Twice-Bought 96

Hi. I'm new here. Been in "involuntary lurk mode" for a while due to computer glitches at home which have prevented me posting.

I've recently bought a 1996 base model 4runner, 4 cyl, manual tranny, 4wd. From poking around here it looks like there aren't that many out there like mine, but I was hoping to find a few others here with similar set ups.

I've only had the truck for about a month but so far I've enjoyed it-- decent power from the 2.7 when coupled with the manual transmission, and most surprising of all: decent gas mileage! Maybe 17-18 in town, haven't been on ( or off) the road yet.

Coming out of an FJ60 and an FJ40 before that ( both in the 10-11 mpg range) I am enjoying the cushy ride, the electric mirrors and fewer trips to the pump.

Anyone else got the 2.7 4 cylinder? I've gort a lot to learn about this engine.

Gadget

Steve Schafer on 4x4wire.com has one.

There are lots more Tacomas with that configuration on TacomaTerritory.com

There are two supercharger kits for your engine....

Gadget

www.GadgetOnline.com

rowan

yeah i have a taco with the 2.7 glad you liek yours, i havnt gotten much use out of mine yet though. got in a bit of an accident a couple weeks after i had it... its just nearly out of the shop now after about 3 months. the guy is a slow worker and didnt even start till a couple weeks ago.. the damage was not THAT bad

i dont have all those power accessories though. dont really need em, and its still a great truck. id definatly want PW PL with the 4 doors though.

Bob_98SR5

You've got one of the most (if not the BEST) bullet-proof 4 cylinders under your hood. Maybe it won't allow you to haul or tow alot, but I'm guessing your engine will last longer than most.

Coincidentally when I worked at Toyota, I learned that the vast majority of the people in the old Toyota commercials with people showing off their high mileage were Toyota owners with the veneralbe 22RE engine.

Bob

Twice-Bought 96

Thanks for the responses. I knew the 22RE were famous for dependability and that's why 4 cylinder didn't scare me off. I wonder what the track record is so far for the 2.7's? When did they first come out-- 1996?

I have been pleasantly surprised by the power and mpg of this setup, though I suspect that come next summer the a/c might be a significant power drain on the power.

The jury is still out on my clutch. No slippage or anything, but you really have to depress the clutch pedal d-e-e-p into the floor in order to start (or to shift cleanly without "snicking" in 1st and 2nd), and it reaches full engagement more quickly than I'm used to as the pedal comes off the floor. Maybe I can get the travel adjusted? Anyone know of any clutch gurus on the board?

Carl

rowan

well to start the manual tranny cars that i drive you have to push it all the way to the floor to start i dont think thats abnormal. mine will "snick" a bit sometimes goin into third if im accelerating fast and trying to shift fast, but usually doesnt do it into second. i dont know about adjusting it or anything but someone will probably speak up.

Jay

Nope.

Nope, its hydraulic. Only pedal freeplay can be adjusted.

Normally, as the clutch wears, the release point of the clutch extends higher up. I suspect a cracked clutch pedal mounting support. Ive seen the symptom start with a hard starting complaint, then progress to lower clutch release point. There is a clutch start switch that must be pushed by the clutch pedal, if the support is cracked the switch will move away as you push on the clutch pedal.

Just a hunch
Jay

Twice-Bought 96

Thanks Jay! I'll check it out. I wonder whether a mounting support crack would be something I could find via a visual inspection?
Thanks for your time.
Carl

El Tigre

I love this truck, I bought it as a leftover in October of 97' as a spur of the moment decision in place of the minivan we had gone to the dealer to get. And I have yet to be disappointed with its towing capacity. When my wife got out of the Air Force we moved from N. Dakota back to Cow Hampshire and in tow we had the longest UHaul we could find that was loaded to the hilt with 1800 pounds of our junk, plus we had the back of the Runner filled with stuff. She pulled with ease, no jerking, sputter, strain, smell of burning clutch was detected, I even was able to accelerate uphill while still holding 60 MPH. It must have been divine intervention that day in the dealership.

ewarnerusa

I love my truck. I have towed heavy U-hauls and acouple of ATV's before. It got the job done, but not with great ease..... The off-road performance is excellent, 4WD-low will crawl up and over anything you want it seems like. The A/C definitely cuts into the power and mileage. But after not having A/C for years, I think it is the greatest. I'm always on the look-out for little things to give me a little more power. I'm not really interested in a S/C, but I am considering headers and exhaust someday. Enjoy your rig!

Beartracker

There are allot more 2.7 out there than you think and it will do anything the 6 banger will do. The older 6 cyl were actually not any stronger power wise than the 4 cyl.
Someone above stated that you can't pull much with them and that is a real misconception and the idea that the 2.7 lacks power is another one.
Most people have no idea how to drive a 4 cyl. and that's why they think they lack power. If you put a 2.7 in low range 4 wheel it will climb a wall! The old Willys army jeep was the same way.
Mine is a 2001 with an exten. cab , auto, SR%, 16" tires ,#250 of tools in a bed tool box and I weigh #200 and we run up and down these mountains all day with no problem and I'm getting 19-20 around here and if I set the cruise on 70 on the expressway I can get 22-23 depending on how flat it is.A friend of mine towed a u-hall from Calif to NJ with a 2.7 and had no trouble at all. He said he just took off a little slower than normal and let it reach speed at it's own pace. He did ad electric brakes and that really helped in the stopping and handeling. Mike

pat161

First I will begin by saying, great purchase. The 3rz or 2.7 is a fantastic motor which should last for a long time with routine maintenance. The one thing that amazes me about these motors is how well they age. I have a 2000
4wd 5 speed 4runner I bought with 15k, I'm at 83 and it stills runs exactly the same, ditto for my buddies with over 120k on the clock. They first offered the 3rz in the US in the 95.5 Tacoma and then in the 96 4Runner, I think it has been around in some form for longer overseas but I am not sure, also was in the T100 but I am unsure what years. If you look at the capacities for these motors it really clears things up, the 2.7 holds more oil and coolant than the 3.4, per owners manual, and uses the same oil filter, they also have an oil cooler under the oil filter, 3.4 may too. These 2.7's are built very tough and last forever. I have been running a 2.7 since my 95.5 Tacoma and have had two 2.7 Tacomas and my 4Runner, if you have any specific questions about maintenance or what not post them up and they will be answered.

Ontos

I've got the same rig.....2.7L, 4WD, 4.56 gears, 5-speed, etc. I couldn't be happier with it. Good milage, all the power I need, and from all reports, it's a durable engine with a long life ahead of it. I threw a header on it, and that seemed to give a little bump in power, so you may want to consider that. If you have any questions, look me up!

And as long as we're talking about 3rd gen, 2.7L's, exactly which axle do I have? I'm looking at a Detroit True-Track, and I just want to make sure I order the correct one for my axle. I was under the impression that all 3rd gen 4Runners have the same rear axle, but when I've called to price out the LSD, everyone asks if I have a 4, or a 6 cyl. What gives?