Hi all,
I completed a 3.4 swap in my ‘94 4Runner with an engine pulled from a ‘99 4Runner and a ECU purchased from eBay from a ‘97 T100 last year. I am now trying to get a BAR engine change approval i.e. trying to get it CA smog legal. I was told by the smog referee that, if there are no differences in the engine block from ‘97 to ‘99, “a block is a block” and therefore the ECU part number (89661-0W040) would determine the smog requirements/engine family/executive order.

Does anyone have any sort of documentation that could prove that a ‘97 is identical to a ‘99? The guys at Off Road Solutions said that they’ve never noticed any difference in the castings, but didn’t have anything in writing.

 

I originally started with a 99 4Runner donor and ended up getting a super low mile 2002 4Runner engine. There were some differences in EXTERNAL components but the long block was essentially the same. I found this out by looking up the part numbers for the two different year 3.4's. I ended up using the long block and just bolted on the upper intake and cable operated throttle body. The 2002 had fly by wire. The exhaust manifolds were different but easily swapped back and forth. Even the injectors were the same part numbers. So maybe look up the part numbers. I'd say the blocks are the same.

 

I ended up just biting the bullet on the TechInfo subscription and showed him the component overviews side by side, and that was good enough for him! Fortunately, the blocks are all exactly the same 95-99, and the only difference is that in 2000 they removed the old oil dipstick tube for the T100 after it was discontinued.

 

Thanks for the follow up post. May help those searching in the future. And yep, my 2000 block had the boss for a dipstick cast in the block but it was not drilled. There are jigs available to buy so you can drill it out straight. I just made my own and drilled it out so I could use the proper dip stick. Good to hear you passed smog.