6 speed manual in a 3rd gen 4Runner?

So is this possible? Has it been done? Can it be done?

Is the 3.4l? bell housing even the same as the new 4.0L?

Was thinking about this the other day, did some searching and wasn't able to come up with anything. So what do you all think?

 

I don't think it would be worth it for the extra gear, i dont believe the bellhousings are the same. they 3.4 and 4.0 are different blocks, not like the 3.0 and 3.4 which are different generations of engines.

possible with the money.

 

Well if you got a 6-sp from a tacoma it'd be difficult at best to wire the x-fer case switch.

Get one from an FJ cruiser, and a 3rd, or maybe even 2nd gen runner with a blown motor, that'd be awesome.

 

the 3.4 doesn't really need a 6 speed tranny... the gearing would be all whacky since that 6 speed was made for engines with more power

 

you make a vallid point 89macrunner!

I figured the blocks were different and it would be big money to make it work.

I was just thinkin cause i love my 5 speed and just thought the 6 speed would be awsome, even better if its 1st was like a granny low and the 6th was a better overdrive ratio.

 

the 5 spd that came in the 4runner is WAY more solid than the junk 6 speed.

 

If there was a way to just add a 6th gear in there, I would be all over that. When I am rolling at 70-80 on the freeway, I would love 1 more gear to drop the RPM's. 3K is getting close at those speeds and the fuel mileage just starts to drop. A 6th would be perfect to up the MPG's and drop the RPMS a bit...

...All this said in theory because I am NO mechanical engineer...

 

I actually received one of these transmissions for free about 2 years ago. I did a bunch of research and found a few things which make it impossible to mate the 5VZ-FE to the RA61F.

Bell housing is not only different, the starter is on the wrong side.
The bell housing is non-removeable on the RA61F unlike the R150F.
The transmission sucks!
Our tranny is so much stronger and easier to rebiuld!

 

two speed rear end ?

 

It'd be cheaper and far easier to just put one of those overdrive boxes after the transfer case, it would work if you only wanted/needed the extra overdrive on the highway.

 

I don't think the extra gear will give you any benefits, INCLUDING the MPG figure. Simply dropping the RPM's at a higher speed won't net you better gas mileage. You have to figure in the wind resistance. There is a point where lower RPM's (= lower torque) will HURT mpg's, due to the engine having to work harder with the wind resistance, especially with a brick-shaped 4Runner. It will take more gas to hold it's speed.

A guy on another forum (Honda) did a comparo with stock gearing (4.4 FD) and then with 4.9 FD. He actually netted ~1-2MPG better with the new FD.