4 cyl 4x4 3rd gen
 

Well, i really want a 4runner as my next vehicle, but gas prices are killing me here down south. Are the 4cyl 4x4's okay? Im sure they would be a little weak , but it will be my first car so im not sure that it would bother me.

Thanks
-Jordan

alot of people say good things about the 2.7 3ZRV (i think) Supposedly its alot like the ever reliable 22RE, but its more powerful, and has more options for upgrades. My 4runner was my first car.....still is my car, and I proabably won't ever get rid of it. If you are unsatisfied with the power you can always supercharge it, since they have a TRD kit. And I'm sure if you do the usual bolt on mods it will be modestly powerful.

I got my 2000 4x4 4cyl Runner last summer. At first it was a slow dog, then I installed my custom air intake, header, hi-flow cat, and exhaust. Now it is really peppy and can hang w/ the v6's. Plus I still get 22-25 mpg.

I was always curious, what is the redline on such a big 4 cyl?

Wow, thats not what i was expecting to hear! Does the TRD kit require premium gas?

not sure. but ever heard of a 255 offenhauser? it's a 225cid DOHC 4 banger that used to be a common indy car engine back around the 50s. i think it was rated at around 400hp :saw:

redline has more to do with stroke and valvetrain mass than just displacement.

My 01 Tacoma 4x4 has the 2.7 and it zips up and down these mountains like nothing.I live in the mountains in south central WV and have to travel them all day every day.
I have the extended cab with the step side bed, truck bed tool box full of tools that weigh about #200 and I weigh #200 and it still has no problems at all.
I'm running 16"-31" Wild Country Tires tires and my ,ilage around here is 18-19 combined on and off road. When I go visit some of my flat lander friends in northen Ohio I get about 21 when running around up there.
The only thing I have done to my engine is take care of it and run 5w 30 Mobile 1 synthetic and I did the Elbow mod on the air box. 76,000 miles and the only problem I have had is blowing seals and cruded up contacts on the starter after falling in a 4' water hole while driving down a river bed. Water was coming in my rolled down window,Lol. Mike

How much did those mods cost you PO2SIMS?

Custom Intake tubing=Made free at work
K&N Drop in Filter=$45
LCE Header=$300
Magnaflow Bolt in Hi-Flow Cat=$160
Dynomax Super Turbo Muffler=$50
Cat back 2.25" exhaust from shop=$100
180 Themostat=$30
LCE Short Throw Shifter=$200

Having a free reving 2.7=Pricey


I personally prefer 4cyl though, and it redlines at 5500rpm, just like the 22R. Next I want to put in Cams and Cam Gears.

Alright, last question.

Could a 4cyl 4x4 4runner handle a 1" PP lift and 265/75/16 tires?

a 4cyl 3rd gen 4r can handle 315s :great: It is all about gearing

If you read my signature, you would see I'm running 2.5" of lift and 33's still w/ 4.10's and plenty of power. I do plan to get 4.88's. :great:

I would strongly recommend a 5spd to go with it. Not sure 4cyl + auto would be much fun.

I liked the 4cyl in my 2nd gen so well I waited months for a 3rd gen with the 4cyl to be listed around here. Like others have said it really has enough power for normal driving. I have no lift, but running larger tires (32") without regearing. Drove it cross country twice this spring, had no issue doing 80+. Had to downshift to 4th on some hills and 4srd a couple times in west virginia. I typically get 22-23mpg highway (after adjusting for odometer being off).

Maybe it's just because there are so many fewer, but it really seems to me the 4cyl guys have a lot less engine repairs.

well, you have to look at it this way. comparing the 3RZ-FE against the 5VZ-FE, the 4 cylinder has 1 less cylinder head, 2 less camshafts, 2 less pistons and rods, 1 less exhaust manifold, and 1 more main bearing. simplicity = reliability.

then again, it's not always true, just look at any mazda rotary's reliability :lol:

What kind of mileage would i be looking at, 250,000? I saw one for sale, 4x4 4cyl, automatic with 125k miles for $7999. Seems like a good deal, but being my first car i hesitate to get something with that much use.
thanks

I heavily suggest not getting a automatic!!!! To properly use a 4cyl's power in a truck you need a manual tranny. Keep searching, they are out there.

