Tacoma - OVTUNE - VFTUNER - Update Info and Original Development

I flashed from 04B03 to 04B04 straight to performance tune. I never gave 04B04 stock a chance.

 

I had an issue with my FJ that I just learned to live with. It started around 60k miles for me and eventually ended up as a recall(not for me). At just the right acceleration request (light) at just the right rpm, the torque converter would start to shake in a very pronounced manner. It didn’t matter what gear. What mattered most was the right rpm band, and right load.

I tried to get the dealer to address it and I could reproduce it at will. On the drive after an oil change and tire rotation, he says “Oh, someone left one of your tires loose and it’s wobbling. That wasn’t it of course.

I think ultimately the problem was that tolerances were just a hair off on manufacturing design and the torque converter would lock/unlock at high frequency. I don’t recall the frequency but I did plot it once with an iPhone app.

It never did it when not in overdrive: TC locked. I wonder if this could be something similar.

 

it is TC shudder.
Mat optimized it on new revision and made it better, but there is certain combination of Engine load and RPM that cause it. In my case it ~1200 RPMs, 80-85% load and TC is locked (or whatever status of 1 means) either on 5 or 6 gear.
Prior to TSB it was even worst, it was somewhat improved in TSB version. But yes, this is a design issue

 

I'm in the same boat as you, I'm 90% happy except this "dead pedal" feel when highway cruising. Think I might make another post, try to illustrate the relationship between throttle and gear shifting.

 

The "dead pedal" feel when highway cruising is so that the transmission doesn't instantly jump down to 4th gear constantly. The engine has plenty of power and torque to use 5th gear at almost any highway speed. The pedal feels dead below 2000 RPMs, where there is zero power or torque. Anything under 2000 rpms is just flat out lugging along.

 

These trucks w/auto come under geared from the factory. No amount of software is going to make up for the fact you need to change your hardware.

 

If you’re gonna change the hardware might as well put an actual truck engine and transmission in. Then have mat properly tune it

 

Let me start with: I love this tune, I think Mat has done some amazing work, and like many others, the tune saved me from strongly considering selling my 3rd gen for something else. I do alot of highway driving, and the stock tune is pure chaos at 60-80mph. I wanted to illustrate what I'm "feeling" on the highway with the various 1.05 tunes. This is ONLY referring to gears 3-6, and how 1.05 appears to handle shifting in relation to how hard the gas pedal/throttle is pressed. I know that Mat posted a few months back, the reasons why the tune reacts this way, I can't find the post for reference. And yes, I submitted a ticket back on January 29th for this issue. And honestly, I realize this is more of an "enhancement" request, rather than a "defect". This "issue" has come up here and there in this thread, but I'm surprised it isn't discussed more, considering some of the other topics that are brought up.

Full disclaimer, I have no proof or actual data to back up these shift points...the throttle percentages could be way off. I'm simply trying to illustrate what my brain/foot is feeling. I've mostly run the 87 tune on 87 octane, although the 91 and 93 tunes (with respective octane) felt very similar for this particular issue.



Yellow: Stock tune - the truck shifts to 4th way too early/easily. I think nearly everyone agrees this is frustrating and no fun to drive on the highway with.
Green: 1.05 Base: 55mph - 65mph - I think this scenario is almost perfect, although if it were up to me, I think 4th could kick in a little sooner, around 50% perhaps. I believe this gap between 25% - 5th and 60% - 4th is what everyone considers "dead pedal".
Purple: 1.05 Performance: 55mph - 65mph - Dead pedal seems even more accentuated because of the aggressive tip in.
Red: 1.05 Base: 66mph or faster - This is my biggest concern. I've run 1.05 Base 87 on 87 gas for 8+ tanks now. In Texas, most people drive around 70-80mph on the highway. Outside of the city, people drive 80-90mph. I don't think I'm an aggressive driver, but there's often scenario's where I need more power/torque/response/speed/whatever the right word is, than 5th gear will give me. This includes: big hills, windy days, passing people, heavy loads, towing, etc. In all of these scenario's, when I have been driving over 65mph and I apply considerable throttle, my truck always shifts from 5th directly to 3rd. This happens no matter how quickly or slowly i apply more pressure to the gas pedal. This doesn't seem like a big deal, but on a 5 hour drive, headed into a 20mph wind, with lots of hills, I experience an almost constant dance between being bogged down in 5th, only to apply more throttle and be launched into oblivion in 3rd, then back to 4th, 5th, and repeat. It gets old really fast.

I realize this is subjective, and most of us want the truck to hold 5th gear well on the highway, but I feel like it's a little bit over exaggerated. In cases where we actually need 4th gear, I think it should potentially shift there sooner, at all speeds, and definitely not be skipped, directly to 3rd.

It may not even be possible to address this issue, but I think it's worth discussing. If there are more users that feel the same, perhaps adjustments can be made.

Mat, thanks again for all your hard work, and I think all of us are excited for future development.

Edit: I drive a 2018 OR AT, 2.5" lift, 31.5" Michelin LTX's. Everything else stock.

 

SOMETIMES it does not clear learned values

on some trucks

on most it works just fine

people need to stop trying to fix problems they dont have lol

I've never once cleared values on my truck. No nee too.

 

this guy gets it.

if you clear values or flash, ignore anything until you've run a tank of fuel through it.

 

....or two.

 

yeah. drop that slush box and put in a Manual transmission. problem solved

 

Exactly what I just did today....didn't even drive 04b04 at all.

 

I feel your pain living in Texas. Was making weekly trips from Lake Charles LA to Houston with min 10-15 mph winds. I had to drive in 4th all the time to keep a 80 mph pace or get run over. Hell the tipping point of getting this tune was a trip back from Big Bend State Park around this time last year couldn't even keep speed up in 4th it was ridiculous. The rest of the convoy was getting 17-18 mpg while I was getting 14 mpg while dancing back and forth through gears.

 

Just flashed 1.05 gear lock after updating to 04B40. Only drove a few miles, but didn't think the tip in was that bad. Stock everything but the tune.

 

If 4.88s will make the 60-80 driving better I’m all for it. Will literally do it ASAP.

Does anyone have feedback on 4.88s with this newest tune? Are the shift points crazy since it’s dialed in with relatively small tires and stock gears?

 

same here, never had an actual need to.

 

I can’t give feedback on 4.88s. But I can for 5.29s. When on the freeway, I normally try and stay around 65mph. Haven’t driven it over 70 much since Ive regeared, because I baby it. But 60-70 on the freeway (33’s 10 ply) the truck stays in 6th gear on flat and small hills. Larger hills itll go to 5th. Big ass hills 4th.

 

Thanks! is there any instruction for that?

 

haha nice!!! how can I do that lol.... do you have any instructions?