vF Tuner for the 3.5L Tacoma

What tire are you running? 33s? Im debating on trying this one. I have 35s and 5.29s and am running the 91 version of MDs next to last tune. Headed to Moab Friday and trying to decide which one to run. I have not run this tune in 4LO yet.

 

Yes, I'm on 33's (BFG KO2) with the stock gears right now. I ran one of MD's tunes in 4LO a week or so ago (MD.Prem_Perf+GL_v2.0, so I assume it wasn't SUPER far off the ECT mode on this one), and it handled fine on an offroad course with a few tricky parts. Since you're really only staying in low gears anyways, I imagine the biggest change from stock tune to this one in 4LO with ECT on would be the throttle, and it felt fine. Plus you can always turn ECT off if it's finnicky and it'll mellow out.

 

Make sure to turn the throttle limits up on 4LO if you go wheeling. The 5.29s will definitely make the truck drive better but you will probably get better MPGs as well since it is not working as hard to go forward.

The gain for me in 4LO is the low RPM torque. Being able to stay at low RPMs to crawl and still have torque is priceless.

 

possibly they are one in the same only for different ECU's - I'll go with that and time will tell the rest of the story.

 

One thing I havent noticed being mentioned any on here is engine braking. Is that something that we have access to yet?

I am stuck on four wheeling right now and am wondering how to add engine braking to 1st gear 4LO. Out here in CO we have alot of long steep as crap passes where it would be really nice not to have to ride your brakes the whole way down the hill.

 

I haven't tried this tune yet, but it's the next one I plan on trying out. Can you clarify a couple of things for me?

• Is ECT also tuned? As in, if I press ECT, will it be an ECT version of your tune, or will it be an ECT version of the original 2.0 tune?
• How is "tow mode" engaged? Is it by simply going into S mode?
  • I hardly ever tow, but I imagine this will be useful for mountains.

 

I engage the so called “tow mode” by turning on ECT. If I’m towing my 3000# camper I use S4. If I turn on ECT with nothing attached I would say it’s “performance” in D or S ‘cause it really scoots.

I’m not sure what base tune he used but @Mooseditty17 could answer your questions. He made the changes that resulted in improved shift points and lower TC temps and what appears to be more power when ECT is engaged. For my vehicle, this tune is my final.

 

Same here, Ive had it since I bought the truck 5 years ago. Except my vibration has got a little worse lately with some user made tunes. And yes, Toyota won't admit what the problem is. I gave up with the dealer on it and I even called Toyota and filed it with them. Nothing.

 

Would be nice to know what it is. Hopefully with exhaust angle adjustments that @OVTune was talking about, we can get rid of it, if that's the culprit.

 

which vibe are we talking about? I've had, since new, the vibe in the dead pedal area and in the steering wheel. The steering wheel part I don't feel as much, maybe got used to it but the dead pedal area is still there.....unless I crank up the sub woofers then everything vibrates! I was told it was normal or it was possibly the motor mounts but I don't think any of us that felt it ever pin pointed what it was, I remember a few ppl trying to move the exhaust around thinking that may be it.

 

Gotcha. That's a good enough description for me. I don't need to know all of the behind the scenes. It's just good to get clarification on what different terms mean to different people. I remember reading something in the original OVTune thread months ago about potentially having a "tow" mode that deleted the atkinson cycle by simply using s-mode. With all of the possibilities of vFtuner, it's hard to keep it all straight.

 

I'm not sure it's the motor mounts because you would think it would always vibrate, not just at a certain rpm. I did notice on one of the exhaust angle maps in vF tuner there is a peak in the map around the same rpm as it happens, that increases as load goes up. Maybe they're related. Who knows. I don't have my laptop with me to post a picture of the map unfortunately.

 

hmm thats a good thought. The motor mounts were something a couple guys here were going to try switching out, never heard if they did or not. I think for the most part I've just gotten used to it, it used to drive me nuts.

 

I've gotten used to it for the most part to, but would be stoked if there's a fix.

 

Yes it would. If I knew what it was I'd fix it myself or have it fixed. It's my last complaint about the truck since OVTune took care of most of the rest.
Btw yes it's that buzzy vibration in the gas pedal and steering wheel.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/buzzy-vibration-at-certain-rpms-read-before-buying.397620/

I've heard motor mounts, exhaust, TC. I put a dampener on my exhaust because someone said that worked for them, and moved it once to where they said it helped more, but it didn't help. That reminds me, I need to go take it back off.

 

Right!! Those are all the possibilities I read about as well. I was putting straps on the exhaust in different spots trying find that damn vibe!

 

I haven't been able to Flash it, i keep getting an error , just tried again tonight.
Any suggestions ?

 

You didn't even identify successfully

 

Key all the way on? Not running? Pushed start twice?

 

Don’t know. You’re on the latest version of vf flash tool? System ID ok? ECU is 04A61?

@tonered , any ideas?