4th Gen V6 Turbo/ supercharger info (Need Help!)

Johns06yota

Member
So over the last couple months I have been doing research in regards to doing either a Turbo or Supercharger install on my V6 4th Gen. I havent been able to find much info on either. I saw a couple videos on the URD supercharger but almost 6 grand is a little steep in my opinion and there were a few V8's with a turbo. Has anyone on here done either of these installs? If I did it I would run at low boost for the turbo.
Thanks!
 
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Unless you can fabricate your own turbo system tubing, I'm not sure you will save much money over the URD kit once you have a shop make everything you need. To me, the URD kit looks bolt-on to where I could install it myself which is a large cost saver.
 
Unless you can fabricate your own turbo system tubing, I'm not sure you will save much money over the URD kit once you have a shop make everything you need. To me, the URD kit looks bolt-on to where I could install it myself which is a large cost saver.

I had seen that some people did a rear mount turbo which would cut down on the exhaust Fab work done. Do you think that would be a cheaper alternative? Also If I ran a max of 8 PSI would I need a tune on the vehicle or would it be safe without?
 
I had seen that some people did a rear mount turbo which would cut down on the exhaust Fab work done. Do you think that would be a cheaper alternative? Also If I ran a max of 8 PSI would I need a tune on the vehicle or would it be safe without?

I would imagine at any psi you would need a tune w/ engine management system. A rear mount turbo would make it a street-only vehicle right? Any offroading with mud and water it wouldnt last long IMO. Take it to a shop and have them give you a quote but I imagine it would be at least $4k and is that worth it compared to a URD kit?
 
I had seen that some people did a rear mount turbo which would cut down on the exhaust Fab work done. Do you think that would be a cheaper alternative? Also If I ran a max of 8 PSI would I need a tune on the vehicle or would it be safe without?

Depending who you go to, getting exhaust fab work done will be costly, and could cost as much as the URD kit. But... You might be able to get a full titanium exhaust setup, with really nice and pretty welds. :) The bolt-on aspect of the URD for $6k honestly isn't all that bad.

You'd be safe without a tune if you never got into boost. But that's not realistic. You could learn to tune your car yourself. I helped my buddy open-source tune his STI. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either.
 
Depending who you go to, getting exhaust fab work done will be costly, and could cost as much as the URD kit. But... You might be able to get a full titanium exhaust setup, with really nice and pretty welds. :) The bolt-on aspect of the URD for $6k honestly isn't all that bad.

You'd be safe without a tune if you never got into boost. But that's not realistic. You could learn to tune your car yourself. I helped my buddy open-source tune his STI. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either.

I would imagine at any psi you would need a tune w/ engine management system. A rear mount turbo would make it a street-only vehicle right? Any offroading with mud and water it wouldnt last long IMO. Take it to a shop and have them give you a quote but I imagine it would be at least $4k and is that worth it compared to a URD kit?


This would be street only. I had seen some people made a snorkle for their turbo in the rear. One of the 3rd gen guys had a thread where he ran a t3/t4 turbo in the rear with a scavenge pump at anywhere from 4-7 PSI. From what I could tell he was only in everything about a grand and had no issues running it without a tune (ran it on premium gas). Then again that was a 3.4 but the same concept would apply right?
 
This would be street only. I had seen some people made a snorkle for their turbo in the rear. One of the 3rd gen guys had a thread where he ran a t3/t4 turbo in the rear with a scavenge pump at anywhere from 4-7 PSI. From what I could tell he was only in everything about a grand and had no issues running it without a tune (ran it on premium gas). Then again that was a 3.4 but the same concept would apply right?

I'm personally recommending you to tune the truck. But it doesn't mean my recommendation is the correct answer either. I'd personally do it for piece of mind and pull a bit more power out of it. That said, it could be very well possible that the 4runner's ECU is able to adjust for boost and be capable of handling a few extra lbs. But I wouldn't risk it.

If the 3rd gen guy got a turbo setup for a grand, he probably used 2nd hand parts or had these parts laying around. Also, even though he ran premium fuel, it doesn't mean that he's necessarily "safe". All a higher octane fuel does is prevent misfiring. It won't doesn't account for AFR's being too low or too high(rich/lean), among other things.

