Supercharged 1996 4Runner (from the driver's seat)

[Jameysince1990]

I cousins girlfriend has the trd limited 4runner, she took it to a shop and had them up the boost a couple more pounds. I want one but there like unicorns.

[drgoodspd]

love that whine!

[lancerCE02]

just out of curiosity what supercharger is on this? is it a crankdriven supercharger

[cdaviesaz]

@lancerCE02 yes, crank-driven 2nd gen TRD SC'r.

[drgoodspd]

@cdaviesaz did you say SECOND gen?

[cdaviesaz]

@drgoodspd yes. The black SC'r is 2nd gen, silver is 1st gen.

[drgoodspd]

@cdaviesaz ahhh the actual SUPERCHARGER is 2nd gen. i get it. i assume 2nd gen sc'r is better?

[cdaviesaz]

@drgoodspd yeah, the SC'r not the 4Runner. I guess that sounded weird. Anyway, I would say the 2nd gen is better, but that's based on what I've read, not experience. It seems like they worked out a few quirks with the 2nd gen over the 1st, but I know some guys that ran the first with no issues. Boost is boost I guess. :)

[G005375]

@cdaviesaz I have a 97 4Runner SR5 and i was wondering what should i put on it. any suggestions?

[cdaviesaz]

@G005375 well, as long as you have the money to do the proper fuel/timing mods, then the SC'r is the easiest way to get more power. If you have an auto trans, then be sure to add the Valve Body mod to the list or you'll simply fry the 1-2 clutch pack after a few hard shifts. I did every bolt-on you can imagine including headers prior to the sc'r and all of it was a waste of money (except for cool sound) compared to the sc'r. A sc'd runner just wastes a stock one.

[G005375]

@cdaviesaz i was also wonder what is a good website to look for all these...i also was wondering about a front bumber....(its a manual trans)

[cdaviesaz]

@G005375 yotatech.com was the site I used to be on all the time. After having kids, not so much. So, I have no idea what it's like now but it was a pretty cool community a few years ago. Either way there are lots of threads on there with good info.

[Clayton6699]

@cdaviesaz  hey man, i appreciate the help

[Clayton6699]

@cdaviesaz , i have a 97 tacoma with the 2nd generation charger and i want to get the best performance

[cdaviesaz]

@Clayton6699 URDusa.com has fuel/timing upgrade kits, but they are expensive. If you want to try and avoid catastrophic failure on the cheap, try these mods too: Walbro 190 fuel pump, 2-step colder plugs, NAPA 170 thermostat, Free FMU mod, elbow mod. All of that is under $100 with most of the cost going to the fuel pump. The good news is that the 5VZFE is very strong, so it will last as long as you don't beat on it too much.

[Clayton6699]

what other mods do you need fr the supercharger to reach best performance

[cdaviesaz]

@Clayton6699 more fuel flow at the pump, bigger injectors, and a piggyback system to handle these things (and retard the timing). To do it right, you'll need about $1000 worth of mods. If you don't care, like a lot of folks, then eventually you'll just blow the engine.

[Iriatv]

Looks like AZ

[cdaviesaz]

@Iriatv - yep, right by Desert Ridge Mall.

[goodoldjam]

Thanks for the heads up on the D shaped gasket. I never heard anyone mention it before.

[ljesusking2133]

total price of everything?? i live in so cal so i just want it to be lifted and sound nice, thanks

[cdaviesaz]

What are you looking to price? All my mods, or some specific ones?

[motoxracer1551]

What is the price for the supercharger and all necessary supporting mods? Did the supra injectors fit without modification?

[cdaviesaz]

I purchased an already-supercharged 4Runner, pulled the SC'r off, had it rebuilt, then sold the 4Runner for a profit. So I can't really put a price on how much it was because I yanked it off another 4Runner for free. These days they go for between $1K and $2K depending on condition. Yes, the Supra injectors plugged right in - no mods needed.

[chaosad09]

did you have to change the ecu and fule injecters. i was told you had to do that to supercharge a 96 3.4

[cdaviesaz]

That's correct - sort of. I changed the injectors to Supra 308's and installed a SMT6 piggyback on the stock ECU. It will not run otherwise.

[chaosad09]

thanks for the information BTW nice 4-runner.

[drgoodspd]

thnx for sharing.... what intake do you have?

[cdaviesaz]

Deckplate, elbow, and Silencer Removal mod. And, of course, the SC'r. I sell something called the O Gasket mod. Visit my website for more info and to buy. Thanks!

[420witchdoctor]

Totally better for granny-gearing! Whoo, is it a wheeler?

[cdaviesaz]

I used to wheel it a lot when I lived in AZ and didn't have a child. Things have changed since then, that's for sure. But yes, it has been wheeled. In fact I swapped a locker in it for off-road purposes. Last winter we got hammered by 2ft of snow and it saw a lot of 4WD use.

[LordAbriel]

I appreciate the advice. I dont race the truck, so I have to admit I've never had it at Wide Open Throttle for more than a few seconds at a time, and it does have a slight lag, but then it kicks like a mule when it does start pumping gas into the system. Can u give me some more info on the Walbro pump? Never heard of that mod

[LordAbriel]

True, I run and have always run 93 octane fuel, and have never experienced an issue with pinging or knocking, and again, while Im sure it's probably more lean than might be comfortable for most people, this engine and truck aren't being raced. The power is there when you need it, like for passing, which is all I ever wanted. Truck has almost 140K on it, which puts the SC at almost 130K since install and it runs like it was new.. I should add that it's also had Mobil 1 since new.

