Dragoon

Hi guys!

I recently purchased a fine 2000 4Runner and did an air intake and deckplate mod to it this weekend. The change was quite astonishing, as well as sporty sound at higher RPM's, so I'm really glad I did it.

Wanted to thank this forum for providing such nice articles on how to mod your 4Runner with ease.

So now I got several questions for ya....

1) Why does a manual transmition accelerate faster than automatic?
2) What is the best way to accelerate with an auto transmition? (just press gas pedal? Keep in neutral, go up to 3000 RPM and then switch to D? etc..)
3) When you completely stop the car (but keep the lever in D position) does the transmition remain in 1st gear?

Ok, that's it for now I guess

Thanks in advance!

racermp

1, very slightly (acceleration is due to gear ratios, not tranny type.)(having a manual means u can control gears more and launch harder)
2. say bye bye tranny
3.yes

algranger

ive only driven a few auto's but ive found the best is to drop it to the floor fast, then as soon as it starts accelerating let off to the desired throttle position. poping an auto in gear will wear on it FAST i would not recommend it

X-AWDriver

1) 4Runner autos suck up more power than manuals and obviously you have more control when you shift with a 5 speed thus getting a bit more out of the power band.

2) Just press the gas pedal;4Runners aren't sport cars and dumping the auto will definelty destroy the tranny and should never be done with any auto tranny. Power braking works (hold the brake,give it gas then release) with some cars but the 4Runner tranny won't accelerate faster doing that way instead it's just best to press the gas pedal from idle. I know this since I took my truck to the strip and tried both way.

3) Yes


IMO it sounds like you need some more experience with cars period so do some research a bit more extensively before you give yourself a costly repair bill.

Dragoon

Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated. You where right saying that I have very little experience with cars. In fact, this is my first ride

I think that after I get enough of this magnificent 4Runner, I'll switch to another runner with a manual gear and enjoy it a bit more than this one. Quite a pity that manual trannys are not that popular in US...

Thanks again!

X-AWDriver

Oh yeah,defiently find a 5 speed if you can since with less moving parts and more control over the gear you are in you can even get a solid increase in MPGs. In my '97 which was a 5 speed I was getting about 30 more miles a tank compared to my '99 auto.

bigt

def got a nice truck for a first ride man!!!
lets see some pics!!
does it have the rr diff lock button by the steering wheel ?

RustBucket

iTrader: (1)

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automa...nsmission7.htm

algranger

yeah lets see some pics! definitely get the manual or swap one in

surf4runner

do your parents own a transmission shop?



if you want to try to 'race' it then put in '1', floor it, and manually shift through to 'D'
'bout

as

fast

as

youll

get

there

Belize Off Road Team

My friends Subaru SVX has a Auto tranny from a 94 4Runner, i guess Subaru used them in the SVX's because it can handle high amounts of power. Maybe find out how SVX owners do perfect launchs with the Auto.

blackhecilopters

They used the auto trannys because I suppose Subaru did not make a beefy enough manual. However, those transmissions are even weak points on those cars, well know for failures.

904_runner

bahahhaha, omg, LMAO


Sorry. that made my day

blackspyder

1) Because Auto's start in 2nd 90% of the time (unless the load requires it to go to 1st or you manually turn Tow/Haul mode On)
2)Manually Shift it L-2-D-OD (if you have the OD button option Some domestic vehicles did)
3)it Puts itself in 2nd

MadCityRich

Ummm. No. See previous good posts on the subject. #2 is accurate, but a great way to shorten the life of the tranny.

MadCityRich

22mr2

Automatics always have less power and less fuel economy than a standard because in a standard there is a direct link to the gears through the clutch. In an automatic it has to go through the torque convertor, which works on the principle of hydraulics which does suck up some horsepower and a lil extra gas to run.
The best way to jump off the line all depends on your automatic trans, although most seem to jump best when manually shifted from 1,2,d,od.
A rolling start may be second gear, but from a dead stop all automatics would start in first gear

Dragoon

http://i445.photobucket.com/albums/q...dator_77/1.jpg
http://i445.photobucket.com/albums/q...dator_77/2.jpg

There you go Sorry, haven't got better pics for now, will get them later. All stock, 2000 4Runner, 5 speed auto tranny, rear diff lock, 3.4 engine. Deckplate and air intake mod

I kinda restrain myself from modding it further since I don't really like the auto tranny... I thought of switching it to manual, but many people said that's quite hard.. What do you think? should I give it a try? Has anyone done it? What are the results?

Thanks in advance

scuba

Good lord kid, please dont treat that truck like that

SoCalPaul

What are you planning on racing with a 4Runner???

I hope you have some $$$$. The harder you accelerate, the more gas you burn. Not to mention wear on the tranny & visits by the sharp dressed men in their 2-tone cars with the disco lights.

Price a transmission rebuild before you start abusing it so you can start saving now.

Paul

Dragoon

Well, I'm not planning to race anything, but it sucks when you reach 60 miles in 12 seconds... While a manual tranny does that in 7 secs. And concerning the wear on tranny... I'm not a speed-freak, racing my truck all day long. I might want to race a bit once in a week, but when I want to do that, I want to feel some power.. Considering Toyota build quality, I doubt that that kind of handling will do any harm to this truck in the nearest future.

Conserning driving it offroad - if I wanted to have a city truck - I would have bought QX4 or something of that sort. I'm not planning to stay only on road with a 4Runner and rear diff lock