1989 toyota pickup SWAP QUESTIONS

[pullnshoot25]

Ok, so I bought a 1989 toyota pickup SR5 4x4 5spd with 135,000. The engine is strong, but I want the power of the newer V6, not to mention the infinitely better gas mileage. I figure that if I sell my spare ECU and my engine, buy the 3.4 and put it in with my brother or pay someone else to do it, I will still be on top and not have to pay for a ton of extra stuff.

BUUUUT, and there is a big BUT in this.... I need to know if there are any extra parts that I need to procure to get this project done. I know the fuel system,m radiator and fans will work fine with a newer engine in it, but what else to I have to consider? is there any transmission reworking? Air intake movement? battery movement?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated. If I go through with it, I will be sure to post pictures and give you guys the news dibs on it.

Thank you guys for your time and effort.

sincerely,

nathan

[Tatunka]

I am not very familiar with the newer Toyota 3.4 V6 swap, but I know that Downey has a lot of experience with some more common swaps (V8s and V6s). These engines would be cheaper and more readily available. I believe with any of these swaps you will need to consider engine mounts and weight of the engine and also clearance (maybe a body lift?). The tranny that you have, the 5sp, is the stronger version and can be used with most V8's. That information is also on the Downey website.

With any of these swaps I dont think that you will get "infinitely better gas mileage". My brother has a 91 4x4 SR5 V6 and he gets about 18-20 mpg, my 04 4x4 Dcab gets 17-19 (3.4) and my old 91 4cyl got 21. So what ever engine you go with you are still going to have average gas milage just because of the shape and stance of the pickup. Biger tires and lift, worse MPG, that will affect any engine. Plus 135,000 miles is not that bad, especially for an 89 if you are getting horible mpg it might be some other problem. If you want MPG swap in a diesel, I hear that the 2LTE engine will get about 23-27 mpg depending on how it is tuned.

Good luck!

[Paul]

The 3.4 gets way better mileage than the 3.0. There is also a greater aftermarket for the 3.4 cause it doesn't blow head gaskets all the time. I know people have done the 3.4 swap, but I'm not sure of everything you need. All I know is that your tranny and motor mounts are the same as the Tacoma, but you already know that.

[AngryAndy]

I was thinking about something along these lines also...

BUT...here in California....I don't know what I would do when it comes time to SMOG it.....thats whats holding me back from investigating it further.

Fawking smog sucks.

[Dick Foster]

You can install a later model engine, ecu, and all of it's smog goodies and go to a smog nazi errrr ah referee for approval. Other than that the only thing to do in the PRC is get an older model pre-smog vehicle that is exempt, I think the cutoff is 72 or something. Then you can pretty much do what you want damn well please with it. It used to be a rolling exemption but I hear they are stopping that now and 72 or 73 is the last exempt year. I got a 66 so no sweat. Maybe I'll do a coal burning conversion what with the gas prices these days. LOL

[Tatunka]

Originally Posted by PaulW

The 3.4 gets way better mileage than the 3.0.

ya...ya... I'm lucky to get the MPG my brother gets in his 91 SR5.

I do agree on the head gaskets though, they suck.

[AngryAndy]

WOW Dick, are we going to have a CIVILIZED conversation here?? I doubt it....you will turn on me soon, I forsee this!

Well, its the runner I am talking about, so pre-72 wont work here...

The smog-nazi....aka referre....will that then be a lifetime visit every two years?? Or just the first time?? I assume ALWAYS, and I don't know the COSTS, but it sure SOUNDS like more $$$ every time I need a smog...

Coal conversion...that gave me a laugh....

[Dick Foster]

I think it's one time after you get some sort of blessing by their pope and some kinda paper certification for later years to testify that you have been officially blessed. I'm only going by hearsay as I've never been through the process myself. I just took the easy way out and got some old iron to work with. Hell, I'm gonna cut the shit out of it anyway so there is no sense messing around with purdy stuff. As long as it's not a rust bucket, you're good to go. Old is good, old is mo betta. LOL

You could probably find out for sure by digging around on the DMV site a little.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Tatunka

ya...ya... I'm lucky to get the MPG my brother gets in his 91 SR5.

