lesha30

Hi,

Background: 91 4Runner, V6, 2WD, K&N, 108K miles, "new" tranny (25K miles on it), headgasket replaced due to recall 10K miles ago, stock exhaust, but the cat is broken on the inside (something is ticking inside), plugs, wires, cap & fuel filter - replaced 15-17K miles ago, stock tires.

Problem: the truck accelerates normal (or almost normal) on the streets, but when you turn on A/C, there is a delay in acceleration when I push the gas from the stop light. Also, when I go on a freeway, it accelerates ok to about 55 - 60 mph, and after that it's hard make it go any faster (but it goes). When I go uphill, it slows down (5-10 mph). Also, it seems to accelerate better when I don't push the gas too hard. When I push it hard on the freeway, it seems to be loosing speed instead of gaining it.

What could it be???

nunsa

The problem is lesha30, when you turn on your Ac, there is a load being applied to the engine. The 3.0 w/a auto trans aren't the fastest things to begin with and once you add a load to them i.e. AC then it's a bigger dog. When under hard acceleration your clutch on your AC isn't disengaging, it's supposed to, to give you the extra power you need to get up hill. Does it kick into overdrive without any problems?
One more thing: when you turn your AC on, does your engine idle up? If not, there is an AC idle up that could be adjusted!
Good Luck!
* Harry *

lesha30

When I turn my AC on, the idle does go up. Maybe I exadurated a little about speed on a freeway with OR without AC on, it accelerates FAIRLY easy up to 70 mph and after that it get bad, even worth with the AC on.
What could it be??? Would an aftermarket exhaust system be of any help???

midiwall

I'm not a 3.0 owner, but your description sounds like the words from many other 3.0 owners that I've read on the forum.

I think the right thing to do is to get out a torch and start making room under the hood for a large block V8. It's your only hope.

nunsa

Likw I said, the 3.slo attached to an auto transm. is a real dog! What your experiencing is pretty much normal. What exactly does it do after 70 MPH?
Does it kick into overdrive?
The biggest power boosts I did to get more power out of her is:
1. Put on a 2 1/4" exhaust w/flowmaster 50 muffler.
2. drilled out the air box & fabbed an air intake.
3. Got rid of that restrictive cross-over
4. Put some headers on her
5. Relaced the coil w/ an Accel Coil
6. Had the heads rebuilt w/ os valves
7.replaced the injectors w/os ones.
8. Rebuilt the engine
Now you probably don't want to go that extreme, or you can swap it out for a 3.4 for the cost of over $5000!
The biggest problem w/the 3.0 is it can't breathe! The mis-engineered x-over and the air intakes are a shame!

Good Luck!
* Harry *

Morerunner

I had a 91 pu with the 3.0. I put a K&N FIPK, new plugs and wires, and a 2 1/4" exaust w/a flowmaster. The thing ran great and still does according to my friend whom I sold it too. I even did a SAS w/a 5" lift and 4.88 gears and it still would cruise on the interstate at 80 easy. I found as long as the RPMs are kept up at times, it ran strong. I think the 3.0 has its best power at about 3800 to 4800 rpm. For hills as long as I down shifted just before the hill, my speed didn't decrease too much at all. I say do get exhaust and and a cold air intake at least. Good luck.