2nd Gen Exhaust for increased power

OP i had the same needs. I ended up getting URD headers
https://www.urdusa.com/product-cate...headers/?filtering=1&filter_product_brand=591
Good results from these! Feels like more power everywhere but they're expensive. If I was gonna do it again, I'd just cut the primary cats out and weld in a straight section.

I also got the Exhaust cam gears and they also perform great and feel like they make more power and better running. got them from @mightytacoman but URD sells them too.

Next on my list would be hpTuners. Haven't tried it yet but it probably is the best bang for buck.

 

I think you’re going to be disappointed with any gains you may or may not get from headers, y pipe and exhaust. You’re going to spend some serious cash doing this and the upside is minimal at best. If you want power you will not only notice but appreciate as well as enjoy, get a super charger.

 

Okay... And your point is...?

These trucks are designed gutless from the factory and they last forever because of it. If you want to talk about numbers take yourself over to the Chevy, Ford, or even our own performance subdivision thread for the TRD Supercharger.

You are comparing apples to oranges here. V8's to V6's, twin turbos to naturally aspirated. Maybe the OP is perfectly happy with his Tacoma and doesn't want American, which I can't blame him. American is garbage. Believe it or not the tuning in these trucks leave a lot to be desired and hold back a lot of its potential when it comes down to things like towing. Things like Torque Management, ACIS and the way they correlate with VVTi neuter the truck which HPTuners is more than capable of unlocking. The transmission also is more capable than the way it performs from it's factory tuning.

Tuning is the way to go if you want to keep your 2nd gen and get better performance out of it. Will it out tow a F150 or Ranger? No (perhaps the Ranger), but it sure as hell is more than capable of accomplishing whatever it is you need to get towed within it's towing capacity constraints when set up correctly.

Again, apples to oranges and you gotta stay within the same scope if you want to compare.

 

why stop there? why not just get a 2500 or 3500 diesel?

Maybe the tacoma works fine for what hes towing lol. Nothing wrong with wanted a little more punch, and hp tuners does just that for a pretty reasonable price.

 

Must... Go... Bigger.. Clearly this is what we should all be driving.

 

I vote supercharger. But also depends what you're towing. I suppose regearing would also help.

 

Not sure if it’s big enough to tow around my ego and all the conversations I need to have about how everyone will always need more towing power. MOAAARRRRRR!

Jk seriously tho I never understood the towing cap pissing contest, but then again I never understood most pissing contests

 

Not sure what they call it ,I believe a peddle commander. It changes the throttle response from the gas peddle. I always thought my peddle was sluggish so I've been contemplating this upgrade.

 

LOL. I’d love to see the pre and post tune dyno sheet. It isn’t going to be world breaking.

My point was that if you are wanting more power it might be better to start with a more capable vehicle rather than throwing money at a mediocre platform and getting peanuts for a result.

This is especially true if you are only staying N/A and not dropping $5k on a SC. The end result isn’t going to make a real appreciable difference, and definitely not for the money. Hence the “apples and oranges” comparison. I could have swapped in any full size truck brand and made the same argument.

 

It’s one thing to say the headers, cam gears, and a tune don’t do much of anything.. When you don’t have any of these parts installed.

I bet you’d have a HARD time finding someone with them, especially all three to echo they don’t do much of anything.

..and before the “show me the dyno” posts come. What if I told you some of the biggest gains are at part throttle, in RPMs and loads that you use in your daily driving..Not just at WOT at peak load..

 

ProCharger. 7-8 psi boost yields 40-45%hp gain or they make tuner kit too.

 

URD Spec U headers and the Spec U catback will be the most solid exhaust system in terms of gains.

 

“Baby, nobody uses those 2 extra inches anyway.”

 

I have personally ran the Spec-U exhaust with and without a tune, Spec-U headers and Spec-U exhaust with a tune, and just the Spec-U headers with the stock Ypipe and stock catback.

Going from the FULL Spec-U system to just the headers, I lost 5g/sec of airflow at the rev limiter while picking up a ton of torque between 1600-2500RPM. The Spec-U exhaust has a really long secondary runner length which favors higher RPM operation that is outside the limits of a stock 1GR.

On a naturally aspirated truck, the stock exhaust isn’t a restriction. The stock manifolds and cats are.

I sold the Spec-U exhaust and kept the headers.

 

I currently have the spec u headers/rear o2 sims + stock y pipe with 2.5" cherrybomb resonator/super 10. Also am running a volant with front ram and snorkel, 3* camshaft gears and urd maf tuner.

It is uniquely fun to drive, all the weight installed is negligible after the additional power adding mods. I do agree the manifold and cats were the biggest bottleneck but without some way to adjust fuel trim, you dont get the full performance potential. Not to mention it smells insanely rich running the spec u headers and stock fuel trims.

After reading ill probably just upgrade the y pipe and call it a day.