3rd Gen Tacoma 3.5L Twin Turbo Kit Improvements and Fixes

UPDATE:

I delayed installing the SC, so I could observe the AFR's on a stock engine for a while. I do have URD Spec-u exhaust installed, but otherwise is stock engine with stock tune. This has an AT.

Watching the AFR, there is no indication that 'Lean Flame Kernel' techniques are employed on this truck. typical cruising the target AFR appears to be 14.4, idle targets 14.6, hard acceleration targets 12.2.

The only interesting thing, that I did not expect, is that when cruising (or hard acceleration) and you let off the pedal completely, after a slight delay, the AFR jumps to 19.9 (Gauge Max reading) as if the injectors are turned off while coasting. This happens about 95% of the time as long as the RPM is over about 1,200. The gauge stays pinned at 19.9 until either you feed the pedal, or the rpms drop below about 900. either way, when the fuel starts being delivered again, the gauge drops briefly to about 12, then settles again at about 14.4.

At first I though maybe I had an exhaust leak, and letting off the pedal was sucking raw air across the sensor, but this seems negated by the way the readings jump to 12 when the rpm's get low enough, I would expect a gradual and less consistent change if it were a leak.

I imagine there is no harm in turning off injectors, even with boost, as without fuel there is no energy to cause damage. Anyone know anything about this?

 

I'm not a tuner, but I can speak a little on this. In HPTuner you have DFCO, or Deceleration Fuel Cut-Off. This is specifically for what happens when you let off the throttle while in gear. You know when someone has modded their car and not tuned it because when they let off the throttle, it pops. This is because they are not actually in DFCO and something is throwing the DFCO tuning off.

Basically DFCO is not a complete fuel cut-off, but nearly so. It injects the slightest bit of fuel and pulls timing and allows the engine to cycle without producing power. It is only supposed to do it in higher rpms I believe.

When tuning in HPTuner with a wideband, you actually switch off DFCO so that you don't get false AFRs, which is what you are probably seeing from my understanding. I can't really tell you much more than this though.

 

Normal

 

Does anyone need mark 1 direct injectors? I took a refund on the kit and figures is offer them here before trying to sell elsewhere.

 

Turbo Oil Drain Relocation

Parts Needed:
Small handheld drill (I used a Dewalt XR 20V and it BARELY fit, so the shorter the drill the better)
23/32 Drill Bit
1/2 NPT Tap
2x: 1/2 NPT - 10AN Adapter (or equivalent)
2x: 10AN 90 degree hose ends (I recommend Push Lock style if using the blue textile hose)
2x: 1/8 NPT - 4AN Turbo feed adapter
Thread Sealant
Toyota FIPG sealant.
Brake Cleaner (A few cans of this are recommended - It will be used to flush metal shavings so high pressure is best)
Clean 5w30 Oil and Filter
New 75w85 GL-5 Gear Oil (only if 4WD)


The provided oil pan has 2 ports to allow oil from the Turbo oil drains to return to the pan. The problem with this setup is that the ports sit well below the top of the oil level, which means that 8-10 inches of your drain (or more) are ALWAYS filled with oil. This means that your lines will back up with oil until it starts to push out of the turbo's seals and gets burnt off in the exhaust. The way this has been handled is to restrict the oil to the turbos.

These Garrett turbos have Journal Bearings, which means restricting oil to them actually prevents the bearings from functioning correctly, since they rely on oil volume to create a fluid barrier between metal surfaces. Now you could argue that even restricted, they get enough oil, and honestly, maybe that is a good enough answer for you, but quite frankly it's not a good situation to put your turbos in and could seriously reduce the life of your turbo. Not only that, but even restricted, I could still smell oil burning.

First off let's talk terminology. The 2GR-FKS is a modular engine that ingeniously allows an easy adaptation between different platforms via modular casings. This truck has 2 oil pans. In fact, let's just stop calling them pans, because they really aren't. There is an "Upper Sump" and a "Lower Sump" which could also be called an access cover.

The oil level, when the engine is not running, sits almost at the top of the upper sump. This picture shows the Lower Sump removed and is looking up into the upper sump. You can see the upper dot on the dip stick which sits just inside the Upper Sump.


Here is an external demonstration of the difference. The upper line is about where the oil level sits with the engine off, the lower line is where the current drain ports are (obviously).



Now let's be clear, this is a DAUNTING task. You will be drilling into your engine. Screw this up and you have to pull your engine out and replace the Upper Sump. I don't believe there is clearance to remove it in the truck. Additionally because you are drilling it while it's on the engine, you are introducing non-ferrous metal shavings into your engine. This is a pain to get out and you MUST be very very thorough getting them all out. I spent more time trying to get all the shavings then I did anything else.

