Topic: Engine swap, Will it fit?

[THK Matt]

yep just a couple of the peices.... really easy and it doesnt take away much of the hood stability either.... much easier and cooler than the body lift!

agreed thanks bro

[TIMS89CRAWLER]

no problem man..... the swap is wellllllllllllll worth the time.... I cant get enough of driving my buddies rig that I swapped the 3.4 in... I am in  and will be doing one of my own soon on my 90 x-cab! I cant wait!

[THK Matt]

sickkkk

[Snowtoy]

there is no reason to buy a harness from ors.... there is only 4 or so wires to hook up under the passenger kick panel and the wiring is done.... the motor bolts rite in and you just use the 3.0 oil pan/pickup etc. very very easy swap and a 3.4 will smoke any 3.0 I dont care how built it is..... you can get a low mile 3.4 for under $800......

I don't know if I am not making my posts clear enough or you don't comprehend what you read, but I never stated that the 3.4 swap was difficult, nor that a mod'd 3.0 was faster than a 3.4.  All I said was that a 3.o can/is a good engine, and can be built to perform, it just costs a lot to do it.  Also when I fully researched the swap 5yrs ago 3.4's weren't $800, and there were very few that had successfully wired the swap w/o using the ORS harness.  My costs for the swap at time were:
3.4 $1500
ECU/oem wiring harness $1000
Exhaust a $7-800
Body lift/hood mod(minimal, maybe $100)
3.4 rebuild $700
ORS wiring harness $1800(harness/their install kit)
I had contacted several individuals that had done the swap.  Of those that wired it themselves only one didn't have issues, and he said he wouldn't do it again, not with the ORS harness available.  Others who had tried to wire it themselves ended up buying the ORS harness, or still didn't have a truck that ran w/o issues  I did come across one individual who claimed he did the swap for less than $1000, and wired it up himself.  However since he wouldn't post up pics of the swap, nor explain the wiring(claimed he was going to market it), I have to say BS to his swap.

Spending $5-6k 5yrs ago on an engine swap that would only end up yielding about 10 more HP's(stock 3.4, not SC) over my 3.0 after the cheaper rebuild(about 1/5 the cost of the swap), would have been a rather pointless thing to do.  However, if I had had a stock 3.0, and was then comparing the cost of my mod's(& the work that needed to be done) to swapping in a 3.4, it would have made sense to spend a little more and do the swap.

As far as being smoked by a 3.4, I can't comment, I never tried to race one.  However seeing how a buddy has had  2 3.4 4-Runners, and he couldn't pull away from me on the highway w/either one(nor could I), I think I would give a 3.4 a run for its money in a drag race.  Of course both vehicles would have to be set up the same, i.e, same tire/gear combo/weight.  Whatever the 3.4 was in, it would have to weigh 4654lbs w/o a driver, which I don't think is going to be easy to find.

As with ThatHOkid, I would be interested in seeing your write up of how easy you were able to wire everything up so that everything worked.

[THK Matt]

Snowtoy, I wasn't the one who wired a 3.4L

I too think a 3.0L is a decent motor.... most people who find them as a garbage motor... either have a poorly maintained engine to begin with or maintain it poorly them selves. I happen to like my dads 95 4Runner with the 3.0L its a decent rig and for what him and I do... it gets the job done.

[Snowtoy]

I was replying to TIMS89CRAWLER quote, not your quote of his quote.

You are right about the level of service and performance.  I get to experience what a near stock one performs like every 2yrs when I have to detune mine for smog checks.  Just the little bit that I have to do to have a hassle free smog check makes my truck feel gutless, and is about as fun to drive as my 22re rig.  The detune isn't much, I have to regap the plugs to to work w/the oem coil and replace the magnaflow cat w/the oem one.  Just those 3 things takes a quite a bit of performance out of it.  The truck will pass smog w/them installed, and has done so, but because the CARB#'s aren't visible on the after market coil, few techs will smog it, and the magnaflow cat doesn't perform well after it sits for a while awaiting the smog check.  Fortunately I only have to drive it this way 30miles every 2yrs.

I also understand why people feel the 3.0 is a slow engine, especially people who weren't driving when the came to the market.  The 3.0 was detuned for the domestic market, either to avoid backlash from Detroit(the trucks were already subject to a 25% import tax), or to avoid liability issues of a high HP motor in truck.  Also in '89 nobody had high HP in mini trucks and full sizes were anemic by todays standards.  Unlike today, trucks were utility vehicles, not street performance vehicles.

If the wiring is as simple as TIMS89CRAWLER makes it out to be, the swap would be a good alternative to building the 3.0.  However if the 3vz-fe heads work reliably on the 3vze(still looking for a write-up), that would be just as good, and maybe cheaper.

[THK Matt]

I kind of figured it was a majorly detuned motor... which makes seem very gutless.
I do notice a lot of LAG in the acceloration....
I do believe retarding the ignition timing 2* or is it cam timing? helps some.
the exhaust is a BIG restriction.
but is ignition that restrictive too?

Can you PM me with PN's and specs Snowtoy with what you have done to your 3.0?

i am curious.

[TIMS89CRAWLER]

snotoy think what you want man! you must have got those price quotes from the toyota dealer or some man! you an roll to any local wrecking yard and pick up the 2 plugs you need for $10 max and if you have a truck with the 3.0 then you have the other half already and all the relays/fuses you need & the ECU is $100 from any wrecking yard.... the motors have always been cheap! and your full of BS if you think everyone who has done these swaps used the  ORS harness... I know a few different people locally who do these swaps everyday and would never touch a  ORS harness for whatever outrageous amount of money they charge for 10 1' pieces of 20 AWG wire... these motors make way more power and run 500% better than any 3. ever built by anyone! hell our local toyota dealers will sell a customer on a cheap 3.4 swap before they rebuild a 3.slow..... just my  I dont care what anyone sais the 3.0 is JUNK when you put it up to ANY 3.4 otherwise why would have toyota ever built the 3.4

[TIMS89CRAWLER]

I will do the write-up soon.... if you have a 3.4 waiting to go in your 3.0 rig hit me up and I will hurry my ass up and do the write-up.... until then I have been kinda busy (working & building my rig) to sit down and do a write-up.... if HO or anyone else get a 3.4 and need help I will get the info he needs in a few hours.... I work on electronics in $1,000,000+ motor-coaches for a living man I am not full of  :bull crap:

[Snowtoy]

 

snotoy think what you want man! you must have got those price quotes from the toyota dealer or some man! you an roll to any local wrecking yard and pick up the 2 plugs you need for $10 max and if you have a truck with the 3.0 then you have the other half already and all the relays/fuses you need & the ECU is $100 from any wrecking yard.... the motors have always been cheap! and your full of BS if you think everyone who has done these swaps used the  ORS harness... I know a few different people locally who do these swaps everyday and would never touch a  ORS harness for whatever outrageous amount of money they charge for 10 1' pieces of 20 AWG wire... these motors make way more power and run 500% better than any 3. ever built by anyone! hell our local toyota dealers will sell a customer on a cheap 3.4 swap before they rebuild a 3.slow..... just my  I dont care what anyone sais the 3.0 is JUNK when you put it up to ANY 3.4 otherwise why would have toyota ever built the 3.4

Apparently comprehending the English language in its written form isn't a skill set you possess, so I will keep my reply short.

Please re-read my posts, if you do you will realize 4 simple things;
I never said your claim was BS.
My prices are from FIVE YEARS AGO, not today.
I first started modifying my 3.0 long before the 3.4 existed.
That IME my mod'd 3.0 has held its own on the highway w/the stock 3.4's my friends have had.