OVTune or KDMAX

I'm gonna hold out hope someone offers flashing services in the Minneapolis/Chicago area sometime in the future

My 19 MT has been on OV 2.0 Prem SFOB for 15k and it definitely could use some improvements

I'm clueless with computer stuff though

 

You’ve been made a very generous offer to try the tune for free. I don’t know why you continue to poke at the data vs. getting actual experience for yourself.

I’ve installed the KDMax on a 2021 MT taco with only 1500 miles on it, the owner was thrilled with the results and posted his review in the KDMax thread, look up “jsharmsway” in that thread.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...paree-and-twtaco.713699/page-15#post-25430900

You can continue to pick at this all you want, but until you drive it and report back it’s really just speculation on your part. If published dyno results are your selling point for mods, enjoy your K&N CAI and vortex throttle body spacer.

 

i have it on MT. I've been on every performance file from OV since the alpha files over 3 years ago. I've done tons of vF edits and tried various things posted by other MT users also.

i am still on my first tank of this tune, coming from OV 2.0 premium 93oct for dump tubes on 04B14, on a 2017 truck. all i can tell you is get KDMax now and you'll be massively impressed. it's what you're wanting, it's what all the MT guys seem to be wanting, but most of us appear to think this is just another AT tune. it's just infinitely better than any MT tune I've tried so far, power is up again a tick, and mileage appears to be improved also, but it's a bit early to assess that. I'll post more after more drive time. the most significant difference from OV here is the power and throttle are totally filled out power-wise and are actually factory smooth without the aggressive peaky behaviour i couldn't get away from with OV no matter what i tried.

 

PM inbound I have a bunch of Nor Cal dates coming up hopefully we can find one that works for you!

 

I do not think asking for data to back up the claims is being unreasonable. No one here has said any of the aftermarket tunes are not real or not worth it.

Yes, drive-ability and the driving experience from the tune is important. But the industry standard for comparing tunes apples (stock tune) to apples (custom tune) is to compare dyno sheets. While we might not be interested in WOT runs, the point of a dyno is to control for testing conditions so you rule out all other plausible explanations for differences in the performance of the various tunes being compared. In science, we call this removing confounds.

I come from the Subaru world, where tuning is not only more common but has been done for far longer than for Tacomas. If you go on a forum and claim something is better based on a “butt dyno” you’ll get laughed out of the room (in fact, you get that here in TW too any time a CAI gets brought up). People generally want to see hard data to back up any claims, especially when the claims are that one thing is heads and shoulders better than another thing.

EDIT: I want to emphasize that I’m not bashing paparee nor OV TUNE. I’ve heard great things about the former—sounds like there’s been a ton of R&D and hard work to make a great tune. I’d just like to see an impartial judgment of the torque curve across the powerband (i.e., dyno chart, because the hard data don’t care about your feelings).

 

HUGE shout out to @TWTaco and @PapaRee for their unmatched customer service.

My OVT registry key I got from Matt a long time ago somehow changed and does not match the key when I open VF or p5 flash software. Kreg wanting to make sure I was satisfied had his guy Dave come down to San Diego to tune up my truck since I’m unable to do it. Awesome. Super excited to try the new KDMAX.

If anyone needs their truck tuned today in San Diego hit them up!

 

They are. Hard numbers are more reliable and accurate than someone's "feel" about how a vehicle drives.

Evidence vs. emotion.

 

So what is the claim now? The tune makes less low-rpm torque at WOT than stock, but at partial throttle its better than stock?
If that's the claim, then run the dyno comparisons at partial throttle.

Use whatever testing methodology you want which will document the benefit. I'm just curious to see SOME documentation and not just random people's opinions.
There are people out there who claim crystals and essential oils will eliminate illness too... just because people believe they feel something doesn't make it true. That's why you perform testing under controlled conditions (ie: dyno) so you can produce hard data rather than personal opinion.

 

Enjoy your truck. That’s all that matters. If you like it as is, great.

I personally don’t push the OV tunes or KDMax as added HP and TQ. I focus on relaying how the tunes address the general drive-ability issues people have the the Tacoma’s. Gear hunting, dead pedal, inconsistent throttle response, surges and stalls, etc... if those things bother you, OV2.0 and KDMax will address the issues in different magnitudes. Failure to acknowledge that improving those aspects are equal or greater improvements to the Tacoma is selling the tunes short, in my opinion.

if dyno charts and added HP/TQ are your final deciding factor, then stay tuned as it sounds like there are more runs planned in the near future.

I still think it’s strange you won’t take the free tune offer. You can always revert back to stock if it’s a scam and then come straighten everyone out around here. You literally have nothing to lose. Worst case you come back and say “welp it does drive a bit better, but I don’t think I’m getting any extra HP/TQ..”.

 

I don’t run kdmax so I don’t have a dog in this fight. I run my own tune.

I agree it is good to be skeptical of claims based on feelings or butt dynos; the proof is in hard numbers. To a degree. There is a lot of positive feedback on kdmax, with no negative that I am aware of. That counts for something.

All I am saying is that dyno runs are irrelevant to whether one tune is gonna perform better in the real world than another. The stock tune limits throttle, airflow, torque, etc in a hundred different ways resulting in the strange behavior of the truck. Removing and modifying these limits is what makes the aftermarket tunes better. Thats not gonna show up on a dyno because the top end is largely limited by the hardware, whereas everything else is limited by software.

 

I have a few guys that live near you, I will pay them to come tune your 2021 truck. That way you can experience it and come back to give your opinion.
Please let us do this for you. I just want you to experience the difference. Then, if you do not like it, we will flash you back to stock.

 

To put it more clearly:

Imagine you are driving down the road at light load, and you press the pedal down further. This tells the ECU to make more torque. But how should it accomplish that? There are a lot of knobs.

How far should I open the throttle valve?
How far should I advance the ignition timing?
How far should I advance the intake valve timing?
Should I run open loop or closed loop fueling logic?
How much fuel should I inject?
How does ambient air density affect these decisions?
Should I inject by port injection, direct injection, or a combination? If a combination, what percent of the fuel should come from port and what percent from direct?
Do I want a long or short intake (acoustic valve open or closed?)
For AT, what engine speed?
For AT, TC locked or unlocked?

Toyota has good answers for these questions at light load and running the engine balls to the walls. But, the transition between the two states should be smooth, predictable, and repeatable. The stock tune is none of those things.

Enter the aftermarket.

 

Same with VW. My wife's VW Alltrack 178 hp stock. Add $800 to APR for the Stage 1 tune and BAM 60+ hp with better gas mileage and waaaaaaay more freakin' power. Regular gas tune. Premium tune adds more.

Aftermarket baby!!

 

GREAT feedback. I hear you regarding agro peaky. When people say these trucks are slow they def haven’t redlined an MT lol— it’s not like fast. But it’s not as slow as it’s made out to be. Someone was joking 15 sec qtr mile. Lol. How much is the KDMax. And is it easy to do solo?

 

Check this thread, post #1:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...e-by-paparee-and-twtaco.713699/#post-25387637

 

Nice-- No one really close to Dallas at all.

 

Do you have the means to flash it yourself?

 

I am going to have to get with @Phich and see about setting up a tune day in the DFW area. Seems like a lot of guys there wanting to get the tune.
I would drive out for a weekend to get some people tuned.

 

Got 2 or more DFW area people I’ll drive right on up there no problem! Ready to roll gents