FWIW, the URD, (from my understanding), comes with a plug in "ECU" for the supercharger, supercharger, piping, intercooler, fuel pump, bov and a few smaller things. For $6k, that's not all that bad, especially for new parts.
 
This would be street only. I had seen some people made a snorkle for their turbo in the rear. One of the 3rd gen guys had a thread where he ran a t3/t4 turbo in the rear with a scavenge pump at anywhere from 4-7 PSI. From what I could tell he was only in everything about a grand and had no issues running it without a tune (ran it on premium gas). Then again that was a 3.4 but the same concept would apply right?

Sounds like a backyard turbo install. I'd be extremely impressed to see a properly done turbo install for $1k. It MAY be possible if you do every bit of labor yourself but just getting it on a dyno to tune it is going to cost a couple hundred dollars alone and you will definitely need a tune, larger injectors/fuel pump etc. if you want to see actual performance gains. Turbo/superchargers are not something you want to do on a bare minimum budget if you want it done right.
 
I'm personally recommending you to tune the truck. But it doesn't mean my recommendation is the correct answer either. I'd personally do it for piece of mind and pull a bit more power out of it. That said, it could be very well possible that the 4runner's ECU is able to adjust for boost and be capable of handling a few extra lbs. But I wouldn't risk it.

If the 3rd gen guy got a turbo setup for a grand, he probably used 2nd hand parts or had these parts laying around. Also, even though he ran premium fuel, it doesn't mean that he's necessarily "safe". All a higher octane fuel does is prevent misfiring. It won't doesn't account for AFR's being too low or too high(rich/lean), among other things.

FWIW, the URD, (from my understanding), comes with a plug in "ECU" for the supercharger, supercharger, piping, intercooler, fuel pump, bov and a few smaller things. For $6k, that's not all that bad, especially for new parts.

Sounds like a backyard turbo install. I'd be extremely impressed to see a properly done turbo install for $1k. It MAY be possible if you do every bit of labor yourself but just getting it on a dyno to tune it is going to cost a couple hundred dollars alone and you will definitely need a tune, larger injectors/fuel pump etc. if you want to see actual performance gains. Turbo/superchargers are not something you want to do on a bare minimum budget if you want it done right.

Thanks for the replies. That URD kit may be the best option then. My issue is that I know cost wise I could do a turbo setup cheaper but without a tune I would worry about the timing and not enough fuel causing my engine to detonate. I'll do some more research on the URD kits.
 
Thanks for the replies. That URD kit may be the best option then. My issue is that I know cost wise I could do a turbo setup cheaper but without a tune I would worry about the timing and not enough fuel causing my engine to detonate. I'll do some more research on the URD kits.
It'll also save you the headache of figuring out oil lines and stuff too... But good luck with your decision.
 
Here's some stuff to consider:

Custom work means longer down time and cutting new ground. There's always a risk that a mistake is made and problems happen. Conversely, bolt-on, developed parts engineered for a specific application by a reputable shop that has a solid track record of making good systems likely won't have those "teething" problems a custom install will. I think this rule applies for most big changes one can make to any vehicle.

Supercharger vs turbo... the endless debate. It's purely my opinion that a supercharger would drive much nicer in a 4Runner. It will provide a linear power band with boost coming on at a predictable rate much like anyone would expect from a naturally aspirated motor.

A turbo, under the best circumstances, is sized either to deliver big power at the expense of low rpm responsiveness, or provides low end responsiveness but exhibits boost drop-off at higher rpms. Usually, for most motors, this is the trade off made in any single turbo setup... and why lots of manufacturers and big name performance shops make insane bi-turbo setups.

Now, even with the perfect turbine/compressor size that gives a nice sweet power band that comes on early and pulls hard up into the sky; there's still oddities about a turbo setup that make it either totally awesome or kind of annoying and scary to drive: like boost threshold and turbo lag. Boost threshold is spot in the RPM band that under any particular throttle/load conditions, the compressor just isn't pushing out enough air to make boost. So, the engine can tend to be unresponsive and sort of a bit of a slug prior to this zone. Of course, once you spin up or load up the motor past this point and boost comes on, the party gets going...

