ask about 3.0 to 3.4 swap... I'll read all these threads and make an educated choice... Thanks again and later.....

mr toytech

i second that!!

CoedNaked

I'm with Nix & Mr Toytech.

mmcpeck

If the truck came with a spare 3.0 and your plan was to rebuild it before you swap it in, then you're gonna take care of the issues that usually "blow up" on them. Doing a full rebuild on it and replacing the old HG's would seem to me to be a good choice, especially if you're gonna do the rebuild yourself.

It would drop right exactly in, no problem and you will have a good strong motor that you've already been completely through, that should last you for a long time.

RobD

If the engine needs rebuilding, and you can do it cheaply, go for it.

If you want to do the swap because you want a more powerful engine, that gets better fuel economy and has more reliability, and can do the work yourself, then drop in a 3.4. There is a big difference between the two. It will cost a bit more money to do the swap initially, but if you love your truck as much as I do and are in it for the long haul, then doing the swap is a good option.

It's not for everyone, but I wouldn't go back to another 3.0.

Whitey13

I definitely wouldn't go that far. 3.4's with respecatable power #'s are VERY rare, if not extinct, on this board.

RobD

Not really. There are a few members throwing superchargers on their 3.4s. That is one of my plans, possibly for next year. Alas, that isn't even a fantasy for 3.0 owners. I think that's what he meant.

breknraj

Garage? We don't need no stinkin' garage!!! (although I'd freakin' KILL for one! )

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f160...warning-93642/

Dannew

I have a 89 pickup with the 3.0 in it. I have driven a 4runner and a pickup with the 3.4. As far as I am concerned it is not nearly enough difference to make the swap. If I were going to swap to some other engine it would be a V8.

Mr_Martinez1982

you could spend a few grand fixing a 3.0 (which is a good engine) and get close to the max power youll get out of it. which i think is about what a 3.4 puts out stock...
or you can spend the same amount on goin with a 3.4 and have a better base engine. one which down the road, youll be able to add performance parts, for better gains.

As for smog..we in Cali not only get a sniffer, visual test, timing check, fuel cap test, but we also get to ride a dyno! As for the different engine, all youll have to do is go to a referee before the smog.

CoedNaked

That's how I feel.