Tacoma - OVTUNE - VFTUNER - Update Info and Original Development

You’re implying that customizing each person’s tune was part of the purchase. Not sure if that’s what you really mean, but if it is, I think you’re mistaken. We all purchased a “generic” tune, including whatever updates OVTunes decides to release. Individual fine tuning is not included.

 

I'm going to the stealership after work for the 15000 miles maintenance (I think it's just tire rotation and fluids check), I won't have time to stop at the house and flash the stock tune. I'll I be okay? Or will they find out I have the tune and give me shit for it?

 

They cannot detect it according to Mat. Others have had service and nothing has been mentioned by the dealership.

 

I’ve contplated 56s. It’s cheeper to put the extra fuel in it and drive it for the time being. I think a closer ratio trans with one overdrive would eliminate a lot of these issues. I might gear it in the future if I build the truck bigger and stop daily driving it.

Truck still idles smooooooth.

 

How do you know this 100%?

Everybody calm down. Now we're seeing this narrative starting whereby someone makes an assumption about paying for customization. Mat did not tell you this.

Let him speak to it before ppl read a couple of posts out of context and freak out.

 

Yes, at the core you purchased a generic tune, but Mat has mentioned several times (and it was even listed in the "what you get" list on the order page for early adopters) that customizations would be included and that appears to be what he also offers on other platforms. Such as if you added an intake to your truck, or needed fine tuning based on lean/rich spikes, etc., and any minor (easy) adjustments to the shift points to your needs.

Despite shipping delays outside his control, and unpredictable release dates (because he wants to get it right and it's complex stuff!) - he really does care and works his ass off to make a quality product. From what I've seen he values ensuring existing customers are happy with the product (and will thus evangelize to the masses as is happening in the review thread). I don't think he plans to nickel and dime folks on minor customizations

That said, I'm pretty damn happy right now. Interested to see how the datalogger works out bc there is absolutely quite a bit of variability in these trucks. I see folks mention issues I've never ever seen in my truck on the same tune with the same stock configuration b/c every truck responds differently and vice versa. Part of why the stock tunes suck so much b/c they are engineered around a large range of component variability as Mat has stated previously...

 

Running 104 87 octane.

I only have 70 miles on 104, but so far, I have to say that I really think Mat nailed it with this one. I have 28k miles on my truck and this is the first time I can say that the truck always seems like it’s in the right gear. My only complaint with 103 was the upshift immediately after turning a corner only to have it downshift right away. That has been fixed and now when cornering the truck is ready to accelerate when it’s time to go straight.

I like how it will be in the gear it needs to be based on how much throttle you give it. For example, when I’m getting on the interstate, and I’m giving it a lot of throttle, it will hold 4th all the way to 70mph then quickly shift to 5th and then 6th. If I’m on a two-lane road and am lightly giving it throttle up to 55mph it will shift in to 6th once I’m maintaining my speed at 55mph. If I’m city driving it still shifts into 5th at around 35mph, but it doesn’t feel like it’s lugging and if I need to accelerate it shifts so smooth into 4th it’s hardly noticeable.


For those interested, here’s a comparison of my fuel economy based on the tunes I’ve ran. I know some people have noticed increases in mpg but in my experience the mileage has stayed the same. Even if it had gotten worse, the tune would still be worth it just to have a drivable truck. I know my mpg’s look bad, but most of my driving is to work and back which is a short trip and the truck barely gets warmed up. This is also on winter fuel so if the temperature ever increases hopefully my mileage will also.




I also really want to thank @OVTune for his dedication and determination to continually improve this product. He could have stopped after 103, or one of the others, but he didn’t. Thanks to him, I now have a truck that I truly enjoy driving. I’ve always liked driving my truck, but before there were many things that irritated me like always being conscious which direction the wind was out of, not being able to use the cruise, always being in too high of gear ect. All that it fixed now. Thanks Mat!

 

That said, for all I know free custom updates could perceivably be a benefit to the alpha testers who were in from the early days with those who purchased when the product was in a more complete form paying a nominal fee - idk. I love the damn 1.04 right now though!

