2016 Low Speed Torque

I drive a 2002 Tacoma 3.4 V6 with 5 speed manual. Owned it since 2008. Around town the little 3.4 liter actually feels relatively torquey. I can pull into traffic pretty fast and even make the tires chirp if I want. I will admit at highway speeds is where the 3.4 liter underwhelms. I am guessing that is because of the low 190 HP rating.
Tested a 2016 with 3.5 V6 and my smaller,older engine made the 2016 feel lethargic around town. How is that possible? I know the 2016 generates much more peak torque and HP but higher in the rev band. Even still, why is the 3.5 so wimpy at low engine speeds? It should be better in every way compared to my 2002. What gives? Is it how the throttle is programmed?

 

Are you comparing manual tranny to an auto? If so apples and oranges. You can chirp the tires with almost any engine with a manual especially a pickup with the light rear end. I am not a fan of the new engine and one of the reasons I probably will not be back when I buy my next one.

 

Put the pedal on the floor!

 

The old 3.4L is throttle by cable vs. the newer throttle by wire (electronic). In my experience the older versions is much more responsive to gas pedal movement that's also another thing that plays part of it. The 2nd gen is also throttle by wire but my old 2001 GMC Sonoma with the 4.3L felt more responsive with gas pedal thus feeling more torquey off the line you can say, man its hard to explain my point I suck with words lol hopefully you get my shitty point lol

 

This makes me sad.

 

I am in general agreement. Thiugh there are cars and trucks out there that are still quite responsive, this is in response to maximizing fuel economy. And like a diesel may have to actually be up shift to stay in a torque range, these things may have to be driven differently.

 

Yeah all the recent half ton V8's I have driven seem responsive. Sucks they couldn't have just modified the 4.0 to get better MPG. Would have been possible.

 

Because your 3.4 was build in the time when Toyota wanted its name to be synonymous with quality...

Its cheaper to produce low torque engine, most people look at HP because thats how they got programmed since Steam Engine era.
Steam engines had no torque, but you could spin them to build momentum, and thats how (small torque X RPMS) became HP.
Once Diesel engines came around, there came a real torque. Torque is what drives your car, allows you to install bigger tires and don't feel like dragging a house behind the truck. So truck engines (Gas and Diesel) are build for Torque because they are installed in more expensive vehicles.
However, problem with Torque is it requires quality parts. This is why Diesel engines cost more, they require better made and stronger parts, this is why when Cummins needed to produce smaller engine for Nissan they just could not shrink Diesel, they had to use different materials so they build one with Iron Graphite.
Your 3.4 was build as truck engine and it was made to produce torque because it was designed to run in the truck.
Car engines (like new 2016 V6 ) are like steam engines they supposed to be cheap, and in order to produce power just spin really really fast. They don't have torque but if you spin them they will get enough momentum to pull you. So in those cars in order to move you need to put your foot down, and hope crap does not explode.

 

Cool story, do you have time to tell it again?

 

Comparing the 3.5 L to a steam engine .

I especially like his usual nod to Diesel superiority. LOVE LIVE DA DEZUL RACE!

 

And his "3.5 car motor" he puts in just about every post. I dont even know why he hangs out on 3rd gen....

 

He has to do something. He's bored waiting for his french fry driven badass Nissan XtraDEEZUL to come out. Not sure how he plans on fitting that on the trails he says are to narrow for an F150 though .

 

Back to where? Back from where?

 

Sounds like somebody is very jelous.

Try reading again ? If still a problem I will ask somebody from Scholastic to illustrate with 2nd grade level .

Oh and Picture of Titan

 

But I like all the variations of your story the way you tell it. It is always so well written, and portrays a common underlaying theme that the reader can find comfort in by knowing how it ends every time its told.

 

I still can't believe how much it looks like an old style F250. If I needed a 3/4 ton, I'd buy a real 3/4 ton. Not Nissans half breed.

Sounds like the new Aluminum F250 is going to be lighter than the Titan XD weight wise and out power it for the same money... sounds like another Nissan fail. I had high hopes for the Titan XD for people who wanted a half ton that could tow a bit more like a large fifth wheel, but the more I hear about it the more it just sounds like a 1/2 ton with a Diesel that's worth as much as an American 3/4 ton.

 

Says the guy who owns Ford.
I get it, you are jealous. Maybe if you spend more time in school, and pay attention you would have learned how to read financial statements properly, than maybe, you would not be so jealous about people owning real trucks.

 

Hoping the Nissan Frontier gets the Cummins treatment too. Obviously it is cheaper for most automakers to go to a company like Cummins or Isuzu (Duramax) who can focus their energies to meeting fuel regs instead of doing it on their own, which I think Ford is doing now after using International to make their Diesels.