Valvoman

Three questions for you swappers:

1] So, what is your experience AFTER you completed the engine swap? Much better experience on the highway? Or, overall?

2] I am curious if folks would do it over again as well. Would you?

3] You are in deep at about $9,000 for the rig and swap. Would you just buy something else? Maybe a 2001 and newer Tacoma for say, $11,000?

SacRunner

Yes, I would do it again, in a heartbeat.

I had my 91 4Runner about 10 years before I did the swap. The 3.0 was fine, certainly not a power-house of an engine, but once I learned to "drive it" (down shift and keep the RPMs high for hills) it was fine. With factory 4.56s and 31's it drove fine, with 4.56's and 33's it was much more of a challenge (nearly impossible) to maintain highway speeds on even the slightest of hills, but with the 3.4, 4.56s, and 33's, I can hit the same hills I would have to down shift to 3rd to maintain 55mph in 5th and easily maintain 65-70+ mph. A stock 3.4 (w/o super charger) feels like the engine that Toyota should have put in it from the get go, but they just hadn't developed the engine yet; it's certainly not a race motor or a big V8, but it is a huge improvement in drivability exactly where its needed.

With 10 years invested before the swap, it was a no brainer for me when I burnt an exhaust valve. Totally up to you what you want to do, but it seems like the 3.4 Tacomas and 4Runners (especially the manuals) really seem to maintain the value.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

If I had the extra money I would just buy a Tacoma .

My 4Runner Swap till I got all the bugs out was well over $20,000.00

My mistake was trusting the wrong person enough said I bought a mess.

I now have the goodies to do another 3.4 swap just have no motivation to work on it

Chevota5.0

$20,000???!!! Holy ˟˟˟˟, no wonder you don't have the extra money for a Tacoma or otherwise.

i picked up a nice 97 4wd limited for $1400, took from it everything I could use for the 3.4 swap, as well as the elocker and rear seats( for another project). Built my own harness for 3.0-3.4 swap as well as for elocker swap( had to buy ewd and m/t ecm and plugs)$350 . Sold the 3.0(with a cracked head) for $100, a rear axle shaft for $100 and the 97 for $450. Only costly issue I had was cracked head after 1000 miles. So had to buy another runner. This time a 2002 2wd that was totaled and stripped for $550. Found some aluminum shavings in oil pickup so got $200 back from guy I bought from then sold the tranny for $200. To be on the safe side I tore that engine down and had the heads done before I rebuilt and ran it. $300 at machine shop and $500 for Toyota rebuild/ gasket kit and a few maintenance items. I've got a few items still left to sell from the 2002 maybe $250 worth, so I'm at about $1750 give or take for the swap. Ive got a running driving 3.4 swapped 89 4Runner now with an elocker, a spare parts engine, and some part out items still to sell... $1750 plus the $3400 for the 89 sas'd 4Runner bought 7 years ago... About $5100, plus 7 years worth of maintenance, upgrades, dual cases and tires $3000 there... Well under $10000 for all expenses over 7 years and now A fresh engine to look forward to driving for another 7 years or more... Fingers crossed.

id do it again. Especially since I now have the experience and the fsm's and ewd's for the engine/swap. Driving is much nicer with the added power and the selectable locker... Gas mileage is up and it's an engine worth working on.

Valvoman

Very interesting stuff. Sounds like it's worthwhile, if you do the work yourself, for the most part.

Chevota5.0

Why wouldn't you do the work yourself? Save tons of cash plus get experience that few have... As well as having only yourself to blame for f ups. The only things that I don't do myself are the things that require tools that I can not afford, like a valve grinder or a resurfacing machine, hot tank, or engine hone. Otherwise I buy what's needed for the job and if it breaks or I think I won't ever use it again, I return it. If it's something like a torque wrench or pulley puller it's well worth it to buy and keep for future endeavors.

it would sure be embarrassing to drive a really nice well built rig that you have to call triple-a to tow home or to a shop because you can't figure out why it won't start. Then once you get it there have to pay another guy to find problem and then have to pay him to fix it...

Example; Loose wire connection to starter equals ruined trip, cost $300-$500 for tow home from back country wheeling trip, then another $200,$300,$500 depending on hourly shop rates and how long it takes to find your loose wire connector...

No thanks. I'd rather know the ins and out of my equipment or vehicle so I can be self reliant as possible because you never know when something could fail leaving you stranded without cell phone service. Not always preventable but having the knowledge to troubleshoot your own rig could be invaluable.

Valvoman

I'm not quite there yet with my rig. The 3.0 continues to run, it may fail tomorrow, or not. We shall see.

Chevota5.0

It won't be long... Mine cracked a head at 115k... Prompting the 3.4 swap (that then cracked a head 1000 miles later)