3.4 L Engine ECU Can Be Improved?

In one of the regional threads I saw some lengthy threads on 'tuning' the engines. I take it that means reprogramming the ECU, similar to motorcycle guys loading 'better' engine maps on to the bike? Can the 3.4 L engine ECU be reprogrammed and improved?

 

Nope, has not been broken into

 

Which is quite shocking considering how popular these forums and engines are. There's got to be a hardware hacker somewhere willing to take this on.

Plus this looks to be an access header of some sort

 

OVTune already attempted it supposedly for the 3.4l, said it might be possible with the 01 - 04s (iirc) but not earlier. He never went through with it though.

 

01-04 ECU swap to 98/99 should be doable though I would think. 99% the same

 

Haltech stand alone is your solution to by pass the stock ECU.
But the wire harnesses are different per year so u have to have one specific to your year I believe
This one was for sale here

 

It's not just about the ability to take on something like reverse-engineering the ECU. What do you stand to gain from that? The 3.4L isn't going to magically turn into an asphalt shredding power house cause someone adjusted the fuel map. Further, if it was that easy, someone would have done in the 20ish years the motor and platform have been around.

Even between 01-04 the ECU's changed, 99% the same = non-compatible.

 

The only real advantage would be if you were supercharged or turbo to replace the stock ECU

 

I was going to make a reference for forced air setups, but figured over the course of 20ish years of folks with supercharger woes haven't gotten even a niche company like URD to get in the ECU game, then it's impossible/financially or time prohibitive/not enough market. And I thought URD did have a piggy back computer to tune the fuel maps... but it's been so long since I wanted a S/C that I don't remember.

 

I don't think you know much about the system control on these from those comments.

 

URD has piggyback options with the 7th injector and I believe the 6 larger fuel injector setup, they also have (had?) an MAF tuner piggyback. But yeah, they're all just piggyback options and the software for them is pretty far outdated now.

 

URD doesn't mess with controllers. All they know how to do is make voltage and frequency limiters. They outsource and rebrand.

 

The woes with the supercharger and ECU have been around since they came out with the supercharger.
There are band aids that work to a degree but still can’t control the stock ECU and very little support for these band aids with old technology.

I’m going a new route with my supercharger and ordered the haltech 2000 Stand alone setup that will arrive Tuesday

There will be NO open loop or closed loop or MAF to deal with any more and better timing numbers to come and a consistent AFR regardless what condition come.
So the power curve should start right out of the gate instead of 3000 rpms when the loop typically changes and sometimes doesn’t change

 

What are these CVC tune group get-togethers, then? Or, do I need to read the whole thread.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cvc-tune-group-buy-sf-bay-area-closed.725089/

 

Those are for 2nd/3rd gen Tacomas. Not 1st gens like ours.

 

Oh, never mind. Thanks for explanation