Plain Jane 2TR 2.7L Torque Mods

Hello folks!

I just recently bought a 2015 Tacoma with the 2.7L 2TR-FE engine in it. It came with the 245's on 16x7's. I love this little truck, but I'm using it for short commutes and I wanted to get good tires for snow/ice driving.

After some research, I put a set of 275/70-16 BFG KO2's on it. LOVE these tires, they grip like iron, nicely behaved on the road, and they look awesome.

However, while the 2TR is a stout-hearted little engine, I've noticed a real lack of low-end grunt.

This is my first Tacoma so I've been doing some research on how to put a little more bottom end on it. You guys seem to be the most knowledgeable community of the web for this stuff, so here I am!

Here's my thinking:

I'm in Maryland so I want to leave the emissions alone, so me and the state get along.
I want reliable and simple power.
I am not terribly interested in top-end, I want a fat bottomed torque curve. That said, a balanced approach seems the smart way to go.

After looking around, here's the mods I am looking at:


Intake side of the motor:

K&N 63-9026 Cold Air Intake (better breathing)
http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?prod=63-9026

Airaid Throttle Body Spacer (claims low-end gains)
http://www.carid.com/2015-toyota-ta...d-poweraid-throttle-body-spacer-66700583.html

Exhaust side of the motor:

LCE Street Header Kit (engine to cat)
http://www.lceperformance.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1041055

LCE Pro-Flow Exhaust System (cat-back)
http://www.lceperformance.com/Pro-Flow-Exhaust-System-2TR-Tacoma-2005-2013-p/1042025.htm


Miscellaneous:

Electric Fan Kit (get parasitic load off the motor)
http://www.lceperformance.com/Electric-Fan-Kit-2TR-1GR-2005-2015-Tacoma-FJ-p/1092099.htm

Mass Air Flow Sensor Calibrator (with VVT-i don't need timing module...I think)
http://urdusa.com/store/Electronics...1/URD-MAF-Sensor-Calibrator/product_info.html


My first question is, has anybody got any experience with these? Does it all work together, any "oh lord, not THAT part" gotcha's?

Second, any recommendations for better parts to get the results I want (tractable, reliable, low-end power).

Third, are there any mods I'm missing for a solid rebuild? I've seen mention of lightweight pulleys but don't see a kit for the 2.7 liter 2TR. Also, there's been talk about an intake spacer, but I don't see much information about it.

For example, the headers claim huge low end torque gains, and so does the throttle body spacer. Do the two mods add up, or do you only need one of them?

Any advice or insight would be awesome!

 

best bang for the buck, actual noticeable difference would be the fan. Hands down

 

Really? Even better than the headers and exhaust? If you can believe the dyno numbers they show, at 1000 rpm the torque QUADRUPLES, and at 2000 rpm it's still triple!

Hrrrrm.

Maybe I'm expecting too much out of this....

 

Tb spacer...... About as effective as asking a meth head not to steal ur microwave

 

So, the throttle body spacer is no good? They claim good low end gains, which is what I'm after. I'll admit I was a bit worried about the spacer and the headers working well together, they both are strong in the same places.

 

claim vs dyno proof....... Like telling a hot chick u got a big wang vs busting out the yard stick.

 

I claim to be an alien...... I am from Uranus.

 

So, intake side it's supercharger or nuttin'?

And you don't recommend removing parasitic load off the engine?

Okay, duly noted. The supercharger kit I looked at for this thing was six grand, and means I'd probably have to get into the clutch.

So, no. Not doing that.

 

Okay, if the cold air intake and throttle body spacer is bunk (which seems strange to me as there's dozens of people on here with them installed), how about one of those Ecoboost MAF spacers and an intake manifold spacer? Both of those are intake-side mods and the manifold spacer claims low-end torgue gains, which is, again, what I'm after.

It just seems foolish to uncork the exhaust side of the motor and do nothing for induction.

 

Tons of ppl also believe we landed on the moon.......

 

@tooter Has done a lot of research on improving the 2TR. There is a 2TR supercharger kit as well. Be careful though, the standard price jump fromt the I4 to V6 Tacoma is 4K, which will be retained on resale value. Any mods will not increase the value of the truck (unless you part out or sell to an enthusiast who wants those exact mods). And I would not spend more than 2K doing so, for you will have reached half the cost of the V6 with resale value. I say that in reference to the maintenance rule of thumb, where if a piece of equipment costs half as much to repair as to replace, it is time to replace.

 

No your not!

Looks behind self, worried...

 

MAF spacer. Many have taken it off. Read the thread (s). There is no magic except the movies. Gains are soo small for most mods, including the mani spacer. Even if you added all of them you still lose 15% or more to the wheels. Say you get a 20% gain in HP, how much is that considering the HP you started with? Minus the 15% loss? Only a butt dyno will know the difference.

You shoulda got the 4.0 at least. Since you didn't and want bigger tires regear the truck. For a few grand. Or trade it in ASAP, get very close to what you payed and get the 4.0. And wait for Magnusen to start selling the 4.0 SC which Yota discontinued.

IF Yota ever releases the ECU programming or someone is able to break it, you kinda are stuck.

 

...........

 

Nooo

 

Not before it's worn out, no.

But, I think I'm fine here. The stock clutch, according to what I read, is completely fine up to about two hundred foot/pounds.

The LCE link I posted above for the header leads to a dyno comparison they made, which gives the torque curve for the exhaust system I am looking at.

Observe:





Note that in my 'daily driver' mode, between 1000 and 4000 rpm, the torque never gets above 150-ish. BUT, note that at 1000 rpm the torque increases from 20 foot pounds to 80 foot pounds, at 2000 rpm it jumps from around 45 foot pounds to around 110, and at 3000 rpm it increases from 77-ish to 145 or so. At the bottom end, where you drive most of the time, those are HUGE gains, and will go a long way to make the truck more driveable, and yet will not overload any other components like a supercharger would.

What I'm hearing is that tall the intake side parts are total bunk, which honestly surprises me. If all I need is the headers and the cat-back system, then that's great news, and should more than double the effective power of the vehicle under real-world driving conditions.

Even better, it should look completely stock, even with the hood up!

One person said the electric fan was a good option, so I may get that and the exhaust.

I would love to find another mod that fattens up the low-end torque even more, and had high hopes for the throttle body spacer and the manifold spacer, long, clean gas paths are one good way to make more bottom.


If all I do is the exhaust, do I need the computer to check my map or will the ECU figure it out on its own?

 

tooter has shown no activity since September 9th, though. Otherwise I'd ask him.

Sound advice! The total cost of the initial list was $1900 and change. It's almost like I was paying attention.

That said, I'm really surprised people are saying to skip the cold-air intake, the laws of thermodynamics seem to lean toward that working like a champ....

 

The laws of dyno testing have proven the factory air intake is a cold air intake and is a better option than a "cold air" intake from the aftermarket, which are warm air intakes in comparison.

 

That's strange, I didn't know that. He was very active and even sold a 2.7 intake manifold spacer that he produced himself. I hope he's alright.

I was going to say this; we already have a good cold air intake.

 

I have that same K&N kit mentioned above on my truck, didn't notice any gains at all, truck just got louder. You could use the cash for the header...I wish I went that route.