Alright, to start, if you are 2WD, lucky you, 80% of the work is already done. If you are 4WD, sorry, but that front differential carrier has to come out. So start there. I'm not going to go in detail, but here is what you need to do:

• Remove Front Wheels and Skid Plate (if equipped)
• Drain Front Differential Carrier
• Remove Front Axles LINK (Check out some youtube videos. You don't need to do half of what the manual says, just start at #5. Hardest part is getting past the C-Clip in the differential. Heavy hammer, solid hit. If you need to hit it more than once, you aren't hitting it hard enough.)
• Mark the Front Driveshaft where it bolts to the front differential. The mark is an alignment mark so should be on the driveshaft flange and the differential flange.
• Unbolt the Front Driveshaft from the front differential only LINK (hint, this is a 9/16 bolt, not metric. Thank you Spicer.... Toyota was nice enough to engineer a hole into the lower frame that you can stick a wrench through to put on the backside of the bolts. Just pull the driveshaft rearwards and slide it over to rest on the frame.
• Disconnect the breather hoses from the Front Diff
• Disconnect the wire harnesses from the diff controller and sensor. Remove the harnesses from the brackets as well so they don't get caught when removing the diff.
• Remove the Front Diff Carrier by removing the two front bolts and the rear allen nut. LINK (It's heavy and doesn't drop straight down. Lift to get the bolt out of the hole, rotate and turn while maneuvering it out. I recommend a 2 person lift.)
• Move the diff well away from your workspace and put lint free rags into the axle holes just to be safe so no aluminum shavings get inside.

Once the front diff is removed you should be here (2WD should already be here as well).

• Drain your oil. This part is important. Drain it into a CLEAN pan. You want to save it for later. You are going to use this for something important.
• Remove your lower sump. This is actually difficult if you already have the CNC lower sump installed. Find a spot with a lot of flange (I chose the driver side since there is hammer space) and very very carefully get a thin screwdriver between the pan and the engine. Be very careful not to damage the engine side. You will deform the metal, so just keep it minimal and to the outside of the flange. Once you get just the tip inside (quiet....) it should be easy to pop the seal.
• You do not need to reuse this sump. If you haven't installed it yet, then you can opt to reuse your factory lower sump. It's easier. If you choose to reuse the CNC sump though since it does offer an extra quart of oil, be prepared to block the drain ports. If you already put 10AN bungs on it, just get 10AN caps like I did. Otherwise, you can tap the inside and put in some large NPT Allen Plugs. Choose your own adventure here. Just don't forget to block them. DON'T use rubber caps with clamps...they will rot and leave you without oil when you need it the most....
• If your drains are the older metal style, I recommend you just trash them and switch out to actual drain hoses. The blue textile Push Lok hose that comes with the newer kits is GREAT hose. Mine was touching my catalytic converter and never melted or was damaged in any way.
• Locating the drains is a bit tricky, and you're going to have to gauge this yourself. There is PLENTY of room on the passenger side, but the driver side is tight. There is enough clearance though.

Driver Side Hole: I highly recommend you do what I did and get a soft metal dremel bit (or equivalent) and grind away the aluminum ribbing above where this port goes. It'll allow you to mount the drain higher for additional clearance. The below picture shows only one rib cut. I came back later and cut both ribs up even higher to allow clearance for the actual hose end.


Now I recommend you try to mimic this hole as much as possible. There is a rib literally at the bottom edge of my hole on the inside that you'll have to drill away a little bit if you go ANY lower. See below.


Take the adapter and your hose end and put them up against your proposed hole to check upper clearance. Remember, measure 50 times and cut once. If all else fails though, you can go lower with your adapter, but remember, higher is better to keep it above your oil fill line. Below you can see the additional clearancing on those two ribs.


For reference, here is how much clearance my fitting has with my front differential. It wasn't 100% tight, so maybe about 1/8"-1/4" less than you see, but still plenty. You could go almost to the bottom of that flat without impact.



Tap this hole with the 1/2 NPT tap. DO NOT bottom out the tap or your fitting will bottom out before it seats properly. The Upper Sump is not perfectly vertical either. So when you are tapping try to keep the tap level or slightly angled upwards so your drain doesn't have to fight even a slight upwards bend to get into the pan. This will reduce the amount of threads your fitting will be able to use, so definitely don't tap to deep. Aim to get your fitting about 3/4 in when seated.

