Is there any easy ways to increase HP on the 97 T100 V6? I'm sure doing headers and exhaust would help, but is there any really easy wasy to eek some more HP and Torque out of the engine? I tow with it and it barely gets the job done and struggles on hills. Thanks

 

Yes, install a TRD supercharger. It's not cheap but it's the best and only really proven way to significantly improve HP on the 3.4.

Yes, exhaust and headers would help, but not a whole lot. No easy way to eek out more HP.

The only option you have to add real HP is the supercharger. A combination of exhaust, chip, intake, etc. will be a combined waste of time and money if you are looking for towing power. If unloaded, an intake and exhaust may help a little.

 

Yup, supercharger is the ticket. It will take you from 190 hp to 240 hp.
Cap'n

 

I bet installation is pretty involved. Is TRD the only one that make an SC unit for the T100? Last I looked it was over $2500. Any one installed one?

 

Many folks here have installed one on their Tacomas and 4Runners. I think the install is _VERY_ similar on the T100.

It's incredibly straightforward... If you've never picked up a wrench before, then figure it'll be the better part of an 8 hour day. If you're good with tools, but never touched your truck, it's about 4 hours. If you've changed your oil and plugs, it's about 3 hours, and if you've done it before, it's probably right at 2 hours.

There's at least one non-TRD boost solution; it's a turbo (versus an S/C) and it's being marketed for about twice the cost of t he S/C. A number of folks see a major design flaw in it - it's mounted under the truck. If you plan to get your rig dirty, or even cross a highpeaked RR crossing, that's not a good thing.


The TRD S/C can be found on eBay and dealer sales for less than that $2500 number. Keep an eye out, save the pennies and go for it. It's an awesome solution.

I did just about EVERYTHING else (headers, intake, hot plugs, hot ignition, piggyback computer, etc) before I went to the S/C, and NOTHING makes power on our engines like an S/C.

 

You can buy one right now on ebay for $800.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW

 

Thanks, I'm watching it now. Has anyone installed one of these? What kind of actual gains did you have? Add'l HP? Torque? How did it adversely affect your gas mileage? Does it require Premium fuel? How difficult is it to install for a backyard mechanic? Does it need an intercooler? Where would that mount? Thanks for any info.

 

Whoops. Did not see the previous post. Thanks. Anyone else?

 

I haven't done a dyno run after the install, but the typical claims are +60HP, +75ftlbs of torque. Those are quite verifiable through many sources on the board and the 'net.


It didn't. Obviously making more HP requires more fuel, and if you have your foot in it all the time, then you'll burn more, but there's also the side that the S/C'd engine runs more efficiently at cruise than an N/A engine. They tend to balance each-other out.


The short answer is yes. The long answer is Yes, and it can (will) require a number of things in order to run correctly. The design of the 3.4L engine is such that pushing more air into it will push the limits of the what the ECU can adjust for. The end result is that in most cases (above 80%) you will find that the engine will ping at low-middle RPM and lean out at high RPM. Neither are good. Toyota's "fix" for this is to install the "7th injector system" which will pump more fuel into the engine at the top end, and it will reduce the timing during cruise (thus reducing/eliminating ping).

Some folks have gone that route, others run a programmable "piggyback computer" that fakes the stock ECU into doing these changes on it's own (side note, the 7th injector system also includes a piggyback). You'll also find folks who are looking for more than stock power out of the unit, and they'll run larger injectors to get even more fuel into the engine, or a smaller pulley on the S/C to get it to spin faster, which makes more boost, which allows more fuel to be burned, which increases power.


See my previous post above... What kind of work have you done on your truck? If you classify yourself as a "backyard mechanic", then I'd guess 3 hours.


Nope.

But, again in the search for even more power, you'll find folks that are running water mist systems to reduce the temp of the inbound air, thus increasing it's density, thus allowing it to absorb more fuel, thus... make more power.


Have you searched the forum at all? There are a LOT of thread about S/C's on here. Have you found "Gadget"'s site?

http://www.gadgetonline.com/4Run.htm

He's the guy that everyone points to as the first one to post real-world information on S/C our engines, the results you can expect, and the problems around doing so (like the ping and lean-out issues).

 

TRD states that it will boost your 3.4ltr hp from 190 to 265hp. I haven't Dyno'd mine, but I know it has a lot more power than a stocker. I tow snowmobiles all winter up to 10K feet and the thing just never stops pulling on long hills.

I think it's slightly improved the gas mileage and I'm not the only one who has noticed that. I get 19mpg in town and 21mpg on the highway, consistently, with 285's and 4.30 gears. They do require using premium fuel, although some folks use mid-grade gas and add octane boost to it. Why be so cheap with a $1800 supercharger? Get the good gas!

You should get the tranny cooler if you're doing a lot of towing. Midiwall's time estimate seems about right for installation.

 

ooo! Good call on the tranny cooler.

You're looking for the Hayden 1678 or equivilent, about $55 shipped:
http://www.bulkpart.com/Merchant2/me...roduct_Count=2

Once you get the S/C installed your confidence will be up and this should take aboput 30-45 minutes to install. The worst part is a) psyching up to cut the tranny fluid line, b) figuring out how to pull front grill so you can hang the cooler in front of the radiator.

 

I just installed my SC'r a couple weeks ago. What Mark says is true. You have got to get the additional mods, or you will ping. At a bare minimum run the following: Walbro 190 (worse than the SC'r to install), 2-step colder plugs, 170 degree thermo (NAPA sells them), and run Redline Water Wetter with a 70% distilled water/30% coolant mix. Even with all that, I still ping during low RPM/quick throttle openings. However, besides that brief ping only at certain times, the thing just screams above 3K RPM. I absolutely whoop on cars that I would only tie before. And I am talking about on-a-roll "racing" up on-ramps or passing. My wife now calls "green" the "ice cream truck with rockets attached."

Now I gotta get this SMT6 piggyback installed to ditch my ping.

 

Thanks for all the info. Of course I have another question, why do these look so different? Is one an older model? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...sPageName=WD1V

and

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW

 

The top link is the 2nd gen, and the bottom is the 1st gen. Again, go to Gadget's page and all your questions shall be answered.

 

Yes, I did go to gadgets page, alot more than I bargained for, but that is one guy that is really into his truck!!

 

Well, that site is full of the answers that you'll get from us here. Basically, we're all regurgitating what we've learned from that site, and usually confirmed on our own.

Some of us may drift a bit to one side or the other from what he speaks as The Gospel, but there's no "bad" info on that site. All of the info about fuel mods, timing, S/C, air flow, etc is stuff that you really need to know and understand pretty well before you drop a S/C on your truck.

All of us S/C'd folks will tell you that you will _not_ be able to drop _just_ the S/C on there.


So please keep working through his site. It's kinda' "due diligence" for getting into this side of the game.