 

shift points have always been the main topic of debate. There really hasn't been a consistent "majority likes it x way".. as there are now over 400 trucks with this tune, majority of them aren't posting here.

So shift points will be part of customization, so everyone gets the shifting they want. Some people don't like 3-4, or 5-6, others do like it. Mods, gears, etc all play into this. There will never be a *perfect* one size fits all shift map because of all these mods..tire size..weight..gears.. etc.


everyone can calm down, I didn't say i'm charging extra.

 

Just fired the truck up to charge battery and let it idle with out touching anything.

Ac off.

The truck idles smooth and very consistently lowers idle speed as engine temperatures increased. Previously the idle would bounce around 2 to 300 rpm. Fuel consumption goes from .5 gallons an hour to .2. This truck can idle a log time if need be.

The temperature gauge in the dash is just for show. It rose to the center position of its sweep around 165 to 170 and remained there until operational temp of 205.

 

Same here. All I want back is the tip in feel and 5-6 on 1.03. I'm running 33's and I have to press more of that skinny pedal at start and cruising on the freeway. once @OVTune is ready for thevcustom tune, All request is to have 1.03 back without the "surge" and ""fall flat its face at turns.." I kind of miss 1.03.

 

i think a lot of this community is not familiar with how after market ECU tuning works.

Most tuners for one are larger companies that have a lot more money and resources. Multiple employed tuners, and a front man to filter requests and purchases.

The OTS (Over the shelf) maps purchased are designed as a starting point that updates the ECU on a STOCK vehicle. Parameter changes are broad to cover a majority of what owners need or want from their vehicle.

If you're modded, and this includes larger wheels/tires, gears, even intake/exhaust, you may need to provide logs to the tuner to adjust the tune accordingly. This is normally free but some tuners charge for revisions or mods done after a tune was purchased. Or the free updates only last for 90 days.

In OVTune's case, my understanding is he's a one man operation with some outsourced resources to do things he doesn't have time for. In this case we are working directly with a tuner which is rare. Plus free updates. That means that 5 years from now when you regear and throw 35's on and need an updated tune to adjust shift points, it's free.

OVTune is going about this the correct way. Getting a good solid baseline OTS tune for both A/T and M/T trucks that are stock. From there, each purchaser if they choose, can use his logging software and send in logs to adjust and personalize what they need.

The key is patience here folks. I'm just as impatient as the next guy, but programming takes time and I think we all want it done right vs done fast.

 

From someone who regularly tunes his own motorcycles... I agree.

OVTune seems to be catering for people with larger wheels as his truck has them, which unfortunately makes the tune slightly frustrating for those of us with stock trucks. Judging by his response to me it seems tough s*** to stock owners until custom tunes come along, even though the changes were made in this last release that have caused the issues....

Yeah, I'm a little annoyed at spending my commute at 2200rpm at a constant speed going along a road.

 

Awesome work Matt. Thanks.

 

It is unfortunate that his test truck has larger diameter tires. That throws off load and torque demand for the transmission. A majority of owners do not put on larger tires. Just a lot here on TW. I would think the calculations could be adjusted to account for the larger tire in his tuning.

 

it's still the 3-4 upshift/downshift RPM's for me. But more than that, it doesn't feel as effortless at 65-70mph as 1.03. Maybe it's just psychological digging into the throttle deeper for the same speed.

 

I don't think custom tunes are free. Maybe someone else will chime in.

 

My only issue with tip-in was from a stand-still/very slow speeds in 1st gear, never had much of an issue with any other gear myself. Again, larger tires mean more mass to move = less aggressive tip-in, so those of us on stock tires had it bad.

 

Thanks for the clarifications. . .looks like I was wrong. My prior tuning experience was with Cobb, and anything "personalized" was at an additional charge.

Kudos to Mat for taking care of his customers!

 

Yes, I've dealt with Cobb. The reason they charge is because they have a pretty wide set of OTS tunes based on 'stages' that cover most of their customers.