I have a 1997 4runner with the 3.4 v6. Toyota list the horsepower at
183 hp @ 4800 rpm
217 lbs.ft @ 3600 rpm

I notice the tacoma is rated at
190 hp @ 4800 rpm
220 lbs.ft @ 3600 rpm

My question is if its the same engine why does the tacoma have more horsepower?
What makes the difference?

 

cams, pistons intake and exhaust ports could all play a roll in more hp

 

those are probably from diffrent years...depending on what US specs are for saying how much horsepower your car has, auto manufactureres will change the power so its correct to the standads

 

This has been a point of contention for years... I dunno that anyone has ever really nailed it, but the best guess I've seen is marketing being involved and the way that the dyno was setup.

 

for some reason mine showed up as 170whp 199hp on the dyno stock...96 Taco...

For some reason as well mine ran freakishly good compaired to my friends with the same truck.

 

I recall reading in a Toyota press release back when the 3rd gen 4Runner was about to be released. That the reason for the slight reduction in rated power, was due to a slightly more restrictive (quieter) exhaust system.

 

that sounds farmiler too...good call!

 

Yeah, I'll take that answer for $20.

The whole "family wagon" vs. Truck so the family wagon should be quieter.

 

might also be the reason why mine is running a bit better to...my exhaust is getting old and the muffler has some holes in it...free flowing WHAT....

sounds wicked too

 

By the way the horsepower numbers I quoted are both from the 1997 Toyota 4runner and tacoma original sales brochere. I noticed my original muffler is getting pretty rusty so I think I will replace it. I may also replace the cat. converter. I did on my tacoma and it made a world of difference in the power.

 

Under the EPA guidelines, the Tacoma is a truck and the 4Runner is a passenger vehicle. Trucks are not required to meet the same level of emissions as passenger vehicles do. So I think the 4Runner may have slightly different tuning to meet stricter emissions.

That is my 2¢.

 

Don't know but oddly, when the 05 Tacomas first came out, the V6s were rated at 245hp, now they're rated at only 236hp. Same goes for the new gen 4runner.

 

New SAE testing methods. The engine still has the same power, it's just the way they test it.

What really worries me though is how the heck they test these engines, they need to take the hit and start doing RWHP. Yes, the numbers will look bad, but consumers would finally have REAL results.

 

"...96 Taco...

For some reason as well mine ran freakishly good compaired to my friends with the same truck."

Yeah, I think there is some power difference between 3.4L engines, particularly in the Tacomas. Perhaps some of it has to do with the implementation of California emission specs? Or are they all rated to CA specs? I think that, basically, Toyota has made so many of these engines in the last 10+ years, that there are going to be some that were assembled better than others. Minor inconsistencies in assembly could cause slight variations in horsepower. Also, a story comes to mind:
I spent the summer of 2000 working at a Nissan dealership, as a wash boy. We had to drive new cars back and forth from our detail shop to the other lot, a few blocks away, during a 100+ degree summer. We would get a brand new Maxima or Frontier, start it up from a slumber, with, say, 2 miles on the odometer, then smoke its tires three blocks down the road with the A/C blasting in 100 degree heat, then shut it off before the engine ever came to temp. Think about the adverse affects this aggressive driving would have on the seating of the piston rings (compression, oil control), and on the overall breakin process of the engine! Then think about how many miles your Tacoma/4Runner had when you bought it. There were likely a lot of opportunities for irresponsible youths to damage your engine before you took delivery of it, and this could account for some of the power variations or oil burning later in life. My 2000 Tacoma burnt a small amount of oil between changes at 32K miles. My 2003 does not, with the same mileage.

 

I think that the injectors are different, My 2000 4runner engine blew up and I replaced
it with a 97 taco engine. When the mechanic pulled out the injectors from the 4runner engine he noticed that there were four small holes, the injectors from the taco had two larger holes per injector.

 

If this is true, is it possible to install the tacoma exaust system on a third gen 4runner?

 

i always thought the higher hp number was a improved design with the exhuast manifold, more refined and efficient.

 

There's no way auto manufactures will start posting RWHP... then whoever released their numbers at the flywheel would *look* the best, and the ignorant public would buy whatever had the biggest numbers, what they should do is post HP at the flywheel, and do some RWHP for the more hardcore audience, at least make it available on their webiste or something...

 

I am still stuck to believe its exhaust...take a look at the 1GR numbers for the engines its in...all different...

 

I remember it being the exhaust also, get a magnoflow or something along those line to open up the exhaust a little. That fill fix it for ya.