4.0 Separation Anxiety? This might help…

https://www.hagerty.com/media/buying-and-selling/auctions/first-gen-toyota-4runner-turbo-rare/

The original 4Runner had a turbo off the shelf bolted onto a fuel-injected 22R. It basically embraced every complaint we see expressed here about turbo fours. And it’s a legend.

The new one is a bespoke turbo design benefitting from 40 years of Toyota’s further development of heat dissipation, metallurgy, and engine management technology, even further enhanced to meet or exceed their modern commercial truck durability standards.

Everything is going to be alright…in fact, it’s going to be really, really good.

 

Advice from a real mechanic-
https://youtu.be/Gn5hrhTEERQ?si=9NGR5sQN_v9wkevd

 

Hmmm.
>the 4Runner Turbo was Toyota’s answer to complaints that the truck was basically a tortoise that drank gas. Those complaints were justified. The original carbureted 2.4L 22R inline-four only had 100 horsepower—not nearly enough power for the 3700-pound truck. In 1985 Toyota offered fuel injection as an option, bringing the total to 116 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque.<

I had a 1989 22RE and back in the day with 100% gas, i could average 22mpg out of it and if i was REAL nice to it i think i got 25 once or twice.
I have had TONS of the 89-95 pickups, 2wd and 4wd and that engine is bulletproof and fuel efficient. My 92-93 model 2wds often clicked off 24-25 and have been as high as 27-28 if you're nice to them. These trucks in the late 80s and early 90s were not meant to be powerhouses or drag racers, they were fuel efficient reliable cheap vehicles that stole sales away from the big 3 by being reliable and cheap and fuel efficient.
The 22-RET was the most sought after by enthusiast for sure because of it being so rare. I dont think they were actually that much faster, i think it was just cool and different.

I am not worried about the new 2.4 Turbo in the tacoma and 4Runner being reliable, i am worried about it sounding like its pinging and knocking when you take off from a redlight. You ever parked next to a new Camry and hear it take off from a redlight? It literally sounds like its detonating and the rocker arms are backing off every time you give it gas to go. They sound like absolute garbage that you would have gotten in a mid 90s Geo Metro or the first model KIAs that came to the states.

The 2.4 2RZ-FE and 2.7 3RZ-FE that have been out since the mid 90s and replaced the 22RE have been great engines, i have also owned a bunch of trucks with these engines and even built one up for a big turbo application. After the Fast and Furious movies came out in the early 2000s everybody became a ricer and wanted to throw a turbo on everything. The website CustomTacos was the absolute playground of everyone with a tacoma and there were massive threads with people pushing the limits of the 2RZ 2.4 engine that came in the 2wd trucks. I am pretty confident Toyota had plenty of researchers there reading and studying what everyone was doing to garner data on life expectancy, reliability, and enthusiasm for the turbo applications. There were years and years and hundreds of builds and posts with people building their trucks into little sleepers. I had a 2002 2wd regular cab and then ordered a 2003 regular cab to build into a show truck. I got it in, bagged and body dropped it, put nitrous on it, and eventually got the itch for a built engine and turbo. I got a 3RZ 2.7 from a 4wd truck and built it, lowered the compression, did some port matching with a big sheetmetal intake i built, and put a big turbo on it and made absolute stupid reliable power. The only holdback was the clutch, even with a Spec Stage3 clutch i was only able to handle about 350whp. I built the engine and set the turbo combo up where it was fully capable of 500whp but the clutch was slipping in the higher gears at 350whp so i backed it down to 330ish whp and had a super sleeper that was an absolute killer on the highway.

The 2.4 2RZ-FE has been around since like 1995 and its uber reliable, its not uncommon to see them with 300,000 miles that have never been cracked open. Whats wrong with this new 2.4 turbo in the new vehicles is how they sound, how they feel, you can feel the dam thing vibrating in the foot pedal and it sounds like its pinging and detonating as you accelerate. Sure Toyota CAN build reliable but did they build reliable in this particular platform?? You only have to look at the Tundra and the recalls for the engine for evidence. Look at the recall and what its listed as
>Toyota is recalling certain 2022-2023 Toyota Tundra and Lexus LX vehicles due to a potential engine problem. The recall stems from machining debris that may not have been cleared from the engine during manufacturing, which could lead to engine failure. <
Its funny, debris from machining is what they claim but EVERY single video you see where a mechanic takes one apart just look at the rod bearings they are blue and mushroomed out and all chewed up. I think the "machining debris" is actually the rod bearings falling apart and getting blued from the engine detonating and knocking. I think the turbo tuning isnt great and the dam things are actually detonating which is knocking the rod bearings out, then they spin and turn blue from heat and put metal in the oil. You can call me crazy but i've been building shit long enough to know what rod bearings are supposed to look like and they sure as shit arent chewed up and blue at 20,000 miles like some of those videos of Tundra engines coming apart. I think the tuning they are doing with our shit gas we have is on the verge of garbage and the pinging and knocking sounds i hear are actually just that, pinging and knocking which smashes the rod bearings out. CAN toyota build reliable, YES. IS toyota building reliable lately??????????????????? Questionable.

 

^wisdom and experience shown in this post -

 

Can’t be appreciated today, however in the 80’s Nissan and Toyota were highly competitive and focused on matching each other’s moves. When Nissan offered the (seriously excellent) VG series V6 in 1983, it was a rare pants-down moment for Toyota that no doubt affected their powertrain decisions moving forward.

Right off idle the current T24 shares diesel noises attributed to DI, but is a lot quieter than my 1GR on the highway. It just never works very hard. Worth noting that Chevy & Ford both push more boost into their 2.7 & 2.3’s.

