ECT Power use. Harmful over time?

It's my understanding that the ECT Power button is supposed to be for towing, since it pushes the shift point up in the RPM range. I have used it for just driving around, and it actually makes the truck more drivable on city streets, because it's not always shifting into too high of a gear, then having to downshift with the slightest throttle input. i.e., when I make a left turn from a red light... I go slowly through the intersection, and the damn thing will have upshifted into like 3rd by time I've completed the turn. Then when I want to accelerate on the road I've turned into, it's lugging at like 1200RPM, and it has to downshift. With ECT on, it holds the gears until about 2000-2500RPM, which is much better for normal driving and maneuvering around town. My only grip with the ECT programming, is that it will hold gear up to 2500 or so and sit there , even when you lift off the throttle and maintain a steady speed. Most cars would wait a few seconds at say, 60mph, then upshift if you are no longer accelerating. As a result, unless I speed up to 62-63 where it finally shifts, I'll be cruising along indefinitely at 2500RPM, which seems like it might be hard on the engine.

So, on one hand, the tranny is shifting more than it needs to, and putting more wear and tear on it. And on the other hand, the tranny is less used, but the engine is getting more wear by running at a higher RPM than necessary a lot of the time.

What's better?

 

OTT tune. Seriously, they should have shipped from the factory like this. Worth every dollar!

 

Great question.
I would imagine most would say "get the tune" which is, I'm assuming, a program adjustment for shift points.
I'm hoping someone will answer your question directly.
Myself, personally, I just drive the truck in regular mode because I figure the engineers know what is best for optimal performance, being mileage, and component life of the vehicle in its stock format.
Now modifications for better performance are a whole new ball game.

 

ECT is the poor man's tune. Leave it on if you wish, it won't hurt a thing.

 

The 2GR is used in sports cars like the Lotus Emira. You can hammer it at redline all day with no concern. 2500 rpm is barely breathing for this engine.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/using-the-ect-power-button.630457/

 

Using ECT wont harm anything. It's basically just reprogramming of throttle sensitivity and shift points.

Two things;

1) reach out to Aaron at Tuned Yota out of Eagan. He can hook you up with a OTT tune that will help with the unwanted shifting habits and you can pick from some different throttle sensitivity settings. Highly recommended, and well worth the money.

2) with stock gearing I found that driving around town in S4, and driving on the highway in S5 was ideal. S4 in town keeps the truck from shifting into too tall of a gear and running too low of an rpm. S5 on the highway keeps rpm right around 2000 at 65-70mph. Anything lower than 2000 rpm is too much strain trying to maintain speed and loads the engine.

With the OTT tune and using S4 and S5 I rarely found the need for ECT unless towing.

 

I used to ride with the ECT on nearly all the time for a few years didn’t hurt a thing don’t think it matters. I now have OTT and the ECT button gives me even more push when I need it or want it.