PO2SIMS: "I heavily suggest not getting a automatic!!!! To properly use a 4cyl's power in a truck you need a manual tranny. Keep searching, they are out there."


Where in the world did you ever get that idea? You guy's who only like or think that you need a standard shift in a 2.7 really git me,Lol. Nothing could be furthure from the truth.
I think the biggest reason some of these guys feel this way is because they just enjoy shifting the stick alot. That's great if it's your thing and you enjoy that.
I have driven 4x4's for many years and have had stick and auto and I'll take auto over stick any time for on the highway or off road. It's just a matter of preference but not needed at all.
Just for the ones who don't know..... you can shift an auto too,Lol. Mike

i have a 98 4runner with the 3rz. it has 145k on it now. it came factory with the 16"wheels (265/70's), 5 spd, and factory 4.56 gearing! without the 4.56 gearing, i think my truck would be a bit dog'ish. however, a side effect of the gearing is that i run at about 3,000 rpm running about 75/80mph. none the less, i am getting 21-22mpg running 75-80mph. i would say to go with the 5spd. because i would hate having to downshift an auto into 2 while cruising at 40mph. it would be horrible to feel and hear. atleast the downshift in a 5spd is much much easier and much more controlled. but...if you live in the flats, then you would not have to worry about that. so, i say test both! i stumbled across mine by luck. saw it listed, test drove it, and put the money down on it. 62k, 3 years old, and i got it for $12,000. not bad for a 4x4 yotota. lol!

You are right about it being a preference thing, but that's about it. No, I don't enjoy shifting, in fact it gets old at times. But, to have the total control of the vehicle, rpm, and gear ratio, manual is the only way to go. And off-road, it's hard to rock the truck or slip the clutch in an automatic. Plus you loose horsepower in the torque converter fluid. Yes, you can shift w/ an automatic, but it is not the same, and you should know that. Not to mention, manuals have a longer life span when taken care of. The guy is wondering about the power of the 2.7 3RZ, and it is a fact that the manual has more power to the wheels than an automatic. Using Bernelli's principle your engine is connected to the wheels w/ hydraulic power, while a manual's engine is connected to the wheels mechanically. If, you think you are steering the guy in the right direction w/ an automatic than give him reasons why, not just put down the guys that drive manuals.

No One is putting down the guy's who drive manuals at all. In fact I was just clearing up your put down of autos and the fact that your lacking in knowledge about the use of the workings of an auto on or off road.To suggest that you have to have a manual to get the full potential of a 4 banger is not true at all if you know how to drive. Getting in trouble half way up a steep hill with 4 cylinder manual can get some guys in deep shi$!
Years ago the auto's were no match for the standard but that has not been true for many years now. Just trying to keep the facts straight instead of misleading someone.
Nothing against you at all. If you do a little research you will see that this has been discussed many times and you will see many reasons for the auto transmission's of today. As for lasting the longest I see maore threads about stick problems and clutches than I ever see about auto tranny's. My last auto tranny lasted me 14 years and never had a bit a trouble with it.
I think we can both agree that the best thing for this guy or anyone buying a vehical like this is to drive both of them and decide for themselves. But try it off road and on before making up there mind.

Well, i think i am going to get an AUTO for 2 reasons

-Better gas mileage (doesnt sound right tho?)
-and it will be my first car, so i dont really want to drive a manual

manual is the way to go, my taco is my second truck and both were manual and i will probably never drive an auto

What do you mean by getting in trouble going up a hill. Do you mean having to stop, then start again and slipping back because of the time it takes to work the clutch? If so, I never had a problem cause I know how to drive a manual. If you have to stop on a steep hill, then go again, you just engage the e-brake then start to go and when the truck wants to go forward you disengage the e-brake and off you go w/ no slipping.

