toyota tacoma engines

miker7649

I will be buying a new truck in the near future,
and I am wondering which engine is the best for
reliability. I have been considering the 3.4 w/TRD
supercharger, does anyone have this on their truck?
any problems? Is the 2.7 a good motor for moderate
4x4, and lots of miles, or should I go with the
3.4? Thanks for the input

wsnoble

I have the V6 and love it. I have road in the 4cyl version and it wasn't awful, but if you can afford the 6, get it. There is a guy (Spoog) hanging around here and think he has the TRD SC. Post a message to him in the Tacoma vs Ranger II Conf. He could probably help...

-wsn

tisteve

I have '97 4x4 ext cab with the 2.7 4 cylinder and 5 speed (and those pathetic small tires). I personally don't have any problems with it, but I'm sure the V6 is better(especially with auto). It really comes down to $$$ (cost to purchase, insure, maint, etc..) If you can afford it, get it, but the four isn't bad.
I just drove a '99 ext cab with the four, 5 speed and the 31" tires and was suprised how it still semed powerful enough. The dealer is trying to get me out of my '97 and into this '99. Price is right at $19,995 with TRD, power everything, bedliner, cruise, etc. I might get it.

katsohis

get the v-6 it rips!i raced my 97 tacoma x-cab 4wd at the dragstrip and pulled off a 16.5 with it beating the kid next to me in a v-6 probe!my current lease is coming to an end and i plan on getting my 2000 with the trd charger.....yea ha!!

iceman

The Toyota 3.4l V6 is a jewel. In full song, it sounds like a cello. Other engines sound... well... like engines. You only go round once in this life... you deserve the V6. If you go for the 4, you'll be kicking yourself forever.

Ice

dcarpenter

I have a '95 extended cab Toyota 4X4 with the 4cyl. engine. I think its the best truck I've ever owned. I've owned two Chevy 4X4's, two Jeeps, an Izusu Trooper, a Suzuki Sidekick, and now the Toyota. I wish I could keep it, but the 4 cyl. engine just lacks enough power. Also, it doesn't get very good mileage, about 18 mpg. I am just about to purchase a new Tacoma 4X4 with the 6 cyl. just for the extra power. I think its probably the best way to go.

By the way, I drove a friend's '97 Chevy 5.7L today, and I still like my truck better than his. All I could notice were the rattles.

zbad71

"By the way, I drove a friend's '97 Chevy 5.7L
today, and I still like my truck better than his.
All I could notice were the rattles."

Yeah, whatever. Just make sure that Chevy is around to clear the offroad paths for your little "Toy" to make it through. I had a 96 with the V6. I got stuck in a mud pit in 97 with it after only 10 feet. I just went through the same mud pit this year with my 99 Z71. Got all the way across, 2-3 feet ruts, never even hesitated.

Good luck with your "Toy".

diode3000

My mom is getting a truck. She's looking at Toyotas. She needs it to carry items. Nothing to heavy. I'd like to borrow the truck. So I want a good looking vehicle. It be cool to get 4WD and V6 and all, but she's would like to stay well under 20,000. The one thing I dislike about trucks is the way they look with the small tires. I like the wider taller look. What are my options? Stick? 4WD too much, could I still get that cool large wheel look and all.

I mean hey, If it looks nice, I'd rather take a girl out with the new truck than with my older 86 rx-7. Love that rx-7, but got engine seal problems.
Help! She's going to buy by end of this month.

ziggy10

Your mom can get a Toyota Pre Runner you know. It does have the big tires, lifted and under 20 G's if you look around. It's a 2WD, so the insurance is less too. The ONLY drawback I think there is to it is that it only comes in Auto. There's no 5 speed for the Pre Runner, but there is for the standard Taco and 4WD. Tell her to do a lot of research and to try and get it over the net instead of a dealership. They give better deals, and you don't have the pressure of arguing face to face with a dealer for the price you want. Good Luck

dcarpenter

I don't appreciate your rudeness. I'm just offering my opinion. I've driven more Chevy's than you are old. I just sold a '78 Chevy 350 4X4 that I ordered new from the factory. They've done nothing but go downhill since then. Toyota is so much better it ain't even funny. I don't buy a truck for anything but the quality. Toyota is the best by far.

diode3000

Yeah, the stick would be better. Where should I look online? If I have to go with the auto....ugh...I might. But I guess a 2wd 4X4 may be better. She wants the extended cab, how much more is that? Thanks for the info ziggy.

