4 or 6 cyl?

I guess it all depends on your needs and expectations.

I drive 85% highway, 10 city and 5% offroad.

I test drove a 4 banger in the city and I felt it's performance was more then acceptable to scoot around in traffic so I didn't even bother test driving the 4.0.

I don't tow/haul anything heavier then a sled so when it came down to it, the 4.0 , would've cost me more money upfront, cost more money to operate and wouldn't get me anywhere any faster.

That being said, I still find myself wishing I got the v6 every now and then. No legitimate reason why really. If I were to upgrade to a more poweful, more capable vehicle I'd probably sooner go fullsize so at least my sled fits in the box properly.

 

GO with the 4-cly. I have a 4.0L but I also got rid of my 12V cummins about 2 months ago, so I do need it to haul every now and again.

THe 4 gets great MPG, and for hunting, city driving, you will never miss the 6, unless you like burning gas for no reason. You have the big boy to handle the heavy lifting.

I will be leaving taco land next year when I go back to the new '11 Ram 2500 and get back behind a diesel, but I need the bigger capacities, and a full crew cab ( family is growing, taco is not)

So I'd say save the $$ and get the 4 banger...

 

better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it

 

The only downside of a 2.7 is when you need the power output of a 4.0L. Only you can decide if it's a need or a want.

I needed the double cab and wanted the Sport option so a 4.0L is what I got. When I bought my truck the gas mileage reports on this forum were (and still are) very inconsistant. Gas mileage was a concern but have been very pleased. I drive my truck about 70 miles daily and get 21-22 MPG like clock work.

The other thing I'll say is the few times I have "put my foot in it", the 4.0L really spins up. It's not a Corvette but it moves!

 

..............seriously, you live in Texas??????? shouldn't you be looking for a turbo v-12 diesel taco (maybe a cummins ISX 500 hp)????

Are they allowed to sell anything that isn't a lawn mower with 4 spark plugs in Texas????

I live in Cleveland, and will move to Texas soon.... awesome place.., but man.... I love the Texas attitude... Go with the 6, b/c you can't get 8 (10 or 12).... you could always supercharge the 6

 

I guess you are not talking about fuel economy?

 

Keep the I4, get some 255/85/16s, and regear. Toyota's 2.7L is a proven motor that I bet (based on no evidence whatsoever) will outlast a 4.0 given equal treatment. You also avoid the shitty transmission design on the 6 speeds....

 

6 > 4

 

Had a 98 4 cyl. Been there, done that.

Now I have a 4.0 L V6. I'm quite happy with the change.

 

I have a 4-cyl which suits my needs (99% light duty) but I think you should get the V6 because you anticipate doing some towing/hauling. Hey, you asked, I answered.

 

i just got 26mph on a trip with my 4cyl. in town i feel like the little 4 banger shits and gets for what it is. the 4.10 gearing works well. test drive a v6 its nice but woth the extra money plus the loss youll take on your 4cyl.? not really IMO.

 

I like to think of cylinders like college chicks. Would you rather have 4 of them in bed, or 6?

 

I have a 2.7L Tacoma acces cab coming in mid-april. What all this debate boils down to is this. If you need to tow heavy stuff and you like power then V6 is for you. If you dont need to rip around and you like good gas mileage then the 4 is for you.

As for 4x4 traction the 4 will be better unless you are trying to rock climb or mud bog. When offroading in mud and snow you want to lug the engine as much as posssible to avoid spinning and get good traction. The 4 cylinder is perfect for this. The 4 has a low rpm peak for tourque so this would work. I drive a gravel truck off-road and up steep ramps all day long on large construction sites and road building projects and it is as true there too. It also is as true in the field with a tractor and cultivater going through low spots. More power and deeper gear isn't necessarily better for traction to get through the sticky spots.

Actually the best way to use 4x4 is to use 2wd until you get stuck and then switch to 4x4 to get out. (for us mild offroaders) I know you serious guys need to push it more so that wouldn't work for you. lol

I also plan to mod my 4 a bit to get a bit more power out of it. One thing that sucks is that diff lock isnt available in the 4. I even have full lockup on my rav4.

 

As for the last part of your post, the yellow wire mod should lessen your need for locking diff. Believe me, the 4cyl with that mod is a beast in low traction conditions (moslty tried in snow, lots of it). You just have to give it some gas, and you should get your stuck wheel spinning.

 

V6 if you feel the need to rush but I'm retired and ain't in any hurry so I run the 4 popper and cruise along real slow.

 

I have the 6 now, but miss the MPG of the 4!!!!

 

The original vehicle that sold me on Toyota was an 81 4x4 22R 4 cyl. That thing was tough as nails. My neighbor owned this truck and I watched as he built a small lake in front of his house. That thing was used for everything from hauling dirt to pulling a D-3 tractor out of a hole. He kept it serviced, but used it hard everyday. It never failed him. Never.

 

Yeah, right.
What you have is a center diff lock with open diffs at each end. The same as the bone stock 4 cyl 4X4 tacoma.

 

I have had three 4-cylinder Toyota trucks. The first was a 1980 base model (hence my moniker here), the second one of the relatively rare 1987 turbos and the third a 2003. There was a world of difference between the '80 2.2 L and '87 2.4 L fuel-injected turbo in passing ability and just about as much between the '87 turbo and the '03 2.7 L.

The '03 could get up the mountain passes around here maintaining the speed limit but I would have to shift into third gear on the steepest and highest of them. With my '06 6-cylinder I have no problems at all getting over the passes just leaving it in drive with the cruise control on.

Interestingly, my 6-cylinder '06 actually gets better gas mileage than my 4-cylinder '03 did. I'm pretty sure it's because that 4-cylinder '03 often had to strain at 3500+ rpm to maintain speed, whereas my '06 rarely goes over 2000.

Edit: I forgot to mention my brother's '86 non-fuel-injected 4 runner. Fully-loaded that thing could only do 30 mph over the high passes in Colorado. While I sometimes miss all the work one could do oneself on the old engines I will have to admit that the new ones are worlds better.

 

not if it's lobsters in your pants!

I've driven Toyota trucks (5 total-both 4 and 6) for the last 20 years and always come back to the the 4-cylinder.