Topic: Multi question post 3rz, suspension

[MikeBuff]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post in the fourm, I am really eager to get feedback from you all. Bigmikes 3RZ write up got me here and im here to learn more.

I have a 99 tacoma 2.7L 4x4 ( not running the front drive shafts at the moment ) Long travel, Running a deaver pack in the back with a tundra rearend 4:88 its mainly a prerunner but built to use for everything. I love to go to all events.

Here is my question. I am trying to hear ways to eliminate axle wrap i've hear of running a trac bar to the top of the housing can correct this but will inhibit some of the travel. Is this correct and is there a system that will work with a leave pack? the deaver set up i got is supposed to be build to no be effect by wrap but I would like to know for a fact by putting something like this in.

Next is my motor. I love the 3rz I think it has a lot of potental and is bullet proof. I am running LC headers, K&N intake and an E-Fan. Not totally sold on the e-fan just yet because i havent got to run it for a while with it on. I am curious for all of those who have a S/C are they happy with it, the gains, the install, the reliability, and over all.

Thanks for you time excited to hear from all of you -mike-

[BigMike]

i've hear of running a trac bar to the top of the housing can correct this but will inhibit some of the travel.

I would say that if you use a shackled trac bar that it will Not limit any travel at all. Please refer to my drawing below. That is how I am going to do mine.

Next is my motor. I love the 3rz I think it has a lot of potental and is bullet proof. I am running LC headers, K&N intake and an E-Fan. Not totally sold on the e-fan just yet because i havent got to run it for a while with it on. I am curious for all of those who have a S/C are they happy with it, the gains, the install, the reliability, and over all.

Well, hmmmmmmmm about the 3RZ Supercharger from Alpine (used to be sold through TRD)......... yeah.

I don't know man. I really have mixed feelings about it.

For starters, I installed it with the stock pulley, which is rated at 4psi, and the thing would only get 2 psi near redline. Then I installed a 6-psi pulley and it now will get about 4.8 psi right before rev cut.

I don't get it. Everything looked great internally as I opened it up to inspect it as I have removed the blasted thing probably 3 times now. I don't know what the clearances between the rotors are supposed to be, and I had no way of checking that, but cosmetically, everything looked great. There were no unusual wear marks on the rotors and it looked very clean, no chips, nothing had accidentally been sucked into the blower or anything. I checked the Eaton By-pass valve and I verified that it was closing in the correct position and that it was properly sealing. Everything looked great with it. BTW, this is a used unit with apprx. 15k on it, is what I think I was told when we got it this May. Either 10k or 15k, I am not sure. But it was very clean, had never been dropped, etc.

So for instance, if I just go out and drive my truck down the road, at 2,500 rpm I can floor it and it will go straight to 3psi. This is typical of a Supercharger. But what it not typical is that with increasing RPMs, it will begin to climb up to 3.5, 4, 4.5psi and a bit higher just before I hit 5,750 rpm.

I maintain that a M62 IS WAY TO SMALL FOR A 2.7L ENGINE. The M62 is what Jackson Racing and other Honda SC companies put on 1.8l engines. I mean its a whole litre less for crying out loud. I don't know why we have to spin the blower at near its rpm limit (which I believe is about 16,000 rpm for a screw-type Eaton) when we could have the same effects by turning a larger M90 blower at much slower speeds but with the same amount of boost (because its a larger displacement). I understand how more sc rpms will give better boost at lower engine rpms, but the dang thing can't even develop what it is rated for anyways! geez


So now that you have heard all of that, here is my impression on driving it. And this is the good news that you are looking for. Yes, it definitely has much more power, especially when it is running right. I am still waiting to get the Fuel Piggy-back control unit, so my engine likes to run a bit on the lean side. So on some good days I will have LOADS of power, but at other times it will start pulling very hard, but by the time I get to 3rd gear, you can definitely tell there is a lack of power. And this has been confirmed using my OBD-II Scanner. It drops the timing by about 8 degrees when its not running right. That is a lot of detonation it is trying to counter. Now I do have a DIY Water/Methanol inj. system installed, but right now it is not working because I keep locking up my antisyphon solenoids because I am using vacuum parts to handle liquids. With the meth. turned on (I like calling it just "meth" hahahaha) it pulls VERY HARD and I like to imagine that this is what it will feel like once I get the piggy-back computer in place.