JP

zbad71

Sorry. I hate it when I make the girls cry. They are so sensitive. Kinda like "Toy" trucks. LOL!

mikedaley

I'm going to buy a new truck. I'm considering a Tacoma V6 or a Dakota 4.7l V8. My concern with the Toyota is Head Gaskets. My wife's 91 Corolla is getting a new head gasket now, my 87 Toyota Truck blew a head gasket and the engine after 80,000 miles. The guy I was standing behind in the Toyota service department today had a 95 Camry V6 with a blown head gasket....Toyota tells me there are no general problems with these vehicles. Is the 3.4 V6 in the current Tacoma experiencing these problems? Comments on the Dakota and its 4.7 V8??

ziggy10

I paid 17,500 for my 2WD NON Pre Runner. My dealer said that the Pre Runner would come in around 19,000 or so. I got mine through a new car auction site in Los Angeles (Long Beach area). Good luck

ziggy10

I have heard in the other areas here that the head gasket problem WAS an issue with the V6 Taco's, but that it's been fixed. So you shouldn't have to worry. My 2000 Taco is great. The V6 has more power than I could ever need. It really hauls butt!!! You can find out more about Toyota's head gasket history by going to this site.

http://www.toyotarepair.com

And good luck on your decision!!!

katsohis

they had some problems with the 95 1/2 3.4 engines but since then they have taken care of the problems so go ahead and buy the yota you will love it! i'm on my second one now (3 year leases).i just got a 2000 model with the trd option........wicked nice!

z71brent

With those leases of only 3 years, good thing you got a Toyota for all that so-called reliability factor.

How can you claim higher reliability when you don't really used it as a truck is used and you don't keep it but 3 years. What a hypocrite.

katsohis

this truck will go 200k miles if i wanted too but i like to drive new vehicles every three years.

z71brent

I have a Chevy with over 250k miles, same engine and transmission. Still going strong and never seen the inside of a service shop. I have changed an alternator and a battery at 120k miles, a starter at 140k miles. All done myself for less than $150. This truck has never seen the inside of a service dept.

Toyota, only 200k miles....hmmm.

axrana

If you both are happy with your trucks, good for you. This is for Toyotas. Why are you so dedicated to making sure that other people are not. Zbad71, you have been thrown out of so many different topics, it isn't even funny. Why are you not in your truck enjoying life? Why are you sitting in front of your PC and trying your best to make EVERYONE one Earth believe that your truck is the best?
I have a friend who has always driven Fords. He would think that your truck is a piece of [non-permissible content removed]. Does that make it one? No - that is his opinion. Just like you have your opinion and everyone else has their own. THe only difference is that you try to push your opinion onto everyone else. The people on this board have spent (or like me, plan to spend) a buying a Toyota pickup truck. They are here to discuss the TOYOTA pickup truck. Nobody cared about what a great deal you got on what a great truck. Just let us be. I plan to buy a Tacoma. IF you don't like that, DEAL WITH IT. If you feel that it is a mistake, fine. Let me know that in your opinion, the Chevy is great and the Toyota is overpriced. After that, it is MY decision, NOT YOURS. Go to the Chevy topic and brag there - or better yet, go to the Ford topic and brag there.

As for your response to dcarpenter, it just makes you look like a total loser. Until then, I thought that you were just someone who was a little "extra-passionate" about his truck - a lot of people are. But after that response, we all know better. Please, for our sake and yours, just leave this, and other Toyota, conferences. It would make it a lot easier to get the information that we are looking for without having to weed through intellectual responses like "Sorry. I hate it when I make the girls cry. Theyare so sensitive."

