Breathing new life into a tired Prado

The Toyota Landcruiser Prado 4x4 V-6 version was imported to the country in great numbers starting 1997. The importation, however, has long since slowed due to the ultra-high taxes now imposed on these vehicles. Over the years, some Prado owners have gotten tired of this vehicle’s performance, even if at a stock output of 183 horsepower, it’s no wimp. Its just that the mini 4x4s such as the RAV, CR-V and the Grand Vitara have lately bumped up their engine outputs to 148, 150 and 155 horses, respectively, due to popular demand, turning these vehicles into nimble jackrabbits. This highlighted the strain that the bigger, heavier Prado suffers when fully loaded with gear and/or family while driving uphill to Baguio or returning from a dive in Batangas. At least, weaker big SUVs have it worse.

Recently, a rare few Prado owners have let on how they solved this problem of breathing new life into their tired behemoths. Most have been enjoying this "little secret" for several months now, and it is estimated that of the hundreds of Prados imported into the country, maybe 10, more or less, are so equipped.

The secret? A supercharged custom-made by Toyota Racing Development (TRD) USA for the 3.4 V-6 engine, built to be bolt-on without any other modifications to the engine compartment.

A supercharger is an air pump that is bolted on top of the engine, replacing the stock intake manifold. It is run by the engine through a pulley and fan belt. Unlike a turbo, which is powered by exhaust gases and experiences some lag before actually kicking in, a supercharger goes into action instantly.

TRD USA boasts that its supercharger system boosts horsepower of the Prado from a stock 183 to a whopping 251. Torque increases from a stock 217 foot pounds to 267. TRD claims that at full boost, the 3.4 V-6 engine will make as much power as a 4.6 V-8. Imagine putting the big Expedition engine in a smaller Prado body.

The supercharged Prado will make more torque at 1,800 rpm than its stock engine would at the maximum of 3,600 rpm. Result: More useful power made available at lower rpms, meaning effortless climbing uphill on a full load and ultra-fast acceleration and higher top speeds.

The good news to all this power added is that fuel economy suffers minimally, like 1 mpg less than usual. The second piece of good news is that the supercharger is not difficult to install. If you can change a fan belt, you can install the supercharger yourself in about four hours. Certainly, any mechanic can, just by following the detailed instructions.

The bad news, though, is the supercharger does not come cheap. But at least it’s just a click away. It costs from $2,500 to $3,100, excluding shipping costs, depending on which Toyota TRD website you order it from.

All supercharged Prado owners agree, however, that once you’ve installed the supercharger, you’ll never want to drive without it.

For those interested in the supercharger, visit the following websites: trdsportsparts.com, toyotawholesaleparts.com, wctoyotasport.com, and partznet.com.

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Editor’s note: The Me&MyCar section welcomes contribution from readers wanting to share the modifications they’ve done to their vehicles. Just send your articles and photographs to The STAR’s Motoring Section, 13th corner Railroad streets, Port Area, Manila, or e-mail it to motoring@philstar.com.