I voted a big YES. I would love to have a turbodiesel Toyota 4Runner or LC 90 (Prado)/100 here in the U.S. I had been driving those turbodiesel Toyota, BMW, VW, Mercedes Benz, and Audi in Europe last a few years. I fell in love with this. The technologies have changed and improved so greatly over the years. What amazing me, is that in a few years ago the German engineering found a new way to make the turbodiesel engine more powerful, more torque, less noise, and less emission. No wonder, the turbodiesel engine is more wildly popular everywhere around the world except here in North American. The U.S. government or EPA said that they would allow having the diesel-powered vehicles to be sold here as long as the vehicle is able to meet the emission level, but the problem is that most oil company could not be able to meet the federal regulatory on the sulfuric agent removal on diesel fuel on the time frame. A sulfuric agent could cause some emission problem, same as the gasoline. (You probably heard some complains from late model year 4Runner owners smelling the sulfuric odor). The oil companies need more time to do the rework or upgrade on the refinery around the U.S.

While I was on the trip in southern Germany, I noticed a lot of cars and SUV running on the diesel and criursing on the famous Autobahn (often over 100+ mph) without puffing a foul odor or black smoke out of the car or SUV. I could not beleive that it was so clean (and so quiet). Germany has about 80% vehicles running diesel vs. the rest of others running on gasoline and electric.

On my recently trip to Germany, I did check on new Toyota LC 90 with turbodiesel engine (3.0L I-6 with 5 speed manual), it looks similar to Lexus GX470. It cost around 35K Euro (about $33K). I was temping to buy and import over here, but the U.S. custom won't allow it to import here without a proof of crash/safety certification from the U.S. government. That's sucks.

On the bright side (maybe), I heard Toyota is planning to sell turbodiesel Tacoma and Tundra here very soon after they finalize the deal with the diesel engine manufacturer in the U.S., possibly late 2004 or so. No word about 4Runner or Sequoia.

 

Diesel engines are fast. I have a friend that has a F250 4X4 offroad and he made some aftermarket performance upgrades and that machine will haul ass. It is almost as fast as the runner off the line and at 70 mph, that SOB is coming on strong. I would take one in a heartbeat.

 

I would, I dont think new deisles are really that loud though, I had a 84 silverado with the 6.2 deisel and now that was LOUD. I still liked it though, it was weird though, you step on the throttle and for the first second you think dang this is kinda quick, then all the sudden it feels like it trips over its own feet. pulled anythign I wanted to though, couldnt get going very fast with the load, but plenty of torque from idle to maybe 1500 RPMS or less. lol

my uncle has a 96 i think F350 w/ 7.3L powerstroke TD and a new 03 F250w/ the 6.0L TD and he says the 6 liter has alot more power and gets better gas mileage that the 7.3. I am not sure of that fact cuz he doesnt let me drive either, but the 6.0 is for sure quieter, I can hear that part of it so I know.

and how much is the deisel option, on full size trucks it is like 5k to go to the cummins TD or the duramax, or whatever the fords deisel is called now.

 

i might be looking into importing a 3L or 2LT a few years down the road when gas prices become unbearable...for the first time in ages yesterday i saw that diesel was cheaper here than gas

 

I would.

Frank.

 

I was just reading somewhere online that International and Cummins are looking at Toyota and Nissan for their engines, they said by 2006 it is possible to see Diesel Tundras and Titans

 

that would be cool, if I have the money to buy one when they come out.

 

Hell ya Diesel's kick ass.....they run like champs.

 

TDI in a 3rd gen? Where do I sign?
Mike

 

yes you could have one bad as low torqe runner

 

FYI.

The 4th gen Surf has a very powerful intercooled turbo diesel powerplant. It's a 3.0L 4cyl 16V DOHC direct injection engine that generates 170 hp and 36 kg-m of torque. It's a bit noisy though.
engine name 1KD-FTV

The 3rd gen surf also has a 3.0L intercooled turbo diesel SOHC EFI engine that generates 145 hp and 34 kg-m of torque. It's silent because of two counter-balancing shafts. engine name 1KZ-TE

Apologies for the metrics.

 

<They're loud and stinky.>

Ahh, no. New technology such as the 2.8L Common Rail Diesel going into the Liberty is neither loud nor stinky. Diesels have come a long way bro. 4 cyl gas mileage, V8 torque, count me in!

 

Yes and no. I don't see the need for a daily driver. For a wheeling rig or if it is used for frequent towing, then I would see the point. For frequent towing, I would want a large 1-ton (or bigger) and those can already be had with a turbo-diesel.

 

i want one because i can run nearly anything in it for fuel. like going to a tranny shop and buying a load of used/worn out atf, and cutting commercial diesel 50/50 with it. or using biodiesel or vegetable oil

 

You might like to consider the 1KZ-TE engine instead. It's a 3.0L intercooled turbo diesel engine. It generates 145 hp at 3600rpm and 334 N-m of torque at 2000 rpm. It's a silent SOHC with twin balancing shafts. If you got the bucks, then get the newer 1KD-FTV DOHC common rail direct injection engine.

FYI, the early versions of the 2L-TE from japan has some overheating probs(during hot weather in hot climate regions like australia and the philippines), particularly the cyl. head. Just make sure the one that you import belongs to the later manufacture batches.

HTH.

 

what is 334 NM of torque in what I understand, ft/lbs?

 

Well, scaling it off my torque wrench I get 1ft-lb ≈ 1.3558NM. So 334NM ≈ 246ft-lbs

 

cool, thats a ton of torque, the new deisels in the fill size have what, like 575+ ft/lbs at like 1500-2k or something? I though i heard the chevy commercial say he duramax had 590 ft/lbs at 1800.

 

I have to be honest, I was not sure how much I would like having a Diesel, however, after getting it I love it!!! It is not a Yota, however, I suppose it is the next best thing!

I have not done any engine mods because I just does not need them. Maybe in the future I will place with the motor, but at this time it tows anything I put behind it!

 

Check this thread for more info on the common rail diesel from Toyota and Mercedes and the MB engineers planning on low-sulfur diesel fuel being available in the US in late 2006.