05 (New Style) Tacoma - 5.7L V8 Engine Swap

HI everyone,

My engine just died due to a rollover on my new body style 05 tacoma TRD ofroad crew cab.

I'm looking into taking this engine out, and putting in the 5.7L toyota hi-force V8.

I figure I'll have to change the computer, tranny, and rear differential. I also dont know if these parts will fit.

Are there any experts who could provide advice?

Thanks,

Dan Powers

 

I'm pretty sure the 5.7 is going to be too big.. and if you do manage to get it to fit. Your going to have to redo the front suspension for the added weight.

I know Gadget with URD is working with a company or two regarding engine swaps. If you are serious about putting in a v8, your best bet is to drop an LS motor into it, or if your up to a challenge.. the 2jz.

I've already seen this topic quickly become a battle of Toyota vs the world. So lets keep in mind that we are to offer tips and suggestions for Dpowers04.

So if I were you I'd call Gadget and ask him about the motor swap.

 

The rear end will not need to be changed.
Depending on your transmission type it MAY not have to be changed either.
I have to recomend you doing alot of research before buying the first part.
Are you going to attempt doing it yourself, or pay someone to do it?
You can pretty much triple your estimated cost of this build by the time everything is said and done.
This swap is not for the novice shadetree mech, that can change oil/ plugs.

I dont mean to sound so negative but I have done a couple conversions/Street Rods, and these things always require custom fab/engineering of some sort into vehicle that had no business of having a V8 in them.

 

Agree on this point, unless he plans on racing the thing or running 44", but the Taco rear end should be fine

Knowing Toyota, they are completely different trannys. In time I am sure AA will make an adapter for a Taco trans to 5.7 motor, but at this time I doubt they have it. Besides if the OP happens to come across a 5.7, I am sure he can get the tranny with it.

This will not be a cheap mod, but will be an awesome one if you can pull it off!

 

LS1

this sounds like it could be a really cool build though... I look forward to seeing where it goes.

 

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your input.

And YES, I am VERY serious about putting the 5.7 into the Tacoma. My insurance just cut me a check for 10k for an engine replacement, so I'm going to try and do it within this budget, hopefully for under 7k. I know I can get the engine itself, including shipping, for 3200.

In regards to previous posts, I definitely think it was a marketing scheme on Toyota's part not offering the V8 in the Tacomas. Unfortunatly, no matter what Toyota says, the Tundra simply can't compete on towing/payload against trucks like the new Chevy 2500HD, with an Allison Tranny, and some 12??!! leaves on the back for paylaod. The new Tundra is heavy, fat, and the front end is something like 6-8" off the ground, so it's no good for offroad use when compared to the Tacoma. Nice truck, but it's neither an offroader or a big tower yet.

The Tacomas DRASTICALLY increased in size from the old style to the new body style. In my mind, the truck basically went from a 1/4 ton to a 1/2 ton truck, in all respects, so it's a competitor with the F150 and Chevy 1500.

My eyes couldn't help but notice that I *think* for the most part, Toyota basically turned the old model tundra into the new Tacoma, and just re-did the body styling into a more sporty design. Yes they changed a few things, but part the two side by side, and you'll notice drastic similarities.

As far as I know, the 4.0L V6 Tacoma uses the SAME tranny & differential as the old Tundra with the 4.7L V8. Someone told me that they looked it up and indeed the tranny that bolts to the 4.0 was the same as the one that bolts to the 4.7. The rear differential also looks exactly the same if you compare the two side by side.

I'm thinking a 4.7L V8 swap would probably be pretty easy.... but think that if you're going to swap an engine, why bother for a relatively minute difference?

I'm sure the tranny is different. One is a 5 speed and the other is a 6 speed auto, just for example. How would this new tranny hook to the driveshafts for both the front tires and the rear tires???

The 5.7L is 380hp stock. I gather with air intake and performance dual exhaust it might put out maybe a 15% improvement minium, so I gather around 440hp and probably close to 500lb/ft of torque. Do you really think the rear diff can handle this (I've already blown out one with my current engine towing a trailer and trying to pull a stuck snowmobile all at once)?

Does anyone here have a parts manual that could do the research on exactly what parts are involved, and what would need to be changed??????

What do you think price would look like on this whole project, for parts, and for labor?????

I have a friend Carlos, probably not legal, learned cars in Mexico. He's happy to make 20-30 an hour under the counter, and for a few grand under the counter this guy can do anything.

I really need everyone's help on this to make it happen. Gotta get the truck fixed up, so have to make a decision what parts to buy this week.

Thanks!!

Dan Powers

 

Apples to oranges. You're comparing a 2500 HD which clearly is intended for a different use than the Tundra. Now, if a Tundra HD model existed, I would agree with the comparison.

Good luck with the conversion. I'd love to see it happen. This may be of some use:

 

Wilson,

Yes I agree apples to Oranges. To me, going from a 1/2 ton to a 3/4+ ton, in todays market, is going from a truck to a commercial vehicle.

The only reason I would ever consider trading in my tacoma, and the one thing my Tacoma isn't built for, and never will be, is towing 35ft fifth wheel. Unfortunately, Toyota has yet to design a product that can do this. I just don't see the 'drive' to go from the Tacoma to the Tundra, to a much heavier truck, with much worse gas mileage, when it neither can perform commercial duty application, nor excel in the offroad.

Thank you very much for the links to the repair guides.

