rreed

Yeah, another question about my friend's '92 V6 4Runner. This thing is utterly gutless, you have to literally keep it on the floor to get down the highway to barely hold 70 mph, O/D off just raps it up to 4000+ rpms and doesn't really speed up, gas mileage, well there just isn't any. At just about any speed, this thing is just gutless.

I thought a couple people might have mentioned "That's just the way it is." Surely these things are not that weak???

Has good tuneup, stock air filter is clean, it has 173K on the clock. I'm not sure the gearing, it has 30" tires and when these wear out it will get 31" so it doesn't look like a mexican hoopty.

What can cause this thing to be so powerless?

Yoter

Cat/Muffler clogged? Grade of fuel? Do a compression test if all fails. Do a spark plug/wire test. If you have a faulty plug or wire you will have loss of power. If you have a leaking head gasket a compression test will tell the truth. If you cat or muffler is clogged you will have lack of exh. flow causing hesitation. The fuel cleaner cant hurt, it will clean the system and may add to your FM. The type of fuel you put in your tank really can mess with your engine. I do not put anything less than mid and have no problems. IMO, good luck

Paul H.

rread, yup utterly gutless, will be even more with 31's. But they do last a long time.

Cebby

Maybe you've heard this before - that's the way it is.

Intake and exhaust improvements will yield some improvement, but not without big bucks will you see anything stellar out of it. It makes decent torque, so it's an OK offroad motor. On road it leaves something to be desired (like a 3.4 swap).

You can either swap in something more powerful or put the Runner on a diet. Hey, the "Fridge" isn't very fast either.

31's will make it worse...

Yoter

I am curious to know what those of us compare the Toyota 3.0 to? I feel my 4Runner has plenty of power. It does not have off the line turn the tires power like it did when I got it two years ago but it has power. I have 35s and can do donuts and turn the tires. The problem I have is getting it to kick into OD while moving. I know the fact of why it will not kick in is due to where the idle is at upon start up. Sometimes it starts and idles at 1000 or more causing lack of power but sometimes its idles near the normal 800 and VROOM! Thats where I see the power problems. That and if you want vette power or something like it change out the exhaust including manifolds,upgraded computer,upgraded ignition,and dont load your Runner with all sorts of stuff. When I hear "it is sluggish and barely drives" I picture it smoking sputtering and moving at a maximum speed of 5MPH.

FUGGRWE

True, but they will look cool...

Cebby

Good point - my 32's look mighty cool, but the 33's will be the ultimate in cool factor for me...

jay-q

the 3.0 is slow, but if you are max-ing out at 70mph.... then i would say that is not normal.... i usually cruise at 85-90mph when highway traffic permits.... if you can't get to go over 70 then something is wrong.... good luck on finding the fix.

JQ

Yoter

I use to think 33s were the coolest until I got 35s. Now I think 38s would be the coolest.

About the performance thing again. My buddy recently took his 95 on a trip and upon getting back asked me why he was maxing out at 60. I feared the worst being timing belt or head gasket but he took it in and got the cat cut off. The cat was all plugged up allowing very little flow to get through. He now can take it up to 160 in 6.2 seconds. Ok im lying about that but he says its fast.

rreed

Ha, you people are cool!

My friend is not a performance freak, and will likely not relish in spending big bucks to make this thing struggle to reach 71 mph. I will likely try making a colender out of the air box like one writeup said, we already bought the $60 intake hose so swapping it out for stove pipe will likely be out of the question. Wish I'd known about it before. This vehicle has been a wallet drain in repairs alone ($800 A/C, $60 CV joint, $xxx trans. fix, other misc. repairs costing lots more $$$).

Timing belt has been recently replaced when Toyota, YEARS after she forked out the $$$$ to have her head gasket replaced when it blew, replaced the "inferior non-Toyota" head gasket anyway for free, thanks, they also put on a new water pump and a couple other things while it was so much apart. Also a couple leaky fuel injectors replaced, new intake plenum gasket. Gosh what else has this turd had fixed/replaced?

She runs regular unleaded. I've never been convinced you need higher octane fuel, while I will not argue it doesn't perform better, mid seems to work best for me, but w/ prices as they are, sorry. But I do appreciate it.

I cannot believe them being weak vehicles is acceptable or alright. Here comes the war, flame on!!!