Do not install anything at this point. Test fit things all you want, but do not install. Move on to the Passenger side.

Ok, I failed to get a picture of the Passenger hole, but here is where your fitting will get drilled. No clearance issues here, so just try to get it about here as high as your fitting will allow it. Again mock the adapter and hose end to ensure it has clearance all around. There is NOTHING on the other side, so there is no risk of damaging anything. The windage tray sits at the bottom of the block flange, so just keep your drill level and you'll be fine.


This flat is located just beside the curvature on the sump. It's pretty easy to spot.


Drill it out, tap it like you did the driver side. Don't install anything.

Now the fun part. No matter what you did, you will have shavings all in your pan now. This part sucks. Spend A LOT of time on this. You'll think you are good, then you'll find more. Get your brake cleaner cans, a drain pan, and some eye pro. Spray every which angle/direction you can to try and force the shavings down and out the lower sump hole.

The passenger side has a big flat spot under it that likes to catch all the shavings. This one is a pain. If you have small hands or a tool with a rag, you can try and scoop some of them out. Rely on your brake cleaner though to try and get it all. The driver side is easier, but has a bunch of ridges for them to get caught in. The metal shavings will get up near the flange so make sure to spray up into that spot. I sprayed in both holes as well in a 360 manner to try and get anything loose out.

Here are the ridges that they like to get caught on. I used a shop towel and a pencil to wipe some of the upper flats to the right of this picture. If you can get your tiny hands in there, then great. Make sure to swipe these ridges with your finger though and get all the caught shavings out. Liberally spray everything until no matter how hard you try you can't find a single shaving.


Now in reality, any shavings will get trapped by the pickup screen and if not, by the oil filter. A couple tiny ones may not be a big deal, but a bunch are going to ruin your engine. Don't risk it. Be thorough.

Once you are happy with all that, go ahead and coat your fittings with thread sealant and install them until they are relatively snug. They are NPT fittings, so don't try and torque them or you'll crack your casing.

Reroute your drains so they are in front of your motor mounts. This will give them a near vertical orientation to remove any possibility of oil getting caught up on bends. Install your hose ends and use them to mark your new hose length. Cut and install the hose to the hose ends. For Push Lok, do not use oil or heat. This compromises the hoses seal. Just spit on it. (that's what like 3 inuendos now?) Seriously lube it up with lots of spit and just get all your strength mustered and shove it in. Seriously it's tough but it's not impossible. If you already have the textile hoses, you can do all of this without ever having to remove the actual lines from the turbos.

Your passenger side will be oriented slightly forward as shown here:


Your Driver side should be relatively vertical with maybe a slight forward tilt. This is for clearance with the differential.


Best part, your drains are now nowhere near your cats or your front driveshaft. Huzzah!

Now take your sealed lower sump (CNC or factory) and put it on with a couple of bolts. Tight but not torqued.

Remember all that oil you saved earlier? Pour it in the truck. All of it. Drain the oil again and drop the lower sump. You'll see some of the metal shavings you missed.

Clean up everything and reinstall the lower sump using the Toyota FIPG sealant. Torque your lower sump on and the drain plug of course.

Give that FIPG and the thread sealant a good day to cure properly. Fill the engine up with oil and a new filter. Reinstall your front differential carrier and everything else in reverse order. Good luck, that part is fun. Remember, 2 person lift.

Once it's all buttoned up you have one last step. DON'T FORGET THIS.

REMOVE THE OIL RESTRICTORS. You'll need to reinstall some new 1/8 NPT to 4AN adapters on the turbos for the oil feed. Make sure they are not restricted. This was the whole point.

Now enjoy not burning oil.

 

Dang nice. Very thorough write up! Was yours burning oil with the previous setup?

 

Could you use the stock lower sump after this? would seem good to remove those unused port as the could become leak points.

Edit, could you drill out the restricted fittings?
How many threads of engagement are there on the fitting in the upper sump?

 

So I originally removed the restrictors in hopes that my revised drain setup would alleviate the need, but I was wrong, so I slowly started restricting it until the smoking visibly stopped. I believe the kit provided .035 restrictors (that is tiny), and I had to go to .045 to stop the burning. I could still smell it at idle though. I've heard from others that they can still smell it with the .035's. Will the turbos detonate with that small? No, but I've seen lesser quality turbos burn out in short order with restrictors.

Yes you can absolutely use the stock lower sump. It is the easiest option so you don't have to plug the CNC sump. That being said, more oil is always good.

