Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

[Bigprairie1]

With respect to the Toyota Tundra pickups....is there anything wrong with the smaller V-8's in the 'older' models vs. the new big high hp V-8's? I read a lot of comments about not buying one of these older V-8's (4.7 litre) to tow with.
Why? Are they junk? too small? lots of mechanical problems? No torque?
From a distance they seem to have similar (or more) power than the 4.8 litre GM's and they must be similar to the 5 litre Ford trucks. I'm sure they are substantially better than any of the older early 90's-ish V-8's.
So why the bad publicity and negative comments?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

I had a good reply here but some computer issue (probably me) did not post it. Check your Private Messages.

Bob

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

I wouldn't worry too much about the smaller V8 in the Tundras. I know several people that tow at or above their weight rating with them, and have never had any issues. I have one buddy who tows his 2007 35ft. Baja Outlaw with a smaller V8, and he doesn't have any issues. I think a lot of the negative press are from people who are 'power hogs' or what the best of everything. I myself see no need in an overpowered truck to pull a boat when I am going to be driving it through town 90% of the time anyway. Not to mention the ACTUAL 8 or 10 mpg rating difference in them. I'm not talking about what Toyota advertises because they test them on a Dyno without actual road conditions taken into factor. I don't know of anyone who actually gets there advertised MPG rating 5,000 after their purchase anyway.

 

[i386]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

I haven't heard anything negative about the older or newer Tundras. I'm sure the new ones have significantly more power but still may be adequate for what you're towing.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Well I'm glad to hear some positive response on this w.r.t the smaller V-8. I love the Toyota products but I wasn't interested in buying any problem vehicles. The problem with the new 'superpower' V-8's is that they are a lot of coin and there not yet too many of them out there for resale...at least around here.
Bang for the buck I tend to lean more toward the GM's....however the Toyota's have that quality element that is hard to beat.

 

[zoe'sdad]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Probably the towing capacity. I own a 2006 access (crew) cab with the v-8 and a 5 speed automatic. Towing is rated at 6500 pounds. Before that I owned a 2002 Tundra extra cab with the v-6 and a 4 speed automatic. It's towing capacity was 5000 pounds. If you need more than 6500 look at the v-8 extra cabs. Towing on those models are 7500 pounds and if you can find one there was a "style package" that had 15 inch aluminum rims, bucket seats and the TRD equipment that would tow 9000 pounds. Those are hard to come buy since most dealerships only stocked the SR5, TRD or Limited models. Did a lot of research on the 2002 truck!

As for the truck, it's great. Only complaint is a sensetive throttle that will lurch the truck forward with the slightest touch. Gas mileage on both trucks were the same; 16 city and 19 highway. If I had to buy a new one today I would stick with the 4.7 litre and save on the initial cost and gas.

 

[i386]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Toyota's a great truck... I almost bought a Tacoma. I also wanted to test out the Tacoma's competition, the Nissan Frontier. While at the Nissan dealership the V8 Titan caught my eye. I came back and looked at it after hours when the sales folks were gone. I was in love when I saw the interior. I was also pleased to see the price. I could get a nice V8 Titan for about what I was going to spend on a Tacoma, maybe a little more with nicer options. After a little research on some common problems on older Titans and speaking to the sales manager I decided to get one. I really like my new truck. It'll pull more than I'll ever need it to and it was the most powerful full-sized pickup until the new Tundra came out. Heh I didn't realize I'd bought such a beast, I just wanted a nice truck. I got both. But I digress... You won't be disappointed with a Tundra. I might not be able to catch you, but the Chevy's, Fords, and Dodges will be behind us both.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

...Ok, heres a quick technical question. Anyone know the hp/torque made by the smaller V-8 and at what rpm? (as well...vs the new big V-8)
If I get ambitious enough I suppose I could google and find it...but if someone knows, please enlighten me.

 

[i386]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Toyota Tundra

4.0L DOHC 24V V6 with Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i)
236 Horsepower @ 5200 rpm
266 Torque @ 4000 rpm (lb.-ft.)
Aluminum block with aluminum heads. Acoustically Controlled Induction System (ACIS) ? dual stage intake manifold
Compression ratio: 10.0:1
Emissions: LEV II
Recommended fuel: 87 octane or higher

4.7L DOHC 32V i-FORCE V8 with Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i)
271 Horsepower @ 5400 rpm
313 Torque @ 3400 rpm (lb.-ft.)
Cast-iron block with aluminum heads. Acoustically Controlled Induction System (ACIS) ? dual stage intake manifold
Compression ratio: 10.0:1
Tow hitch receiver, 7-pin connector, trailer brake control prewire, supplemental transmission cooler, transmission temperature gauge, 4.300 rear axle ratio, (4.100 rear axle ratio on 4.7L models)
Emissions: ULEV II
Recommended fuel: 87 octane or higher

5.7L DOHC 32V i-FORCE V8 with Dual Independent Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i)
381 Horsepower @ 5600 rpm
401 Torque @ 3600 rpm (lb.-ft.)
Aluminum block with aluminum heads. Acoustically Controlled Induction System (ACIS) ? dual stage intake manifold
Compression ratio: 10.2:1
Tow hitch receiver, 7-pin connector, trailer brake control prewire, supplemental transmission cooler, TOW/HAUL mode, transmission temperature gauge, 4.300 rear axle ratio (4.100 rear axle ratio on 4.7L models)
Emissions: ULEV II
Recommended fuel: 87 octane or higher

 

[JB]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Son just leased an '07 Tundra. Small V8. Original cost and fuel economy.

