3rd gen transmission

That was the reason for the 5.7L. And for a cool $7k this will do the trick. Especially in an acess cab.

https://www.vividracing.com/magnuso...toyota-tundra-57l-3urfe-0718-p-151452270.html

 

Shift over to S mode when you don’t like the shifting, problem solved. No need to throw money on regearing that will have you always running higher rpms on the highway.

 

I get it, it's quick for what it is. Especially considering what used to be called "fast" back in the 90s.

There are a lot of cars though in the <50k range that are much faster and better handling than a camry. In fact, a base rwd tesla model 3 (30k new) is about a second quicker 0-60 (4.8) and in the quarter (13.4).

 

Bad form dude..... Mentioning a Tesla....

Completely different class of drivetrain. Not to mention build quality is shiite AND good luck getting parts....

At the end of the day, no one is driving their cars full send to the office or grocery store.

 

S-mode all day. I never let the thing go into 5th unless I'm going over 50 mph. I'll shift to 6th if I'm on the highway doing 70 mph. It's a funky little transmission to work with but once you get the hang of it, it works as intended.

 

I'm pretty much on board with this. 4th gear is 1:1 and 5th & 6th are O/D
So I don't go past 4th unless I'm cruising down hill and I just want the truck to free wheel, or I am driving a high speed level highway. As soon as you notice the tranny starting to hunt it is time to get out of O/D range and get back to 4th.. If the tranny is bouncing between 5 and 6 gear you could just let that go..
I've had my new auto for 6 weeks now and I am starting to like it, sort of.... It's nice to be able to sip coffee in town without having to pause for a shift. It's also making manoeuvring a trailer up hill and backwards a whole lot easier. Other than that, I miss the real thing

 

Truth.

I have 32" E-mud tires + full bumpers / sliders and if I let the auto do it's thing I can get 18-20 highway. Not bad for what it was built for.

However, if I just ate a bunch of taco bell and need to get home in a big hurry, you can either just smash the shit out of the throttle and it will go go go or S mode / ECT also works very well as described.

My friend has the same 4x4 gen3 in 6 speed manual and we switch driver seats a lot. I would not want to deal with clutch /shifting in sand/ over rocks or on long trips up and over mountain roads. It sucked. Also whenever I get into his 6-speed it's overall a slower vehicle on road and off , because you can't just smash the pedal like as ass hole in an AUTO (fast shift times and no clutch to worry about smoking). It's most noticeable in deep sand or at a stop light and we are side by side ready for the green light lol.

One thing that is totally better in the manual is 4Low 1st gear going down super steep hills and engine braking. The manual 4x4 trd OR has factory 4.3 differential gears so it's craws down safer vs my auto in 4Low.

 

And with OVTune that manual wakes right back up

 

Pff you don't know me My old car hit redline on the daily commuting and went through rear tires every 10-15k miles

Here's a decent list of ICE cars faster than the camry and some don't cost much more than a v6 camry.

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/top-10-fastest-new-cars-under-50k/

 

@Matt777

I have the same issue. I am 40 have always owned manuals. (This is starting to seem like a support group) This is my first automatic, and it seems I picked the best (worst) automatic I could have chosen.

I bought my 16' TRDOR DCSB about a couple of months ago. I did not do any research before purchasing it. I did not think I needed to. I was buying a Toyota Tacoma for Christ's sake.

I had a leaking timing cover and valve covers from a botched previous "repair". I wont go any further into that now. Suffice to say, I bought it as a CPO and Toyota took care of it. Its been 6-700 miles and she seems to be leak free.

The transmission seemed fine when I test drove it. And being used to and enjoying manuals, the bar was not set too high.

I noticed some quirks but I chocked that up to I needed to spend more time learning how the truck wants to be driven. I did not grow concerned about the transmission until I started reading this forum.


To make a long story short...

There are updates to the transmission shift logic. Make sure yours is up to date. My truck had been to the dealer many times with transmission issues. (Not by me, the PO took it in) I am pretty sure my truck is up to date.

