03' V8 is underrated from the factory. - Toyota Tundra Forums : Tundra Solutions Forum

kaneman · #1 (**permalink**) 02-20-2003, 11:57 PM

There has to be more then 235hp that Toyota is claiming. Not to start a pissing contest, I will tell you why.

Tonight, after driving my neighbor's new 03' V6 and him driving my 03' V8 we both came to the agreement that mine was much quicker and powerful. Don't get me wrong, the V6 is powerful but when compared to the V8, it seems noisey and slightly slower. We decided to line them up on a backroad and ran them up to about 80mph. By 80mph, I immediatley took him by 2 trucks and by 80 I had gained another(approx. 3 length's total). I know this isn't an accurate test and could be driver error, but I thought I would share my findings. We wanted to go again but didn't because we both have just over 1kmiles on the odo. I now want to line my 99' S/C'ed Tacoma up against it. I know it sounds silly racing SUV's but I'm a HP freak. I guess it's true that Torque prevails over HP?

Good Times · #2 (**permalink**) 02-21-2003, 12:52 PM

kaneman:

umm torque? with all that weight we're lugging that will definitely make a big difference. Plus the v8 has the 5 speed tranny which helps in the gear ratio! literally! don't forget that the v6 only has a 4 speed tranny... (o poo for them! hehe)

good times!

kaneman · #3 (**permalink**) 02-21-2003, 02:32 PM

I figured it was the torque but it still doesn't explain a few things. After driving my 4Runner then driving my Brother's V8 Tundra, it feels slow. The Tundra rumbles louder but doesn't feel like it's getting up the road compared to the 4runner. After looking @ some test data the Tundra is almost a second slower in it's 0-60 times.. I'm starting to believe that toyota is just trying to build market for the new V6.

EDGE · #4 (**permalink**) 02-21-2003, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kaneman
I'm starting to believe that toyota is just trying to build market for the new V6.

I read somewhere that 80% of the trucks will be V6 2wd, I think they underrated the engine.

I was stop light racing with some guy in an Aviator and since we never really went above 45 which was the speed limit and the traffic I really saw anything that said his 302hp truck was more powerful than mine.

I always loved having an engine with a lower HP rating then someone else and being faster than them

Maybe one of the magazines will dyno it

Good Times · #5 (**permalink**) 02-21-2003, 08:27 PM

kaneman:

key differences in the v8 tundra and the v8 4runner...

5 SPEED TRANSMISSION!!!!

that pretty much makes the biggest difference between the two thus, the 4runner will be abit faster... better gear ratio

now as for the v6 to v8 comparison, even though the v6 might have more HP the lack in the torque and the 5 speed transmission will suffer.. Luckly for us, we have the 5 speed v8 so we should be able to zoom by faster than most suv's out there! hehe

kaneman · #6 (**permalink**) 02-21-2003, 10:36 PM

I'm glad to see you agree with it being underrated. I haven't really gotten on it yet and I'm still impressed. I've been driving a S/C'ed Tacoma for the last couple of years and I'm thinking this runner may be quicker! I think it was you that raced a S/C'ed taco recently.. Anyhow, I'm going to have to get my wife to run me in the 4runner to see how they compare...

kaneman · #7 (**permalink**) 02-21-2003, 10:37 PM

I wouldn't think that the 5speed tranny would make such a huge difference... I'm loving this truck more and more everyday.

EDGE · #8 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 12:31 AM

I've read some threads on Tundra owners who claimed their trucks where oddly fast, some of them even put them on the dyno and got higher numbers than claimed by Toyota.

I read other threads that said the 4.7L V8 comes out in 2 forms the way they make it or it has more power, seems like more of them have oddly more power maybe Toyota is holding back and not telling us.

Kinda like the Mustangs or Camaro/Trans Ams that had an advertised HP number but when dynoed they where much higher

I read on the edmunds board, one of the owners who said he was an engineer and technician for a long time and was listing all the specifications of the V8 Limited truck said after driving both V8 and V6 that the V8 had to have at lest 255HP on the low side.

The V8 comes with a 5speed but it is just as fast with overdrive off

edit, didn't a year ago the HP numbers for the 4.7 was 245 and they lowered it to 235, maybe their is 10 right their just in the advertising to make it a LEV

kaneman · #9 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 04:31 PM

Your right on target. Going by my Butt-O-Meter, which is pretty accurate I would say it's closer to 265HP. Seriously and if it's not then the 4runner must be getting down all 235 HP down to the groud or close to it...

EDGE · #10 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kaneman
Going by my Butt-O-Meter, which is pretty accurate I would say it's closer to 265HP. Seriously and if it's not then the 4runner must be getting down all 235 HP down to the groud or close to it...

You better get that patented, someone is going to steal your idea

kaneman · #11 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 09:08 PM

You've never heard of the butt-o-meter? Very accurate way of measuring HP!!

Seriously, I've always been able to drive or ride in a car and estimate the HP. I predicted the HP in my buds' Galant VR4, Turbo Jetta VR6, and a 93 Cobra Mustang. I was within 10hp on all 3!

EDGE · #12 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 09:49 PM

Very impressive man, can you guess the wheel HP or just the engine

Xfercase · #13 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 02:12 AM

One variable that hasn't been mentioned. The 4runner is built in Japan. In my expierience Toyota vehicles that are made there are superior in many ways to those built elsewhere. A hard thing to actually quantify but better build quality and tighter controls all around may have played a part in the 4runners percieved quickness. It may however be rated lower than actual output. In japan this is a common practice and toyota may think little of stating it somewhat lower. Remember in Japan regular production vehicles are restricted to aprox. 300hp.(limited prod. can be more.) Yet its reported cars such as the infamous Skyline put out in the 350hp range yet were classified as 300 to remain legal.

kaneman · #14 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 02:33 AM

It was probably luck more then anything. All the Dyno's were wheel HP. The coolest was the Galant because it was AWD... We had to find someone that had an AWD Dyno. He put out 344HP and I guessed around 350... Sick car.

kaneman · #15 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 02:35 AM

I noticed the samething this week. I saw the made in Japan sticker on the door. It's been my experience that the Japanese built versions are built better.... folks over at www.tacomaterritory.com say the same about the newer tacomas. The old pickup's were built in Japan and were tougher....