I drive a '96 Grand Cherokee (ZJ) 4.0 (inline six). Bone stock it would leave this thing in the dust. Now w/ only drop-in K&N, Accel ignition, Flowmaster 40, gutted cat, but ARB/Warn XD9000, heavy 31 MTs, stock 3.55 gears, Surco roof rack to catch plenty of wind, and a heavy stereo in back, Hi-Lift up top, it still has gobs more power even w/ the A/C turned on and hers off. That's what I compare it to. My friend's bone stock 2000 Cherokee (XJ), w/ 30" tires and stock 3.55 gears would also beat the crap out of this thing in power. Same I6 motor, but w/ lesser intake and exhaust than the stock Grand Cherokees.

Having to keep this thing pressed firmly to the floor to struggle up the highway isn't right. If the free intake mods don't help out it'll just have to be gutless until she gets rid of it in a couple years. I would love to see her saw off the cat and swap in a Flowmaster 70 but she spends enough on this money pit just to keep it ~driveable. Off-line torque is alright, nothing like the torque monster I6 I have, but decent low-end. Down the highway forget it.

Everyone I do greatly appreciate all the help, maybe next time I feel like cursing at this thing I'll drill out the bottom of the air box (does that mod help w/ stock air filter?) and go from there. You guys have some pretty good ideas. Speaking of Vette, it is her dream car. Wanna trade? this '92 has fresh OME coils on the rear and shocks all around. A little gutless though.

Yoter

I for one do not buy it that ALL 4Runners or rigs with 3.0 V6 engines are just gutless. They just need TLC & proper mods depending on how you drive. Its a proven fact that if you take care of your rig it will take care of you. I am the 3rd owner of this 1991 4Runner. I was told by the salesman that I bought it from that it was very well taken care of. I said prove it and he showed me service records dating back to 1993. The first owner only had it the 2 years and traded it to a man locally that took very good care of it. He kept it tuned,lubed, & clean. This is a very straight bodied tip top condition Runner with over 203,000 miles on it. I can go out and start my engine slip it into gear and take off like a bat out of hell. I do not have the sluggish issue many speak of. So how can anyone say they are all slow. They definently are not. Keeping a rig tuned is not just plugs,wires,cap, & rotor. Its many more things down to the types of fluids you put in your engine and other parts. If you use cheap oils/fluids over time it will harm those parts. If you do not change those fluids when they are due you can also harm the parts. I know many will start saying duh and critsize saying that they all follow the rules there but many dont and cry about it. My rig is a proven point for what im talking about. Nothing but the best for my rig. I just do not buy the "they are all gutless" excuse. By the way the Jeep sounds very nice. No critisizm here at all. I wanted a ZJ very bad when I was SUV shopping. I would just start with the exhaust on the gals Runner and se what happens. You might just be surprised!

Victor

I think it is very important that you find out what gears are in that 4Runner. Only factory equipped 31" tire package trucks had the OPTION of having higher gearing. 4.56's for 5 speeds and 4.88's for automatics. It is very likely that truck has 4.10's and if you are running anything bigger than the 29's Toyota put on it originally you will have crappy acceleration and mileage.

When I ran 31's my truck ran pretty good with 4.56's on the highway and got 23 MPG. Now that I went to 32's performance on the highway is affected and gas mileage is down to a max of 19 on the highway. Gearing is that important. I'm going 4.88's next time and 33's.

I'm not trying to discourage you but recall that this engine is a very small displacement V6 that has the reputation for impressive reliability. It is not comparable to the 4.0 inline 6 that Jeep uses as those engines were designed for loads of torque. That is evident by their gearing but will they go 250-300k miles? I doubt it.

Yoter

The performance that I have sounds as if I am comparing the "poor performance Runners" to a frikkin Stealth fighter. I seriously can hit the gas and take off. I can only imagine sluggin along but not in a 4Runner, maybe a metro. If mine were to all the sudden start sluggin along I would cut that cat gut it and throw it back in for starters. If it still was sluggish I would do a compression test, spark test and I better get my answer there or in to the shop it goes. I know the rest it perfect being I know my rig. GUT THE CAT or get a higher performance one being some states have that emission crap going. Mine does not! GL

AgRunner06

I'm geared for the 225's and I'm running 31's. I do not have to hold the pedal to the floor to speed up on the interstate and I can go over 70 without having to push it hard. I can accelerate on the highway in OD. Granted it isn't really fast but it isn't slow enough to make me force the tranny to downshift. Also, my tach usually stays at 3000 rpms or below when accelerating.