So just to bump up for the forum.... the goal here is to get a Toyota hi-force 5.7L V8 into a new body style (2005) Toyota Tacoma TRD offroad crew-cab.

I'd sure appreciate the assistance of the Toyota/Tacoma Gurus on this forum in regards to how to proceed, and what parts will be involved???

Thanks!

Dan Powers

 

Good luck im subcribed dont forgegt to post back if you do make this happen

 

Good luck with the swap i would love to see the 5.7 v8 in a tacoma. Sorry I cant help but i really want to see how this turns out.

 

rebuild the diffs with heavy duty internals or go to the wrecking yard find one off a bigger truck and make it work.
oh and make sure you install a locker with really fat tires. it doesn't take much to burn the rubber off the wheels with a 4.0L

 

wow, i really want to see this happen. i know people can fit V8's under the hood of older toyota trucks and smaller vehicles so it could be possible i'd think. the 4runner is avail with the 4.7 so that would probably be a real easy(relatively) swap compared to the 5.7 but then again nobody would have anything on ya if you fit the 5.7! I dont really know about the rear end handling all that power, i mean i know they're tuff but thats a lot of power! The new 5.7 tundras have a much larger rear end, maybe try to find a totalled 07+ tundra and steal the motor, tranny, computer and wiring harness, and rear end out to stick in the Tacoma?
Keep us posted on this!

 

There's no way the stock taco rear end will hold up. And if you do put a tundra rear end under it you'll need to regear it to a 3.73 gear and it looks as though they dont offer a 3.73 r&p for this rear end. So you'll need to gear a tundra rear end to 4.10, and regear your front diff to a 4.10 gear(4 cylinder gear). 381hp to a tacoma front end is never going to hold up. Dont forget the tundra axle is wider than the tacoma one so the rear will stick out way farther than the front.

If I had $10,000 to put in my taco, i'd SAS the front with a dana 60, put a dana 60 under the rear, 383 stroker, NV4500 tranny(or 4l80e if you want an auto), with a np205 t-case. 4.11 gears on 35's and youll never look back.

 

Thanks everyone.

I've been searching the internet exhaustively trying to find someone who has already done this conversion (I'm sure they'd publish it if they did!) and haven't found any luck.

I think we're all kind of in a situation where we want to see someone else do it first. I'm getting the feeling that if I get the job done, I might be a pioneer in the field!!!!

I'll be sure to keep everyone up to date, and post photos if it works out.

I know the 4.7L V8 should bolt right up... I believe it uses the same tranny and rear differential as the 4.0L, as shown by the old style tundra, and the fact that the new 4-runner has the 4.7L V7 option as well.

The 4.7L V8, at 282hp and 322lb/ft of torque, it'd still be a decent upgrade. The exhaust/intake combo increases the horsepower a good deal, but its the the gains on torque that are much much more significant (like 50ft/lb with intake, 80lb/ft combined). I gather with performance intake and dual customized 3" exhaust system it might go about 15-20% on the hp and 20-25%% torque above that, so maybe 338hp and 400lb/ft of torque maximum.

The old tundra, 4.7L V8 USED TO have a supercharger option. I looked up the stats, and I think it did about 360hp and 420? on the torque without drive train problems. And as far as I know the old tundra tranny/differential is exactly the same as the Tacoma, so that's probably the upper limit of how much power this drive train can handle.

The 5.7, with performance intake and dual 3-4" exhaust will be doing well into the 400's on hp and probably low 500's on torque, and I bet if you floored it, or under heavy duty application, it would just blow the tacoma drivetrain.

I'm off with a mechanic friend of mine to the junk yard. I have found a number of 4.7L V8's around here for 1500-2000 with only 12,000 miles or so... so we're going to take a look at those. We're also going to go over to the dealer and get the specs on the 5.7, and see if we can find a way to make that work out.

I'm not a mechanic so the parts books are a bit confusing for me. If anyone has the parts books, and could locate the EXACT part numbers for the engine/tranny/drivetrain on each of the following: the 4.0L tacoma 5 speed auto, 4.7L 06 Tundra 5 speed auto, and 5.7L Tundra 5 speed/6speed auto I would sure apprectiate it!!!!!!

Thanks and will keep everyone posted!

Dan Powers
DanPowers04@comcast.net
Denver & Breckenridge, CO

 

its good to hear you're considering the 4.7. i think it would be much more feasible and would still be something that nobody or very few people have as well as being a lot easier on the wallet as well.

 

First off.. you'll get more power for less money, plus a more reliable engine by putting another 1GR 4.0L and a supercharger on it vs the 4.7L V8 with all kinds of mods. The only way that motor will be able to create more power then the current v6, would be to build it from the bottom up, then boost it.

If you want to put a toyota v8 engine, look into the one that is in the IS-F. That is power (just don't look at the price tag)

Otherwise, either a boosted 2jz motor or LS swap would be the best bang for the buck, and open you up to limitless mods and power.

 

sounds like a wicked plan man. I think the rear diff is fine, I've seen guys with 350's in older tacos with like 40" tires. you might have some issues with exhaust routing, and especially the manifolds, but there is probably some headers out there for those engines. you will need the tundra rad or at least a larger rad, and probably electric fans since there won't be enough room there. Unless your buddy is good at figuring out a nightmare of wires, I would look into a standalone ecu both for the tranny and engine. Check out GM performance tho, a brand new 305 would be sick sick in there.

 

x2