If you are worried about leaks, just cut the ports down and tap them with an NPT bolt or allen plug. No more chance of those leaking than any other NPT fittings on the truck (oil feed tee, oil feed restrictors/adapters, oil drains). Just use thread sealant. Or weld something. But yes, the factory sump is easier.

You can absolutely drill out the restrictors. I did this originally. I believe I went with a 1/8" drill bit to get it pretty much 4AN.

On the upper sump, there are a bunch. Looks about ten. This is it basically:

$15 EVIL ENERGY 10AN Male Flare to 1/2" NPT Pipe Fitting Adapter Aluminum Straight Black 2PCS

https://www.amazon.com/EVIL-ENERGY-Straight-Fitting-Aluminum/dp/B093T963RL?pd_rd_i=B093T963RL

 

Great work and write up @JamesT . You've under-complicated things.

 

Checking in every so often, really nice work JamesT, congrats on the success. Happy to see you’re still at it.

 

Just checking in with your progress with the Turbo's. I'm having trouble getting any feedback from Matt about the status of my kit or a refund and wondering if the Turbo's are still a viable option. Thanks for all of your information it's really detailed.

 

Man, I am really sorry that you still haven't gotten anything from Mat. I am absolutely not surprised. Don't even bother trying to get the kit. From what I can tell, he has completely given up on it. Just try and get your refund. Get a lawyer involved. It's probably the only way you'll get your money back. The kit isn't terrible, but you'll get no support from Mat. Some days I wish I'd just kept the truck stock, sold it and bought the new Ranger Raptor, lol. But I'm fully invested now.

In case you are wondering, and just to back up why I said what I said above: Back when I got my kit, and completely changed everything, because the original kit was just lackluster, I never got it fully tuned. I ended up hydrolocking my engine and bending most of the rods. It was unfortunate. I ordered a new short block and rebuilt the engine completely with all custom parts (rods, pistons, etc). Got the engine in and went back to mat to do the tuning. 1 reply a month and basically zero improvements to the tune. It's been a few months since he last responded to me, so I found another tuner to work with.

The tuning has been touch and go trying to figure out some of the new engine's kinks. I have higher duration cams and tuning them has turned out to be problematic.

Anyway, even now I'm still constantly working on new ways to get around this engine's limitations. The fuel rails help a little, but I'm trying to get some other things out. Mat's fuel pump and fuel pump controller are just....concerning, so I am trying to replace them.

Long story short, get your money back and put it towards a Magnuson Supercharger, or wait for someone else to come out with a reliable turbo kit with reliable support. Even then, don't expect to make big power. The 2GR just doesn't have the fuel system to support it (yet). If you want that, get a Ranger Raptor, or go with the 4 cyl turbo Tacoma (but I'd avoid that nonsense - it relies on a complicated electric assist motor).

 

Thank you for the informative post that aligns with what my gut was saying. It's great that you're pushing through some extreme challenges let alone a huge financial investment. The information and lessons learned is extremely beneficial to those of us that are still watching from the sidelines so we don't have to learn the same lessons the hard way.

 

JamesT I am guessing the hydro-locking was from deep water off roading? I don't think a bad tune can cause hydro-locking. Please tell us more, especially if the hydo-lock was a result of the kit.

 

Not from water. I was testing an aftermarket fuel pulse damper and the rubber diaphragm failed, flooding my intake with fuel. Kind of stupid honestly. Wasn't anything resulting from the kit. The fault lays 100% on the damper itself.

 

I got my refund about two months ago. It took three years of back and forth asking for it though. I finally got him to take me seriously by flooding their social media. In the end he still tried to stall by saying PayPal doesn’t show transactions far enough to verify if he ever given me a refund before and it’s very time consuming. So I asked PayPal and they said transactions are available up to 7 years. We all order the kit 4-5 years ago. I’m pretty sure he scammed most of us into giving him our money just to bank roll his other project at the time. This whole process killed my passion for the Tacoma. So I have boost mods for sale soon, gauges, fuel rail, injectors, etc. I need a bigger truck anyways so I’ll probably hop on over to raptor or Trx soon.

 

what kind of power did you end up making with this kit?

 

Btw, it's very possible to remove the lower oil pan without touching the front diff at all. I had to replace my oil pan, and I have 4wd. I had enough room to do everything I needed without touching the diff. I didn't have to mess with the upper pan, but I think its possible to at least take it loose and drop it some without touching the diff. I also took the time to install a fumoto drain valve in the new oil pan before I put the pan on the truck. It's been about a year with no problems so far.