3.5 V6 vs the 4.0

Not happy until they're is a 2jz factory Tacoma

 

Sure, i see your point.

Toyota neuteted this 3.5 a bit, although i had no real complaints with the power on stock tune. I hauled heavy stuff and never once felt like it lacked torque, the engine did not care. I only felt it when braking. The 4.0 did feel a bit torquier, but nothing to get excited about IMO.

With the tune, the lack low end torque argument is put to rest. This 3.5 is a freaking beast.

I hauled a yard of gravel for about 45 mins in the mountain passes and the 3.5 did not care, now braking was a different story.

 

or just bring in the GX's V8, right @Gunshot-6A ?

 

Everything you stated is from the book and technically true.
However... The 3.5 doesn't wake up until about 2500 rpm. The 4.0 is alive off the line at below 1500 rpm.
I admit the 4.0 seems lazy ,needs to be encouraged and doesn't like going over 4000 rpm. On the other hand it will pull a 6000 lb load at 2000 to 2500 rpm even up modest hills without downshifting from 4th.
I'm not saying the 4.0 is better... just better for my purposes.

 

Gonna probably have to do that yourself. A 2JZ 6-speed third gen sounds pretty fun.

May I ask what tune?

 

1000 pound motor that makes 220 hp ahh yes what a wonderful idea

 

Premium SFOB tune (full otto cycle), feels like truck has about 20% more power, biggest difference is down low, night and day. Ov stated it adds about 15-20 hp and tq.

My gas mileage currently is same as i got in the summer, thank you Mr. Ov tune. Worth every penny!

 

Tuning mitigates this to a certain extent. It's still isn't a stump puller, but it's noticeably better.

 

That's the joke

 

I dont have atkinson cycle on my 3.5

 

I honestly never had complaints even on stock tune, i went up slight hills in 4th at around 2-2.5k rpm no problem. I dont tow heavy so i guess thats why. At the most it is an aluminum harbercraft 14 ft boat with 9.8 tohatsu.

Both good engines, i prefer the 3.5. I do a lot of mountain passes and the 3.5 is a joy, especially paired with MT.

 

2 extra cylinders, premium gas, and 14ish MPG for 23 extra ponies? Hell yeah!

 

I'd even get it just for the acoustics. No matter what you do to a V6 it'll never sound like an 8.

 

then i guess my 2016 was the only year.....

2016 Toyota Tacoma Engine Specs and Fuel Economy ...
www.torquenews.com › 2016-toyota-tacoma-engine-sp...
Aug 17, 2015 — The 2016 Tacoma will have two engines for 2016. First up is the all-new 3.5-liter Atkinson-cycle engine. It will produce 278 horsepower. That is ...

 

All 3rd gens have it. The tune im running disables it, so full otto cycle like 99% of the engines out there.

 

Never owned a tacoma before...3.5 is my first one. Its more efficent than the 4.7 tundra, and has more top end hp. I had a 93 3.0 v6 compact 4x4 toyota pickup before the tundra which was a pooch, but pretty decent on fuel. All in all very satisfied with the 3.5 and auto trans. Truck does everything well i need it for.

 

That would work for me.

 

I think I'd agree with the 4.0L being out of breath at 5k - FWIW, here's my $0.02 of unsolicited opinion

I test drove a 2015 Tacoma w/ the 4.0L & my 2019 Tacoma w/ the 3.5L. Took me about 3 weeks of driving to decide between the two trucks. 2015 Taco was owned by a buddy of mine and 2019 was at the dealership so I had a good amount of time to compare the two.

Simply put, the 3.5L has more power overall and was a tiny bit less responsive on the low end. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have noticed they were different motors if somebody hadn't told me before hand. 2019 definitely shifted differently but I chalked it up to the truck trying to be more fuel efficient.

However, that is no longer the case now that I had my ECU updated to TSB 0092. Truck is fast, responsive and no longer lags when I give it the gas - I'd be willing to bet the 4.0 crowd would be pretty impressed with the way it drives now.

 

Yep. My truck was fast and responsive straight out of the dealership even pre TSB. I laughed when people said 3rd gen is slow or they felt unsafe driving it.

 

If that was true no one would buy any year Tacoma.

People buy full-size trucks to do "truck things" because that is what full-size trucks are for. You 2nd gen guys and your 4.0 aren't shit in the real truck world, sorry.