2002 3.4L PreRunning Performance Tune / Chip Question

Has anyone added a tune or bought and off the shelf tune for your Gen 1 ? I'm interested to see the actual performance gain and which is the best out there since I pretty much have 0 knowledge on the topic at this point. I'm doing a good bit of work on the truck including waiting on the remainder of parts for a 6" Rough Country Suspension Lift, 20x10 Fuel Rims, 33x12.50s, and a handful of other mods. I've got a K&N cold air intake, magnaflow performance exhaust all the way to the headers including the replacement of both catalytic converters. I still think it would behoove me to try to get some additional performance out of the truck since it will most certainly add some sluggishness with the lift without going through the trouble at this point doing a rear end gear swap.

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld

 

The only viable power adder is a turbo or super charger. You're not going to get magic horsepower out of a chip.

Also, if it's not too late, return the rough country lift. You'll be much better served with a higher quality <3" lift. There's a reason that 6" lift costs less than just my front shocks. You don't need 6" lift to fit a 33...

 

I've heard some can add anywhere from 40-60HP and up to an additional 2-4 MPG. It's not magic, just science. Its no secret vehicles from the factory are set a good ways on the conservative side of performance from what they are capable of doing. Sure a super charger is an option but not looking to spend several thousand bucks on one at this point since I just dropped nearly 10k on other mods that are on the way....not to mention just ordering a 2022 F250 Platinum which will be my daily driver and what I use to tow.

 

With a supercharger you can, but you'll loose mpg. You might be thinking of the OV Tune (I think that's what it's called) for the Third gens, but I don't think they magically unlock 60 hp.

 

The truck is also a 2002 3.4L with 240K miles on it. It still as strong as the day i drove it off the lot but I also don't want to do anything that might compromise the integrity of what I may have left on the motor

 

60hp and 4mpg gains?!




That's a bit "ambitious" to say the least.

You're doing well for a super charger to get that kind of power gain, but you're going to loose MPGs. More power comes from more fuel. More fuel means less MPGs.

If you want to talk about efficiency, you're going to need to make some physical changes to the motor like headers.

Headers and intakes are more efficient, so manufactures can CLAIM an increase in MPGs. If it's easier for the motor to get fuel/air in and out of the engine, it doesn't have to work as hard for the same power output, or you can get more power for the same amount of effort.

The problem is that no one ever sees their MPGs increase with those mods. And that's because of the loud pedal. The long skinny one by your right foot. We like to push down on that a lot and hear the noise, which is the BEST way to decrease MPGs.

 

This is a Friday troll, right?

 

I hope so

 

Best case for MPG and HP is a standalone ECU like Haltech. But you're looking around $3500 and it's best done on top of a supercharger or turbocharger.

 

Forget tuning, aftermarket ECU, or boost.

Regear to 5.29s and revel in your off the line power and zippyness around town. Kiss highway MPG goodbyee

 

Also Taco headers are snake oil

 

I'll go to bat for that one, I'd say they make a very slight seat of the pants improvement if you're beating the truck above 3000 RPMs. Headers were the difference between holding 4th and dropping to 3rd on some of the mountain passes. That said aftermarket headers on a Tacoma are a PITA regardless of which brand you buy. Expect exhaust leaks

 

https://www.customtacos.com/threads...ng-as-a-performance-chip.133036/#post-1593277

This thread should help you decide. Note the date of the thread.

Only way to add (noticeable) power to a first gen is a legit power adder (turbo, supercharger, nitrous) or an engine swap...


Or this one, actually does what it says.

https://www.customtacos.com/threads/speedfreek-performance-chip-now-available.133094/

 

I like the aftermarket headers that let you attach a spinny boi to it. Those REALLY increase power.

 

Highly suspect an ear bias on this

 

I worked in a fabrication shop without ear pro, I'm deaf

nah, with 3.91 gears in the diffs the ability to hold a gear a bit longer was apparent

 

There are no performance chips for 1st gens, there may some legit ones for other makes/models but anything being sold for these trucks is a gimmick.

 

Remember reading a dyno graph or something and there was only like a 10HP peak increase

 

I've heard that you get more noticeable gain from headers if you have forced induction, I wouldn't know the difference though since the PO put both on my truck. Not sure what it feels like without