In light of stretch theories & speculation regarding the Tundra associated with knocking, only Toyota knows for certain, but I would love to hear a reasonable explanation from them as to why they recommend different octane levels for the same powertrain in different branded trucks.

 

Here is a great video of what was happening back then. Great video if you gotta few minutes to watch. This is what they were really doing,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gll-cNaPRi4&t=3266s&ab_channel=THESQUIDD

 

Never had this anxiety. In fact, the 5th gen has a few ticking time bombs in the form of timing cover leaks, secondary air injection system failures, and steering rack leaks, all of which have been addressed with 6th gen. My biggest gripe with 6th gen is the size increase.

 

Sounds great. When are you ditching your 4.0L dinosaur and getting a 6th gen?

 

I'm sure the new generation will have a few new teething issues to work out. Just like every new model.

To me, one of the most appealing things about late model 5th Gens is how old the tech was. Sure they added a few luxury features, but the drivetrain is essentially a dinosaur. Plenty of time for Toyota to work out the kinks. (not quite all of them of course)

 

Oh, Gen5 and its 4.0 have already secured legendary status in 4Runner history. Right there neck & neck with Gen3/3.4, and Gen4/4.7, which is as good as it can possibly get.

I appreciate the old-hat charm of my Gen5, but if I’m being intellectually honest, I’ll also say that Gen6 is a modern, worthy successor that’s improved in virtually every measurable way. I won’t be driving one home personally, but since this is technically the 6th Gen forum, I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more first-hand testimonials from new owners.

 

Except approach, departure, breakover angle, and weight. Just to name a few.

No hate though. I'm also excited to hear more firsthand testimonials!

 

Ah, so you will let others be guinea pigs despite your boundless enthusiasm for the 2.4T. Got it.

 

Those three kinks I listed were never addressed by Toyota in 5th gen, but designed out in 6th. It's more of a devil you know vs. devil you don't type of deal.

The 2.4L doesn't have an exhaust manifold to crack like the 4.7L. It's also resistant to catalytic converter theft and rodent damage, without a warm sheltered area between cylinder banks to invite nesting.

 

You wanna pay the difference for him to go buy one?

 

I'm not so concerned with the 6th gen turbo, though still a concern. But the QC ever since 2020 is just not what it was.

 

The issues with the new Tundra and Tacoma are definitely concerning. I'm really hoping they get the bugs worked out. In the meantime, I'll be curious to see how the 6th gen 4Runner performs in the real world.

 

I'm sure they will in time, as long as more emissions and tec isn't pushed on them. The 6th gen seem to fit the lease and 1-3 year ownership cycle better as most manufactures do nowadays.

 

He likes the 2.4T so much he made a thread about 22T-RE after he bought the last of the 1GR.

When are you buying a 6th gen since you too seem to be a big fan?

 

Man, you truly are clever. By half.

I thought I told you before I needed something with a bed….it’s outstanding, btw.

 

Eh, the Ranger is a better truck and value at this point, made by people making a decent living and not by some poor schmuck in Tijuana or Guanajuato making 2 dollars and 15 cents an hour. If that thing was still made in San Antonio I would give it a look.

But Toyota corporate loves you for generously padding their margins. LOL.

 

yes, I see in lieu of cogent arguments against people who believe workers making 60k-70k trucks should be paid living wages, finding memes online is your intellectual limit. No surprise there.

Taco is the only mid size BOF truck sold in the US that's made in a developing country. I'm confident you can find an appropriately cute cartoon meme for that too.

 

Sounds like really bad business practice paying someone so little they are below the Living wage. Must be so many deaths not getting enough to live and needing replacements for the dead on a daily bases. Dead Toyota workers everywhere.

 

I've been assigned to work in Mexico, India and SEAsia before for my roles overseeing outsourced work after my teams in the US got shitcanned. The workers in those place are absolutely not getting the standard of living that US wages allows American workers can.

If you actually have seen how assembly line employees of Toyota in Mexico live you wouldn't think it's a humorous 1970s British skit.

But, then again, I don't expect all buyers of a life style pickup now costing upwards of 15-20 years of the assembly workers' annual wages to think like I do. It's what it is.

 

Happy to oblige. And why not, Toyota’s always been good to me.

Disagree on the Ranger. I drove the 2.7T. It is a very good truck, but I placed my vote on the better truck with my dollars. Pleasantly surprised to see the assembly quality from the new plant in Guanajuato matched my 4Runner from Tahara.

Gen6 buyers are in for a treat. It’s a winner. Heck, with enough new owners reporting their experiences, someone here might even persuade you to say something positive? Haha, nah.

 

When Toyota built that plant outside TJ they also built a huge apartment complex to house the workers. They are kinda out in the middle of nowhere, so Toyota kinda built a whole little town out there for the people to live and stay. The apartments were really nice in 2018-2019 the last time i rode thru there but i think about 50% of them were new and only a couple years old.

 

Company towns, what can possibly go wrong. LOL.

 

The Ranger most comparable to the 4R and Taco uses a 2.3T that has been very well regarded.

If you are referring to the newish implementation of the 2.7 V6 EB in Ranger that's 1.5 second faster to 60 than the Taco, Toyota does not offer an v6 turbo for the Taco or 4Runner to compete with the 2.7T. The 2.7T has been used in F150s for some time now and other than a small batch having value issues with Broncos, has been a very good motor as well.

Of course there is the 3.0L EB on the top trim as well but again, no such options from Toyota.

 

And really really expensive.