nix4x4

Okay, I think I may already know the answer to this question, but I just gotta ask it to be 110% sure... Does anybody know of any modifications for the 3.0? Supercharger, cam, anything????? I know its almost pointless to build one up, but a little more power would be nice.

CoedNaked

A 2" or 2 1/4" Mandrel bent (preferred), or a 2 1/4" pressure bent (more common but not optimal) will give you a bit more pep in your step and help smooth out the power band and give you a little more torque down low. I have the Borla Catback for our trucks and it is 2" mandrel bent with a Borla muffler. The performance increase wasn't huge but it was noticeable and I picked up a bit more torque down low as well as it seems to rev a bit more freely up high as well. Thorley makes a nice 2 1/4" mandrel bent cat-back for the 3vze.

Keep your stock air filter if you are going to keep your stock air box.

The next two mods as far as picking up some decent HP are either headers, or cams. Headers - Thorley, Downey - they make decent quality headers - very crucial you install them well. NWOR makes what many consider to be the best headers for this engine but rumour has it they're either on hold for production or maybe potentially discontinued too. LCE also just came out with headers for this engine. Considering LCE's reputation for quality products for the 4 cylinder crowd, I would have a lot of faith in their headers despite the fact I haven't heard of anyone who has tried them yet (but if Had to buy blind based on name/reputation).

If you're looking at cams, a fellow board member has worked with a cam grinder to develop some high performance cams (his nick is weasy2k - search weasy's cams for past threads). Many who have tried them say you pick up some pretty decent performance from these cams.

As far as intake type of stuff - many consider intake mods on this engine a waste of time, but no one really has any dyno results. There are dyno results by K & N that show their FIPK (Fuel Injection Performance kit) picks up 3 HP at 4400 RPM - read - that's 1 or 2 HP useable horsepower for the everyday average driver who doesn't rev it that hard. Consider this is basically about $250 for 3 HP roughly and for something that just lets more dirt in really. But having said that - I have reason to believe that an air intake kit like the K & N FIPK or the Downey intake might make more of a difference if you combined it with other mods aimed at helping the engine breath better (e.g. cams, headers, exhaust).

The thing people constantly fail to recognize is this engine is still just a 3 liter V6. Generally speaking the larger displacement you have on your engine, the more gains you will see from modifications. For example JBA headers and a reasonable exhaust on the Tundra's 4.7 liter V8 found on 2000-2004 Tundra's (pre-VVT-i) will pick you up around 15 HP and 30 foot pounds of torque. Many would speculate that headers and exhaust on the 3vze would pick you up around half that on the 3.0. But the 3.0 is a single overhead cam engine designed in the mid 80's and it's also only a V6. So that's not too bad in my opinion.

My vote is start with an exhaust. The Thorley exhaust with the Jardine muffler looks like a decent set up and I like the fact it's mandrel bent. Some complain the Jardone muffler is a little loud and/or raspy but you could always switch the muffler for something else as long as it's the same size. I love the sound of my Borla exhaust. Just slightly louder, and deeper than stock. A very nice set up for this engine. Also, you will pick up a tiny amount of performance by going to synthetic oil and drive train fluids if you haven't already done that.

nix4x4

well, I've gotta 2.25" Pacesetter cat-back, minus the cat (don't tell anyone) and that combined with 4.56 gears isn't unbearable, but as I said, a little more 'umph' would be nice. Its not so much that I need more power, it'd just be cool if the motor didn't have to work so friggin hard to get there. It seems like little stuff (passing on the highway, etc.) are a huge chore. You're absolutely right, though, when you say that it is just a small late-80's v6 and that not too much can be expected of it. Do you by chance know of a supercharger kit for it? I think that would be really cool.

CoedNaked

Super charging and turbo charing this engine has been talked about but it's not something I've really seen anything concrete happen by anyone on here and if someone has done it, it's rare.

