OVTune Tacoma 3.5L Auto - Transmission / Engine - ECU Reflash

I would say I have near that in mileage on 1.02C and have recently noticed the shifting starting to act up a little. By act up, I mean that it will downshift more often than when I initially flashed it and most specifically from 5th and 6th. I dont notice it much in 1-4 but the one thing I do notice in this range is that if I accelerate off a stop light, for example, and go from 1 to 2, then have to let up the throttle for some reason (like a slow moving car ahead), the transmission will kind of lag and take an extra couple of seconds to figure out where it needs to be. This doesnt happen often so its not really a concern. The increased shifting in 5 and 6 is a little more like stock than I like. I will be reflashing 102c this week again since i have a trip coming up and want to have it be less shifty. Also taking the laptop and the 87 tune in case we run into places with no 91 on the journey.

 

I drive on fairly flat to mild and moderate hills and seem to be getting 1 to 2 mpg better than before. I think this is because having more power in the lower part of the RPM band I'm using less throttle. My shifting I think is starting to relearn some old habits but is muted by the quicker throttle response and it's ability to shift in and hold the right gear longer...
Still waiting to see if there's more changes but overall still very happy.

 

My experience so far (600-700 miles) mirrors this pretty close I would say.

I’ve been running 87 octane map A. Haven’t tried B or C yet.

I’ve been feeling that it has relearned some bad shifting habits, but the other benefits of the tune help mask this some. If I’m “gently” accelerating from a stop, it will get to 4th really quick, every once in a while upshifting just to immediately down shift again to keep accelerating. It will hit 5th at 35mph if just cruising. That’s just too soon in my opinion.

However, it still responds vastly better than before to throttle inputs. So while relearning some of the “shift happy” characteristics, it is still much more pleasurable to drive than without the tune. I was running a SSP (still installed actually) and I haven’t felt the need to use it.....not to take anything away from that product because it does exactly what it says it’s supposed to do. I’ll most likely remove it and sell it as the tune has improved driveability plenty.

I feel a very distinct difference with ECT on. If I’m coming up on some hilly terrain, throw ECT on and it’s a joy. It’s a tad harsh for just casual cruisng, but I like having the option there when I want it.

Like others have said, I on occasion get the on-off throttle “clunk” feeling around 1-2 shift point, like if you had to accelerate from a stop and let off the gas for some reason around the shift point and then get back on the gas....that’s when the clunky feeling happens. Hasn’t really bothered me much as it’s not all the time, but it’s there sometimes.

Will be checking at my next service (due now) for updates crank position sensor, as I’m fairly sure I don’t have the most updated version.

So in a nutshell, my experience so far has been greatly improved driveability with a little relearning of bad habits. ECT on is pretty awesome albeit somewhat harsh. Need to try map C on see if it suits me any better.

 

That is my biggest pain point with map A. I loved shifting from gear 2 - 6 on Map A, just couldn't get used to the first gear "harshness". Truck is completely stock.

I switched to map C, with about 200 miles on that so far. Map C have perfect 1-2 shift point, which I believe its stock. Gear up shift 5-6 which is stock on MAP C is too conservative IMO.

The perfect map for me would be:
gear up shift 1-2 stock
gear up shift 2-6 Map A

Maybe OVT can release a MAP D

 

I think that’s why I haven’t been eager to try map C. I hated the stock 5-6 gears, especially at Hwy speeds (50-70+mph). That’s why I initially bought the SSP (before the tune was available). I personally LOVED that 6th gear wouldn’t engage until 72mph with the SSP.

But I might as well give it a try. That’s why we bought the kit right? To be able to switch maps at will. I’ll give C a shot and see if the 5-6 is tolerable.

I was having the same thought as you.....I could use a “stock” 1-2 shift, whith the rest up through 6th modified.

 

Success - this thread was getting too quiet!
I had similar experiences with Shift C after about 700 or so miles with shifting reverting a bit (though not as bad as stock for sure) the shifting itself didn't feel as buttery smooth in that time either as it did for the first 500 or so miles. My MPGs also didn't pick back up entirely - my MPGs were actually 2-3 better on Shift A than Shift C. Also experienced something quirky which I guess is just my truck and will need to get his datalogger going to pinpoint where the vibes that were characteristic of stock (floorboard, steering, throttle) started to resurface - in some way it seemed the introduction of the new intake and exhaust maps was leading the truck to learn values in an odd way. In any case, i've reflashed and all is good again. This truck is SO much more fun to drive OVTuned than not, but I still suspect there's some refinement to be done once Mat gets M/T and the 2nd Gen stuff taken care of.