These trucks, 2016-2021 all have the same automatic transmission. This transmission combined with Toyota using one of the cam profiles of the VVT-I to make the truck run an "Atkinson Cycle" (It does not truly run an Atkinson Cycle) causes the majority of the "transmission issues" you see on this forum.

I am not sure these trucks have an issue at all. I believe they run as intended by the engineers who designed them.

I am with you in that if the truck runs with no major issues for 500k miles then I do not care if it shifts all the damn time.

Also, as others have stated, you do start to get used to it. You learn how the truck drives and you adjust your right foot to compensate.

All these issues I have had, and still for some reason, I really like this truck. Most expensive/ nicest vehicle I have ever purchased.

Here's to hoping she goes 500k!

 

I can't say how the older gen3 auto's behaved, never owned a taco till now. I've found these transmissions wonky the first few hundred miles, but after that they start working more normal. With over 3k miles i can't claim anything wrong how this truck shifts. Yeah, the low end torque the engine puts out is low, but not so bad you can never get use to it.

 

Thanks for replies. I have heard others say that a regear helps a lot with the shifting. But they seem to be running 33s or 35s. I just have a set of Bridgestone A/Ts on stock wheels, and don’t want to size up. Would 4:56 or 4:88 gears necessitate bigger wheels/tires? All these comments have me feel way better.

 

Or go drive a 1990 mazda b2200.

 

I actually think im in a sports car too when i drive my taco.


The hood scoop just enhaces it, its crazy.

 

A support group lol. I didn’t research either. I just figured, like you, that’s it’s a Tacoma, what could possibly be wrong. But I’m with you. There’s no other truck I’d buy. All I care about is reliability. The truck looks great and has been issue free to 40k miles. Mine is 4x4 with no locking rear, but it’s amazing what it can do off-road. The shifting is just a mild irritation at worst. But I can def live with it.

 

I'm not entirely convinced that the Atkinson Cycle is the issue. From my understanding, reprogramming helped a lot of people. But I've also found that the more gears, the more gear hunting. Take a look at the Ford forums about their 10 speed transmissions. Some swear the shifts are smooth and seamless, while others claim it can't pick a gear.

My old GMC had 4 speeds (3 and 1 O/D) and it was smooth if you were smooth. If you fed her the onions, it shifted pretty hard. The Nissan Frontier I am currently renting is pretty smooth, but it is also 5 speeds and runs at 2200 RPM most of the time.

Also keep in mind these Tacomas are geared for MPG so it is trying to get into an O/D gear as much as possible, much to the dismay of a lot of people. (This is also the main reason the 2nd gen is quicker off the line and feels more powerful, but actually has less HP). I believe the solution for some is a tune, others is the reprogram, and others is a regear. It just depends what you're looking for. It is definitely not as smooth as this Frontier, but I also don't care that much since it isn't jerking me around constantly and is still smoother than my old one.

I'm also with you in that, as long as it lasts, who cares?

 

I never got used to my 17 models shifting patterns. It started to clunk on the downshift to first. Dealer had it for 3 days testing it and reproduced the clunk. They reset the transmission, it drove well for one day then the clunk came back. Traded for a 2020 stick shift and I’m much happier. Through the Blue Ridge Mountains, the automatic would shift down and back up, never staying in the high gear for long. On the way back home in the MT it was 5th and 6th gear through the mountains. This was the nail in the coffin for me after a stint of problems with these newer sealed auto transmissions. Manual transmissions from here on out.

 

I am not saying the Atkinson Cycle is the/a problem. I am saying that the "Atkinson Cycle" cam profile is the reason this truck is gutless at small throttle openings/low rpm. This just exacerbates the transmission issue. The tranny is looking for more torque to pull a gear and (on the "Atkinson" profile) the motor cannot give it. The transmission then downshifts, the rpms go up and all of the sudden (cam profiles change) the truck has all the power in the world.

Agian, learning to drive This Truck, I think, is a big part of the equation.

I do think the best answer here, at the sacrifice of fuel economy, would be for someone to develop new cams and a tune. Ditch the "Atkinson Cycle" (I use that term, Atkinson Cycle, very loosely) and I bet the transmission problems go away.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Agree to disagree, but I do suppose it is a possibility.