Slugish and noisy engine in 2008 4cyl 2.7L 4X4!

I bougth my 2008 Tacoma 2.7L 4cyl 4X4 brand new about 9 months ago and soon after I bought it, I have been disappointed with this engine. It seems to be slugish, underpowered for a truck this heavy. it is a little too noisy with too much vibration. I tried putting in 5W-30 syntetic oil in order to make the engine run quieter and smooter, which seemed to help some, but had some trouble with valve noise and whistling at cold start ups in cold mornings (it calls out 5W-20). I took the truck to the dealership and they said they don't see any problems and everything is normal. even hooked it up to the diagnostics and didn't find anything.
Has anybody else who has similar 4cyl Tacomas feels the same way about the way the truck runs? Have you done anything to improve it? any feedback on your experiences would be very much appreciated.

 

take out the secondary air filter... it might help out a little

 

where is the secondary air filter and how do you remove it. would it not hurt anything if you do that?

 

I have the same truck and yes it is sluggish and noisey. I don't like the clutch either. The engagement point is too high IMO. Remember, It's a 4000 pound vehicle with only 159 hp. It's not going to be a barn burner, but this engine is extremely reliable and the truck will probably never let you down. If you need more power, there is the V6 option. When I can afford it, I might upgrade myself.

 

I own a 2008 2.7 ltr taco and really like it This is my third toyota truck I would have liked a 6 cyl but they dont offer one in the reg cab .I really like the 4 cyl and from what I hear the thing is bulletproof god knows I have put mine to the test and so far its done well I run 0w 20 mobil 1 and have since the day it was new . I will say if you have a 30 mph head wind at highway speeds its a little tough lol but I didnt but the truck to go fast just to be the dependable workhorse my other two have been I love my toyotas and always will . If your unhappy toyotas have great resale values and it shouldnt be hard to sell or trade up

 

5 words
time for some performance mods

 

dude...its a 4 banger...theyre slow

get used to it

 

i just got a 2009 2.7L accesscab 4x4, which is a bit heavier than the 2wd, but it does have the lower 4.10 axle ratio which may help it get up quicker. Im very pleased with it. It may be a bit louder and not as smooth as the V6, but it performs decent and gets good fuel economy for a 4x4 truck. Remember a 2.7L 4 cylinder is a big 4 cylinder, not going to be very smooth. But if you need the power get the v6. The are both great engines but very differnt for different needs.

 

word.

 

I've had my 4 banger for just about two months, and am loving it, though I've driven small cars for the past ten years, so I can't really compare.... It can be a little gutless on the steeper hills and mountain highways, but I'm not out to impress anyone. I wanted a truck for the weekends, but needed a commuter vehicle for weekdays, and my truck does just that. I'd like to upgrade to the V6, but depends on my pay cheques and gas prices when the time comes...

 

not really my 98 2.7 can do 90 without me really pushing it and im shure it can go past the 110 mark if i tried but for a stock 4cyl 4wd truck i think thats pretty good

 

I’m super happy with the power and performance of my I4. I can cruise up my favorite mountain pass at 10 mph over the speed limit. That said I never haul anything heavier than my dog who weights in at fifty pounds. With the access cab you are about 400 lbs heavier than the regular cab. With a 4 cylinder this could make all the difference.

 

^^ I should add a note: I run premium gas and I think this helps squeeze out the maximum power. On top of that the better gas mileage pays for the extra cost at the pump. There are certain TW innumerate’s who can’t get their head around the math but be assured you’ll actually come out ahead if you use premium gas.

 

I have owned several small trucks with 4 bangers in the past. 85 Datsun, 82 Chevy LUV (Diesel), 90 Nissan. They were all good vehicles. But...........

My '07 Reg Cab Tacoma (my first Toyota) is like a big, roomy, powerful truck compared to those. It has far exceeded my experienced based expectations.

 

Why not regear it? I regeared my 86' toyota 4 banger! put 4:56 gears in it, It was like adding a supercharger! Way better performance!

 

When I bought my 2008 last year, I assumed it had 4.10 gears, because that was the only ratio listed in the online specs at Toyota's web site. A few months after buying the truck I saw a break down of axle codes here on Tacomaworld and found out I have a 3.58 ratio. I don't know why my truck doesn't have 4.10s. I guess I should have researched more before I made the purchase.

 

REALLY??? Thats interesting. Im really not 100% certain mine are 4.10's either. Like you Im just basing that on the Toyota website specs for the 4x4 access cab 4 cylinder. I know a guy with the same truck as mine but a 2007 2wd, maybe I should compare driving. Where did you find your ratio listed?

 

Here's a link I found somewhere on TW.

http://www.brian894x4.com/Gearratiosanddiffs.html

My code is A02A, which is a 7.5 3.58 with open diff.

 

I've got the same truck, bought 9 months ago too. It surely isn't overpowered, but it does what I need, with pretty good gas mileage (24+ on the highway). Power is in line with my expectations. It is reasonably quiet too. I shift at 2000 rpm for gas mileage and noise. Road noise is worse than the engine noise.