Greetings. First post here. Have a pristine 03 V-6, 4x4,TRD, manual trans extended cab. Would like to increase both power and economy without resorting to supercharger. Anyone have experience or recommendations re CAI, headers, exhausts from either TRD or others? My objective is to make it more efficient "and" powerful without increasing wear.

I know there's "no free lunch," but I am willing to spend money because I'm keeping this truck forever. [color:"black"] [/color]

There is only so much you can do without forced induction. The mods you are looking for are not going to give you substantial power increase. One thing to remember is that every time you modify the engine for more power you are sacrificing MPG and longevity. You cannot have both when boosting power:( Headers are great...if you are creating more exhaust. More exhaust means you are creating more power. Get the point? Economy and power do not go hand in hand <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" />

IT's funny that you speak of that. I'm experiencing just the opposite. I average between 21-22MPG every tank with both the TRD s/c and exhaust. I get 350-370 miles per tank and this has increased from 19mpg when I first got the truck. I know this isn't the norm.. but I'm not complaining.

That's pretty good gas mileage. I get about 290-310 a tank.

As for hopping up something stock cheaply.
Deckplate mod helps.
KN air filter for more free flow.
After market muffler that's more free flow.
and Also run premium gas, always.

Oh...welcome to the board. I see your from the east valley.

2 mods that I have done so far to my '03 DC are the 4" deck plate mod and flex-a-lite 675 electric fan. Next will be TRD headers and exhaust.

Biggest bang for your buck is the deckplate mod. Dynos @ avg. (6hp) for a 100$CDN.
Deck Plate Mod

Flex-a-lite install and review coming soon.

Thanks for the answers. Yep, I'm in East Mesa, near Signal Butte & Southern. Am definitely up for some offroad expeditions. Particularly interested in off pavement routes to Show Low where I have a "getaway", in the event that highways were for "some reason" ever closed.

I'm not a mechanical engineer, but would think that enhanced breathing would make engine more powerful without increasing gas consumption. Perhaps I'm wrong, and it's not too different from s/c?

That deckplate is new to me. Read the link, and I'm still a little fuzzy. Am I correct that it is basically CAI, or is it different?

hey don't forget the ISR (intake silencer removal) mod

i just did it on my truck today and so far the more i drive it the more i can feel an added boost more noice yes but i like it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

hell it only cost me about $4 on my 98 because all i needed was 2 1" pvc caps and a 1/4x1/4x1/4" plastic tee

http://www.yotatech.com/~corey/tech/96runner_isr/96runner.htm
http://www.yotatech.com/~corey/tech/dr_z_intake/dr_z.htm

i did a mix between the two
i took the pvc cap idea from the 96-97 3.4lt but i did not use the barbed hose adapter
instead i took the 1/4" tee from dr.z's mod and it worked out pretty good

What the deckplate mod does is allow for more air induction when the engine wants it. Thus giving you hp increases at times when the engine would be otherwise limited to the air flow that the stock intake provides. The nice thing with the deck plate is that if you ever come across water you can just put the cap back in and the stock air intake takes over. Basically it comes down to this, allowing for more air when the engine needs it means more hp and better fuel economy. In the case of a SC you are forcing more air into the system then it needs producing alot more hp but also forcing the comp to increase the fuel usage.