4.0 vs 3.5 (2nd gen vs 3rd gen)

have u gotten 62-18 tsb done?

 

Gonna beat a dead horse here but having driven both the Auto and Manual, the manual has more favorable gear ratios and final drive. It feels like a different truck.

The autos feel lazy to me with those mighty tall gear ratios. Top end is where its at with these engines. You can feel the difference where the 4.0 runs out of breath vs. Where the 3.5 keeps pulling to what seems close to redline.
The 4.0 reminds me of the 2UZ-fe v8. Beautiful low and mid range torque, followed by a sharp fall above 4500rpm.

If toyota has stuck to its roots, the 3.5 will be another high revving engine making it to to atleast 250k with no issues. They have been doing this since the 80s.

 

Do you realize that towing ability is more about torque than about horsepower?

 

“Literally “?????

 

what is interesting is if you watch the 3rd gen tacoma ike gauntlet video vs the desiel canyon/colorado ike gauntlet video. the tacoma was at high RPM almost the entire time but it was able to tow at the speed limit. The colorado with its nearly 100 extra torque floored was 10 MPH slower.

 

That sounds like a gearing difference (and probably other things) to me.

 

other things?

 

Weight, etc.

 

Good thing the torque numbers are virtually identical.

Besides... You do realize that although torque gets you started, it is horsepower that keeps you going once at speed.

 

As someone who has one of all three gen Tacos in my driveway I can easily say the third gen tows just fine. The biggest difference between the 4.0L and 3.5L is that you have to keep the 3.5L spun up around 800rpms higher than the 4.0L. The 3.5L is a much more rev happy motor and to compensate for this Toyota switched from 3.73 gearing to 3.90; they also bumped up to larger, stronger axle. There are really only two negatives to the third gen: it is more sensitive to tire size changes and the lack of low end power makes pulling up a steep boat ramp or low speed maneuvers more difficult, but its not that big of a deal. The longer wheelbase of the Taco makes it a better towing platform than the 4Runner no matter what motor is in the Taco.

OP from what you have posted I think you need to practice using your side mirrors more and probably ought to get some surge brakes. I was actually really impressed with how our third gen did towing our first gen on a 20ft car hauler and I think the mileage was better than what the second gen would have produced.

I get frustrated when it's wet and I have to go retrieve a trailer from the back 40, usually improves the situation to drop it into 4low, but as soon as it's on the road everything is fine. If it's really bad I resort to the jeep or the tractor.

The TFL guys are just entertainment, anyone who tows regularly can blow holes in every video they post and their bias is blatant.

ZyBorg, you do realize that Torque is rating of power and Horse Power is just a rate. In fact here's the formula (RPM * T) / 5252=HP. This is something that is common knowledge in the motorcycle community because many motors have similar torque outputs but one motor will rev to 9 or 10k rpms but another will rev to 16k rpms and will be almost double the HP.

 

I would take that Gauntlet Test with a grain of salt and view it as pure entertainment. Those very same guys also have videos of a 3rd Gen doing 0-60 in just under 10 Seconds and losing drag races to 1st and 2nd Gens.

 

So what, they’re basically the same engine. It’s like comparing a 1.8L to a 2.0L same thing.

Not sure why anyone really fucking cares.

 

The best of all of them is the 3.4L 1st Gen 500k-1M mile engine, 220lbs torque

I see I quoted myself

 

weight was exactly the same. they used the same exact load.

 

Why is the 3.4 better than the 4.0? Genuinely curious to know.

Lots of 500k mile 4.0 out there, and no timing belts to change.

 

I've towed with both... 6x12 H&H CA series enclosed trailer. With my 2011 I towed it from Wichita to Baltimore and back... 2400 miles. With my 2017, it's made multiple trips to Kansas City and back.

BOTH trucks are good little towers if you remember they're V6 pickups. Give yourself extra time and distance, especially on on ramps.

The issue I had with my 2011 (automatic) was too much gap between 4th and 5th gear. The trailer has a lot of wind resistance and, even empty, the truck would struggle to hold 5th. So drop it down to 4th, right? Well, the speed limits here are 75mph, and everyone runs 80mph. In 4th I was doing 3100rpm at 70mph, motor was SCREAMING, and I was STILL getting passed like I was standing still. Running 60-65 in 4th seemed to be the best mix of power and fuel economy, but it was often terrifying running down the interstate. I wished I had another gear.

Enter the 3.5 in my 2017... the manual has the same gearing as the 2nd gen auto PLUS 5th gear at 0.85:1. I can run empty at 75mph in 6th doing 2600rpm and the truck acts like it wants more. If I'm loaded heavy or it's a super windy day, I can stick it in 5th at 70mph and about 2900rpm and still have plenty of power. If I hit hill dropping it to 4th it will scoot right up. Also at high RPM the 3.5 doesn't sound like it's working as hard compared to the 4.0.

Sermon over.

My point: with the right gearing EITHER motor is perfectly capable.

 

Horsepower is a product of torque multiplied by RPM. So really the torque is what keeps you going at speed however you have a lot of momentum helping out.

 

And stupid! I'm pleased to see the Tacoma do it, but dragging that trailer up that grade at redline?

Who in the world would ever do that to his own pickup?

 

Enjoying this so far... oh and 4.0 >3.5

 

My thoughts exactly. Who is bouncing their truck off the rev limiter towing their boat to the lake?