Look at your drivers side door and get your actual Ring and Pinion.

This is for 97-2002 but I bet your will be on there.

http://www.vibratesoftware.com/html_...es.htm#4Runner

 

Jack, I completely agree with you regarding how dangerous the 2.7 is. Basically I just don't pass unless I know I have lots of room. This is my first 4runner which I bought approx. 2-3months ago. I can't believe Toyota put such an underpowered engine in their 4runners...But I have to live with it for now! My buddy who is a mechanic told me this thing was bullet proof...well so far he has been right considering I bought it with 235k or 138k miles.. I kept telling him something was wrong because there is no way it could be this slow/underpowered.... He said basically the same thing as Steve, change my tires or gears or both! I'm not there yet but if you ask me... don't bother with the engine swap unless you know someone who can pick where you end up leaving off.... Not to sound so negative, but I have yet to hear of a nice easy swap in the 4runners. I have talked to a few guys here and they said I would be better off trading it in for a 6cyl and stay away from the $$$$ you will spend on the SC and all the extras you will need after that.

Jack, can you tell me how many miles you get to the tank and also what RPMs are you running at 60mph ?? Just curious... I want to compare with mine.

Steve, anymore info on the gear change would be nice also... I don't want to steal this thread so you can PM if Jack is not interested in hearing about the gear change.

Good Luck !!! let us know how it goes....

 

Lucky you.

Just checked it this weekend.
I needed to drive to ~ L.A. from San Diego.
It made 17.8 miles / gallon. Did fill twice just to measure it.

In the city, before the new headers, it made ~ 220 miles p/ each tank fill (~15 gallons each time). -> 14.6 miles p/ gallon, almost like a TLC. Too bad!

I now sure how much my speedometer is off. It is pretty close to my GPS. But we would add some more total miles to the game just in case. 5% maybe?

I need to check on the RPM for you.
-JACK

 

What year is your 4Runner? What engine 2.7?

Yes, lets keep the gear discussion going here too. No problem.

-JACK

 

What gears do you have in that thing ??? Check your door code.,

I can go 250 miles in the city and 330 on the highway.

18 gallons.

 

A modern engine swap (OBDII-equipped) is quite an undertaking. While no doubt the 3.4L will fit your 2.7L-equipped 'Runner, its far more involved than engine swap I've taken on (early model Chevy V8s). Lots more parts equals lots more things to check, double check and check again. Mess up and the dreaded check engine light comes on or worse yet, it doesn't run and then you have to check all the hook ups. All the power to ya if you take on this project but it will take lots of time and patience. By the way, my buddy of mine in N.Carolina did the same conversion you're comtemplating w/ success in his Runner. I think he invented new profanities to add to the dictionary though...Asked if it was worth it, he said he wouldn't want to do it again.

Go w/ new gears. Cheaper and saves deflowering virgin ears

 

You know you'll have to get a new transmission and transfer case as well. 26 spline versus 23 spline.

5.29 Ring & Pinion

 

im gonna go with the regearing theory as well. when i had my 32s with my stock 3.73 gearing, life was hard, the only thing that was good about it was highway RPMs. everything else was just too gutless. so it wasnt long before i regeared. i went with 4.88s and havent looked back since. its still not a kick in the pants, but the low end is unbelievable! it still wont be a speed demon by any means, but u will at least retain stock power or maybe even a little more with the 5.29s.

the engine swap sounds nice, but i think the work involved and the money it would require just outweighs the benefits. besides, the 3.4 is nice, but for an engine swap, it wouldnt be my first choice especially if i were to be spending so much money on it.

-Casey

 

Here is what I have.

RZN185L-GKMSKA 4.556 With P265/70R16

-JACK

 

Yes sir. I will have to get one too.
Currently I have a 5 speed.

1) Do you guys have any idea on how much people are asking for a 5 speed or auto, + transfer case?

2) Are there many different types of trans. and Xcase models out there? Or any that is coming out of a 6cyl 4x4 will work?

2.1) Is there a difference between Tacomas and 4Runners regarding the transmission and Xcase? (1996 - 2002)


3) Then will I still have to change the gear set to be able to work with that particular transmission and Xcase?

I will not know if the transmission and Xcase was originally being used with a particular gear set.

I have (RZN185L-GKMSKA 4.556 With P265/70R16 )

Thanks,
-JACK

 

Finally someone knows someone that did this swap.
Can you ask you buddy to jump in here?
Or can you ask him if would be OK for me to call him?

I am surprised he had this hard time. Theoretically, Toyota would make it as standard as possible between the two 4Runners version. If you get ALL that is in the engine compartment from the 3.4 and swap with the 2.7, then I was expecting to be easier than you described. This is because I could have gotten the same 4Runner with 6cyl.

I was counting on:
a) All that is in the engine compartment (including the computer)
b) motor mounts
c) transmission + Xcase.

I agree that if you get something that is not close to the factory standard then you will have a hard time. That is why I am not even considering any other engine besides the 3.4 standard from Toyota.

This is a good discussion.

Thanks,
-JACK

 

Lets put some numbers down.

- How much is the re-gearing?

I remember Steve telling me, something around $1.5K.

- Engine swap
?? for all the parts in the engine compartment
?? transmission and Xcase
?? labor
?? Money back selling my 2.7 and all the parts in the engine compartment

Thanks,
-JACK

 

All the 4Runner transmissions from 2000 and newer will be automatics.

 

Is this true for Tacomas too?
Any difference from Tacomas to 4Ruuners?

Thanks,
-JACK

 

Yes, I only pid $1100 though. That's drop it off and pick it up, you do nothing. All new bearings, complete install kit and new Ring and Pinion.

This really is going to be your best bet since the vehicle is not really worth all that much anymore.

You'll need 285's again as well.

 

Steve, I have posted the gear info for you.

Regarding the gas millage, I am talking about 15 gal. I never let go to 18.

When the gas light comes on then I look for a gas station. It takes around 15 gal to top it back.

Still, yours is doing about the same 250/18 = 13.8; 330/18 = 18.3.

I believe that the 6cyl do better than the 4cyl. Go figure. Based on a buddy of mine with a 4x4 - 99 - 3.4

-JACK

 

I would say you are correct. This would be less $$ and less problems.

But, I need to see if I was getting the fun power level with the cool swap. The cool factor I mean.

Oh boy, I wish the swap was easier than it seems now.
-JACK

 

Here's your dilemma:

Keep the runner you have and :

1. Regear Front AND Rear at about $1500-2000

2. Pull the 2.7/Transmission/XFer Case & Replace w/ 3.4 and pray you don't have any problems ($400 engine + $400 Trans + $250 Xfer case + $750 miscellaneous extras + a ton of work) = $1800

Or -

Sell the runner you have for about $8k and put another $2k (what you would have spent anyway) and get a 96-97 3.4L 4x4.

You can find them with 125k miles for less than $10k...

Looks like an easy decision to me...

 

No, the Tacoma's are still available with 5 speeds. For how long, who knows. It seems that the trend is that everything is going auto these days.

 

Not quite easy like this.
What about all the mods I already have? ~ $4K.

Besides that, with the swap I found a 30K miles engine, buying another 4Runner I will still have a 120K miles truck.

Thanks for the reply.
-JACK