I told you before, your truck is a good one, as are most American full size trucks. The Tacoma, is a compact. So there really is NO comparison between the two. Compare it with the Tundra in some other topic.

katsohis

exactly!

scape2

The only engine that Tacoma has going for it is the 3.4 V6. The 2.7 is a dog and lacks any sort of torque.
I find it kind of humorus when problems with Toyotas are brought to the forefront. After all they are supposed to all be perfect, no problems, no squeaks, no rattles. Toyota owners become very defensive when folks jump in with problems with any Toyota.

chuttie

I have only posted one other time--just mainly lurking. However, after reading most of the posts in most of the different subject areas I will NEVER--I say again NEVER buy a Chevrolet or GMC vehicle because it might in some small way connect me to you and those in your small minded little world. Enough said.

scape2

Sorry to tell you the new Silverado is outselling the Tundra almost 4 to 1. alone. This doesn't even include Ford/Dodge. Enjoy your full size wanna be Tundra. Besides, how many V8/V6 engines does Chevy/Dodge/Ford offer? or drivetrains? or cab setups? or.....

panama1

I am a first time truck buyer and wnated this experience to be the best, that's why I went with Tacoma. What I wished I'd gotten was a Tundra, what I really wanted was a Prerunner V6, what I could afford was a 2WD Tacoma X-cab, 2.4L, auto. The dealer told me I could not get a V6 on the 2WD Tacoma because Toyota was only putting V6's on Prerunners and 4x4 Tacomas. At any rate, my question to you long time Tacoma owners is about the way this truck starts. It always cranks good in the morning but the rest of the day the engine always seems to take several turns before cranking. I had it checked by the dealer yesterday and the mechanic said this was normal for Tacomas. Is it normal or do I need to go to another dealer?

z71brent

Not normal for the 96 V6 Tacoma my wife had.

Now the Tundra is widely known for that little annoyance, but diehard Yoda fans seem to try and blow it off like its not a fault. Afterall, Toyotas are perfect, or are they?

jasondlee

I've got friends who love their Silverados,
but boy, these two z71 fellows are sure losers.

2sly4u

If you bought an import, I am surprised you have any friends worth associating with.

Bet your proud to be so un-American, huh? Talk about LOSER!

katsohis

maybe if we could build cars like them we would buy them!

mviglianco1

This is a very low blow and is not meant to be taken seriously but if you look at the statistics provided by Carpoint regarding the the education level and average salary of the various trucks' owners you would see a different picture all together. I came to this discussion to get some info to make an educated decision on what truck to buy. Does anyone have anything to say about Tacoma engines or does every post have to refer to some deep down NASCAR like identity crisis. Some of us are open to purchase the best product available at the time. There has to be more to it then what country the product originates from.

katsohis

yeah there great!

scape2

The ONLY engine Toyota has going for it is the 3.4. The 2.7 is a dog.

2sly4u

The Tacomas aren't used as a real truck anyway, so even a doggy 4 cyl will suffice a Tacoma owner.

All yuppie Tacoma owners worry about is how "pretty" their 4X4 that never sees the offroad or has anything in its bed is when they go out "cruisin".

ziggy10

"The dealer told me I could not get a V6 on the 2WD Tacoma because Toyota was only putting V6's on
Prerunners and 4x4 Tacomas."

I'm sorry to tell you, but the dealer lied to you. I have a V6 manual trans ext cab 4X2!!!! It runs great and has plenty of power. I've had mine a month now. It does seem to take a few turns to crank, but so far so good.

rotorray

did you have to order that truck or was it in dealer stock? Also, what part of the country did you get it. My Calif dealer gave me the "no v6 in 2x Tacos because of Prerunner priority" story, so I'm really interested in how you got it. It is also a 2000 model?