I do agree on the head gaskets though, they suck.

My 3.0 4Runner on 33's got 16 tops.

[pullnshoot25]

yeah, my pickup has 33" tires with a 4" lift. We just put an electric fan in today, so we will see how that does for power and whatnot.

I just like that 3.4 much better... with the horsepower and torque that the 3.0 puts out, it is like a modern 4cyl, which kinda sucks.

ths engine had the head gasket job done to it, so it is good for a while. My brother said to either wait until this engine blows up THEN think about swapping the engine out.

Speaking of engine price, my brother just got a 3.4 for about 750 bucks in salinas with only 11 MILES on it... not 11000, not 1100, but 11. crazy.

I heard from some people that bakersfield doesnt give a shat about engine swaps. Some guy on the yotatech.com forums has about 3 diesel toyotas, one of them a tacoma, and he registered them in bakersfield and drives them on pavement. If you want to talk to him (forgot his name), just post a topic about diesels, and he will surely reply.

Btw, pictures of my truck here:

http://photos.yahoo.com/dove_slayer (5th icon)

[Tatunka]

I thought that I heard that there are no smog requirements required on diesel swaps in the state of California. Hope someone else with better knowledge chimes in.


ToyotaDieselMadness.com

[Rockrawler]

Deisel is smog exempt in CA, all other fuels including propane and CNG (compressed natural gas) must be smogged upon transfer of ownership, and in major metropolitan counties bi-annually. WHAT THIS MEANS IS if you (or someone you know & can register your vehicle at their address... hint hint... ) is in one of those areas (like my buddy in Mammoth Lakes) you dont have to smog every other year. If you do a motor swap, it has to have all the equipment and meet the standards (emissions output levels) of the year motor you swapped in, and can be no older then the model year you are swapping the motor into. (Cant put a 89 motor in a 91 truck). ALSO - it has to be in the same class or higher of vehicle, meaning you cant put a chevy truck motor (commercial vehicle) into a 4 Runner (non-commercial passenger vehicle) legally because commercial vehicles have less emissions equipment. California is not the easiest state to swap motors in, but its certainly not impossible, and the trip to the referee is a one time deal to get the new powerplant certified, they will issue a sticker with a bar code that all future smog techs will scan so the machine will give the correct equipment checklist and specs for the tech to inspect and verify are equipped and working. Hope that helps.

Terry

[Dick Foster]

That was good useful input. Thanks, I'm gonna try and remember it. That bit about the barcode was new for me.

[UNBREAKABLE]

Do a 7M swap. They have way more power and get decent mpg.
I am building a 7M-GTE (N/A converted to Turbo~300hp) to put into a 92 x-cab

[wslytoy]

Originally Posted by pullnshoot25

Ok, so I bought a 1989 toyota pickup SR5 4x4 5spd with 135,000. The engine is strong, but I want the power of the newer V6, not to mention the infinitely better gas mileage. I figure that if I sell my spare ECU and my engine, buy the 3.4 and put it in with my brother or pay someone else to do it, I will still be on top and not have to pay for a ton of extra stuff.

BUUUUT, and there is a big BUT in this.... I need to know if there are any extra parts that I need to procure to get this project done. I know the fuel system,m radiator and fans will work fine with a newer engine in it, but what else to I have to consider? is there any transmission reworking? Air intake movement? battery movement?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated. If I go through with it, I will be sure to post pictures and give you guys the news dibs on it.