 

[Ifish2lil]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

New Gen. Tundra the smaller v-8 is not as good on mpg because it has only a 5-speed auto where the larger v-8 has a 6-speed tranny.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Ifish...are you saying I would get worse mileage as a result of the 4.7L V-8?
I would have expected it to be better than the new big guzzler referenced several times in the forum.
Does the 5spd automatic vs. the 6spd bring the mileage down that much?
How would either of these Toyota V-8's compare with a 5.3L GM? (1/2 ton).

 

[dbric36]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Trailerboats test of Tundra pulling a Sea Ray 220 sundeck at 65mph highway speeds 8.1 mpg Wow wonder what it would get pulling 8 to 10k?

In our ?Double Nickels? scenario, we towed a Sea Ray 220 Sundeck completely empty, and covered its bow and cockpit to reduce drag. We made sure the boat and trailer were level with the truck, and checked that all the tires were filled to their recommended psi. We also never drove faster than 55 mph on our test route.

In our ?Speedy? scenario, we kept the same setup, but drove 65 mph instead of 55. This change in speed will answer whether it?s worth resisting the temptation to travel at the rate you are accustomed to when not towing.

In our ?Does It Matter?? scenario, we really messed with our rig. First we dropped the air in the Tundra?s tires to 25 psi, down from their original 35 psi. Then we took off the Sea Ray?s covers, and even latched the door separating the bow area from the cockpit for some extra wind resistance. Finally, we added 500 pounds of weight to the boat, in the form of a dozen 5-gallon buckets filled with water. The 220 Sundeck has a 50-gallon fuel tank, so this weight is the equivalent of driving with a full tank of gas and 200 extra pounds of gear.






The Tundra?s computer confirmed what we experienced on our test route. In our ?Does It Matter?? scenario, we achieved only 8.0 mpg, compared to 9.3 and 11.1 mpg for our ?Speedy? and ?Double Nickels? circuits, respectively. The actual numbers showed the trip computer was being a little generous, however. Our data, based on gallons burned and the miles we traveled, showed only 7.3 mpg for the ?Does It Matter?? loop, 8.1 mpg for the ?Speedy? scenario (an 0.8 mpg or 11 percent improvement), and 9.9 mpg for the ?Drive 55? setup (a 2.6 mpg or 36 percent improvement).

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Thats not good towing mileage
Another reason i like the Diesel trucks,14 to 15 mpg towing 10,000 pounds

 

[i386]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

It's nice to know you can tow that much if you have to but I wouldn't buy a truck to tow something at its maximum capacity on a regular basis. Furthermore, I wouldn't buy any piece of equipment to regularly use at its maximum capacity.

For example, I could go rent a tractor or Bobcat and pull it with my Titan. I would not have bought my Titan to pull that every day though.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

I see that someone dug up an old thread....

...it's okay. I'll put my $.02 in on this as well.

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjTbiYo3x0&mode=related&search=

I love watching this video. It makes me laugh at the 'Toyota Quality'.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Yes, keep laughing..... Which Truck was just selected as Motor Trend Truck of the Year?

No one in their right mind would drive a truck across that terrain at that speed. Not what I consider real world.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

oops.... sorry. Stepped on toes.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Yes, keep laughing..... Which Truck was just selected as Motor Trend Truck of the Year?

No one in their right mind would drive a truck across that terrain at that speed. Not what I consider real world.

Not that Motor Trend Truck of the Year means anything. It's handed out to everyone, every few years. Why? It sells magazines. Ford guys are gonna buy the Ford issues, GM guys, obviously the GM issues.... etc. I don't put alot of stock in what the magazines say. There are so many variables that they don't necessarily figure in.

As for driving at that speed, I agree.... especially the Tundra guys. Their box'll end up in the cab!!!!! As for real world experience, you may not be hard on your truck, but don't think others aren't. Yes, this is an extreme situation, but what the video is basically doing, is bringing to light concern areas. You can't look at the longevity of the Tundra, as it's still too new into the REAL truck market.

How many recalls are the Toyota's up to now, is it 2 or 3? I can't remember.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Toyota Tundra...which V-8 and why?

Quotes from Tundra Solutions

"The Ford produced bed bounce video is worthless. In the video, you?ll see that the Tundra has dramatic bed vibration. You?ll also see that the entry speed was 28mph. Why 28? Our guess is that 28mph was the speed that the Ford performed best at. Had the test been conducted at even 30mph, the results could have been dramatically different. Mechanical resonance is tricky ? even small changes in speed can dramatically effect the results. Besides, is anyone really going to drive on that surface that fast? What real-world situation would require you to drive almost 30mph on a surface that unforgiving? Because the situation in the Ford video is so unique, we really don?t think you should put much stock in it."


"Toyota should fix this soon. When we first heard about this problem, we didn?t believe it. However, over the last few months its become clear that something is wrong. Just like it took us a while to acknowledge, Toyota will need time as well. However, once it becomes clear to them, we can?t imagine they won?t fix it, especially considering the fix would be rather simple. Changing the rear leaf springs, while expensive, would undoubtedly cure the problem. In fact, the fix COULD be as easy as adding a new brace or redistributing some suspension weight. It?s important to remember that minor changes to the suspension can result in a radically different natural frequency, and therefore no bed bounce (or very little)."

Oh yeah..... Tundra Made in the USA Where are the others built??