Let's get the motor swap conversation going early on this one.

Myopia at its best.

Toyota sells like 240k of them a yr and bc you know a couple dudes doing one it’s a thing.

It will never be a thing for any vehicle it’s something niche carheads mess with.

That’s like saying changing your oil early is a thing bc five dorks on TW do it.

also more power to ya.....hope it turns out great!

 

You need to join up with this fella

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...acoma-trd-off-road-double-cab-that-is.708285/

I know it's not a 3rd gen, but when you gut the factory driveline and electronics what's left is pretty much the same.

 

I'd like to see a Ford 2.3T swap.

 

Not really. Motor swaps are a very small minority. Even in the Jeep world. The 3 people you know is still insignificant but if you want to swap then go for it.

 

I'm with you on this 110%. If you've done some hard core mechanical or electrical work on a project I think it would be easy. I don't know enough about the Tacoma electronics to say the ECU could be totally separated from the rest of the truck without issues, but if it could....well, we have a winner. Any good drive shaft shop could adapt the drive train stuff. I'd use a LS based trans and transfer case and adapt it if the alignment was similar. Rock crawlers are built every day using this platform. I'm all in.
Zim

 

Sounds like a fun project if you have the time and space to do it. I remember a few years ago there were a lot of wrangler owners swapping in a hemi instead of the factory 3.8l engine. The Tacoma 3.7 is a far more powerful engine than the old minivan 3.8 chrysler. I also remember guys putting in GM v6 and 350’s in their first gen Tacoma instead of the i4 factory engine and putting 35’s or 37’s on for tires.
Personally I’d just buy a newer utv or side by side if I wanted an off-roading dedicated truck. 24 inches of suspension travel. 125-170 hp. Or a dual sport 300-650 motorcycle???

 

Yep, modern cars are PIA to do motor swaps due to electronics. It would probably be cheaper to design a custom frame with the engine you desire and swap the Tacoma body on it.

 

I’ve been looking into getting a wiring harness made by your company to stick a 1KD in my 1st gen.

 

get a hellcat or hellaphant. vrooooooooooom

 

Getting everything to work properly would be a task. On the other hand you could just say screw the factory gauges, run everything off a holley terminator and call it a day.

 

Good stuff OP, I know nothing in regards to this swap, but hell I wouldn't mind having a LS in my truck. Anything can be done I am sure, I watched a video yesterday where a guy installed a lawn mower engine in a Toyota Matrix. Let us know what you find out.

 

Electronics integration is going to be the most difficult task. You might have to just run 2 isolated systems; BCM and ECM.

 

Isn't there many interconnects between the two on the CAN bus?

 

Getting a coyote ecu or LS1 ecu translated into Toyota CAN talk to retain all the factory gauge functions is going to be the most difficult. Not impossible but will be tricky. Also, you can’t just remove the stock gauge cluster as it has turn signal relays and other functions built into it.

 

As it sits, the tacoma (even a clapped out 2016) is too expensive as a "project" swap truck.

But yeah, I figure in 2025ish we will start seeing more swapped trucks.

I know I will be doing a pretty big project in 5-10 years with my truck. I plan to turn it into a mega cab by welding the ass end of a access cab to the back of my double cab. While I dont need the extra space in the back, it will be nice to have as my kids get older.

 

Maybe 38 years from now when people are slapping a 4.4L V10 from a Quadra Turbo-R V-Tech into clapped out 3rd gens!

 

I can't wait to see this. Frankencab

 

Sounds like the guy wants to build an off road rig, maybe stock gages aren’t in the equation. LS will run off it’s own computer, leave the stock harness for the lights, brakes and AC if needed. Spin the stock ac compressor off a custom bracket, not a big deal.

 

Right and not to be a thread natzi but this is in the 3 gen section lol

 

I can't say for sure but I'm pretty sure the owner Todd won't/can't provide a proper harness without the vehicle being present. It's extremely difficult to make those "plug and play" due to a number of factors. Honestly, I'm a grunt, tools in hand, I don't mess with harness or electronics beyond simple wiring.