2016 OVTune Tacoma 3.5L Manual Transmission / Engine ECU Reflash

Well that seals it. Unless something new drops, I will load FOB 91 using Costco 92 octane when this tank is done. Probably the end of the week.

 

I am running 93 tune. I am going to flash 91 on lunch and see how it runs on 93 gas.

 

Fuel is vastly different depending on the part of the country or even station to station in the same town. People underestimate how much different this truck can run from one tank to the next.

 

Shell definitely seems to be the most consistent of all the fuels I've run across he country. SuperAmerica is the worst fuel I've found.

 

Very much so. As of today I've run 4231 gallons through my truck. Even on the stock tune, the truck can run like a dream and then the next tank be pissed off and run like @MOC221_ truck. Then the next fillup its all back to normal.

My 2005, I ran the cheapest fuel across the control and it never really cared and was very consistent. The 3.5 is definitely temperamental at times. Mine is much happier if I avoid ethanol too.

 

My truck gets better mileage and runs better on the chevron 92 fuel we have here in Oregon over the shell vpower 92. Might have something to do with the 10% ethanol we have in our fuels here though.

 

Ok, I flashed 91 tune on lunch and drove back to work, only about 10 miles but it ran much differently. I have been running the 93 tune since the beginning and my truck has not felt nearly as responsive and steady as it did just now with the 91 tune. My question is should I just run 87 tune and put the best gas I can find in it? Is there any drawback to this? @Shellshock you are one of the most experienced and knowledgeable people in the thread, what are your thoughts?

 

that's exactly what I've done (and did even on the stock tune). its worked well for me.

 

I usually dont see anything higher than 91 here sometimes 87 is the best I get

 

Not to be a tool, or jump anyone in line, I also emailed Matt.

Since mine is still new and unmodified, I threw in for compare purposes.

Cheers,

J

 

Hey I've been considering trying the 87 tune. How have your experiences compared to the 91tune been now that you've got some more miles on the 87tune?

 

Yes, it does. The low RPM acceleration is very good.

 

the 87 FOB is amazing. better in every way. fuel economy is also up on my truck pretty significantly

 

I'd like to hear from Mat or someone that has experience with this in a controlled environment (i.e., Dyno). How much of this feel that you are all talking about is just the new tune being loaded and wiping out any learned parameters? In a base tune (my understanding) is it takes a bit of time for the engine to "learn". What I am trying to say is, if you ran 87 for a while and then filled up with 93, the engine will actually take some time to compensate for the different fuel. Now maybe Mat does this compensation a bit with each tune for us, I'm not sure.

The point of my post is that I am wondering how much actually changes or if when you reflash you are simply 'starting over' and removing any learned behavior. I bring this up because every time I flash I feel like the truck performs better and then it dissipates and maybe that is just me getting used to it. I would be interested to know/learn what these engines and the ecu actually does over time? How do things change with different fuel grades, 87 vs 93?

@OVTune - Any comments/direction/teaching would be greatly appreciated.

 

All fuels are run in batches and run through the best process for the crudes character. Being high sulfur, wax or what have you. Basically distilled having various products being removed at different levels like in a iso cracking column tower for example. With gasoline it’s preferable to store in tanks up on a hill, midway down the hill is usually where the blending and shipping plant is. At that point the gas is tested with an octane comparator single cylinder motor, witch has an adjustable cylinder that can increase compression and compare the knock between gas batches. This will govern how gravity flow is to blend the tanks on the hill to fill the lower tanks for shipping, via boat or truck. Obtaining a consistent product through out all batches produce. Not sure when ethanol is introduced but my guess is on the hill.

Now that old saying are the gas stations tanks agitated after being filled and you just happen to get there just after? Are the tanks porous bringing in grd water? Bad filters? Or is the third tier fuel distributor cutting the gas? Where is winter fuel blended? Many variables...
Just my 2cents worth of knowledge

 

Now, I don't have anywhere near the experience you have with the 87FOB file, but on MY truck at least, there's definitely a difference in power. I can pull certain hills effortlessly in 6th on the 91 file, whereas if I try the same hill on the 87 file I'll lose speed. That's just how it is with my truck. I mean, if there was NO difference, why offer a 91 file at all? It's just a waste of money at the pumps to us and a big waste of effort to Mat, no?

 

errrr.... I meant better in every way compared to previous 87 tunes.. words are hard today I guess..

I do run 91 a lot on 87 though.. the truck is definitely happier on 91 fuel, even on the stock tune. we just need that new hybrid file matts workin on then it won't matter

 

Roger.. Yeah I guess I shoulda assumed you meant apples to apples, but that's not what the guy asked you lol.

I don't think the ginger will know what to do with a hybrid file. Damn thing doesn't want to run right on a specific file most of the time... how the hell will she figure out multiple octane tuning lol?

 

I guess I should work on my reading skills lol

I ran 1.04a 91 for a few hundred miles until 1.04a 87 came out. Aside from that I've always been on the 87 tune but running better fuels if I find them.

 

Honestly, I think a move toward a simpler tune like the single torque map "fat kid" file will be the answer to all the weirdness.