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Toyota Tacoma V6 Supercharger: worth the expense?

njpaguynjpaguy Member Posts: 55
edited March 2014 in Toyota
Have a new 2002 on order (V6 5-spd). What is your experience with the V6 supercharger? Worth the expense? Any problems worth noting? Any TRD dealers to avoid for this add-on? (From NJ/PA area) Any and all feedback would be appreciated immensely!

Comments

  • smgillessmgilles Member Posts: 252
    It is the best thing I have ever done to an automobile. It runs like a top. I don't know anything about specific TRD dealer/dealerships. Just make sure you shop around for the best price. I bought mine for $1750, but that was when they were at a all time low, now I think they can be bought for around $1950. DO NOT pay retail, a dealer will charge your $2800 and on up. You can buy them from anywhere and still be warrantied. Try www.etoyotas.com (talk to James Rodriguez), also go to www.tacomaterritory.com and ask any and all the questions you can think of. It is a website just for Tacoma owners who off-road and so forth.

    Also, I wouldn't put the charger on until about 10,000, so you engine has been able to break in. That is just a matter of opinion though. I have mine on a 2001 ext. cab.
  • kg11kg11 Member Posts: 530
    My taco don't have one but my wife's Mustang came from the dealer with a S/C ,so does Ford Lightning and Harley truck.Just take it easy for the first 1000 mi.
    kip
  • njpaguynjpaguy Member Posts: 55
    I will most definitely checkout the Tacoma message boards. One question - how much has your fuel mileage changed since you added the S/C (during "normal" driving)?
  • smgillessmgilles Member Posts: 252
    You can expect to lose about 1-2 mpg if you hot rod alot, rabbit starts, stoplight to stoplight, etc... If you drive it normally you will not see a decrease in your mileage. You may even see a slight increase.

    It is extremely difficult to keep your foot out of it though. TRUST ME. You will be amazed at the difference it makes in hp and torque. You will have the same amout of torque idling with the s/c vs. the normally aspirated 3.4 at max rpm's.

    If you get the TRD package with the locker I can tell you how to modify it so you can use the locker in 2hi, 4hi, instead of just 4lo.

    Only problems I have heard are people with 99's and on down have a leaning out problem and they ping at lower rpms (1800-2200). The 2001 and up are suppossed to have larger injectors so they do not have this problem. I have a 2001 and I have yet to hear it ping. Definitely check out the tacoma message board. Lots of good info.
  • 2k1trd2k1trd Member Posts: 301
    My 01 Tacoma rips!!!....i also have the 5 speed and i have many street battles under my belt with it and let me tell you my truck gets much respect around my area.in fact just the other night i was side by side with a new Mustang GT convertable.I also have a K&N filter and did some air box mods (removed elbow)and also removed the rear cat (cal emissions)I also have no problem with pinging whatsoever and use 92 sunoco in it.Ive had the charger for 5k miles now and i'll never drive a Tacoma without one again!
  • njpaguynjpaguy Member Posts: 55
    Is your S/C setup completely TRD stock, or have you changed belt sizes or made any other mods to your setup?
  • 2k1trd2k1trd Member Posts: 301
    No mods to the charger,just the ones i posted.
  • njpaguynjpaguy Member Posts: 55
    What did you pay to have your S/C installed by the dealer? (I would prefer they do it for warranty purposes).
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    Go to www.tacomaterritory.com and ask there. TTORA guys get few ads from time to time for charger sales, etc, with discounts. And they can answer all your questions too.
  • 2k1trd2k1trd Member Posts: 301
    I had my local dealer install mine for the same reason (warranty)for 2500.00 I really wanted to do it myself (can't trust anyone except myself)but the warranty thing just made sense.I also am pretty friendly with the dealer anyway and felt comfortable about the install.
  • obiwankenobi1obiwankenobi1 Member Posts: 290
    My fiancee just purchased an 02 Tacoma Prerunner with the 2.7 four. Can you add the supercharger to that or does it have to be the V6?
  • smgillessmgilles Member Posts: 252
    Yes, they make a s/c for the 2.7, but it is about $600 more than the s/c for the 3.4. TRD just came out with a couple of months ago. You are looking at paying about around $2600.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    If you check the tacomaterritory site, there were several folks buying the S/C straight from the manufacturer long before TRD started selling them. I know a couple guys have had theirs for a year or so. It seems to me the price was around $2000 with shipping and everything and had more power as I guess TRD turns things down a bit. Don't quote me on any of that though.

