Alright, I was posting this not because I have a problem, but I want to see if everyone else experiences the same thing as I o with my 3.0. Same days when I get in my 4 runner, it feels very underpowered (common with the 3.0) but i can live with it. Other days I will get in it, and its not fast but it can move pretty quickly. Last weekend I went to Atlanta and evertime i hit a damn hill, my mph would go down then it would start upshifting ( i was going about 75-80) and what not. Days like today it was quicker. I got on the highway today and I was going 75-80 no problem. When I hit a hill, i could keep speeds without upshifting at all. I was doing 70 at 2000 rpms easily. The only differences i can tell between these days are that it goes quicker, and it sounds different. On a slow day, the engine is kinda loud, especially when upshifting. Today I made it upshift cause the engine was quiet as hell. When it upshifted, it felt like a normal car, wasnt loud at all and wasnt going psycho trying to maintain speed. Im wondering if it is somethign to do with teh weather or something and the humidity down here. Anyone elses 4runner doin this? BTW I have an automatic

 

I notice the same thing - some days it feels kinda doggy, other days I like it. But I honestly think it's just me. I have a 5 speed though. I did notice the other day that when I filled up my gas tank it *seemed* to have a tiny bit more kick but then I still think that's just me.

I just can't wait until I get my borla exhaust sometime in the next year.

 

My 3.0 drives better at night than day time. But still, its still slower under WOT while my dads 3.4 can pass it easily just by tapping the pedal.

Final verdict: The 3.0 is a VERY powerful, bullet-proof motor under slow conditions (low-end torque)

 

Lower air temperature.

 

as in a turbo engine (intercooler), if the air is cooler the engine works better. cooler air is more dense (contains more oxygen) yielding more power.

lee

 

here's one to scratch yer noggin over...

When I leave for lunch the ambient temp is usually around 91* (around 2pm) Interestingly enough the engine hasnt cooled down from the drive to work about 4.5 hrs earlier, but instead is JUST below 195*F. When I leave for lunch my truck will have way more power than when I go to leave after work around 7pm or so with the temp in the 80s... The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the humidity is much higher during the noontime hours?

Humidity will make the engine run a lot smoother and with more power...but...a noticable difference? (I also took my AC compressors belt off since it grenaded.)

 

well, i know that when my engine is cold, like after an overnight, it is sooo slow and loud. And it sucks to drive. When its hott out all the liquids are running smooth through it and it runs faster and quiter. Maybe that just mine

 

Oh yeah, my 3.o just ZoooMs one day, and feels doggy and rough on another. No rhyme or reason to it.

Every vehicle I've ever owned has been like that. I think they just have "moods." (Anyone who says machines are just inanimate objects hasn't messed about with machinery much...) I swear most vehicles run better when they've just been washed, for example. And the Yota sure runs better when I'm heading out for a trail run than it does when I head to work in the morning. It knows, it just knows....

Talk nice to it, pat it on the fender when you park. They like that...

 

lol I have noticed the clean thing too. Last saturday I cleaned it up and down, everything i could clean. Spent about 2 and a half hours just doing all the interior then about another hour to do the exterior. After I got done it felt like it ran so smooth.

I must be pissing it off lately cause it drinks gas as soon as i put it in. I went to atl. last weekend and mostly highway driving i got 13 mpg

 

My 3.slow responds quite differently with regards to air temp. A small headwind will also cause problems.

 

Mine's just started doing this, with the addition of the check engine light. Yesterday I fired her up after it sat for a week (out of town) and all went well for the first 2 miles, then the light came on and the performance got very weak -- couldn't get out of my own way. Stopped at the P.O. and shut her off. When I came back out and cranked her up the light was off, and away we went like nothing was wrong. A couple of miles up the road and the light came back on and performance went anemic. Every time I shut her down the same thing. No light, couple of miles, light and weak acceleration. Any clues?

 

Sounds like it's pulling timing.... Is the engine knocking/pinging at all? Running rich or lean? Is there any particular action that you are doing when driving after a few miles that precipitates the CEL?

 

No knock or ping, no different noises when the light comes on, just a very noticeable difference in power.