The biggest thing for me is I take pride knowing that my truck is one of the last Japanese Toyota trucks built for the North American market (Toyota built Canadian Toyota trucks in Japan until 1995, they switched the Truck production of trucks for the USA in 91-92, in 95.5 models, all north american production was produced in Freemont when the Tacoma was unveiled), and we both have a fully boxed heavy duty compact truck frame - something you don't find on the Tacoma or Tundra. So our trucks weigh about 400-500 pounds more than a 95.5+ to 04 Tacoma in the extended cab/6 foot box configuration - mainly due to heavier duty components (in my opinion) and a heavier duty fully boxed frame compared to the part boxed/part c channel frame found on the Tacoma's. But I'm in the same boat as you about power. I've always said if I had just another 10 HP and 10-15 foot pounds of torque I'd be more satisfied. But the other thing is if you do let this engine wind up a bit, and you get on it, it's usually not too bad. For example when you put the truck at it's torque peak - 3400 RPM's, I swear there is nothing stopping it. But I honestly don't think I'd be that much more satisfied with a 3.4 if I had to make achange. It's not enough of a step up. My brother has a 96 4runner with a 5 speed and the 3.4 and yeah it's more powerful than my truck, but it's not like blow me away more powerful than my truck. Not enough for me to want to give up the better truck I have for just a bit more power. And no there is nothing wrong with my bro's 3.4 - his is in top shape. I just think if I was going to upgrade, it would have to be for signficantly more power (e.g. an 05+ Tacoma or Tundra) because I know in my heart of hearts I wouldn't neccessarily be getting a better truck.

Anyways, right now I'm sitting with about 189,000 miles on my truck, so I'm probably a little bit down on compression - a rebuild might help things. And I'm mildly flirting with the idea of headers or cams at the moment to compliment my exhaust, although I may end up skimping out and just replacing the pipe between the manifold and cat with a 2" mandrel bent pipe to help increase flow slightly and to compliment my stock exhaust.

nix4x4

headers are one of the best things you can do for this engine in my opinion, mainly because of the poor design of the stock manifolds. Yeah, I agree with what your saying and I, too take a lot of pride in what I drive. In today's world of vehicles produced/assembled in six different countries with cheap components and no reliability, its a good feeling knowing that what we drive is durable, sturdy, and stood the test time.

SKNKWRX

Modding a 3.0 is a waste of time. Even headers seem to cause more problems than they are worth with all the heat they generate. Im saving my dough til I can afford to swap in alexus 4.3 V8

Red3.slow

There are a set of pretty sweet cams for the 3.0 by a guy on the forum sea2sky if i'm not mistaken

I wouldn't mind doing some power goodies to my motor but it has 208,000 and I think it would be best for me to start looking for as low miles 3.4

CJM

Well I may not have a 3.0, but I can tell you right now that my T100 3.4L weighs a decent bit more and that thing will haul ass if I want it to. Plenty of speed for me, nowhere near the monster V8 I have in the work truck but it had enough power to tow a 200lb sportquad over mtns and about 200 miles back and forth with ease.

Now, I did figure out one thing: It wouldnt get outta its own way for some reason. I decided the butterfly valve wasnt getting fully opened, took a peak and it was dirty so I cleaned it. Ever since then she moves really well.

Nest truck is either 3.0 or 22RE, either or really as I am not picky. Extra power of the V6 and a 5 speed is really good I hear vs a 5 speed and 2.4L.

Jay351

To get some decent power:

Oversized valves
cams (weazy2k's cams are great)
isr mod
headers

But to do these mods, you need to have money Valves alone will cost you quite a bit if you cannot take apart your engine.

Schralper

Any mods done to a 3.slo are just polishing a turd, as some might say.
The cost to benefit ratio sucks even something as simple as headers.
It you wanna start somewhere, start w/ K&N w/ISR and dual exhaust w/ xover blocked and good cats/mufflers. More air in and out = more power.
Cams, valves, etc won't make a diff until your engine can breath on either end.

stormin94

what's this ISR mod? what does ISR stand for?

Schralper

Intake silencer removal, ISR.
Gittin rid of the 10lbs of crap between the air filter and throttle body w/ some tubing.

stormin94

Will a K&N fuel injection performance kit do this for me?

Schralper

Yes just for a lot more $$ than making one yourself.
K&N stock replacement is like $38 from Summit racing.
FIPK is like what $120+?

mehret

Swap in a 3.4.

stormin94

No, more like $280ish...ouch. I got mine for free when I bought my parts 4runner. Otherwise, I'd be all over that $38 summit unit.

SolidDigital

I too feel it's a waste trying to mod these engines.. if I could go back in time I wouldn't have even put a high flow muffler on.
I can say from experience 2.25" is the best size, when I went to 2.5" I noticed a drop in low rpm power but a little better high end. (also replaced the stock cat with the high flow one at that point)
It might actually help your low end a bit by putting one of those $60 high flow cats on. Might help the air some too =p