Congratulations, Fantastic Job!!!!

That has to be the cleanest install ever.

 

Thanks!

 

Dude so clean!

I want your camera

What kind is it? Cause I'm gonna have to get it!

 

It's a Konica Minolta Dimage Z10. I pretty much leave it on the Auto setting and turn on Macro and Flash. I'm by no means a photographer, so if the picture looks good I have to give all the credit to the camera

 

Now go to the forums where beligerant 3.0 owners insist the 3.4 doesn't really offer that much power difference...

 

The only bugs that have surfaced so far are:

1. Oil pressure gauge. The sender is good, no problems with the wiring, but resistance at the gauge is lower than that specified in the FSM. A replacement OEM gauge is only $50, so I'll order one. The original combination meter is the DLX version and I swapped in this one from a 4Runner and don't know the history, so I'll assume the problem came with the meter.

2. Water temp gauge. Sometimes the needle moves normally, other times it stays all the way at cold. The OBD scanner shows the temp at 192 F to 195 F, so everything is normal as far as temperature goes. I'll have to check out the sender for the gauge and the gauge itself.

3. The OD switch. I mentioned earlier that the OD switch on 3.4 Tacos and 4Runners is a momentary switch and the ECU handles turning OD off. Well, I'm half right. It became a momentry switch around '99 or '00 and was still an on/off switch from '96 till then. While the '01 switch I had works, I was always in overdrive and had to keep the switch physically pushed in to turn it off. My shifter assembly is from a 2001 Tacoma but fortunately the assembly and handles are the same throughout the 3.4 years. The switch for my '96 donor is only available in black, but I like it better than the all grey look.



2001 switch



1996 switch



Although many parts are interchangable throughout the different 3.4 years and models, some are not and these small ones sometimes bite you in the rear.

 

Just returned from my appointment at the referee center and:

1. My engine is approved

2. Passed all functional tests

3. Passed all emission tests

4. Failed the visual inspection


The shop that built my exhaust installed a 4300 series magnaflow cat that is not approved for the 1996 3.4L.

The ORS crossover is not approved.

The only approved exhaust configuration for the 1996 3.4L is down the passenger side of the vehicle, including cat and O2 sensors.

If I take care of these three things, he will pass me. Damn. What I think I'll do is find a used stock crossover, get the approved cat, and get a new exhaust built just to get the truck to pass and become legal. Then the other exhaust system will go back on. At least throwing some more money at this will take care of everything.

 

Holy crap, I'd be pissed. Moving away from CA would enter my option list pretty fast.

 

I had to have one inspection, for insurance purposes, when I bought mine 2 1/2 years ago. Nothing since. Long live right wing conservative governments!

 

That is a huge steamy pile of BS....Is there a reason why the exhaust has to be run down the passenger side. I mean does it really matter, are they providing some type of documentation stating that the exhaust being routed on the driver side, is gonna cause some emission problems?? Can you argue that?

That really pisses off, look like I am gonna have to register my vehicle in South Carolina, just to avoid all of the STUPID CALIFORNIA laws...

 

Unfortunately the exhaust only routes down the passenger side on 4Runners with 3.4 engines (Tacomas as well) so I have to stick to that configuration, at least to get my sticker. Afterwards, my current system goes back on.

Technically there is no difference as far as emissions go, but any change from the original EPA or California approved configuration is called tampering, and thats what was listed on my fail paperwork. One thing I would avoid doing is argue with the referee, since they can make life miserable if they want.

I'm not really pissed off, I know it will be approved with the exhaust changes and I just look forward to that. The referee is contracted by the state and just doing his job. I'm sure he has to tread carefully to avoid losing his license so I won't argue against him.

 

I hear ya, about the guy just doing his job and all. I am about to do the swap as you know.. (by the way thanks for the email) It looks like I will have to register the truck in my inlaws state.. SC.. just to avoid this and all of the smog issues. Good luck with the new exhaust.

Laterz
Jeremy

 

how you going to have it going down the passenger side with the gastank in the way?

 

I don't carry a spare tire under the bed anymore so there actually is quite a bit of room to snake the exhaust around the tank and exit back on the right side.

The only concern I have at the moment is how well the lower flange of the cross-over fits near the frame & lower firewall. The later model cross-over looks like it would not need any modification, but I don't know how the referee would interpret the approval issue for a 1996 3.4L. To be safe, I'll stick to the original cross-over and modify it to hook up to the cat.

 

After a bit of thinking, if I don't detect any degradation in performance I would consider leaving the approved exhaust mostly in place and re-route the rear section back to the driver side, away from the gas tank. Making heat shielding for the area between the tranny and fuel lines is pretty easy so I'm not too concerned about that issue, and if I eventually go LT for the front end (Total Chaos) I will no longer have torsion bars so that will open up some valuable space.

 

Too bad on the extra work. If it makes you feel any better any work you do will eventually help me decide on the same problem. I'm interested in keeping the OEM crossover so I've been thinking about something like this. My T100 seems like it should have 3" of extra room, but it still seems tight with the drive shaft.

Keep up the good work.

 

Yeah, things are a bit tight but it still looks workable. Heat shielding will be the trucks best friend without a doubt


RanchoToyTruck said the referee he went to didn't care which side the exhaust ran on his swap, so before I start any more work on my setup I'm going to a different test station to see if I can pass there.

If I'm told the same thing then OEM configuration it is. Two pluses about that are one less custom part (cross-over pipe) and the use of the OEM cross-over mount. The lower cross-over flange bolts to a bracket thats bolted to the bellhousing.

I'll keep you posted.

 

Strike two at the second referee center, same bull. In addition to the exhaust configuration, the new catalytic converter I bought last week did not pass because it is approved for Tacomas, not 4Runners
I also found out once you make your first visit, that info is now in the database for all referees to access.


I'm going to try to talk to a referee up north, explain my situation, and see if it would be a waste of time or not to get tested there. If I get a warm fuzzy feeling then I'll just find a used OEM 4Runner cat and get that welded in and go for it.

So far I don't recommend going to the referee station in Fullerton or Huntington Beach.

 

Also, heads up for any of you doing Jeep V8 conversions. The ref said those also fail all the time because of the exhaust configuration. I don't know if he meant he fails them or if thats an across the board problem. Anyways, stay away from the HB station.

 

I thank my lucky stars on a regular basis that I don't live in the PRC for these very reasons!

I don't think my conversion would pass California inspection, because of these same exhaust issues, but what is coming out of the tail pipe is SIGNIFICANTLY better that what came out of the stock 3.0 system, so what's the problem?!!?!?

Good luck getting this resolved!