CoedNaked

Everyone who does mods on the 3.0 wants torque, plain and simple. I would like some more torque on the 3.0. If you gave me another 20-30 foot pounds of torque between 1200 and 3200 RPM's with this engine, I could personally care less if the engine start gasping for breath at 3500 RPM's, but as you all know, that's not the case.

But I'm just thinking to myself the other day. I've been on this discussion board for years now, and I've heard just about everything and anything on this motor and various mods tried. Most modifications yield not much in the way of torque, but a lot of the pricier mods like headers seem to yield more in the way of mid to high end horsepower in most cases. I'm thinking, what is the limiting factor here? Well there is 2 the way I see it 1) Displacement 2) technology.

In a nutshell, how can you expect to get much more torque out of an engine with only 3 liters of displacement with only single overhead cams? I think the answer is something we don't want to hear. We can't expect that much. I mean unless someone wants to try forced induction of course! But even then.

My brother has a 96 4runner and I've driven it a few times, with the 3.4 and a manual. The thing I love about this engine is it has great torque right from idle. If I had this engine in my truck I wouldn't need to shift it above 2500 RPM's, where as my 3.0 it's between 2500-3200 I shift now a days on average in most cases. It doesn't have that much more displacement, but I think those Dual overhead cams make a bit of a difference coupled with the bigger stock exhaust system.

shoes138

hopefully when i get done with my motor i will be getting a alot mor torque but im still deciding whether to go with twin turbos or on big single turbo! but my plan is redesign the intake i wanna try to get two throttle bodies in there n twin turbo it, n of course see if i could get some forged piston n connecting rods! i dont know how how the bottom end of the 3vz will hold!

Tdubbs05

at least the 3.0's reliable once the head gaskets done. that's one thing that's necessary when it comes to an off road vehicle.

thook

And sometime it's a question of what you have the skill, time, and/or money for in a given moment. If I had all three of those factors in my favor, when my 3.0 draws it last breath I would certainly get a 3.4....unless, there is something even better. For now, I will do what I can with the motor I have while it still works just fine. (which isn't much, btw...lol!)

Note: I do think if the cost of mod'ing the 3.0 meets or exceeds installing a 3.4, there is definitely something off in the logic there....if more power and torque is what one wants.

Brenjen

I expect exactly what the 3.0 delivers. It runs strong enough for my needs, of course more power is always nice to have on tap if you want it. But if that 3.0 of mine keeps running the way it is now & doesn't have any expensive break downs I'll be happy with it.

As I see it, modding any engine to gain more horsepower & torque is just a matter of money. The more of one you have to spend, the more of the other you'll have to play with. The two are mutually inclusive so to speak. I'm sure if someone was to take the 3.0 with a "money is no object" mind set & begin to throw wads of cash at it they could build quite a powerful engine. I mean face it, people hop up lawn mower engines, you can do the same with the 3.0, it just takes money. The most beneficial bolt on power mods would probably be the usual stand-bys; a super charger or turbo, headers & nitrous.

Bang for the buck forces most people to come up with more common sense mods like the 3.4 swap, V-8's etc.

TNRabbit

Very well put!