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Improve vehicle performance

Discussion in '3rd Gen 4Runners (1996-2002)' started by horse, Jul 30, 2025.

  1. Jul 30, 2025 at 2:42 PM
    #1
    horse

    horse [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2023
    Member:
    #36283
    Messages:
    46
    Gender:
    Male
    Hi, 1999 Toyota 4Runner. My vehicle is not developing full power. I had it overhauled in January 2024 at 153,000. Could you help me determine what items I should have checked to enhance performance? Some things that come to mind are:
    Clean the mass air flow meter and replace the engine air filter
    Remove air while filling the radiator fluid
    Spark plugs have already been replaced
    There is no smoke from the exhaust
    The bonnet heats up without the car running for too long. This might be due to air in the radiator fluid. There is no engine check light coming on for the catalyst converter.
    Please mention the smaller items that can be overlooked. I don't think that there is anything major wrong with the vehicle.
    Thank you.
     
  2. Jul 30, 2025 at 7:05 PM
    #2
    icebear

    icebear Member

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2023
    Member:
    #36091
    Messages:
    1,979
    Vehicle:
    2021 Toyota 4Runner SR5
    What’s the engine and 0-60?

    Are the tires the stock size and load rating?
     
  3. Jul 30, 2025 at 7:24 PM
    #3
    ChessGuy

    ChessGuy New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2021
    Member:
    #23918
    Messages:
    1,425
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    LR
    Houston
    Vehicle:
    2020 Venture/ 2017 Tacoma
    Too many..... Performance: • Magnusum Supercharger • Gibson exhaust with dual black tip • Pedal Commander * PowerBrakes • Suspension – Old Man Emu BP-51 front and back with Medium load coils • Tires: AT3 Faulken Wildpeak – 285/70/17 • Wheels: Relations Race Wheels, RR7-H with -12 offset • Full roof rack and ladder by Westcott Design (removed the stock Yakima basket) • Molle storage panels by Rago fabrication • Front light brackets by Rago • Illuminator light bracket by Rago (roof rack location) Lights • Morimoto front and back with sequential signals • Morimoto fog lights and side mirrors with sequential signals • 40” Baja design light bar for roof rack • 20” S8 Baja design driving combo (winch location) • Squadron sport baja design ditch lights • S2 Chase lights by baja designs (mounted on roof) In the bay: • Odyssey 34-PC Battery • SDQH Aluminum billet battery terminals and bracket • Switch Pro 9100 with aluminum tray • Anytime front and back camera • ARB twin compressor Recovery & Protection: • Smittybilt X20 synthetic rope winch • Factor 55 fairlead and flatlink • Southern Style Off-road (SSO) low profile bumper • SSO stage 2 high clearance wings • Weekend warrior recovery kit by treaty oak • RCI – skid plates – entire vehicle + catalytic converter protection wings Interior: • Nano Ceramic IR – Avery Dennison Window tint – all windows • Several phone mounts • Upgraded Rear Hatch lift gate struts (ladder is heavy) • Boom blaster horn switch (featuring La cucaracha)
    Get a compression test at a reputable shop if none of the little things help. Seems like something odd could have happened during the overhaul. Post pics if you can.
     
  4. Jul 31, 2025 at 5:55 PM
    #4
    negusm

    negusm New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #11745
    Messages:
    2,344
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2002 4Runner SR5 4WD
    Your car sounds normal.

    What's your MPG? If you get 17mpg in the city and 19mpg on the highway, congrats, you have all the performance you can get.
     
    Hank69 likes this.

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