Basics of swapping a tacoma (3.4 v6) to FJ40?

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Tigerstripe40 said:
For starters, you would need to swap axles.
.....

You would need to find a front axle with a drivers side differential. You can get these from Ford or Jeep vehicles pretty inexpensively.


So...what about using the taco front end to accomodate the drivers side differential. ....This probably wouldn't be an easy mod as the suspension is completely different. Coils wouldn't fit very neatly up in the 40 fenders. I see.

If I am following you then, the toybox makes sense because it would align the driveshafts to the existing 40 series axles with minor driveshaft mods. Right? it is not the low gearing but the convenience of not goofing around with new axles, etc????
Click to expand...
 
vtcruiser60 said:
So...what about using the taco front end to accomodate the drivers side differential. ....This probably wouldn't be an easy mod as the suspension is completely different. Coils wouldn't fit very neatly up in the 40 fenders. I see.
Click to expand...


Taco Front end is IFS.
Not a solid axle
It would be EXTREMELY hard to make tha twork.

vtcruiser60 said:
If I am following you then, the toybox makes sense because it would align the driveshafts to the existing 40 series axles with minor driveshaft mods. Right? it is not the low gearing but the convenience of not goofing around with new axles, etc????
Click to expand...

Yes.
A toybox makes things MUCH nicer.
You have to do driveshafts anyways.
But the axle differences with the taco t-case would be much much harder to deal with than simply doing a dual t-case setup.
 
3.4, great swap into a earlier generation truck. IF you can address the wrong side T/case drop.

Not such a good swap into the Cruiser. Not enough low end torque and too many complications.


Coments about the V8 swap being "done to death", and the 3.4 swap being "cooler"... ???

Form follows function. This isn't a fashion show. If it works it's cool. If it doesn't, it's not.

Done to death???? Who cares?


Mark...
 
Tigerstripe40 said:
As far as the wiring harness, Offroad Solutions has a stand alone 3.4 wiring harness

spendy, yes, but if you compare the price fo that wiring harness to getting a MPFI, TPI, or vortec wiring harness, you are in the same ballpark.
Click to expand...

I had no idea that a wiring harness was so expensive....seriously, that may kill the deal right there for me. Supposedly, I can yoke any and all wiring from the donor Tacoma for this build, but offroadsolutions.com seriously cautions against going that route when mating a 3.4 to a landcruiser.

I also called Marlin and talked through the build with them. As always goals are important to consider first. I want a reliable driver for light off roading, not crawling. I also have budget in mind to build up a FJ40 and can't get too crazy. Here is how the prices mount up for this swap:

96 Tacoma donor 3.4L engine and 5spd tranny (all wiring included) = $500
V6 Single 4.70 Crawler Unit from marlin = 1200 (Much less if I supply the tcase and gear the box myself)
Custom driveshafts = $600 EST
83-85 Minitruck axles = $500 EST

I could be off on the driveshaft and axle estimates...but that is the pshizzel at the moment.
 
I am feeling like the SBC conversation is a bit off track. The pricing above indicates that the 3.4L swap will run approximately 3k for the engine, tranny, transfercase, and axles. Of course given how these things go it would likely be 20% more or less than that price.

How does the SBC compare now.
 
Well, you already have a 4-spd considering it's a '77 truck. I saw a Downey conversion bellhousing for sale in the classifieds here for $100/bo recently. You will need to find either a saddle-style mount, or traditional side mounts, which may put the motor further forward than you want.

SBC's are a dime a dozen. Look in the car parts section of the Want Ad. I think it will cost you less than the 3.4 when all is said and done.
 
They make a supercharger for that motor that puts it at ~ 300hp, and it screams. Very light compared to the anchor that came out. If I could find that deal I would not think twice about ripping my F out.

Motor mounts and physically making it fit is the easiest of the challenge, the wiring, and getting the cooling system hooked up is the stuff that scares me
 
Just scanned thru the tread, the t-case dilemma? since it looks like you are going to run dual cases, there is no reason to not just use a split case behind your toybox, and then you can keep cruiser axles under it.
 
You could get the ORS harness setup to make the wiring easier or tackle it yourself. Use a Marlin adapter from the Taco tranny to a mini truck crawl box then another adapter from the crawl box to whatever cruiser case you want. I guess that would be the Rock Box??? Anyways, one of the biggest issues would be the length of the tranny and transfer assembly, but if I came across a deal like you have, I wouldn't think twice about doing it.
 
vtcruiser60 said:
sorry for the cross posting, but I thought to put up pics...and posted them in the 95+ truck tech....

For those following, what do you see right or wrong with these engine shots. I have yet to make it over there in person.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=152456
Click to expand...

That motor doesn't look to healthy, it may be more of headache after you swap it in. It looks like it sat up in the weather for a long time. I think you can find one wrecked in much better shape than that. Just my .2
 
I'm not sure what your intentions are with the rig, maybe I missed it. Personally, instead of doing a swap I'd wait to find a good 2F that somebody is trying to get rid of. I see them frequently in the parts wanted / for sale section. For me that would be the winner as it would put the truck on the road in short time and you wouldn't have to mod anything... no motor mounts, no adapters, nada. Sounds like the most straight forward option to me. Just my .02. Good luck!
 
Any progress on this swap, or is it a dead issue? I'm considering doing a 3.4L V6 into my 66' FJ45LV wagon. I'd go the toybox route and keep the LC axles....even though they're from '66!

Got a pretty cherry deal on a V6 out in CA....just not sure what the thoughts are....and yeah the argument for displacement is always there....but this coupled with the TRD S/C thats in my taco.....I'd be pleased.
 
OK,

As someone who has done this swap in a 4runner, I can tell you that it is not THAT hard to do without the ORS harness.

http://www.andrewzook.com/content/view/22/48/

Additionally, you are ALL smoking crack if you think a 40 with a 3.4 and minitruck 5 speed and axles weighs more than the 3rd gen 4runner!

I contemplated this for a moment - but my drivetrain only has 38k on it. I'll wait until my F dies first.

What I thought would make a good setup:
'84/85 minitruck front axle
'87+ minitruck rear axle
5 speed/transfer from behind a 3.0
'97+ 3.4L if you ever want a supercharger

Enjoy,
CAZ
 
I posted the original thread, but never did the swap. I am the kind of guy with limited time, one that is challenged by the simple F engine. I ended up passing on the opportunity to pick up the engine and went in a different direction.

There is a link in this thread above for a guy who did this swap into a 40 series. It looked really nice and he said it had plenty of power, really peppy.

Good luck.
 
I know where there are a pile o parts 40s within a few hours of you that you could get a full SBC setup cheap. :)
 
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