Edmund's says 3rd gen under powered

[02SE]

The 3rd gen isn't slow. Just throw a supercharger and/or turbo in and find out.

It depends on your perspective. I've driven a supercharged V8 4th gen, that had some work done in addition to the Supercharger. It was fast... for a 4Runner. But still slow in comparison to truly fast vehicles.

265s on the '99, pretty close to the 31x15s I had on the Ex.

I don't know about the 4.0, but the 5.0 V8 was never available in the Explorer with a manual transmission, those were all AWD/automatics.

Both Explorers in the test had automatic transmissions.

I have a scanner, if you're interested.

What are they, Motor Trend? I bet if we asked nicely they'd point us to a digital archive we could look at.

It's not worth the trouble. I'll probably go through my collection of old magazines to find the article when I get back in town just to read the article again. But it's not critical enough to drive somewhere, scan the pages, and then post them.

It was an "SUV of the year" test in Fourwheeler magazine.

My only point in posting in this thread, was just to say that the 3rd gen 4Runner was very comparable to other brand SUV's in terms of acceleration, when they were all new models.

 

[LittleCaesar]

My brother had a 1998 exploder with the 5.0 and that thing was a beast. Much quicker off the line than my uncles 98 4runner back in 2005 or 06.

Fast forward to today. The Exploder is been scrapped for parts and metal. The tranny died twice in it before 150,000 miles (my brother did not install a tranny cooler as recommended by me), AC compressor replaced twice. Diff hummed and chattered like no other. Changing the ball joints on it was no walk in the park. I think the kid my uncle sold his 4runner to just used it to take his girlfriend to the prom this year.

If one needs their 4runner to burn rubber off the line (why I don't know), get a supercharger or contact Singtoe for some drop in V8 power.

I would like to see an LS1 in a 4runner one day. I thought someone might have done it by now.

 

[KidVermicious]

My only point in posting in this thread, was just to say that the 3rd gen 4Runner was very comparable to other brand SUV's in terms of acceleration, when they were all new models.

Agreed.

 

[BP22]

All I know is my 2002 feels like a sports car compared to my 1991 Land Cruiser. :lookout:

 

[T4R2014]

I have a scanner, if you're interested.

What are they, Motor Trend? I bet if we asked nicely they'd point us to a digital archive we could look at.

I once tried asking but got nothing. These old magazines can be found on ebay though. There is one Popular Mechanics magazine online that show spy photos from around 1995.

http://books.google.com/books?id=OmYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34&dq=4runner+popular+mechanics+spy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1xV9U7z5HsjksATF3oKwDw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=4runner%20popular%20mechanics%20spy&f=false

 

[nick117201]

22r

What could you put a 22R in and how would that increase gas mileage ?
Terry

 

[98WhiteT4R]

I once tried asking but got nothing. These old magazines can be found on ebay though. There is one Popular Mechanics magazine online that show spy photos from around 1995.

http://books.google.com/books?id=OmYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34&dq=4runner+popular+mechanics+spy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1xV9U7z5HsjksATF3oKwDw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=4runner%20popular%20mechanics%20spy&f=false

:lol: I love seeing old articles like this where the cars are covered up. It's crazy to look back and see the 3rd gen as a brand new and never seen vehicle!

 

[3rzrunner]

Its all a matter of perception too...

My 97 4Runner feels like a race car after I have been driving the wife's Prius lol.

+1
totally agreed.
My 97 3rz 4cyl with the w59 5speed manual feels and IS so much faster than my 85' Land Cruiser with the 3B 4cyl diesel/ 5speed manual.

 

[paddlenbike]

Toyota does make an optional steroid kit for the 3.4:

 

[3rzrunner]

LOLOLOL popular mechanics says the the 2001 4runner comes with a optional 4.7 v8....

looks like [MENTION=59542]Singtoe[/MENTION] 's swap wasn't so impressive... LOLOL JK. :beer: a 4.7 would be AWESOME!

http://books.google.ca/books?id=QWY...AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=4runner motor trend&f=false

 

[T4R2014]

LOLOLOL popular mechanics says the the 2001 4runner comes with a optional 4.7 v8....

looks like [MENTION=59542]Singtoe[/MENTION] 's swap wasn't so impressive... LOLOL JK. :beer: a 4.7 would be AWESOME!

http://books.google.ca/books?id=QWY...AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=4runner motor trend&f=false

Actually that is a Sequoia. When the Sequoia was first spotted it was thought to be the next gen 4Runner.

 

[02SE]

What could you put a 22R in and how would that increase gas mileage ?
Terry

You COULD put a 22R in anything. Assuming your fabrication, mechanical, and electrical skills are up to the task.

It would be a good engine for some vehicles, and a poor choice for others.

The question then becomes; Would the swap be legal, and thus be able to register the vehicle where you live?

As to whether the MPG would increase or not, that depends on what the vehicle is, and what it had for an engine before the swap to a 22R.

 

[T4R2014]

What could you put a 22R in and how would that increase gas mileage ?
Terry

It would not even be worth it. There are better 4 bangers out there. At the end of the day it is still a carburetor'd 4 banger dating back to the 50's that does not even break past 100HP. It has a great reputation but the power is not there. It would be working so hard in certain applications that gas mileage would be dreadfully low. The 3RZ or 2TR are much better modern alternatives that can make good power.

 

[THatfield]

Obviously, that edmunds reviewer did not use the ECT Power Mode.

When you press that button and hit the gas....

 

[garrett1478]

I once tried asking but got nothing. These old magazines can be found on ebay though. There is one Popular Mechanics magazine online that show spy photos from around 1995.

http://books.google.com/books?id=OmYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34&dq=4runner+popular+mechanics+spy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1xV9U7z5HsjksATF3oKwDw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=4runner%20popular%20mechanics%20spy&f=false

"Toyota's cruising days are probably over"

:rockthrow:

 

[T4R2014]

"Toyota's cruising days are probably over"

:rockthrow:

They were not completely wrong. At some point for the Canadian market they stopped all Land Cruiser sales and only sold them there in the Lexus LX form. I am pretty sure that it is still the same way to this day.

 

[paddlenbike]

The 22R-E is the only Toyota Motor I have ever had that I didn't like. It didn't take enough power to do normal truck duties, much less get itself over a mountain grade without working it. Even the 3.0 V6 made me much happier, and mine was just as reliable as the 22R-E. The 5VZ is just great though, with good power and reliability, not to mention decent gas mileage for what it is.

 

[BIGJAMESCRU]

I have a 1996 SR5 V6, 5 Speed, 4X4. I previously I had a 2000 Limited 4X4 Auto. I feel like the 5 speed has just the right amount of power, I don't have any problems with passing power or acceleration, as far as my Auto, it did feel a bit underpowered for its size, but I'm also a speed demon... The one thing I like the most about the 5 speed is the pull it has at freeway speed in 4 and 5 gears, I can usually get past just about anything I'm trying to overtake, granted the person I'm overtaking isn't an total dick...

 

[vanion2]

Yes it's feels underpowered. At least my automatic 4x4 3.4L is but then I didn't buy it to go fast. I bought it to last long enough for my 2 year old daughter to have as her first car (in about 14 years), to get through the snow, do some recreational 4 wheeling, etc. But compared to my E-450 V10 powered 30' motor home it's a spring rabbit so I am not complaining.

It's also why I kept my 93 MR2 and 02 Honda VFR to satisfy my occasional NFS. Use the right tool for the job...