3rd Gen Taco V6 vs 5th Gen 4R V6

I know a lot of people feel the new Taco V6 is under powered....for that matter a lot of 4R people wish it still came with a V8....I feel like both engines are adequate. What are you thoughts on the two... Does Atkins cycle and 6 speed make a big difference over a 5 speed? Does 3.5 vs 4.0 liters matter much based on the other specs? The MPG difference doesn't seem all that much.

Taco
3.5 Liter
278 @ 6000 RPM
265 @ 4600 RPM
City 18/Hwy 23/Comb 20 MPG

4.0 Liter
Horsepower 270 @ 5600 RPM
Torque 278 @ 4400 RPM
Fuel Economy City 17/Hwy 21/Comb 18 MPG

 

You aren't getting the Atkinson's cycle when you need power. So that is not really relevant to how the power is delivered. The 4.0 has more torque at low RPM's because of the higher displacement and longer stroke of the pistons. The 3.5 liter is designed to rev and can rev higher than the 4.0 so with the 3.5 you get better power, just at a higher RPM. So you are getting a buzzier engine that probably does better on the highway, but at the expense of throttle response from a dead stop. It is a compromise Toyota was willing to take to get better MPG.

 

Thanks for the explanation.....now, which would you prefer? I'm curious

 

definitely what my butt felt when i took a 16 for a test drive.... much more balls down low.

 

the runner has more balls down low?

 

Not saying its a bad motor just needs some more revs it seemed. Dyno charts will let us know.

my 4.0L in my 2013 taco felt like it had more balls down low.... and that has less hp n torque vs the dual vvti in the 4 runner

 

IMHO..
Food for thought:

1. 1GR was designed to run in Land Cruiser it was build originally in LC factory. Toyota felt that engine is so strong (well built) that they allowed supercharger to be installed and they gave warranty for it.
2. 1GR is designed as a truck engine, run at lower RPMs but with steady and nice torque. Its made for SUV/Pickup application, because Torque is what pulls trailers and carry payload. Torque is also what idles you through water, mud and up the hills, because if you hydrolock at 500 RPMs, 99% of the time all you need is just empty water. When you Hydrolock above 1000 RPM's, 99% of time your engine is in 1000 pieces all over the place.
3. 1GR was made as simple, easy to repair engine. (if You are in the middle of the Amazonian jungle, you have no tools to check two rows of different fuel injectors.
4. Majority of 1GR engine parts are produced in Japan. High quality, well built.
5. Choice between 1gr and 2gr is a choice between Made in Japan, and Made in US/Mexico/China. Whats the point of spending extra money to purchase Japanese vehicle made not in Japan?

 

got it...makes sense

 

Wonder if/when the refreshed 4Runner will have the 3.5 in it.

 

Well you have said a lot about the 1st and 2nd gen, but nothing about the 3rd gen or 5th gen 4R, which is what the post is about. lol I do see your point about not made in Japan. One of the things I like about the 4R, besides the low end power, is that it's still made in Japan.

Also, as far as made in Japan...it's engineered in Japan. I'm not sure the factory line assembling it is what makes it better...isn't it the Japanese engineering and design specs, etc. that are given to the US plant for production? Maybe not, just thinking out loud...makes it's the Q/A in Japan that makes it so good.

 

1GR - like 1GR-FE engine not a 1st Gen ...

As far as specs and quality. Don't listen to me, just go to 2gen section and look at the problems there. IMO Majority of problems come from parts not manufactured in Japan

Look at these examples - search forum....

Exploding rear differential
Wheel bearings..
Front diff vibe
And big one.... Frame..

 

maybe i'll stick with the 4r option since still made in japan.

yea, i don't know what 1gr engines, etc. are...ill have to educate myself on that...if you feel like giving me a quick summary, that be cool...thanks

 

Or you could not listen to a bumbling dumbass, hey Blue T, if we move the Japanese Toyota plant to Mexico/Texas you know what changes??? Nothing, except the skin color of the workers.

 

well, that's not totally true...you have the the work ethic, supervisor attitude, etc...which may affect quality assurance and production. Just spit-balling... I don't really put much into that....but food for thought. Plus equipment and facility.

 

The point I am making is a Toyota production plant would use the the exact same process, with the same machines, to produce the same vehicle. Items that are not produced at the plant are produced to toyotas exact specs. You're questioning the work ethic of people who click and screw things into place, Largely, machines make vehicles. The Tacoma production error rate, less than 1 parts per million, would totally suffer if they moved the taco production to Japan, cuz change.

 

I get it, just thinking out loud, because I know in any business it's difficult to move operations.... Look at Dell outsourcing tech support, same process, same specs..... but it went horribly. There are government regulations, culture holidays, weather, more remote meetings, etc. Look, I'm not saying it's a problem, and would never not buy a 'yota because of it....just saying there may be some merit to the argument.

And there is always the unknown....what else changed when they moved/expanded the plant.... again, I don't think there's an issue.

 

Being that the two motors are from the same family with the difference in displace being mainly the difference in stroke, I think the 3.5 was chosen for it's over smoothness and quiet. As long as the performance of the two is similar, I don't think Toyota especially cared about loosing the low end torque. It's a sport truck, not expressly a tow truck and drivers will like the handling, quiet and smoothness. I really don't think the economy is a big issue. I wonder if the 4.0 will ever be made with direct injection. That would be neat. Atkinson.....wtf is that. Seems like an advertising gimmick more then anything else as far as actual output is concerned.

 

The dual VVT-i 1GR V6 in the 4runners is a very nice motor! Less thrashy and smoother power than the 1GR in the 2ng gen Taco (and 4th gen 4runner) and its too bad it never made it into the engine bay of the 2nd gen Taco. Should have came out in the 2012 refresh IMO. It will be a shame if the 4runner loses it out to the 3.5L

 

Dis-a-gree..