Exhaust

Check Your Engine Before You Order

The 3rd gen 4Runner came with two very different engines, and that decides what fits:

• 2.7L 3RZ-FE four-cylinder
• 3.4L 5VZ-FE V6

Some parts are shared — our 47-state catalytic converter is listed for both the 3RZ and the 5VZ. Others are engine-specific, and the headers in particular are V6 only. Every listing states the engine it is built for; if the year and engine are not both a match, it is not the right part.

Where to Go From Here

• Headers — the 5VZ header.
• Cat-back systems — complete bolt-on exhaust from the converter back.
• Catalytic converters — direct-fit front and rear units.
• Mufflers and resonators — for tuning tone on a custom system.
• Weldables — bends, collectors, flanges and tubing if you are fabricating.
• Gaskets and hardware — the largest section on the page, and the one people forget until the exhaust is on the ground.
• Odds and ends.

Headers

The LCE 5VZ header kit is built from 16 gauge .065 wall stainless tubing with half-inch flanges, ceramic coated after welding, and ships as a pair with gaskets and hardware. It is listed for 5VZ Tacomas and 4Runners as well as 5VZ-swapped Pickups and 4Runners. It comes without a crossover, so it is designed around a custom exhaust from the collectors back.

Complete Systems

Two bolt-on routes if you would rather not fabricate:

• LCE Pro Flow Exhaust System — covers 1996 through 2002 and uses a MagnaFlow straight-through performance muffler.
• JBA exhaust, 1996-1998 — listed for both the 2.7L and the 3.4L, 2WD and 4WD. Note the narrower year range.

Catalytic Converters — Read the Emissions Note

The direct-fit converters here, including the rear converter for the 1999-2002 5VZ, are 47-state smog legal and are not legal for installation on California, Colorado or New York emissions controlled vehicles. There is more than one factory converter configuration across these years, so measure before ordering — that rear unit is 31 inches overall.

Not Sure Which Parts Pair Up?

Tell us the year, the engine and whether the truck has to pass a test where you live, and we will confirm the combination before you buy. The rest of the 1996-2002 4Runner catalogue is one level up.