    A s/c on the 2.7L seems pretty cool to me as you can get the same mpg as long as your driving it normal, but have some serious power when needed. Best of both worlds IMHO. Company is out of S. Africa if I remember correctly and they've been building them for years for the HiLux. I guess with the good fuel we have over here they are a pretty hot item as they were tuned for crap fuel over there.
  • smgillessmgilles Member Posts: 252
    i think you are referring to the Alpine S/C unit, which has been available for a year or so. Again, you maybe correct, but I thought I read that on the ttora site just the other day.
  • njpaguynjpaguy Member Posts: 55
    I'm told one advantage of buying the TRD version and having a Toyota/TRD dealer install it is this: the S/C will be covered under the new vehicle powertrain warranty. If you install it yourself, I believe the warranty is limited 12 mo/12,000 mi on the S/C only. Resulting problems to other powertrain compenents are your problem.
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    There's a charger for 2.7L made by Alpine, I think, called Alpine. Not TRD. Ask on www.tacomaterritory.com boards, they can tell you of any issues with the Alpine.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I thought Alpine is producing the TRD unit. Just different specs for TRD. I don't think TRD produces anything, just tests, designs, and puts their name on it.
  • obiwankenobi1obiwankenobi1 Member Posts: 290
    It looks like I won't be able to afford the Supercharger, so what about other stuff like exhaust systems or engine chips? What kind of hp increase can I expect?
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    Some guys at the ttora Tennessee chapter (I think) did dynoruns with the modded truck:
    1. deckplate mod. Essentially you take the airbox, and cut a hole in it in the front. You buy a deck plate from any marine store, put it in there so you can close/open it whenever you want. It was shown to give 7hp extra at the peak of the curve, and about 2hp around 2K rpms.
    2. Performance exaust: Magnaflow, Flowmaster, Gibson. They promise 5% extra hp.....it's not 5% extra, but there is definite gain.
    3. Amsoil/KnN air filter. Those give you better protection compared to stock paper filter (and some say Amsoil is better, some say KnN is better.....it's a war :). These are not directly related to performance, but they help out

    There's always headers too...but overall, the above 3 options can be had rather cheap:
    deckplate is 1 hr of work and $10 parts, Amsoil air filter is $30 and lasts you forever, exaust is anywhere from $130-150 (Magnaflow or Flowmaster) and higher.
  • obiwankenobi1obiwankenobi1 Member Posts: 290
    I am thinking K&N and flowmaster for right now. That should put me right in the $200 price range and give me about 10 extra hp.
  • saddaddysaddaddy Member Posts: 566
    to get down the road alot faster and make much better time on the trails is to make sure that you stay in front of any Rangers or Jeeps and NOT behind. They have a way of slowing you down. Thats a biggy for me. :~)
  • tgravo2tgravo2 Member Posts: 70
    Can anyone who has a TRD supercharger or knows any info on it tell me if your towing capabilities increase dramatically for the Tacoma?
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    How much would you want to tow? Is 5000 lbs limit not enough? I'm thinking that it's not just the engine, but you'd be wearing out frame pretty fast towing a lot more.
  • saddaddysaddaddy Member Posts: 566
    It won't increase the amount you will be able to tow, like scorpio said. However it will greatly increase the performance of your truck if you were towing, say, a boat. The extra ponies will allow you to accelerate up that steep grade much better than stock. Acceleration, passing, and getting up to speed on the interstate will be better.
  • tgravo2tgravo2 Member Posts: 70
    I wasn't looking to tow anything over 5000lbs, just curious to see if it made a big difference in towing. It would be nice to accelarate a little better towing a big load though, thanks for the info guys.
This discussion has been closed.