boosted313

I'm new and there is so much hate for the 3.0.....I'm curious has to how many like your 3.0 has a daily slash minor trail rig....that is the purpose on why i got my runner...its my daily and i want to head out on the trails every now and then...i feel it should work well with the 3.0 the gas mileage sucks but its comfortable and fun...my stealth is for a speed but I'm wondering how many successful trucks we have on the trail with the 3.0l also what mods do you have...the reason i ask is i could use 190hp but the 3.4 swap is way to much right now.....

Red3.slow

Its fine on the trails. My 95' runner has impressed me many times on the trails with how far i've gone. They only place my runner hurts is at the pump and on the interstate. I don't have much bad to say about the 3.0 though I haven't had a lick of trouble out of it.

lofreqjeff

I have no complaints about the 3.Slow in my 89 4Runner. I have one friend with a 22r and a friend with a 22re and on the trails, they handle very similar but in my opinion, my 3.0 is far superior for city driving.

Its my daily driver and my trail rig. And I would say I do much more that minor trails with it. I think it gets reasonable mpg (16-18). I have a very short commute to and from my office and I would say my city vs trail driving is about 50-50. During the week, I might put 40-60 miles on it, but on the weekends that we hit the trails, I can put anywhere from 150-400 miles on it.

As far as engine mods, I don't have any unless you count a K&N filter and 31x10.5 MTR's. All my other mods are cosmetic.

GV27

Like mine. Gives me no trouble. It's powerful enough when driven correctly - I don't have trouble getting up to or maintaining 75 on the highway. Up in the mountains it takes a bit of rowing, but oh well.....wish it got better mileage, but again - oh well.....

Off-road it's got plenty of power. That's what low-range is for. Just like a Samurai kicks butt off-road.

AndYota

I'd have to agree with the above statements. I have had no complaints about mine on the trail, City driving is a little sluggish when getting up to speed or merging with traffic, but once on the freeway it maintains speed well. Mileage sucks, but it is an SUV.

Andy.

MudHippy

I daily drive my trail rig. The 3vze I got is the strongest running engine I've ever owned, not hp wise. Just its' inability to quit on me. I run mine with synthetic(100%), and custom exhaust(no muffler). Plenty o' torque to turn my 35's, even with the 4:30 gears.

shoes138

i love mine. it pretty quick off the line for the 2wheelers but she have hasnt givin me troubles at all! i cant wait to get my cams regrinded and actually wake the 3vz up! but all n all its a great motor!

runner126

good motor, dont care what anyone else says. never let me down

ChickenLover

I like mine as well.

4mydogs

Me, too!

glfrgy

my 3.0 is ok. i have a 1990 pickup that i drive every day. i use it for firewood hauling to and put a full rick in the back. it hauls it awesome. i would like to have more get up and go but it is ok to compramise a little of that for as much power as it puts to the road

TNRabbit

Mine was good to me for 217,000 miles, when I finally blew a HG. I'm in the process of tearing it down for a possible rebuild. I have found it to be reliable. I was getting over 20 mpg all around with a blown HG! I got as high as 24 mpg on the interstate in the past 2 months.

SO many ppl piss & moan about it, but for God's sake, nothing lasts forever! If I had the time & money & could find one, I'd swap in an old Buick 215 CID (3.5 liter) V-8. Reliable, compact package w/over 200 hp & decent mileage. Added plus of not having to eff with fuel injection & associated ECU. oh well...ya do whatcha gotta do.


DO NOT REPLY TO ME WITH YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT THE 3.4 SWAP!

da_bigg_wigg

I don't mind mine. It's not the fastest motor out there but it does me ok. I've got no problem on the highways, and if I keep it around 3200-3400 rpm, I get pretty good mileage.

I think you should do a 3.4 swap...

4rnr

I like mine. I have had 3 and put over 100,000 miles on them and Ive never bought one of them with less than 100k on it. As far as MPG I can get 15 (with 35 bfg Ats) and 12 (with the 36" tsl sx's). As far as the interstate I have had trouble in the past but now I can put the cruise control at 70 with the 36's, exo, auto, 5300lb total wieght of this thing...



The key to that was installing BrettM's electronic shifters. The auto doesnt work well on the highway with all my resistance. It down shifts at the wrong time. Usually premature, and throws my RPM in the 4k range. I have no power there. So with the shifters I decide what gear to put it in and most of the time the truck will pull the hardest on hte highway in top gear. The 3.0 is a torquey little motor.

I will say it is very hard to work on though.

TOYZILLA

To start off with i "HATE WHEN I SEE 3.SLOW" It is not a race motor duh.It has enuff to do what it was made for,With a few things,headers ,free flow ex k&n with air box mod an proper gears for size tires. It is a good motor.mabe some good cams & head porting it would be even better.

BC Rider

I like mine fine. Enough power for me and I've had it since new. At the time I got my truck the 3.0 was the best of the bunch. I don't expect it to be fast. That's what motorcycles are for

No offense to those folks who think they've got the fastest in town, but a TRUCK will never be fast in my book, so guys bragging about how their TRUCK is faster than your TRUCK are pretty lame. It's a T R U C K for heaven's sake.

The old girl is getting on in years so some niggles here and there, but it's all fixable and costs little if you can do your own wrenching - which I kind of enjoy.

92sr5yota

So far i love mine, getting 14-18.5 mpg depending on how i drive it. Sure it could use a few more horses, with the 5spd manual its not that slow (in my opinion). If i wanted to go fast i would have bought an mr2. But i have yet to have had problems with it. It does great on the trails. I have towed much bigger vehicles out of a stuck situation such as a ford f150 extended cab. My main gripe is how hard it is to work on.

rustyrunnerboy

this is a little irrelevant but sort of is at the same time...i'm looking to buy a new runner and with all these comments about the 3.0 and no negative ones i gotta say that i'm even more inclined to go with the 3.0...thanks for the indirect and unintended persuasion...

keithguts

I agree, I love mine also. It ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for me.

91ToyTrck

I have never had any major problems out of my motors. This is my 2nd and I think it was poor maintainence that I'm workingg out right now with her. I plan on adding an electric fan and headers to her soon once she is running 100% again.

I love the 3.0 and will rebuild or buy a rebuilt one when mine finally dies or gives up.