ziggy10

I got a 2000 model over the internet from Carson Toyota (by Long Beach, Ca.). I went into their auction site, and the fleet manager asked me what I wanted and she got it. It was actually not at the lot at the time, because of the 2000 turnover (this was in Sept). She did say that my truck was "rare" for the L.A. area (because of it being a 5spd), but I live in the desert, so I don't have traffic problems up here. If you send a request to a couple dealers, they should be able to find one in your area that's a V6. Before I got mine, the fleet manager said that she had had to yank it away from another dealer that the truck was destined for. If you live in or near L.A. I can recommend my dealer to you (she said she'd give me a hundred dollars if you mention my name!!). I got my truck for ONLY 50 DOLLARS OVER INVOICE!!! And it's fully loaded (8 options packages). I also went to my local dealer and they had 1 V6 2WD (Sierra Toyota in Lancaster). That was last week. They also had only 1 pre runner, only 1 V6 4WD, and the rest were all 4 cyl. All together, they had about 10 trucks there, all 2000 models.
They are concentrating on pre runners, because they expect to sell a lot of them. They do look really nice. I just had to have a stick shift (I don't like auto trans.).
But you should be able to get a V6 without too much trouble. Good luck!!!

rotorray

ziggy10...appreciate the help. I'm in northern CA, 50 miles east of San Francisco. I'll check around. Saw a new v6 in a parking lot the other day from my local dealer. don't know if it was a 2000 and they have increased v6 production or a 99 and the buyer was just lucky to find it. I'll be doing some checking and let you know what I find. again..thanks.

decesare

I've read what some of you have written so far, but I'm still undecided what to get in my 2000 Tacoma Xtracab 4X4(a 4 or a 6-cylinder). I'm 48 years old and past the "speed" and "power" stage. No offense to the younger people out there, but can someone a little older who owns or had owned a 4 tell me why I need a 6. I don't plan on towing anything, and the 4 seemed to have plenty of power when I test drove it. Thanks.

diode3000

Just ordered a Pre-Runner Tacoma V6. XtraCab. Laters delivery is suppose to be the 19th. I love sporty cars, buy my mom needs a truck on occasion. So I figured, I'll stray from the smaller faster cars and get a truck...maybe jet skis or something and have other kinds of fun. My previous car is an Rx-7. So this is a big change. Oh yeah.....why don't they have manual Pre-runners. Its the only thing Ive hated....ordering an auto.
JP

wr4

dececesare,
Either of the Toyota engines is a superior unit. There have been no really bad motors built by major companies for a long time but the Toy motors stand out as some of the best. Both the 4 and the six are dohc units that because of the follower design the push on the valve stem is exactly straight in, not a wiping motion from a rocker arm like a lot of others. All other things being equal, the valve train wear is the limiting factor (valve guides/stems cannot get much lubrication, this part of oiling is constant loss). Their blocks are extremely rigid and extend well down past the centerline of the crankshaft, which most manufactures have adopted recently. Another big plus with Toyota motors: the oil pump is actually on the front of the crankshaft. We have a 22R motor in an ’86 with 180,000 miles and a 3 liter v6 in an ’88 with 196,000 miles that have had just good preventative maintenance and both run like new.

scape2

Had to visit, Dwebb, you are greatly misinformed about Ford engines. Better read up. The 3.0 is far superior in torque to any Toyota 4cyl engine. It has 192 vs the 177 ft/lbs of torque from the 2.7. And the Ranger 4.0 has 225 ft/lbs of torque vs the Tacoma 220 ft/lbs of torque. You also better look again at the torque curves for the 3.4 vs the 4.0. The 3.4 has to rev a lot higher and longer in order to reach its full torque. And once agian I here 0-60 times for a truck. Since when did trucks turn into race cars?? The Ranger 4.0 mated to a 5spd is .6 seconds slower than a Tacoma 3.4 mated to a 5spd. Go to 4Wheeler magazine if you don't believe me. You may also want to visit the Ranger vs Tacoma room right here at Edmunds it may educate you also. The Tacoma has the WORST crash rating of any compact truck on the market today. The locker is good only up to 5mph for the TRD package. The Ranger is larger inside when comparing cab interior. I can go on and on here. I had a Ranger that went to 96K with no problems at all. At trade it still ran fine. Search the net you will find a ton of Happy Ranger owners. And the Ranger still outsells the Tacoma almost 4 to 1! Come on over to the Ranger vs Tacoma room and learn. You paid too much for a percieved quality/reliability advantage.

projammer

I agree with ya man.

mviglianco1

How much did you pay for your 99 or Y2K 4x4 V6 extended cab? Did you order it? How long did it take? I need numbers to go to war with the salesman with!!!

dcarpenter

I own a '95 Toyota PU (not Tacoma) with the 4cyl. engine. The 4 cyl. in the Tacoma has a bit more torque and horsepower, but my engine is great for most of my use. I love the truck, but occasionally I do carry a load or have a canoe on top of my truck. Particularly in those situations it is underpowered.

