How does TURBO work and what is the $$?

[TY4Runnin92]

I'm looking around for performance parts that I may purchase and install in the future. Can anyone explain to me:

-What they do to the engine?

-How I may benefit from a turbo system?

-What is the price range?

-Do they make them for a 1992 3L V6 4x4?

*I'm hungry for power!* :yummie: :spam:

 

[fourwd1]

A turbo charger uses exhaust gas to turn an impeller. The other side of the impeller forces air into the intake at a higher pressure than would normally be possible. The higher air/fuel mixture produces more HP.

$2-3000

 

[TY4Runnin92]

Oh ok, thanks. I wasn't expecting that high of price, but I guess horsepower doesn't come cheap
Maybe I'll get one for when I own a more expensive automobile.

 

[soundguy]

while I don't have alot of turbo info for you - I do have some reasonably bad news. HP on the 3.0 is NOT cheap. As far as I know, and I have been looking into it for a year now, there are no aftermarket supercharges or turbo kits that are readily available for the 3.0. I believe there was a guy on the 4x4 wire who custom installed a Turbo - but he is the ONLY one I know of.

My truck has over 200K miles now and is beginning to show the wear - leaky valve guides, rear main seals - so I thot as I would have it apart I would toss in some performance mods. Well, so far the HP per dollar value of the 3.0 upgrades do not really add up. Getting the heads done - exhaust - intake - plugs, wires, high energy ignition - really don't add up to much more HP. Even getting a custom built engine - $7K to $8K only gets you 200 HP total. I know I can build a couple chevy engines for that dough and really crank out the HP. Granted that does not really help out my 4runner - but I can do it - I think.

I have thot about doing the 3.4 swap - and I keep going back and forth - I cannot do it by myself, and $5k - $6K for someone else to do it - well, I am thinking I will just work in the 3.0 - remind myself that it has been CHEAP to run for the last 9 years and 200K miles - and stick with what I got for a while.

Sorry I am not much more help - but I have spent alot of time looking around and talking to people whom have tried a lot of things to tweak the 3.slow - and for some reason it just seems happy where it is. :

Aaron

 

[TY4Runnin92]

No cheap performace mods, eh? Thats to bad.... Maaybe I'll buy an old 83 pickup and mess around with it. Do KN Filters add HP?

 

[soundguy]

It really is too bad that there are not any good "bang for the buck" mods for this motor. It has been VERY reliable - and *seems* like it could be a good one to tweak - but I have found that it is not the case.

Before I did all the research I put in a K&N filtercharger - it did make the engine bay louder - and it did help with some low end touque - but to be honest - I should have just kept the stock air box and dropped in the K&N. It would have been cheaper, and kept it out of the wet elements better. It was not a really an impressive difference but it did make some.

I also got a chip for it - talk about a waste of money. Urgh. I wish I had found these forums before I spent that chunk of change. Did the chip make a difference - yes - was it worth the cash - NO WAY.

I did get the T-Body bored - and most likely headers and exhaust are on the way - despite the VERY mixed reviews about them. I have a hard time believing that it would not make some sort of positive dent in the performance. In practically every other automotive application breathing is where it is at.

I will soon have to pull the heads off to fix the valve guides - and it will be good to do the headgaskets - blah blah - I will then decide if I want to port them and the intake. I figure once I get to that expense a little more wont hurt. But I will wait as getting to the heads on this thing is not like taking them off the old '72 camaro. Geez - even trying to get to the leaky valve cover seals - I might as well take the heads off then, I have to remove the upper intake manifold - might as well go all the way.

If you do get the pickup - there are several great places that deal with the 22-r engines. Those have a huge following of people who mod them and there are some good, reasonably price mods too. http://www.engnbldr.com/ is probably one of the most knowledgable and respected people I have run into for 22-r series engines. He even has some opinions on the 3.slow.

That is just my opinion.

Aaron

 

[TY4Runnin92]

Thanks a lot for the tips Sound Guy. I was thinking about replacing the filter with a K&N. Whats the average price range on those? Does KN make filters that fit stock parts? What is the positive result to having a bored T-body and does that cost a lot? (As you may notice by the $ questions I'm on a tight budget). Also if you could answer my question on mufflers in the 'millage' thread that'd be great. Thanks! -Dan

 

[soundguy]

the K&N - I think about $40 for the drop in -

The T-body - $250 ish - it really is simply more air in. I have to say - they might have wound the spring a little tighter because throttle response is a little better. However I think the MAF really screws up the more air in theory - talk about a restriction....

