High altitude fj80 life (1 Viewer)

[wyota41]

Just wondering who owns a 80 series (3FE more specifically), lives at altitude, and what you've done if anything to get the most out of your engine.

I just picked up a pristine '92, only 130k miles, and am planning to build it up slightly for life in Wyoming. First things first is to get the most out of the engine. Less interested in total mpg since it is already terrible, more interested in getting over the mountains and being able to use the rig with larger tires (33s, like 255s).

Any and all experience appreciated.

 

[SteveH]

Don't put giant tires, heavy bumpers, and 500# of tools in it, and don't expect to tow more than a very small trailer. A 3FE is a fine engine, but can't really be bumped in power much. I shift the auto trans in my FJ62 manually to hold gears longer, so that it doesn't upshift and suck all the life out of the engine. Don't be afraid to run the engine at higher RPMs than a 2F. You will need to, to get any power out of it. If it has 31s on it, you will notice a difference with 33s, for sure.

 

[ZackR]

I don't think you'll get any real gains in power so you'll have to do the best with what you have by re gearing, especially if you go with bigger tires. My wife's grandparents live in Laramie (~7200') and even a vehicle with decent power to start with is noticeably less powerful way up there.

Perhaps instead of a full regear on the diffs you could just regear the transfer case. I wouldn't go with tires any larger than a 33".

 

[wyota41]

Laramie is exactly where i start driving up hill from, so I'll rev it for sure. This is my first auto transmission, so getting used to it will take time. Keep whiffing on the left foot.

I'm looking into the t case gearing option since i won't be going over 33s, maybe just 32s.

Anybody out there try to get more air into the thing, intake mods? Does it even help with the 3FE? I went back to stock intake on my tacoma because it actually dropped my performance and messed up the MAF all the time

 

[ZackR]

Laramie is exactly where i start driving up hill from, so I'll rev it for sure. This is my first auto transmission, so getting used to it will take time. Keep whiffing on the left foot.

I'm looking into the t case gearing option since i won't be going over 33s, maybe just 32s.

Anybody out there try to get more air into the thing, intake mods? Does it even help with the 3FE? I went back to stock intake on my tacoma because it actually dropped my performance and messed up the MAF all the time

You'll find that you need to manually shift the auto depending on how steep the hill is. 2nd gear uphill at 4000rpm is easier on the engine than just leaving it in drive and letting it bog in the higher gears, for example.

Assuming you aren't in a hurry it'll make it wherever you want to go. Keep the tires close to stock as possible (only go bigger if needed, not for looks) and keep the weight down (avoid the big heavy bumpers and such unless you actually need them).

 

[TomOsborne]

Make it happen please

Turbo 3fe. Build.

 

[KennyBob]

I’m not in high altitudes (Texas hill country) but I would love to regear either t-case or diffs to compensate for my 33s. Personally, I can’t imagine trying it in high altitudes without. To each his own though. Everyone’s tolerance is different.

 

[wyota41]

You'll find that you need to manually shift the auto depending on how steep the hill is. 2nd gear uphill at 4000rpm is easier on the engine than just leaving it in drive and letting it bog in the higher gears, for example.

Assuming you aren't in a hurry it'll make it wherever you want to go. Keep the tires close to stock as possible (only go bigger if needed, not for looks) and keep the weight down (avoid the big heavy bumpers and such unless you actually need them).

I definitely won't fit a bigger tire for looks. Only for off road handling and only lift to fit that tire if needed, never for looks! Appreciate the info.

I'm gonna learn to drive this auto like a manual and very likely go with the t case gears since the 31s are just too small for the boulders around here.

Probably start a high altitude experiment thread. Lessons learned from my '04 Tacoma, new lessons from the FJ80 (i.e. turning cash into gas, turning gas into fumes...staying under the speed limit all the while)

 

[Chache80]

A 3fe at high altitude is fine, up until you get in the 10-12k foot range. I’m local to 6k feet and she cruises fine with 35’s and stock gearing, at the top of Vail pass, I was struggling to hold 45 in 2nd gear. I’ve never been passed by a fuel tanker till living with the 3fe.

