Since finding this site I have become a firm believer that if it can be done, it probably already has been. So here I am again, but this time I need some real world advice from those of you who may have tried some of the tech mods, speed chips, air flow increase horse power mods that are out there. 1995 SR5, 4x4 3.0 V6 5speed manual trans, completely stock

Do those chips you add to your system really work? If so which are the best, don't want to go spending money I don't need to to find the ones that really will increase my gas milage. For me thats the bottom line. If I am going to have to spend $50 every time I fill this truck, I want to make it less often ( don't bother telling me to not drive it! LOL).

Air flow mods. Seen the one on here for drilling out the bottom of the air box, the one for replacing the tube going from the airbox and MAF to the intake. Anyone tried the vortex, air razor or other spin cycle inserts?

On the topic of gas milage, anyone tried the fuel line magnets?

I would love to put a gr8 set of headers on this rig, but at $500+ thats a bit more then I can afford right now and if any of the other items work, well then it will work even better when I get the cash saved up for the new headers.

Thanks fo all the posters here, I have been learning sooo much about my 4Runners since I found this site. Will have to show my youngest son this site as well as he is going to get my Gen 1 in about a year when he turns 15 1/2.

 

What year, engine, and transmission are we talking about here?

 

Searching is such a cool feature. I really should put my obnoxious blinking "search post" in here, but you claim you've already read through the forum so you must be wanting something more than the many many posts that say The magnets are a joke, the air intake vortex things are a joke, a throttle body spacer is a joke on a direct inject EFI engine.


You talk about a "Gen 1" and "drilling out the bottom of the air box, so (like TC asked) what engine are we talking about? I figure it's the 22RE?

Increasing air flow into an engine - any engine - is a good thing. It will increase power by allowing more air into the engine which will allow for more fuel to be burned. That's more power.

Replacing the air intake tube increases throttle response ("increases" = makes it faster).

The plug-in ECU chips work to a point, they change the timing and fuel maps so that the engine will burn more fuel and there will be more spark advance. But if we're talking about the 22RE, then I think you have a real distributor which you can increase the advance on "the old fashion way". A better answer can come once you tell us what engine we're talking about.

An answer about headers depends on the engine as well.

 

It would help to know what you have. As midiwall says most things that promise better gas milage or big increases in performance are a big waste of money. The best and cheapest things to do are intake silencer mod, airbox mod, and change fluids to synthetics.

 

Yeah I guess I need to update a profile ya think? Sorry but I have a Gen 2 1995 SR5, 3.0 V6, manual 5 speed, 4x4. Everything is stock right now.

 

Are you feeling beat up a little? Don't worry about it... they're all harmless. Let me be the first to say "Welcome!"

But with all seriousness, spend some time looking around and researching. Take a week or two. Explore the site a little. Look at the Tech section. Read some threads. You'll get an idea of what's viable and what's not. Also, your understanding will depend on your fundamental knowledge of automobiles. Don't be afraid to ask questions concerning theory. But realize that many of the questions have been asked before and so it's just kind of frustrating to have to go over the same information over and over again.

 

In my several years of tinkering with my 3 slow I have found several small things that add up for more power and better MPG. I think the best MPG I have ever achieved was 24mpg coming down from the mountians going to the beach. Of course that was all down hill highway driving. I use to average 18-20mpg in the blue ridge mountians running a stock engine with a K&N air filter and Mobil full synthetic oil. If you make sure that you keep your engine tuned well that will help you save at the pump probably the most. As for power an electric fan will help free up some ponies as will headers and a free flowing exhaust with the next size bigger exhaust pipe. If you go the exhaust route you should probably replace the catalytic converter as well, as they will start to clog over many years of use. For those "As Seen on TV" gimicks in my opinion they are trying to sell you crap. If you want to know more about which mods I noticed the most gain out of send me and e-mail I will try to hit you back ASAP.

 

Well, most all of the mods for cheap power are pointless.

I've got a gutless engine. I put on headers, 2.5 inch exhaust, high flow air intake.

It's still gutless. however, i did notice an increase in fuel efficency.

I have a 4banger, and it averages 26 on the hwy, and around 22-23 city. I have a brand new engine too, so that helps a bit.

If you want a ton of power, it's going to involve an engine swap. otherwise, with the cheap stuff, you might get up to a 10 hp increase, but you'll find that it's barely noticeable.

 

OK - for the 3.0 there's not much you can do inexpensively. The bottom end is stout, but head gaskets are a problem. The best thing would be headers, and that's as much for reliability as it is for power (it will get the heat away from #6).

As always, the best way to ensure max power/efficiency is to make sure the truck is in good running order - timing, clean (Seafoam), and tire pressure - all of which are cheap. There are some good reports after people change the O2 sensor, since as it starts to go out, the "error" will cause it to run rich.

 

Just my 2 cents....I've got an 87' 4Runner DLX, 5 spd, 4WD, etc etc...with 250K miles on it. After I put 33" tires on it I had an (expected) big loss of power. I know the 22RE's aren't speedsters in the 1st place, it's only a little 4 cyl.
I skeptically ordered a vortex tube from precisionpowerparts@yahoo.com on ebay and installed it just recently. The 1st hill it zoomed up I thought was a fluke. So I drove around and found other hills and drove up and down those hills back and forth and was totally amazed at the increase in power. It used to lug pretty bad on hills, it was all I could do to get up them in 3rd gear lol.
But this little circle of metal made one heck of a difference. Maybe because it's a 4 cyl and it doesn't take much? I don't know, but it works! After that I added a can of BG's 44K-I'm sold on that stuff. (It's only $12.83/can at the local muffler shop here in OK, by the way).
My little "mud dawdler" moves right along now and I'm thrilled with the results.

 

That's interesting to hear. When Myth Busters did their little test on that crap, they only tested mpg, not power... But then again, it would seem like you'd either get one or the other...

 

Don't forget to order up a Magnetic Fuel Ionizer too:

http://www.marketworks.com/storefron...px?sfid=101252

 

I thought about posting up, but I'd hate for people to see us agree on anything. Maybe people reading this thread should brush up on the deckplate mod thread for some concrete evidence!

 

 

WAIT A MINUITE!! Hold everything! I must be mistaken but I think that Mark and Whitey just agreed on something! Could it be? Could they actually become friends after what has transpired so far in there rivalry??

And so I am not yelled at to get back on topic… see : https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f120/cold-air-intake-vs-deck-plate-mod-112608/ (this will give you some great info on air flow and explain some of the fuss over Mark and Whitey…)

 

Now kids, let's not get this thing between W and I blown out of proportion. Yes, I agree that i was pretty miffed, but it's over. 'k? Let's not dig it up again.

And yeah... that's me being me _and_ me being a mod speaking.