Desperate for power!...and gas milage
 

ok, i just got my 1995 Toyota 4runner, it has a 3VZE, 4wd,A/T, 31x10.5s...and it sucks on gas and power...im not getting 17mpg hwy and only gettin 150 horse so i want to know how i can make around 170-180hp with out dropping my savings account into it...also, if i get the extra power would i be able to install lower differential gearing to drop my RPMs at highway speed for better economy?

an engine swap is out of the question, i dont have the money, and my mom wont let me.

i know these questions have been asked relentlessly, but please help.

edit:also ill be doing all the work to it myself. I dont have an engine hoist so i cant take the engine out to do any internal upgrades.

I would advise you to install a better catback exhaust system, advance the timing a bit and drop in 4.56 gears. That should make it quite good.

pretty sure 150 horse is the stock number. on lucky days i get 17 mpg hwy. sounds like you are par for the course

inflate the tires to 40psi, regear to 4.56, new exhaust (2.25in) and headers for head gasket reliability primarily and increased power band. If you are ambitious get Weasy Cams- and you will have a nice setup. I would advise to stop there- I wouldn't go further as the amount invested doesn't give results when you start getting into oversized valves and pistons etc.

He probably already has 4.88's fellas... if anything he needs 5.29's as the automatics are overgeared from the factory IMHO.

Big x2 for tire pressure - tires are cheaper than gas these days!

Seriously, though, it's a heavy second gen with a 3.0 automatic - power and economy are gonna suck. A manual transmission would be a significant improvement - everything else, you're just polishing a turd.

well.. you could put stock-size tires back on it to get a little more power and mpg's. but it wont look as good. go on LCengineering.com, they got a crap ton of hop-up parts toyotas, just depends on how much $$$ your willin to spend. i think everyone who has a yota is desperate for more power hahahahah

Are you on drugs son ??? ;)
You're asking for a 20% increase in power in this and not really doing anything for it.
No way.
Your only options for that increase is to:
- blow it
and/or
- stroke it
or
- swap it.

17 mpg or less is about right for that vehicle.

You're best bet for what you're asking (doing the work yourself, 20% increase in power, etc) is to sell it and buy something else.


:)
Fred

Gonna agree with most of the guys on here.. There is absolutly NO "cheap" way to get that kind of power out of the 3vze. You are looking at thousands to get to that point.

Like TC mentioned, throw some 5.29 gears in the diffs and that should help out considerably. Toyota undergeared the automatics in this generation. The factory auto + 31" tire package came with 4.88 gears, 5.29's shouldve been stock. You have a TALL overdrive, much too tall for 4.88's .... A nice 2.25" exhaust system will help too, should sound better too ;)


Or Throw a 3.4L in there.... Will give you right about that much power stock..

Well, there is one thing you can do for free....


You can drive down hill more often to increase your MPG, and get more usable horsepower throughout the entire RPM range. Best of all, you have the ultimate mod, gravity, on your side, you get to keep your tires, leave the engine alone, and no need to regear.


But if you don't feel like calling someone to tow you back up the hill, you may want to consider getting exhaust, and ISR mod and then just give up on your hopes of achieving more power or MPG, because you simply won't. 17 is pretty good for an auto in stock form. You should be able to get 18, maybe 19 if you really milk it.

:lof: This guy's funny!

There is no way you will get 180hp out of teh 3vze without spending way to much money (I mean with the amount of money you spend getting that engine to that kind of power you would have been better of buying a 4runner or Tacoma with a 5vzfe). Headers and an Exhaust will work, but you are not going to get anywhere near 180hp. I have Downey Headers and a full exhaust on my truck and it does help power wise but it is still very underpowered. I have a 5 speed so i think i am getting a little more power to the rear wheels than you but not much.... One thing you might want to try is the ISR mod or think about getting some kind of intake becasue the stock set up is REALLY restrictive. IMO i think you would be better of selling it and getting a toyota with a 5vzfe, that motor has the kind of power you are looking for stock, plus you could always supercharge it if you get bored or whatever...:banger:

Hope that helps.

replace your fuel filter, replace your air filter, buy new denso or ngk plugs, replace cap and rotor, get new plug wires, advance your timing a little, use high octane gas, get headers and 2.25"-2.5" exhaust, remove your catalytic converter and put a test pipe in it's place, remove your driver's side headlight, drive mostly on the freeway at 65 mph, accelerate slowly/deccelerate way before you need to stop, air up you tires to 45psi, and find a way to replace the restrictive VAFM with a MAF.
.. you aint gonna get 180hp.. but i regularly get 25 mpg on the freeway, and 16 - 18 on the street.. with the 3vze and an automatic transmission.. in a pickup though, the 4runner is a bit heavier. good luck!

Also, remember, that 150 HP is the MAX that the engine produces and it only produces that at 4800 rpm. When is the last time you've done anything much, for any length of time, up at that rpm ? ;)

A better idea of what you're really getting is that this engine produces a MAX hp of 116 at 3400 rpm...



:)
Fred