Disappointed in new Tacoma - OVTune help

Here is another one with more labels, KDMAX 6.0 is more of a performance tune with better power, drivability, shift points, and where transmission holds gears better underloads. I'm not an expert in this dyno stuff just passing on information. These trucks weren't designed for their pulling power, that's why Toyota came out with the Tundra. @PapaRee and others are trying to make tunes so the Tacoma drives better under different conditions.

VF tuning collaboration and BS | Page 102 | Tacoma World post #2032

 

Again, if I'm reading that chart correctly, it's showing a net loss in torque compared to OVT (I'm assuming SFOB) right where I feel these trucks need it most - low end. I personally don't care how much more HP is wrung out at high RPM. Look, I'm not bashing the product or the tons of work that's obviously been done to create KD Max.
All I'd want is a calibration that maintains that substantial low end torque gain offered by OVT SFOB, with SMOOTH power delivery... without surges, hesitations, or stuttering - especially in the 2-3k range. My truck is an outlier, it's always had surging 2-3k, even stock. I'm not alone though, there are more of us out there.

 

When I say driveability issues, I'm talking about stuttering, hesitations, extremely slow to downshift (makes it dangerous to pass sometimes), upshifting too fast, extreme high RPM (downshifts) using cruise control, general lack of power/torque. I know this engine is a little high strung for a truck, but Toyota coulda'/shoulda' done a better job of transmission tuning. It helps when using ECT mode, but shift points are still crap and doesn't seem to be throttle related at all, more speed dependent.

I took it to the dealership to make sure it was up to date on TSB's. They gave me a printout showing it did indeed have the latest. I've taken it to two dealerships hoping to get help, but they just say, "they all do that" and give recommendations like, put it in sport mode and manually shift. I had one service rep tell me that he knew it had all the "symptoms" I described, but it wasn't an issue or problem, but a "unfortunate characteristic". That guy should run for president of the United States, he would make a good politician!

Like I said, I'm normally a Toyota fanboy, but this has soured my opinion. After researching, it is an obvious problem. The dealer techs know it, the service managers know it, I know it, and the people on the forum know it, but Toyota doesn't seem to want to address it. So, it makes me perturbed that I have to get a "tune" just to make it tolerable to drive. To be honest, I partially blame myself for not doing more research and doing a longer test drive. That was one expensive stupid tax I paid....

 

I don't have any of that with this new 6.0 tune, when I first loaded his Kruiser 4.0 I thought I was done with the tuning stuff then he came out with the KDMAX. I know people have been providing him feedback and he was making tweaks to get rid of this stuff, maybe contact @PapaRee and talk with him.

 

Do the KD tunes require premium gas. I have a OVtune on reg gas for better shifting. Not wanting additional power if 93 octane is required.

 

You can choose reg or premium tunes at the time of flashing.

 

Thanks for the insight, with the caveat that I'm M/T and you're A/T of course..

 

I believe he has KDMAX 6.0 in M/T also.

 

Thanks, I'll have to find out if those issues have been addressed specifically.

 

Those plots are clearer but still confusing. Never seen an engine where torque and hp drop off at 5300. Not how the math works since hp is calculated from torque. Odd. Tried looking for other 3rd gen Dino charts and I don’t see the same curve. Not sure if somehow the 33s where impacting the data.

One good thing is the loss is much less down in the lower rpms. Would have loved to see them start at 2 or 2.5k. To get a better picture of the full curve.

thanks for posting.

 

I've had OVtune on my 2017 for 45K miles now. Like you I was ready to get rid of the truck because of its flaky ECU programming. Here's my experience:

• Stuttering - FIXED
• Hesitations - FIXED
• Extremely slow to downshift - FIXED
• Upshifting too fast - FIXED. We have a long on-ramp near home that used to be a problem with the stock tune. The truck would wind through first and second 'correctly,' but it would spend almost no time in 3rd, resulting in a major bog in 4th gear. I'd have to almost floor it to get it to keep accelerating, at which point it'd drop two gears and scream forward. With OVtune, it now holds onto 3rd and 4th the 'right' amount to keep accelerating smoothly all the way up this particular on-ramp.
  
• Extreme high RPM downshifts when using cruise - Somewhat better with OVtune but not completely fixed. According to the company, there's some sort of weird logic Toyota uses in cruise that makes it hard to properly tune these downshifts.
  
• General lack of power/torque - Premium octane version of OVtune adds some oomph, but you'll never have 'real' torque down low from this engine.
• Throttle response - FIXED. You didn't mention this one, but with my truck it was scary if you needed to make minor adjustments in a parking space. The throttle would do nothing with a gentle touch, then suddenly lurch forward. OVtune fixed this.

Don't feel too bad about not doing a longer test drive. It took me a couple of weeks to really understand just how bad the driveability really was.

 

We do have MT tunes available with all options Octane, Tire size, Gearing, and more.
For the MT guys you will be very impressed with the improvements. The rev hang that the MT's experience is cleaned up a little but not completely.
You can go to my thread and read reviews even PM the MT guys that are tuned and get first hand info! I can sit here and tell you how good it is but you really have to drive it to get the full appreciation for the tune. I just tuned 3 2021 owners who had less then a 1000 miles on there truck and just hating them , after getting tuned they are loving there trucks!

 

Thanks for replies and messages. I contacted @Boltripper to have my Tacoma flashed this weekend. Based on the feedback here, I'm very hopeful this is going to make a big improvement. I will follow up with my experience.

 

Post back after you get it done.

 

Will do.

I've noticed a few on here saying they went to the Tundra from the Tacoma. I had two separate service advisors tell me they sold their Tacoma and purchased a Tundra because of the issues we are experiencing.
I honestly don't do enough serious towing to warrant trading up to the Tundra. I pull a trailer with dirt bikes regularly, but that's probably the heaviest towing I do. My daily commute is about 60 miles round trip each day. The Tacoma doesn't get great gas mileage but it is certainly better than the Tundra. If I can get these driveability issues resolved with the KDMAX tune, I will be a very happy camper. Fingers crossed....

 

Phill i cant wait for you to get your truck tuned ! Please come back and report your honest feedback!
You will be blown away with how well this truck can perform with it properly tuned! You wont be disappointed!

 

I am with you on the Tundra. We don’t need a larger truck and our prior truck, 2009 TRD Sport 4x2, towed my car and trailer just fine. Even though the 3rd gen has a slightly smaller motor the hp/tq numbers are close enough they should tow the same.

that said if the issues of the oem tune can be addressed and gain some extra usable power why not. I will say I am not impressed with numbers above 5300 rpm. From a practical standpoint you just aren’t using the part of the power band for general driving and towing. What’s happening below 5300 will have a greater impact on general drivability. Not saying that 30+ more hp wouldn’t be felt but only if your flooring it all the time and running it out. To me if that’s the case you have the wrong vehicle.

 

Looks like both the stock and OVtune have ~20lbs more low end torque?
And the real benefit is only seen >5500rpms?

 

My interpretation:
Stock = Light Blue
OVtune = Pink
KDTune = Dark Blue
KDMax = Yellow

 

So the huge benefit of OVTune providing that extra oomph down low where the truck really needs it is removed, got it. Lol