I am considering a Tacoma with the 6 cyl. because I think the difference in MPG is slight and the power difference is great. Power is a wonderful thing when you need it. Safety is also a consideration. Pulling onto freeways, passing, etc., requires power and speed. Next time I will definitely go for the 6 cyl. A strong headwind or uphill driving also slows my 4 cyl.

By the way, I'm 50 years old. Age has nothing to do with it!

nukepooch

I've got a 1993 Toyota truck with a 2.4L four cylinder.It's got 117,000+ miles and enough power for me. I don't tow the Queen Elizabeth or drag race against Kenny Bernstein. What I do get is completely reliable, never-have-to-worry transportation. My truck has hauled what I have to where I need it. I've changed the oil, filters, shocks, and the brake pads. That's it. Kudos to Toyota. Only one problem with owning a truck...I find I get all sorts of new "friends" when it comes to moving time... ~smiles~

tundradude

I have owned both the 2.7 and currently own the 3.4. I never have owned a Tacoma. I had it in the T100 and now in the Tundra. However, I did own a 93 Toyota PU with the 2.4 liter in it. The 2.7 is an incredible engine. It is plenty fast enough and it will do about everything you would like to do with it. This means towing, getting out in traffic, etc. The 3.4 is no question more powerful. I have enjoyed the extra pep it provides but i bought it for its extra towing capacity. You also have to consider that T100's and Tundras weigh a whole lot more than Tacomas. Otherwise, the Tacomas are just faster in the speed department and hauling is about the same, not including the different bed sizes. My 93 Toyota PU would haul more than 1800 pounds, which had been more than my T100 or my new Tundra, but viva la difference. I would stick with the 2.7, unless you really want to spend the extra money. I like my the 3.4, but the 2.7 gets the job done if I was in your situation.

PS My cousin has a 96 2.7 Tacoma 4x4 with everything on it including the automatic and its a ball to drive.

tundradude

I meant to say hauling instead of towing on the 2.7.

dwebb1

I own a '98 tacoma with the 2.4L and 46,000 miles. It has more than adequate pep, tows anything I ask it to, hauls all sorts of crap (refrigerators, computers, etc.) and gets 27 mpg on the highway at 80 mph constant speed. It is, however, not as smooth as the 3.4L, but then they don't offer that in the reg. cabs. I look forward to putting about 300,000 miles on this bad boy before I trade it in.

scape2

Please dwebb, come on over to the Ranger Vs Tacoma room and lets talk more!

scape2

By the way the Ranger 4.0 has 160HP and 225ft/lbs of torque. Posted all over the Internet at different Ranger sites, along with here at Edmunds. The 3.0/4.0 are available in the 4x2 Ranger with a limited slip rearend at that. The Tacoma rearend is OPEN. And as far as towing a towpackage is available for about $250 for the Ranger giving it a 5,000 lb towing capacity. The 3.0 is only about $600 more than a 2.5 also. And the Tacoma even in its 4x2 or 4x2 Supercab form cost more option for option than a Ford Ranger/Mazda B Series. And the Tacoma 4x2 SC is smaller interior wise than a Ranger. I can't believe crash tests don't matter?? Dateline just did a story on the Tacoma and it did very poorly in all crash tests. Like I said, worst in its class. I think I would want a safe vehicle that I would have a chance to survive in in a potential crash. Like I said, please come to the Ranger Vs Tacoma room and lets talk more.

artp

Vince, you seem to brag about the Ford 4.0 which puts out 160hp.

160hp is very weak for an engine of that size. The displacement vs. horsepower ratio has to be among the lowest of any engine.

As an example my wife's Passat puts 150 hp out of it's 1.8 liter engine.

My point is, the engine is nothing to brag about.