3rd Gen Manual - Shifting question

Read a bit on opinions on the 3rd gen manual. Have a new to me 2016 and after owning for the past 6 wks+ (with not a lot of driving given current situation), noticing now what people are saying re RPM and shifting. Need to rev quite high before dropping into 2nd otherwise 'bogs out' a bit if you shift at too low RPM - especially if going uphill. Is this something that can be altered with an OV tune or should there be a computer update from the dealership? Or is it just something you live with. Thanks

 

Pretty sure that computer tuning only applies to automatics. The only programming that can be done on a manual transmission is between the driver's ears.

It's not like the physics behind the load on the shift plate is programmable.

I could be wrong. The Tacomas could have some magic I'm not aware of.

 

Yep, thought I'd ask. I admit, I do love winding it out...peppy when you drive 'er hard!

 

Rev high.

 

OVTune does offer a tune for MT.

 

Feed er the corn and then go to second. Usually 3.5k rpm

 

Use the Carista or OBD Fusion apps or TechStream to verify that you have the TSB flash installed. TSB-0058-18, TSB-0125-18, or TSB-0013-19 to get to the ECU ID 04B13:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/software-update-for-the-manual.562550/

The OVT FOB and SFOB tunes will give you a bunch of low end torque.

It is weird, but the ECU programming has a massive effect on shifting. Mainly consistency and predictability were missing from the stock tunes, esp on 2016 through 2018 Tacos. The TSB tune helps a lot and OVT helps even more.

 

1st gear is reallly low. 15 mph in 1st at 3000rpm. Shifting to 2nd is a big jump that cuts your rpms in half essentially.

 

How, though? It's not like you can change the gear ratio, friction of the plate, or torque coming off the engine. What does the programming change? Air/fuel mix at certain RPM ranges?

 

Just like the engine is a spaz on the ATs, it is the same on the MTs, plus we have a few different ECU functions like Rev Hang. If your right foot doesn't know how the engine will respond, esp when muscle memory can't develop, then it is like getting into an new MT car / truck for every drive.

Like I said, the stock tune (04B12) for me required attention to get every shift to be smooth. This is not just my sentiment. OVT has sold hundreds of tunes to MT drivers and hundreds have installed the TSB tune reporting similar results.

I drove it on the stock tune for almost a year and it was fun and enjoyable, but never relaxing like any other MT that I owned. The TSB tune changed that and allowed me to basically phone in shifts.

OVT takes that to another level, esp on the 2.0 tune. A big, very granular throttle table has us all raving. FOB in the bottom end makes it feel like a normal, torquey V6, and the 7,400rpm redline, well . . .

 

First gear is really, really short for a vehicle like this. Its a legitimate truck first, almost like the old granny gear lows. You have to let it wind simply because its so low and 2nd is normal, there's just a big difference in ratio. Not sure what else to tell you about it.

 

In my humble opinion, The gear spacing in this trans is not well suited to this engine, especially 1st to 2nd, I have done the accumulator delete, added a URD short throw shiftier this trans is much more user friendly.
I do not know the origians of this modern 3rd gen 6sp trans. but it is disappointing. I say all of this because I own a 1972 corvette with a 4sp trans that was designed in the 1950's that to this day performs flawlessly with almost 300k miles on it.

 

2.0 makes the truck what it should have been from the beginning. Very happy with it

 

The problem is this motor makes all its power up high and sucks down low. 1st gear is super low which is great for towing and other things. Second is taller but the motor doesn’t make enough power down low from the factory. Slow speeds or rolling stops aren’t really a thing you can do on the factory cal without bogging 2nd.

ovtune 2.0 fixed that. 2nd is way better now. Also fixed the weird lower surges at 2500 and 3500 rpm among other things

 

Good luck OP. I'm 4 years in and sometimes I think that I still dont know my truck! Seriously though it takes time to get used to it- once you do, I think it's a frickin blast. You will get used to where the chugging and stalling happens and adjust

 

OP, my first 3rd gen M/T was a very early model (09/15). What these guys are saying about the factory tuning us absolutely true. Driveability can absolutely be improved by updating to 04B13 Toyota Calibration, and through OVtune if you want to go for the best solution. Not bench racing, been there done that.

 

OVTune 2.0 SFOB FTW

 

ok, the 2.0 OV Tune is the solution. How muchy and where do I get this magic spell?
Thanks for the feedback all.

 

The gear ratios are not linear, and there's a big jump for 1st to 2nd, compared to 3rd onwards.

 

Let's look at the data. A quick chart plotting the ratios to the 7,400rpm OVT redline (yes we hit a speed limiter in 4th gear):



Yes. Numerically, 1st to 2nd is the largest. But for overall ratios, it pairs nicely through 4th gear. There is a non-US market Toyota 6spd and an F250 6spd that have seemingly killer ratios including reverse. @RedBeard1 and @Jowett have played with the Toyota one.

In the end, the 2LM and ADM mods have me happy with all the ratios and OVT FOB makes it all feel right.