Whats up guys, I'm a newbie here. Anyhow I own a 1992 4runner. Its got the 3.0 V6 and a 5-speed. The 4runner has got 167,000 miles on it, but runs fine. It is just painfully slow. I got the truck last september when I sold my '89 4runner. The vehicle is gorgeous both inside and outside, and other than a minor exhaust leak (I believe coming from the manifold), everything is perfect...except for the whole slow thing.

Anyhow, I've been toying around with the idea of putting a GM LS1 motor in the 4runner. Are there conversion kits out there for this? How much fabrication is involved? Has anybody out there done this or put any small block chevy into one of these cars? Just looking for some advice on the matter and hopefully to be pointed in the right direction.

Any help will be appreciated, and I look foward to being a part of this forum.
Thanks,
-Dan B.

 

I really don't have anything useful to say about that swap but I just wanted to be the first to welcome you to the forums!

Welcome aboard!



Fink

 

I know this guy that has a 350 Chevy in his 2nd Gen... I can ask him for pics of it for you...

 

Thanks guys...I appreciate any help. And thanks for the welcome!

 

Are there any other motors out there you guys would reccomend to put in? The reason I'm leaning towards the LS1 is because I'm very familiar w/it and know all the little quirks that go along w/it and how to get some serious power out of 'em. I wanna put a lift and tires on this vehicle, but I really can't fathom this thing being any slower than it already is.

 

3.4 Toyota
4.3 Chevy Vortec is fairly popular too..

 

anyone got the vortec in a toyota here?

 

Oh, and is it normal for this motor to be such a slouch? I swear my '89 with the 22RE was quicker...granted it is a lighter vehicle, but that motor with 250,000 miles on it got that truck moving much faster. Everytime I have to merge onto the highway in this verhicle, I grind my teeth and pray for the best...lol. Even my girlfriend who drives a 4 cyliner mazda-6 mentioned something about how slow this vehicle is....that was the last straw...lol.

 

the 3.0 is a pretty gutless motor, especially for a v6.

 

Ok, so its not just me then. I can only imagine what the automatic guys have to go through...it must be even slower. :pat:

 

there's quite a few different engine swaps out there. the most popular one out there at the moment is the 4.3 chev. it's a pretty good fit in a toyota engine bay. i'm preferential to the 3.8(231) buick v6...lighter than the chevy v6, shorter and has a front mounted distrubutor.

i think the most straightforward swap is the 3.4 DOHC V6 that toyota uses in 4runners and tacomas. it'll bolt to your engine mounts and tranny...most of the work is in the wiring.

 

If you dump your 3vze how much do you want for it?

 

Yeah, the 3.0 is definitely pretty gutless. Especially with all the stuff I've got on it and the 33's. Good thing I'm never really in a hurry...

Fink

 

Check Downey Offroad and Northwest Offroad, Novak enterprises and Advance Adapters. Chevy v8, Chevy and Buick v6, and Ford v8 swaps are quite common and all the parts and adpapers are available. Also, later 3.4 Toyota and Supra swaps are common. Also realize that the R150F is the same transmission as the AX15 so with Mopar bellhousings and some ingenuity you could swap in the Jeep 4.2, 4.0 sixes and the 4.7 v8 and even the Hemi with very little difficulty.

Meanwhile, your 3.0 sounds slower than normal. I drove a 22RE for 15 years and find the 3.0 definitely more powerful and enjoyable to drive. Maybe some tuning is in order...?

 

i don't know how easily you could put a jeep 6 in a toyota...and i'm a guy who absolutely loves the 4.0. it looks like it barely fits in a grand cherokee!

could always do a 304 swap with the 4.0 bellhousing, an AX15 input shaft, and an R150F/R151F tranny though

 

Dunno ezackly how easy ANY engine swap is - it all depends on your skill level, ingenuity, temper control, abililty to change the plan to fit the facts, determination level, and wallet.... ANY thing is possible.

The 4.0 shouldn't be a problem, it's no longer than the Supra straight 6. Of course it won't be a bolt in, but nothing truly is...

I took the convertible for a drive Saturday and once again am reminded of why we love V8s, it's only about a 230 hp 351C but man does it feel good! Remember the old saying "There is no substitute for cubic inches."
I've already decided when my 3.0 goes I'm putting a 5.7 hemi in there. I don't care how difficult it may be (and it shouldn't be that bad,) I want to be different. Guess I better start saving my money...

 

ls1's are good for top end power.If you want low end then look into the tuned port 350,they are awsome for low end torque.They have 345 ft. lbs.at I believe like 2500 rpm stock.I am puting one in my 87 runner and I already have one in my trans am.

 

id consider dropping a new tranny such as the 4L80e if you go the 350 ci v8 route....our stock trannys wont handle a v8's torque for very long.

The nice thing with the 4L80e is that it will handle up to 650ftlbs of torque and it's shift points are fully electronically controled. So you can have whiplash shifting or soft as butter shifting...

 

What gears are you running with what size tires?

 

Automatic trans....ewwwww....
Even my girlfriend prefers a manual...
(part of her charm really, she even changes her own oil...)
(I finally convinced her that if she has to say "leftie loosey rightie tightie", at least keep it to herself...)