Turbo lag is the time it takes between spinning up the turbine, generating boost, and the power to develop. The biggest variable (if I remember correctly) is turbine size in proportion to the displacement and the exhaust manifold size/length/shape. Essentially, it's how fast can the turbine get spun up to speed by the motor, and then how long does it take for that new found boost to arrive in the cylinders.

Driving a turbo car tends to be more visceral and organic. Lots of aftermarket kits or custom jobs can have some crazy personalities (and be alot of fun!). But, I would attest that in adverse conditions, I'd prefer a linear application of power.

All that said, a rear mount turbo takes all the downsides of a turbocharger and magnifies them. Granted that some people don't mind it for the payoff that they can literally choose their power numbers, however consider that predictable and linear power delivery is always easier to control.

:flamethrwoer2:

TOO LONG DID NOT READ:

Turbo Pros:
  • Sounds Awesome
  • Big power
  • Chicks dig it
  • Unique, custom job, envy of all
  • Hot-hatch crushing power
  • sounds AWESOME
  • POWER!

Turbo Cons:
  • UHG... LAAAAAAGGGG
  • Expensive to fix
  • Pre-turbo intake leak can cause tuning problems on an AFM setup
  • Post-turbo intake leak can leave you stranded
  • Difficult to tune (not easy, but not hard either)
  • Compressor/turbine selection is an art and science
  • Rear mount has LOOOOONG oil lines... exposing you to risk of engine loss in the event of a line failure.
  • Rear mount setup should have a flex section. I read that a regular flex section would likely eventually fail under the pressure and heat induced by the turbine. Lack of a flex section could put alot of strain on the exhaust manifold studs.
  • LAG...
  • All the extra weight of intake piping
  • The turbo itself is vulnerable to damage from road debris

Supercharger pros
  • Bolt in
  • Sounds ok
  • linear power band
  • predictable acquisition and installation costs
  • path well traveled: no R&D budget needed.

Supercharger cons
  • Not as sexy as turbo
  • Not as cool as turbo
  • Not as much power as turbo
  • Not turbo whistle
  • Not turbo awesome
  • Not turbo

Conclusion:

To be honest, if the word "cost", to you, personally, is a concern; just back away slowly from the Turbocharger and don't look directly at it too long. Otherwise it'll seduce you with it's beauty... glory... and POWER.

The URD Supercharger is a proven power maker from a reputable outfit and gives good driving characteristics with reliable and safe tuning.

But who wants any of that crap when you could have a Turbo.
 
Last edited:
Check out clownmeats build thread. It's 3G but still awesome turbo built

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/99742-clownmeats-build-thread.html

Here's some stuff to consider:

Custom work means longer down time and cutting new ground. There's always a risk that a mistake is made and problems happen. Conversely, bolt-on, developed parts engineered for a specific application by a reputable shop that has a solid track record of making good systems likely won't have those "teething" problems a custom install will. I think this rule applies for most big changes one can make to any vehicle.

Supercharger vs turbo... the endless debate. It's purely my opinion that a supercharger would drive much nicer in a 4Runner. It will provide a linear power band with boost coming on at a predictable rate much like anyone would expect from a naturally aspirated motor.

A turbo, under the best circumstances, is sized either to deliver big power at the expense of low rpm responsiveness, or provides low end responsiveness but exhibits boost drop-off at higher rpms. Usually, for most motors, this is the trade off made in any single turbo setup... and why lots of manufacturers and big name performance shops make insane bi-turbo setups.

Now, even with the perfect turbine/compressor size that gives a nice sweet power band that comes on early and pulls hard up into the sky; there's still oddities about a turbo setup that make it either totally awesome or kind of annoying and scary to drive: like boost threshold and turbo lag. Boost threshold is spot in the RPM band that under any particular throttle/load conditions, the compressor just isn't pushing out enough air to make boost. So, the engine can tend to be unresponsive and sort of a bit of a slug prior to this zone. Of course, once you spin up or load up the motor past this point and boost comes on, the party gets going...

Turbo lag is the time it takes between spinning up the turbine, generating boost, and the power to develop. The biggest variable (if I remember correctly) is turbine size in proportion to the displacement and the exhaust manifold size/length/shape. Essentially, it's how fast can the turbine get spun up to speed by the motor, and then how long does it take for that new found boost to arrive in the cylinders.