Thank you guys for your time and effort.

sincerely,

nathan

nathan,
1st, you'll need a 2" body lift to clear the front of the intake manifold. 2nd, you're gonna need to re-route your exhaust, best thing to do is just dump it. A 3.0 clutch kit and flywheel will work, but its suggested you use a 3.4 flywheel and clutch kit. You've got a lot of wiring that you're gonna need to do in order to make the dash harness work w/ the new ECM. Get yourself a factory service manual for an 89, and whatever year the engine you get. Just make damn sure you get a complete engine, everything from the airbox to the oil pan and an entire wiring harness w/ the correct ECM. I was going to do it on my 90, but then I realized the lack of a wiring harness and other problems that arose weren't gonna allow me to complete the swap. The battery in a Tacoma is on the drivers side, yours is on the passenger side, so you're gonna have to move the battery. You can get a descently priced 3.4 now days, I've seen em' on Ebay for around $1000 w/ less than 50k miles on em'. Just do a buncha research and make sure you know what you're gettin yourself into. Peace, Wes

[wslytoy]

Originally Posted by UNBREAKABLE

Do a 7M swap. They have way more power and get decent mpg.
I am building a 7M-GTE (N/A converted to Turbo~300hp) to put into a 92 x-cab

Hey man,
I didn't know an R150 would bolt up to a 7M?? I thought the input shaft was too long or something along those lines? Its been so long since I've done any research on either of these swaps. Who is doin the work on your R150 gear set? Peace, Wes

[wslytoy]

Originally Posted by PaulW

My 3.0 4Runner on 33's got 16 tops.

my 90 got about 13, lol, and it was on 31's, hahaha!

[STOMPER]

Originally Posted by wslytoy

Hey man,
I didn't know an R150 would bolt up to a 7M?? I thought the input shaft was too long or something along those lines? Its been so long since I've done any research on either of these swaps. Who is doin the work on your R150 gear set? Peace, Wes

He is doing all the work himself. Man he even got dual trannies working.

[pullnshoot25]

Well, how much are the ECUs for the 3.4?

I am sure that the battery can be rerouted to another location, but the freaking exhaust will be a mother.

Has anyone here ever even attempted or know someone who has attempted it besides wslytoy?

This would be a cool online project to post... the conversion of the 3.0 to the 3.4... web edition... lol.

btw, gas mileage was 12.5 the first few days (I was learning to drive stick), and the second fill was 12 gallons over 198 miles, making it 16.5mpg.

-nathan

[wslytoy]

Originally Posted by pullnshoot25

Well, how much are the ECUs for the 3.4?

I am sure that the battery can be rerouted to another location, but the freaking exhaust will be a mother.

Has anyone here ever even attempted or know someone who has attempted it besides wslytoy?

This would be a cool online project to post... the conversion of the 3.0 to the 3.4... web edition... lol.

btw, gas mileage was 12.5 the first few days (I was learning to drive stick), and the second fill was 12 gallons over 198 miles, making it 16.5mpg.

-nathan

there is a canadian toyota forum that a guy frequents, but I can't remember the website. he had a pretty detailed website on his swap into his 4Runner, however, I can't remember that either. So, I'm useless. I do know for a fact, however, that there's a guy on 4x4wire.com that's done a couple of swaps. Go to the 4Runner forum and post something, I'm sure he'll chime in.

[wslytoy]

Originally Posted by STOMPER

He is doing all the work himself. Man he even got dual trannies working.

now that's badass. Any pics???

[BadBradHaz]

I have changed many motors, but I have never replaced one with one from a different vehicle. Obviously things like the wiring harness, ecu, motor mounts, etc would need to be worked and there are kits available. What about things like your guages and accessories like AC? Are there kits for those as well?

[Elsensei]

Originally Posted by pullnshoot25

Well, how much are the ECUs for the 3.4?

I am sure that the battery can be rerouted to another location, but the freaking exhaust will be a mother.

Has anyone here ever even attempted or know someone who has attempted it besides wslytoy?

This would be a cool online project to post... the conversion of the 3.0 to the 3.4... web edition... lol.

btw, gas mileage was 12.5 the first few days (I was learning to drive stick), and the second fill was 12 gallons over 198 miles, making it 16.5mpg.

-nathan

Dude, if you're turning 33s and getting 16.5, i'd be pretty happy with that!

[ToyPower]

Ya, I get 13-16 mpg with my 90 22re.
(running 35x12.5s though!!)