[cdaviesaz]

Well if it makes you feel even better, I bought a "donor" 4Runner with 197K miles on it; 100K of which were supercharged (with no fuel/timing mods). Again, props to Toyota for building such a beefy engine. You might want to consider at least installing the Walbro 190 fuel pump. I've heard of a few guys that lost power while at WOT due to the stock fuel pump not being able to sustain the needed fuel pressure at the rail. It takes about 3hrs to install. Just a thought.

[hwm250]

i got a 96 also im thinking of doing what u did is it worth it how much did it cost total?

[cdaviesaz]

I actually got everything free. I bought a donor vehicle with a SC'r already on it, had the SC'r rebuilt, then sold the donor vehicle for more than I bought it for. That paid for all the mods. Anyway, $3K+ is a lot of money for making a 4Runner quick. But, you will at least recoup much of the cost of the SC'r should you ever have to sell it (they really don't lose much value). So, in the end, you'll be out about $1500. Your financial situation will have to dictate if it's worth it.

[gypman921]

hey nice set up im getting a 96 4 runner also supercharged but no little about the yotas. im not certain tho of the tuning but if its not by chance tuned should i have any worries with the sc and also whats the hp of such a set up thanks the one im buying is here in savannah sitting on 33s

[cdaviesaz]

Hi, thanks. Chances are the previous owner did not "tune" the vehicle with all the necessary items (about $1K worth if you do it right). Of course, you never know. Have a look at the ECU (access it by removing the glove compartment) and see if there's a piggyback there. If not, then you don't have a piggyback or injectors (because larger injectors will only work with a piggyback). You're playing with fire without tuning mods and the SC'r installed. I would pull it until you can afford the mods.

[gypman921]

whats youre hp at???

[cdaviesaz]

Never dyno'd it, so I don't know. I'd say 250HP at the crank would be a good guess. I have intake, headers, exhaust, and tuning mods...so I guess it could be more than 250 at peak HP...but it's hard to say.

[LordAbriel]

I've had my TRD S/C on my '99 4Runner since it had 11K on it. I added a Borla cat back and a K&N intake and that's it. No timing, no fuel upgrades etc. It's a first gen S/C and they actually DROPPED the added fuel pump etc for this from the proto. I was told the stock computer would recurve as it "learned" that the S/C was installed, and while I dont doubt it could be tweaked, it's very streetable, and runs with no problems as is out of the box. Maybe the later gens had issues?

[cdaviesaz]

The climate you live in, available fuel octane, etc. are factors as well. You need measuring equipment such as an EGT meter, AFR gauge, etc. to know for sure. I have friends that tested both the 1st gen and 2nd gen SC'r on a variety of 5VZFE's and ALL of them realized the same thing: The 5VZFE runs dangerously lean when you just bolt the SC'r on. Why max out the stock injectors' duty cycle if you can run aftermarket injectors at 60%? Thankfully Toyota built such a durable engine...

[jonwilly2]

hay i like the song at the end and what is the 0 to 60

[cdaviesaz]

Not sure on the 0-60 (never tested it). Other people have hit low 15's in the quarter mile with a similar set-up...so with a hard launch my guess is somewhere in the 7 - 8 second range for 0-60. The song was just a sample I found on the Internet BTW.

[cdaviesaz]

I guess that 0-60 time would be possible with a brutal launch and a 2.2 pulley...anyway, not sure about the weight question. My guess is that they would be pretty close, assuming everything else was the same.

[mike1305]

daaaaamn! Sounds awesome. I have a 2WD V6 and am still on the fence about jumping for that S/C...

[gavinfalcona91]

Is it worth it.? I have a 96 4runner too but i dont know if its worth just buying a differernt car?

[cdaviesaz]

Well, tell me more about why you want it...then I can probably help steer you in the right direction.

[zuno555]

Awesome, I cant wait to get the supercharger for mine, sounds sweet.

[frank46N2]

Love the sound of that s/c whine! Nice!

[GeniusCreator811]

ive got a 2001 4Runner fully loaded, its about that fast

[cdaviesaz]

Cool. What mods are you running? I know yours is an automatic (unless you did a conversion) so yours better have a lot more than 250HP otherwise my 5-speed will get you off the line pretty good ;)

[GeniusCreator811]

its completly stock

[cdaviesaz]

A heavy, stock automatic vs. a supercharged 5-speed...hmmm, tough call. ;)

[surferyo]

Nice!!

I have a 1995 tacoma with the same motor *stock*

but it still runs pretty quick, 195hp im told it has

[cdaviesaz]

Stock is 190HP on the Tacoma and 183HP on the 4Runner. TQ is the same. Some say it has something to do with the ECU mapping, but that's up for debate. I had a 1998 Tacoma LTD before this 4R and I loved it - they are great trucks!

[xRAMxDOD]

the toyota 5VZ-FE 3.4 V6 on wikipedia says that maximum stock output is 195 HP

[cdaviesaz]

Just looked at both the 4Runner and the Tacoma Wiki's and didn't see anything stating 195HP...post or send me the link so I can see what you are talking about.

[jpcastroco]

Nice ride... I own a supercharged 4runner and runs great with nothing else but the supercharger...

[cdaviesaz]

Thanks! Hook up a good AFR and EGT meter and then tell me if you still feel comfortable when you see how lean it runs and how hot the EGT's are without any fuel/timing mods ;). Oh, and the stock fuel pump can't keep up with sustained WOT runs, so be careful there too. TRD should have never advertised this as a "bolt-on" item! Thanfully the 5VZFE is such a durable engine...