A point in the 2.7 DCSB's favor

The leaf packs don’t seem to handle the rated payload to well and with a cap and tools I was hitting the bump stops too frequently so I added air bags. That’s at about 1/2 capacity. I know they don’t change the payload capacity but the do make it a better driving experience throughout the payload range.

 

4 cyl most reliable Toyota engine EVER!
nothing at all wrong with having the 4 cyl in your Tacoma.

 

Maybe when it was in a single cab in 2015

 

the 2.7 is far from gutless. Your doing something wrong. Don't fear the 4000 rpm. (Unless you got stuck with the automatic)

 

Alas, I did. They no longer make the manual transmission available with the 4 banger. I've heard tell of days of yore when the manual was an option for most trim levels, but no longer. Having said that, on my most recent road trip (a week ago) I did finally discover how much ECT PWR helps when I need some extra get up and go. The difference is pretty noticeable, and it does take advantage of those higher RPMs.

 

I know we're veering off topic here, but I just wanted to give this a huge amen.

 

Sure.
My 3.5 buzzes, clicks, whirs, shudders, shakes and shifts too much. Kinda feels like driving an experiment
My 2.7 drives and acts like a vehicle that was built in the last 5 years. Smooth. Its just a much more refined driving experience

 

That's Weird, the 3.5 in my Taco is one of the smoothest engines I've ever owned. I do hear clicking from the Fuel Injectors cleaning themselves sometimes, but that doesn't bother me. Mine does not shake. I have an MT so I can't speak to the shifting too much. It is not a powerhouse but then again I didn't buy it for that. For truck stuff it seems to do pretty well. I notice the extra torque of the V6 when I'm climbing long grades.

That said a four-cylinder would likely be fine for 70% of the driving I do with my truck. Maybe even more than that since when I'm four-wheeling I'm not using a lot of engine power. OP, be happy with what you've got, it's more than some people have!

 

Excellent point. Thanks for the perspective.

 

Bought my Tacoma almost a year ago. It has the 2.7L engine and I was apprehensive if it would handle my fall/winter/spring trapping.
Well a year later I have no regrets about capabilities of the the 4 cylinder!!!
Oh by the way I have an access cab not a DCSB.

 

I have a 2017 access cab with the 2.7L (MT), reliable and does well with anything I throw at it-- I just manage my expectations and am really happy with it, never worried about the power difference and love my truck with the 2.7L. Also, still driving the 93 Toyota DLX 4x4 pickup with the 4-cylinder---- odometer quit working at 269K in 2016. I have abused that truck and still running (although I did just blow an original brake line recently, and am fixing next week).

 

I love my 2.7! It’s slow but I drive slow.

 

My 2.7 l MT regular cab is more than fast enough, I don't drive slow, it's all I can do to keep below 2500 rpm on the highway for good mileage.

 

I like to act like my 2.7L 2wd can do everything a TRD Off-road can, except rock crawl...

 

I cannot tell you how much I miss my 2006 access cab 2.7 4x4 MT. The truck just did everything, I never worried about going anywhere in it. The new trucks have more options, but I’d take that truck back again.

Mike

 

Getting 265/75/16 ko2 installed today! I’m at 245/75 right now.
Bilstein 5100 ome 888 headstrong aal

 

2.7L 4 cylinder gettin’ some love, oh yeah!
https://giphy.com/gifs/laff-tv-dance-jim-get-down-2m1WldcU1mnYximIe4

 

Well the 3.5 is mine, and I love it. The 2.7 is the wife's. Just listing off some of the differences I've noticed between the two. Would I have ever notice these things if we didn't have a 2.7? Probably not

 

I’m curious about a sound I hear like something vibrating loose when I’m idling in my 2.7l. It’s very faint and I have to have the radio off but it bothers me now knowing it’s there. Maybe it’s supposed to be, I just feel like I haven’t noticed it until like a month ago. In my 2015 2.7 L I never noticed it. I was just going to ask him at the dealership on my next service

 

Unfortunately Toyota makes nothing close to a regular cab, a 4 cylinder 5 speed combo, or a 3500# truck nowadays. Adding about 700# to a 159 HP 4 cylinder is gonna change the driving dynamics a bit.