Here's my thoughts. I think this thing needs a tune-up: plugs, wires, distributer cap, rotor, air filter, and fuel filter. I can't stress the fuel filter enough. With 173K, I'd be willing to bet this is your problem. The fuel filter is designed to be a lifetime part but it eventually gets clogged. It's kind of a PITA to change, but I did mine myself.

Get that fuel filter changed for sure and let us know if it fixes the problem.

Good Luck

gwhayduke

I agree with our token...aaa...resident Aggie. A little over a year ago, my '95 a dog on the interstate, hills and had lousy gas mileage to boot. I had the fuel filter swapped out...because it is a PITA and I never liked the idea of taking a shower in flammable fluids. As for tune-up, I've changed plugs (Bosche platinum) once in 5 years and still get about 19 mpg in mixed city.

The filter will run about $75 and installation another $25-50.

As for comparison with your Cherokee...it's a lighter, unibody with 33% more displacement, a motor that was originally used in a 1929 Nash. When you approach 192,000 miles we'll park ours side by side and see which one still looks good and does its intended duty.

rreed

The (allegedly AMC-designed, Chrysler-built) 242 c.i.d. 4.0 litre I6 is a very long lasting, very reliable engine. On jeepsunlimited and NAGCA folks occasionally post mileage check-ins, lots of folks are posting 200-300K w/o issue. Mine has 174K, about to go to 175K. Going strong but still just an infant. Oh, and mines a GRAND Cherokee. As for looks, well it has been off road a time or two, my paint might be a little scratched up.

These are all groovy ideas, I'll suggest she get these things taken care of. I can drill out the air box but exhaust and fuel filter changes, it will go in the shop. I fly into fits of rage enough doing what should be simple work on this vehicle.

Blindy going by the tach vs. ground speed I think this one is 4.10 geared. She has the oil changed regularly, but trans. has almost never been serviced (having issues now), axle lube ???, but having the quickee lube change your oil isn't the same as real TLC like we here probably do. It recently got some new NGK plugs, new wires, and Borg Warner distrib/rotor. Slight difference, but noticeable.

Victor

This may seem odd but these engines don't get their best mileage at lower RPMs. If you have 4.10's and put on 31's then you may gear your truck so that the RPM's never climb into the engines best power/mileage range. When I dropped my RPM's almost 200 RPM's on the highway my gas mileage dropped which is just opposite of what normal thinking would say should happen. Maybe you can find someone who loan you their small tires for a couple days of mileage comparison.

That said regearing is expensive and even with the current gas prices you won't recoup your investment quickly. Also try to find out how much slower your speedometer is turning that it should so that you can account for those few extra miles that aren't showing on the odometer. Then you'll have more accurate mileage numbers to work with. Corey has 4.10's and 31's so check his posts to see what his mileage is.

Churnd

I have the 3.0, and I'm crazy enough to say that I've modded mine to pretty near the stock power of a 3.4. I'm just saying that from a "seat of my pants" test, having driven a 3.4 then my 3.0 right after. I'd say with all the mods I did, the biggest increase I got was more torque... but that's what I was going for. I'll let the clutch off at idle and it'll get going. Punch it, and it'll jump and accelerate pretty quickly... then the power dies down as it gets higher in the RPM band. But that's fine cuz for off roading, lower RPM power is mostly desired.

MTL_4runner

I would bet fuel filter or converter are your problem.
Something is seriously blocked for it to be that sluggish.

The fuel mileage is a function of engine load so if the 3.0 makes more torque in the upper RPMs then that is where you want to be driving it. My Palm Pilot OBD reader allows me to actually see load versus MPG and with my gearing and tires you can see exactly what the optimal speed is in real time on the highway. It will even calculate gear ratios for you too. Great stuff!

rreed

What kind of nightmare does one have to go through to change a fuel filter on one of these things?

Besides drilling holes in the air box (and does this work w/ stock air filter?) what other free mods are there to do? I've calibrated the TPS to what was it, 500 ohms?

I'll suggest a new cat for her, even though we be in Arkansas the muffler shops will not gut a cat and reinstall (legal issues). I'd do it myself if I had a sawsall and torch.