There's some level of variability at play here within the trucks as well IMHO. Several folks LOVED 1.02b, but several disliked it and reverted back to 1.01b happily (myself included). On that release and to a far far lesser extent on 1.02c it seems my truck wants to find its way out of the intake/exhaust modifications over time. One thing is for certain, my truck has never driven more perfect than it does after flashing 1.02c-C - for awhile. hopefully one day we'll figure out how to make it stay that way, for me anyway. But again perhaps my truck is the black sheep that needs a little extra TLC...

 

So for us at least, it seems some relearning happens around the 700ish miles mark. I’m around that mark now, and now is when it definitely seems noticeable. Not to the point where it makes you angry, but noticeable.

For a bit I was wondering if it was just me being hypersensitive, as we pay more attention to every little detail of how it drives post-tune. But it seems that there are at least a few of us that are feeling the same way around this 700ish mike mark.

Still worth it though.

 

No question on value, and I know there will be more refinement to come once he gets the other platforms off the ground since it seems our 3rd gens have now catapulted his company fully into the massive after-market that is Taco + T4R freaks.

I too had been pretty quiet but good to know it's not just me. Did you just experience this with the shifting or anything odd with the vibe stuff?

 

I personally haven’t noticed any odd vibrations. For me it’s only really been the map A clunk and some relearning shift points.

Great, now I’m going to be analyzing every little possible perceived vibration haha

 

Nah it wasn’t subtle so if you ain’t feeling it it ain’t happening. My less than a year old truck has had quirks from the get go so it’s prob just my “issue” if you call it that. Nothing seems to be wrong, I mean it runs like a top on 1.01b or initially on 1.02c but some piece of feedback it’s getting is storing some learned values, transmission aside that it’s adjusting for it seems.

 

I've noticed it (and reported it in one of these threads).. but for me it seems to have started at around 350-400 miles. I'm still running V-1.02C-A, but I haven't been driving the truck as much since it started learning its bad habits again. I wish that the tune would "stick" and perform as it does when freshly loaded for everyone, and for many thousands of miles. But since it doesn't, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one to notice the bad habits returning over time.

 

So do you just reflash it again?

 

My throttle hesitation/feedback is creeping back too. I have ~500miles on tune A. Power delivery is definitely still there and noticeable.. but that delay is too. I've felt it in the lower gears(rolling to a stop then accelerating right away). I'm just going to have to reflash again, because it was butter right after. Maybe I should create an AUTO ECU TUNE where it keeps re-flashing automatically after XXXX miles.

 

Haven’t yet, but that’s the plan until newer versions are developed that can possibly address this.

So yea, going to flash to map C and give it a try.

 

I have map c flashed and honestly the transmission isn’t much better at all. Very similar to the ssp. Mine will get stuck in fourth all the time.

I’ve reverted back to manual shifting. Love the extra power. Transmission not so much. I’m going to drive it for a couple more weeks and flash back to stock so I can really see how bad stock is.

 

Is there no way to make this stick? Do you really plan on flashing it every month or so?

 

So it appears I am not alone. I have about 1000 miles, maybe more on 102c-A.(second time loading) Started great, but now appears to be going down hill. I get the 2-1 clunk that was mentioned above. I am finding myself needing to press the throttle more and more to get downshifts. the misfire feeling has come back in low RPM, not as bad as stock but its there. My biggest gripe is I am shifting to early again, I am in 5th at 38-40 mph. this is my second time flashing 102c-A, I will try 102c-C, beyond that I don't know. I don't feel the need to keep flashing each time the truck completes the learning cycle.

 

Drawbacks to "Learning"..

Performance degrades
Gas Mileage goes down
Response becomes unpredictable
Shifting becomes erratic

Benefits to "Learning"..

???
Are there any?

 

I started doing this recently after the truck started to show its old habits. I've been running 1.02c - A (91 but really 93 in FL) and it was the best after the reflash. I've had about a 1000 miles on it since.

After the reflash I drove it in just D for a few hundred miles but then it started to hunt gears or drive in 5/6 at 35 or 40mph again. So I turned on ECT again all the time and drove in D which helped in the beginning but I still didn't like the downshifting and how it drove after a few more hundred miles plus my gas mileage got worse.

I started a couple weeks ago driving in S mode with ECT on all the time. This is the best recipe for my driving style and OCD control (I know, should've got manual, oh well). The throttle control is best in this mode for me too and my gas mileage is the best. I drive a lot on interstates 60-70 mph and the truck still doesn't hold 5th gear on over passes here which there are quite a few. I just try to anticipate it and downshift when I feel it lag or start to lose speed.

All in all I love the tune and recommend it because it is so much better than stock. My only want/wish now would be to a gear limiter (if possible) where the truck will stay in the S mode gear and not downshift unless manually done (or for safety reasons on engine/drivetrain in extreme cases). Daily driving up to 50-55mph in S4 w/ ECT on is the sweet spot for me.

 

Are you still getting all of the benefits of what the tune is supposed to do
when in S mode?