3rd gen manual trans characteristics.

Yeah i get the biggest clunk when going from 4-5. It takes a bit more time to get it into that gear and by then the rpm's have dropped and it's difficult to change the timing of the throttle vs. the other shifts.

 

Exactly. It is just a bit of inconsistent throttling. Some due to me, some due to the stock tuning.

I have a raging internal debate about OVT. Every time I think I might have convinced myself, I dig into the MT thread and get disappointed.

 

Haha this is interesting to read as someone who has never daily driven a wired throttle with pure linear acceleration. I have never driven a car like this and would absolutely expect it to not be smooth.

 

I don't know about throttle body injection, but all multiport injected cars / trucks have deceleration fuel cutoff (DFCO). Generally, any time that you are coasting for more than about 2sec or 3sec above about 1,400rpm or 1,500rpm, the EFI will shut off all the injectors. So, there is no fuel going in. Sometimes you will see posts / articles saying that it is better for fuel econ to coast in gear that in neutral for that reason.

My bike, I don't think it has DFCO. This is because, if setup incorrectly, it pops while coasting when too lean. It has an early, simple open-loop EFI.

The Taco seems to feel like it doesn't have much engine braking, or that it should be stronger. I had a discussion about this going in the OVT MT thread. What I am seeing is that the throttle plate does not seem to close further than about 17% at sea level when coasting. That said, a week or so ago, I was following a MT WRX in normal driving. As we approached a couple stops signs, my Taco opened up a gap while downshifting. After that, I have started to wonder if the lack of engine braking was just in my head?

It has been asked over and over to OVT about DFCO (or min throttle angle) and rev hang. He refuses to even discuss it for some reason.

 

I agree that it could feel stronger. I am hoping that either OVT finally addresses it, or some other competition comes along to spur some development.

I know our subaru with a CVT feels like it has good engine braking when using the fakey shifter.

Like you, I am thrilled with what the Taco does most of the time, which is a huge accomplishment considering what is on the market. MT Wranglers, Tacos, and Miatas are about all that are left for folks going kicking and screaming into the future.

 

the throttle plate position being partially open is to simply allow the calculated required air to cycle through the combustion chamber when decelerating. If the throttle body was completely closed, you'd create a large vacuum in the intake manifold. You have to let some air be brought in even during DFCO.

now if that percentage was brought down to say 10% or something like that, you likely would increase actual engine braking as you'd be creating a higher vacuum load. That'd be something OVTune could play with.

 

exactly. that's why i got the Pedal Commander originally. add juice to the first 10-15% of pedal travel. it worked but it still wasn't linear.

got the OVT, removed the PC, and now it's linear... just right. i can go as subtle on the throttle as i like, and it behaves perfectly and consistently. thought you may also want to hear this @tonered

 

Yes. You need some minimum opening or those first few injections would be fugly. I have a problem believing that 17% is a good number. Ha!

Consistency at all times is something that I'd like. The cost is just too much to fix that and the other issues that I consider to be minor. If the stock tune felt anything near what folks like you had posted, I would be in the sign-me-up camp. I still don't know if I just got lucky, or what, but I am good at the moment and the Taco keeps feeling better and better if anything.

I do need / want to post in the local thread to see if anyone has a MT with OVT? It'd be fun to swap and feel things out.

 

I saw plenty of people say they could get through all the gears just going around town, always keeping the rpms nice and low. I don't own my 3rd gen anymore but I could not do that. To have any power at all I had to constantly be up at higher RPMs like it was a little 4 cylinder car. I've seen people say they roll around in 2nd gear at 4mph, no way in my truck. That would noticeably lug the engine in my truck. The biggest complaint i had was the "release" of engine braking at around 1500 rpm, every time i would go to turn into a driveway the truck would buck as it hit 1500 rpm like I was tapping the brake. I had passengers look at me and ask why I hit the brakes when no one was around.

But it did shift into gears pretty smoothly, it was a little notchy but nothing way out of the ordinary, I thought it felt great. I know you say it's nothing like your old trucks and jeeps but no way, absolutely no way it shifts worse than an older jeep or dodge truck lol. I love my TJ and the older dodge Dakota's, but if you don't baby your shifts on those transmissions you end up grinding every gear or really feeling that notchy crunching as it gets in there.

 

Feel the same way. I drive it. It works fine. It shifts fine. It has goods power and decent economy.

 

I find that to reduce 1st to 2nd gear clunk you should engage the clutch with a little bit of gas right before the tach needle reaches the appropriate RPM for your road speed in 2nd gear.

 

Yes and this is appropriate for all gears, if you do this and do it right you can shift smoother than an automatic.

 

I noticed I do this after I started seeing posts about clunking when shifting, lurching, etc that I've never had.

 

This thread makes me feel so much better about my 16' MT, its so clunky compared to everything else i've driven.

QUESTION: does anyone else get serious low RPM bucking if you roll on in 1st or 2nd from very low rpm (800-1000rpm)? if I give the truck more than ~15% throttle in any gear below 1500rpm the thing bucks like bull, very bad in first and second gear from low rpm, as I usually just start in 2nd as long as i'm rolling at like 4mph. only solution i've found is to ride the clutch more which makes me cringe in situations I ever have to get the truck moving from a low speed / stop.

hoping i'm not alone

 

@vettekid76 Mine does that as well. Bucks and lurches REALLY bad... you should see me try to go over a speed bump slowly in a parking lot... my god it's miserable. I usually end up smashing them in second/speeding to avoid it (when I can an no people are around)

This also occurs while trying to coast to a stop or creep through traffic.



As for my other issues, the past few days I drove it like I stole it and it's more responsive, just killing the MPGs as expected... I've started giving it more throttle than it should need off the starts, and while there is still a drastic RPM drop, at least it's not dropping to 500... still causes the nose to dip from the loss of power though and it's anything but smooth in the cab...

Taking it in an tuesday for the Sensor Recall, hoping that maybe*** that will help? It's still a gutless pig below 3500 RPMs and doesn't move out of it's own way, especially if I pull out in front of someone on these aggressive scottsdale roads and drivers....

 

YES! speed bumps make me feel like the driveshaft is going to bounce back and go through the transmission or the rear end is going to fall out of the truck. I do the exact same, haul*** over it or clutch in and lurch out after. Glad i'm not alone in the matter. Keep us updated about the sensor.

 

Does anyone else have this problem???

When I am running my truck hard, usually in the mountains trying to maintain 65-70+ mph and I have to drop to 3rd or 4th and I lay into the gas, I get this weird rattle/buzz noise from below the dash and I can feel it in the pedals... It's bad enough that the girlfriend who knows nothing about cars looks over at me and says "it's not supposed to do that is it?"

It'll do it on flat roads too, if I'm winding it up. But only in 3rd and 4th gears have I noticed it.

 

I used to think it had something to do with the rear end, improper backlash or something... it just doesn't sound or feel right.


Also... in the sand or dirt, this thing wheel hops like a SOB.... realllllllly really bad. It even wheel hops in gravel, in 4x4, to the point the entire truck is shuddering, the cab is filled with a deafening sound, the GF holds her ears like we're at a Metallica concert during a guitar solo, and I'm cussing up a storm because the truck doesn't want to get moving. Does it with trac on or off... does it while in the dunes, washes, dry river/creek beds, or on the side of the highway trying to re-enter from the shoulder...

 

You really need to go test drive another manual Tacoma then because something bad must be wrong with yours. I have driven three manual Tacomas and all drive exactly like the one I have now. Smooth with no problems. Take it to the dealer because either the truck is broke or you need an automatic if you are getting these symptoms.

 

I had wheel hop in 2wd in the snow.