Differences between 05 and previous V8's?
 

What changed to bump this year's V8 up to 282HP, from the 245 it had before? From what I can tell it's the same motor, just something different on it. Curious if anyone knows what Toyota did to it. That is a pretty significant jump in HP.

I noticed this year has VVT, is that the big difference? Or did they do more?

VVT= Variable Valve Timing

It is like Honda's VTEC system, it adjusts the timing through the power band to make better use of the engines power.

Yup, VVT-i - VAriable Valve Timing with Intelligence is what gave the 4.7 V8 more HP & Torque for 2005. In the Tundra/Sequoia it bumped it up to 282 HP and 325 TQ respetively and in the 4runner/LX 470 to 270 HP & 330 TQ (same engine though, but maybe they tuned the HP/TQ #'s for certain reasons on these vehicles).

Actually Toyota's VVTL-i which is similar to VVT-i, only it has a hydraulic "thing" in the cam that when you get into higher RPM's shifts cams to a higher RPM performance cam, is more closely related to Honda's Vtec than that of straight VVT-i. The VVTL-i is found on the 1.8 liter engine found in the Celica GTS, and the Matrix/Corolla XRS editions. The VVTL-i 1.8 gets 180 HP and 130 TQ, the VVT-i 1.8 gets 130 HP and 125 TQ. But the only catch is you gotta rev the crap out of the VVTL-i 1.8 to get into that different cam to take advantage of the extra 40 ponies. So I don't think, or at least I wouldn't imagine VVTL-i would have any application in truck engines. AT least not currently?

VVT-i will help gas mileage, increases Horsepower more so, torque slightly, but one of it's main benefits is it also really flattens out the torque & horsepower curves which means you'll have a higher percentage of your peak torque at lower rpm's.

FWIW the L in VVTL-i stands for lift.

Too bad it would be a bitch and a half to upgrade my pre-05 V8 to this... *sigh*

Can't you get a s/c for pre '05's though?

Probably for an arm and a leg, though I thought Toyota discontinued them so you'd have to find one of the small supply of used ones out there...

Is it possible to tell the difference between the non-vvtl motor and the newer vvtl 4.7L V-8 just by looking at them? I'm buying what is listed as on 05 Tundra limited. I thought the 4.7's with vvtl said that (vvtl) on the engine cover???? Thank you.