1988 Toyota 4Runner with Chevy 5.3L V8

First time driving the runner after V8 swap. Its got a 2001 5.3L V8 out of a Tahoe with 36k miles. It also has a brand new 4L60E transmission, and dual 23 spline Toyota transfer cases.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• toyota
• 4runner
• v8
• 5.3
• 1988
• chevy

[MrArmyAnt]

Finally someone who has done this. I've got a 5.3l aluminum (same gen III block) what did you do for motor mounts and headers? I might be scrapping this for a v6 if it continues to be a pain. What sort of MPG are you getting?

[kliewer888]

@MrArmyAnt For the motor mounts, I just cut the old ones off and built my own out of, i believe, 3/16" plate and 1/2" bolts. The headers are just the Hooker block hugger style off summit racing. It took me a looooong time to get everything the way i wanted it for this build but i'm glad i stuck with it because it is AMAZING! That engine does not fit well in the 1st gen trucks but it can def be done. I'm getting about 15 mpg around town and around 20 on the highway

[morecarsthanbrains]

Nice. Im thinking about doing this myself. What size tires and gearing are you running? What kind of mileage on the road are you getting?

[kliewer888]

@morecarsthanbrains

Right now I'm running 37s with 4.88s but once I get my new axles I'm planning on going to 40s. If I drive reasonably I get 15 around town and almost 20 on the highway

[killervette454]

Did you have to do the sas for the engine to fit?

[kliewer888]

@killervette454 i already had the SAS done before I did this swap, but as far as i know I don't think this would work with IFS.

[gagakiddd]

bad ass! >_<

[kliewer888]

@Spikerdavid1

nope... it wasn't hard to wire other than the fact that i wanted to keep the stock gauges. if you wanted to keep the stock tranny you could just get a stand alone harness for the engine only. and you could get an adapter to go from the engine to the stock tranny from advanced adapters.

[Motorfordtoyota]

I plan on someday doing a similar swap with a Toyota i-FORCE 4.6 or 5.7. Or a Lexus 4.6 v8 (i-FORCE 4.6 thats better tuned to 380hp) In a 3rd gen 2001 or so limited runner. Cool.

[kliewer888]

you can get a 5.3L harness from Howell EFI without the stuff for the auto tranny and then an adapter from the engine to the stock toyota tranny from advanced adapters. the wiring harness was really easy to wire...Howell labels everything very well to make it really easy. The hardest part for wiring was getting the stock gauges (especially the tach) to work with all the new stuff.