So definitely, if you are going to SC your 3RZ, I would IMMEDIATELY 160% ENTIRELY recommend paying extra for the piggy-back computer. We only get 91 oct fuel out here, and it is DEFINATELY not enough with the stock fuel curve to prevent detonation. And I am only running about 4 psi on average anyhow. What happens when I put an even smaller pulley on and I get 6 psi? Then I'll really be having fuel problems without the piggy-back computer.

Anyhow, that is a lot to ponder, so let me know what you thoughts are after reading alllllllll of this and we can go from there.

Now I've got a question for you
How do you like the LC Header? We had a customer come in (to the automotive side) who blew a head gasket on a '97 Taco 3RZ. I must have walked back there (to the other shop) numerous times to investigate what a 3RZ looks like opened up. That motor is so nice to work on. Its valve train is very very simple and exactly like my good ol' 4A engines I know so well.
Now as for my question, I noticed he had a LC Header on it. I was looking at how looooooooong the pipes are and I don't think it would be possible to run on my setup because of that. I would need to modify all four pipes.......... so I went back into the shop () and I mentioned all this to Marlin, and he had not only already known about the job next door, but in fact he had already spoken to the owner of the Tacoma.

It turns out that the owner previously had a Downey header, like what Dean, Marlin, and myself are all running, and he came across a good deal on a LC Header and he thought he would compare the two. And "WOW! Night and Day difference" is what he told Marlin. The guy said that the engine came alive after he put the LC Header on.

So I am just wondering what your thoughts are about the LC Header? How do you like it? Have you driven a 3RZ with a Downey header? If so then how do you compare the two?

[MikeBuff [OP]]

Wow thats for the responce tons of information.

To answer your question first, No I havent driven in a 3rz with a downey header. My reason for going with the LC was because of shopping around. I looked at the quality of the craftmanship of the welds and how the goes 4 to 1 unlike the downey at least for my year looks like it goes 4 to 2 to 1. The fact that it is smog legal in cali also helped my decide. The install was flawless on mine. with a conversion like yours im not sure of the clearence issues.  I am running a K n N intake, I think im going to try and put my old box back on and try the deck plate mod to see if the gain is better. I am running magnaflow highflow cat and the flowmaster 40 series back. Its an okay set up  I think im going to go with a 18' magnaflow 2.5 in and 2.5 out.

So as far as forced induction goes what are your feelings about the after cat turbo set up. Im not a fan of it and i havent heard of alot of feedback about it just curious if you had any info about it.

SC
So if it was created for a 1.8l displacement motor why would they have made it for it. Im sure there was a reason maybe to extend the life of the motor and the supercharger but I understand what you are talking about where it is close to its rev limit and high rmp. So im torn on what to do, have you personally come to a conculsion on what to do with your motor?

Thanks again for the reply just the person I wanted to hear from.

[HOODLUM]

I also use the LCE header and def recomend it the only other one I'd use is Doug Thorely's. His is supposed to be the one LCE is selling from what I'm told but have yet to see anything proving this. I used LCE's for the same reason it is a straight 4 to 1 collector which is def the proper design especialy on a 4 banger. Step down headers are (only IMO) not much better than a factory manifold yes there is a dif but not much.

As for using SC's well I've found that doing some maching to the block and head to be more productive and cheaper to do than installing a SC and be able to maintain the durability of the 3rz.
SC's are great if you're also using a stage 2 cam but must be using adjustable cam gears so you can adjust everything. Adding the fifth injector is almost a must or the piggy back as stated by BigMike Realisticly the factory cams aren't up to the task of a SC unless your using adjustable gears.(just not maximising the potential) The SC's boost should kick at the  RPM range as your as your cams top range.For example if your cam is a 2500 to say 3500 your SC boost should kick at 3400 to pick up where the cam is leaving off.(this is my opinion)