 

[ThomasMore66]

I keep a 94 with the 1fz at my house in Durango (7000'). I use all the rpm's heading down the highway in the mountains. I think you'll have to do the same. Don't be afraid to rev it.

 

[Heckraiser]

Turbo! And please document your build here

Can you Turbo a 3FE?

 

[Marco Lau]

the 3FE is all about momentum and shift point. Don't be afraid to downshift to 3rd and even 2nd to carry forward your momentum. 3000 - 4000 rpm is the sweet spot. I run 4.88, 35s with front/rear bumper/sliders and it do just fine on hill climbs, and i am just a tad slower compared to 1fz-fe depending on what gear and grade we are in. Desmog, and keeping the engine in good bill of health really helped in that department. Keep the engine temp cool and you will never have to worry about HG or other things in this engine.

 

[Wisedog22]

I have a 1fZ turbo w/ 33's and i'm at 10k feet in the mountains. Forced induction up here is just the way to go. We have a pass that goes up to 11,200 feet and my neighbor who has a 1fz n/a can only do 40MPH up it where im crusing in 3rd at 65MPH.

 

[ThomasMore66]

I have a 1fZ turbo w/ 33's and i'm at 10k feet in the mountains. Forced induction up here is just the way to go. We have a pass that goes up to 11,200 feet and my neighbor who has a 1fz n/a can only do 40MPH up it where im crusing in 3rd at 65MPH.

You intercooled?

 

[junior80]

yeh you probably need to force some air into it eg turbo or sc.

 

[Wisedog22]

You intercooled?

Yup it's the CX racing set up.

 

[wyota41]

A 3fe at high altitude is fine, up until you get in the 10-12k foot range. I’m local to 6k feet and she cruises fine with 35’s and stock gearing, at the top of Vail pass, I was struggling to hold 45 in 2nd gear. I’ve never been passed by a fuel tanker till living with the 3fe.

Stock gearing and 35s sounds insane at elevation, but if you're doing it I'll give it a good effort. Vail pass bogs down most rigs anyway .

A turbo would be incredible, but I'll be working the transmission through the higher rpm bands before getting too crazy with building on a perfect engine. This new rig has been grandpa's garage kept weekend getter for 27 years, so it's probably never been revved. Fresh power in there waiting to get out on the high mountains, or something like that ...

 

[EvanD]

I've got a 97 LX450 on 35's with stock gears. While I don't live at altitude anymore I've driven through it many times, including something like a dozen times over Vail Pass. Sure, I'm doing 40-45 in the truck lane on the uphill but it's never let me down. I've read here numerous times that my engine is happy at high (at least by our gauge standards) RPM's. That was after most of the trips up and down Vail Pass but I started trying the 2nd gear after some reading. Def has a little more pep but I never complained getting passed by almost everyone (as well as not being able to pass anyone). I didn't buy the truck to go fast and big hills at speed/altitude are it's only shortcomings, IMO.

Edit- Highway driving aside, I've also done some wheeling between 8-10k ft. No real issues there, either.

2nd edit- I don't actually know my curb weight but I also have a front ARB with Warn 8000/steel cable, rear dual swingout, and was fully loaded down with (if I had to guess) around 1000 lbs of cargo most trips over.

 

[Qball]

There are very limited ways to make an 80 liveable at high altitude. Cheap way is to lose weight, lots of it. Get rid of seats, rack, spare, doors, bumpers or anything bolted down for anything other than drivetrain. 31 or smaller tires tires are a must.

More expensive and more headache way is forced induction, sounds like you can get away with that at where you live though.

 

[EvanD]

Not a jab but either my rig either has something I'm unaware of (no turbo, forced induction, super charger, etc) or people evidently expect something out of their rigs that I don't.

Working two winters in Colorado and routinely commuting from ~5k-8k was never a problem at all. Maintained 50+ MPH through hilly, windy mountain roads.

Edit- And that was always with the lowest grade fuel available. Now that my LX isn't my DD and only used for trips, I feed it the highest grade available. Makes a difference at least in power (I didn't bother tracking MPG before or after the switch, it is what it is).