Driving a turbo car tends to be more visceral and organic. Lots of aftermarket kits or custom jobs can have some crazy personalities (and be alot of fun!). But, I would attest that in adverse conditions, I'd prefer a linear application of power.

All that said, a rear mount turbo takes all the downsides of a turbocharger and magnifies them. Granted that some people don't mind it for the payoff that they can literally choose their power numbers, however consider that predictable and linear power delivery is always easier to control.

:flamethrwoer2:

TOO LONG DID NOT READ:

Turbo Pros:
  • Sounds Awesome
  • Big power
  • Chicks dig it
  • Unique, custom job, envy of all
  • Hot-hatch crushing power
  • sounds AWESOME
  • POWER!

Turbo Cons:
  • UHG... LAAAAAAGGGG
  • Expensive to fix
  • Pre-turbo intake leak can cause tuning problems on an AFM setup
  • Post-turbo intake leak can leave you stranded
  • Difficult to tune (not easy, but not hard either)
  • Compressor/turbine selection is an art and science
  • Rear mount has LOOOOONG oil lines... exposing you to risk of engine loss in the event of a line failure.
  • Rear mount setup should have a flex section. I read that a regular flex section would likely eventually fail under the pressure and heat induced by the turbine. Lack of a flex section could put alot of strain on the exhaust manifold studs.
  • LAG...
  • All the extra weight of intake piping
  • The turbo itself is vulnerable to damage from road debris

Supercharger pros
  • Bolt in
  • Sounds ok
  • linear power band
  • predictable acquisition and installation costs
  • path well traveled: no R&D budget needed.

Supercharger cons
  • Not as sexy as turbo
  • Not as cool as turbo
  • Not as much power as turbo
  • Not turbo whistle
  • Not turbo awesome
  • Not turbo

Conclusion:

To be honest, if the word "cost", to you, personally, is a concern; just back away slowly from the Turbocharger and don't look directly at it too long. Otherwise it'll seduce you with it's beauty... glory... and POWER.

The URD Supercharger is a proven power maker from a reputable outfit and gives good driving characteristics with reliable and safe tuning.

But who wants any of that crap when you could have a Turbo.


Thanks for all the info! The one issue I have with the URD supercharger is it says silent operation but I want the sound haha. I'm going to continue to look around.
 
It has the classic blow off noise though.

I didn’t know about that good to know! I may have to hold off for the moment as yesterday I believe I found the dreaded number 6 cylinder coolant leak so I am going to need to get that sorted out first. Fingers crossed that’s not the case
 
Hey there, thanks for all the great info!

Was hoping you or someone can point me in the right direction with the URD Supercharger kit.

I have a 03 4runner 4.0 V6 engine. After talking to Gadget at URD, he said the ECU Management system that comes with the kit (UCON Flex) does NOT connect up to my Factory ECU. It only works on the 05-09 models.

He said try to find a good tuner, which I've been looking into. (I live in Boulder, CO - close to Denver)

My question is: Are there any Plug in Play (Piggy back) ECM units for the 03 4runner V6?

I checked with AEM and they said they don't support that.
I'm calling Haltech tomorrow to ask them as well.

Any advice on how I can get this thing tuned with out spending thousands of dollars on the tune alone...got quoted $5000 for custom tune that is not a plug and play unit...crazy!

Thanks so much guys!
 
You could always run another type of piggyback. Essentially, you tap into your crank sensor to get RPM, maybe tap your TPS, and add a MAP sensor. With those, you can have another set of injectors running on a different ECU.
 
I didn’t know about that good to know! I may have to hold off for the moment as yesterday I believe I found the dreaded number 6 cylinder coolant leak so I am going to need to get that sorted out first. Fingers crossed that’s not the case

So over the last couple months I have been doing research in regards to doing either a Turbo or Supercharger install on my V6 4th Gen. I havent been able to find much info on either. I saw a couple videos on the URD supercharger but almost 6 grand is a little steep in my opinion and there were a few V8's with a turbo. Has anyone on here done either of these installs? If I did it I would run at low boost for the turbo.
Thanks!


So did you ever boosted your 4runner?
 

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