I never had a problem on a hill with manual either or anywhere else for that matter but I have driven them in 18 wheelers, tandom dumps and about any other truck or car you can think of. The problem is , some guy's and girls have driven them for several years and they still have problems. That can go for learning the correct way to drive an auto also but not as much.
You should not have to use your e-brake for that at all , but I guess it's one way to do it.
I'm just trying to point out that you DON"T need a manual tranny to get all the power from a 4 cylinder. That makes no sence at all.

What about towing on a 4cyl? BTW I'm probably going to get an auto just because it will be my first car.

The towing factor depends on where you live and how much you intend to tow with it.Towing heavy loads over mountains can be hard on any 4 cylinder but on the flats it should handle it just fine if you stay within realistic weights. Mike

If it's your first car, don't be afraid to get a manual. You will have it down in a couple of days.

If you know anything about hydraulic power than it makes perfect sense!! Go read up on hyd power, and maybe you will see where the auto tranny eats horspower. All we are saying is that the 4cyl is a little underpowered, and why use a transmission that takes a little of that needed power away.

Oh, and Beartracker, I'm not dogging auto's. My other truck is a 04' 2x4 colorado 5cyl auto. That truck comes lowered and has 220 hp and 225 ft lb, and nver really sees offroad, plus for a light truck has plenty of power that the auto doesn't matter. In fact for that truck I prefer the auto. :great:

Towing will depend on your area and how much weight you are talking about. If your in the mountains then weight can be a problem for a 4 Cyl. If your a flat lander you will have all the power you need if you keep the towing weight within specs.

Well, the most i would want to tow is a ~1-2k pound jetski. I think i will just go with an auto. The whole reason that i want a 4cylinder is because of the good gas mileage. With a manual, it is like 2 mpg less (thats what it shows on other sites)

That'll depend on how you drive her. Manuals usually get more miles per gallon and have a little more hp left at the wheels than any slush box will.

Auto trans eat hp and fuel to make them work, period. A manual will get better gas milage IF you watch how you drive it in traffic conditions and don't wind her out at every light.
Four vehicles here and all of them are manual, I'd never recommend an auto trans. To each his own though, I'd buy an auto if the price was right. Plus, on the new yota that I want, you can't even get a manual trans in her. :cry:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ueleconomy.jpg

It shows it as a big difference.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymod..._4Runner.shtml

I have a manual and I get 23-25 on the highway going 75. I don't know where you got that chart, but i've seen a few and that's the only one that says the auto gets more. It's a rule of thumb that manuals will get slightly better milage when driven moderatly. Go car shopping and look at cars window stickers, on most models manual have better milage.

Yeah, thats what i have always heard.

Thanks alot for your help, ill probably just get whatever i find first.

Whichever, it's still a great engine.

Gearing Difference
 

I bet the gearing is different on the 5 spd 4runner and that would account for the mileage difference. Go up one size in the tires and the mileage (after corrections) would be the same.

id say if youre getting your first car, definitely get a manual. i will never own an automatic, i dont care if its a minivan, it will be manual haha. you will get the hang of it within a week, and youll never regret not getting a manual later. if you love to drive, get a manual. if you just see your car as a way to move you from one place to another then the auto is for you. a friend of mine got an automatic mustang (waste imo) against all of our advice, he did some stuff to it i.e. exhaust, intake, rims, and sold it two years later to buy a manual.

My friend witha 2.7 taco prerunner auto always tells me how much of a dog it is.
I have driven similar 4runners to mine when test driving them (I probably test drove 20 + trucks before I bought mine)I found that the 22re autos were super sluggish compared to manual. It's just a plain fact, at least with the old motors. Gearing is even more important if you have an auto.

I think you be better with the auto. I tow alot, and a few times its been boats down a wet boat ramp. If your in a hurry to dump the boat its so much easier with an auto, instead of burning up the clutch with 5 people waiting on you. You can put it in 4x4lo to make it a little easier but its still a pita.

MPG I think that charts a little off. I believe the 2.7l 4x4 got pretty much the same MPG manual vs auto. But I dont know of auto actually getting better. Newer automatic transmissions, such as the one in the Scion actually do get better MPG due to some nifty engineering.

Another nice thing about an auto is when adding bigger tires you dont notice it as much.

Its usally owner preference though.