Aaron

 

[TY4Runnin92]

So the T-Body, is that something that can be done by the
"do-it-yourselfer" type of person? I'm thinking about doing that if it isn't to complicated...

-Dan

 

[soundguy]

uh - no, I wouldn't say that the t-body is something you can do yourself - . Unless of course you have your own boring mill - and a basic knowledge of machining. Then you are in!! Then it is just finding the oversized valve and re-assembling it.

aaron

 

[TY4Runnin92]

I guess 2 years of junior high woodshop doesn't count.... hehe. I'm still looking towards the drop in filter but I haven't made a final decision. I'm also looking at lockers and solid axles so I can go out and do serious off roading. Would you knowanything on solid axle swap and lockers?

 

[soundguy]

SAS - well, apparetnly you can get some good lift using that instead of the IFS that the truck has now - but it is not a swap for the faint of heart.

http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showf...81025&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1

Lockers - well, it appears they are the way to go if you really want to get dirty. I guess there are two different lockers to use on your truck if you do not want to mod the rear diff. One is the toyota - and the other is uh - I forget - I think it is an ARB air locker- I think.

If you are very serious about doing these types of mods to your truck - I suggest joining the 4x4wire.com. These guys are serious and VERY good. Check out their archives - EVERYTHING we have talked about has been covered at least 10 times. So becareful what you ask before checking !! : Not that I don't want to be of help, but now you are heading to things that I know nothing about.

Aaron

 

[TY4Runnin92]

Ok, I'll go ahead and check out 4x4Wire. I might do lockers, I might not. The solid axle swap I think I'll do on a pickup with a lift, once I own one...

Dan

 

[soundguy]

I think that is a great idea.

Locker(s) would be great for good trails and decent mudding. I can go LOTS of places in my 4runner and I don't have lockers (yet) : There are some steep hills and such that it really bogs on - but that is mostly because of the Auto Tranny - but for general trails and such - it works really well stock. Get a good bummper (ARB or TJM with a winch) for protection and recovery, some lights - CB and a GPS and I think you will be suprised where this thing will go with very few mods. I have buried the hood underwater and blasted thru the other side with only a studder - and I have spun the tires dragging me sideways thru the mud for 70+ yards trying to get out of a rutt and succeeded. I have towed a 3600lb boat (not recommended) to the lake and back several times - and it keeps on ticking.

I love my 4runner - I really do. It has 204K miles on it - and I think I can make it another 200K if i care for it really well. I have decided that if I really want to toy with something I will get a jeep or a toyota truck. They have LOTS of parts, and are really easy to work on - cheaply. My 4runner will be for long winding trails and daily driving. As it is one of the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned. I live in Tennessee, and my truck has been to upstate NY(twice), Montana(4 times), South Florida(twice a year since I purchased it new), Chicago(twice a year since purchased it new), Arkansas, Northern Indiana countless times (my parents live there), Boston, North Carolina, Ohio - - the list goes on. I feel a couple more trips to Montana in my future and the the U.P. of Michigan.

With the truck, you will get an engine that is much more "mod-able" and a vehicle that is MUCH more suited to going seriously off road(lighter, shorter, better HP per dollar). Plus there are SO many parts out there - especially if you ding it up quite a bit - or hose your engine.

By the way - the 4x4wire plug was not a slight to this group - it is just much more active.

Aaron

 

[fourwd1]

Before you do consider a lift, SAS, or lockers, consider what type of offroading you plan to do. Not everything requires a solid axle, etc.

You can do a lot with a little if you know what you're doing.

 

[TY4Runnin92]

I plan to do mild watered-down mudding thats only about 3 or 4 feet deep, some steep hills, and going fast on level dirt roads (I want to make a lot of dust). I'm also trying to talk my friend Devan into buying a used Toyota pickup/4Runner from the 80's but its not going well. Oh well..... anyone know where I can find a tube bumper for under $100?

 

[FR_Javier]

a properly setup turbo system will produce more trq than NA motor. if i ever get my hands on a 1st gen runner, my setup will look similar to our prerunner