TRD/ Magnuson 4.0 Supercharger Tips, Tricks, and Mods

Thanks for mentioning the shipping the ECU option. I'm starting to remember why I shipped my MKV Supra ECU to be tuned. That sounds like the best route for me.

3 hours away from me, I'll probably consider the shipping option for the base TRD tune someday. Seems to make the most sense for me. The dealer in my town I wouldn't trust for anything complicated, not even sure they'd offer a reflash.

 

You can also find a space ECU and have that flashed so you “don’t have any downtime”.

I have a spare ECU as both a backup, but also in case I need to sell my truck as CARB compliant or other reason (like failing an emissions checksum test) or I can’t open up the laptop and change the tune (in Baja?)

 

Have you cleaned your a/c condenser or replaced it. If that is dirty enough it will block air flow. Just something to think about.

 

That’s little pusher fan I have works wonders. I wish I went slightly bigger. Also still need to revisit the e fan setup that’s been sitting on the shelf.

 

It's possible, I felt a little more air being pulled vs stock. The fan will require an adapter to work on our truck. I also think it'll need an adjustment on how far it goes into the shroud to be most effective.

 

Some ideas and possible discussion of results with you folks who have experience with this.

Have any of you that are experiencing the overheat issue at idle/lowspeed - Tried an enhanced fan clutch? The situation where it is taken apart, tabs bent just so... and the fluid is replaced with a specific amount of specific fluid, like 10,000 weight oil, etc. This coupled with a lower thermostat could keep the fluid cooler than just the thermostat alone, because the fan would fully engage sooner, BEFORE the engine is overheated. Make the clutch engage sooner, and increase the power delivered to fan through the fluid.

For some reason, I cannot simply trust that the fan clutch is fully engaging even when the radiator is over normal temp and the air being pulled through should be hotter than normal as well. How do you KNOW the fan is locked up and turning full speed, not just moving with some minor force due to fluid dynamics? I mean, unless the clutch is for shit, you can't just stick your hand on it to see if it will slow down... And, in theory it is supposed to unlock when you are driving at speed, and the velocity pressure through the radiator is much greater than the flow the fan could deliver anyway. Even if you have a NEW clutch, how do you know it is working right for your engine?

Also, I wonder about the HP tune being able to simply reset the desired idle RPM. Or Idle RPM when temp is over certain value. Idle at 900 would be a HUGE flow difference compared to the 5-600 that the trucks idle at now. And the idle bump for power steering or AC is really small, 50 rpm maybe but perhaps shorting the sensor in the PS pump would make it bump that RPM all the time? Could you increase the amount of air bleed past the throttle plate for the idle up scenario? I'd probably prefer a high idle if I could but I also don't know what a few hundred RPM would do to the torque converter, and the ability for it to unload the engine at idle. I suppose there is a delicate balance of all components, to make it so idle is high enough for airflow, low enough for fuel efficiency, but also low enough so that the engine isn't working hard to maintain the RPM against the torque converter, as load would translate to more fuel needed, which would simply generate more heat. Need to remove that heat with the radiator and tans cooler.

Is it possible there could be a fan clutch pulley that is smaller diameter? I dunno if there is some cross referenced pulley that would fit in OEM position, but be just a slight bit smaller? 10% speedup in the fan would accomplish a lot. I realize the pulley is driven from above and below by a belt that doesn't touch very much of the full circumference, so going smaller would put more load on the belt over a smaller section of pulley touching it...

I would like to think that we can make enhancements to boost the factory system, while still maintaining the simplicity and reliability of a mechanical fan. An E-fan would be fully programmable, and ramp to 100% whenever you want, but I think most would say that is a trickier mess than you think to get right. And you still have to power that thing, with a controller, and a bigger alternator. Nothing is truly free here...

And to be clear, I don't have an issue, no horse in this race, but I do enjoy reading and thinking about engine theory and improvements/solutions

 

I had constant low speed/stopped running warm no ac issues but I went to an efan to solve that mostly. I know someone on here swapped their clutch fluid I thought his username was @loginfailed but I see that tag isnt working. I cant fully remember but I think it locked up very good but maybe a slight mpg hit. I love my efan but the controller has no ac override which is annoying. I only have a 100% fanspeed override which is way too much and it sounds absolutely ridiculous when the fan is running that fast. I feel like the thicker radiators do not aid in the main cooling issue which is airflow. It’s also strange to me that some trucks suffer and others have no issue at all.

 

All of this right here. I actually was browsing the web some time ago and found better e- fan controller solutions without even looking for it while I was looking for PWM fuel pump controller solutions for my Camaro. I'll try to find it again but I never made any moves on it because they were out of stock for the Tacoma E- fan controller setup.

 

Ah yes. These were the guys. They make a kit for JK jeeps, but not the Tacoma. That being said, I'm sure they could adapt something to work for our electric fan setups given that it runs a Camaro/ Corvette ZL1/ ZR1 GM fan.

www.rpmextreme.com/Product/308/STANDALONE-3-INPUT-PWM-FAN-CONTROLLER.aspx

 

I was going to convert mine a few years back but didn't go though with it because I didn't like the controllers available. Now there's quite a few controller solutions that are highly rated. Basically avoid Derale, Mishitmoto, Flexalite electronics.

https://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=1207/mode=prod/prd1207.htm

https://deltapag.com/collections/frontpage/products/18-brushless-fan-kit

https://www.holley.com/products/electrical/wiring_and_relays/parts/7564-HC

 

Ooo I actually need one of these for my efan on the E46 M3. The current one only has a temp sensor and spins the fan at 100%

 

Nice will this solve the mission for more A/C controller?

 

This is what I did. Bought another ECU that has a JustDSM flash and then he flashed my OEM ECU with TRD file for CA smog purposes. Just smogged and swapped out the OTT ECU for the TRD ECU and passed with no questions. Even left my catch can and water methanol on. Have an Afe Intake with TRD lid and newer TRD intake carb sticker

 

That's why I've been keeping an eye on them actually. The lingenfelter controller has been fine but that lack of AC on detection is what makes the controller lackluster. It's so stupid. Why WOULDN'T you design a controller to handle a fan and not include the ability for it to trigger fans on to a higher rate than normal if it detects the user is requesting AC? I haven't been able to wrap my head around that for years now.

 

Ahh yah. Who knows. I have yet to install mine. Was never happy with many of the shroud setups

 

JBA’s arrived. The DT overall seem much nicer made and finished. Similar design. The JBA the stock slips over where the DT sits over the stock side. Also the O2 sensor port is part of the JBA vs the DT which is not and retains the stock location I believe. JBA notes they use a raised beads for a better seal as DT is flat. JBA included gaskets and CARB OE as well.

is it worth the effort to port or clean up the edges? Wasn’t sure if it will do much. JBAs def not as smooth as the inside of the Data.

 

Those headers look cool.

I've had my charger in for a week. Last night I was up first at a light, decided to kick a little launch off of it just to see how much power I'm getting via my butt gauge. For reference I have 285/75/r16 E tires, so they are heavy. And I'm chirping them/breaking loose pretty hard when I mash go. Very interesting.

Finalizing some wiring that should get my boost gauge up and running today so I have real numbers to verify air and vacuum lines are staying sealed up under load. I have not yet invested in an AFR gauge since that takes quite a bit more work to get a sensor mount in my exhaust line. There is a sensor already there though, I think it's an O2 sensor. Is it not the right kind of info to just tap into for AFR? Is there any other viable solution for figuring how lean things are running in a live fashion? I know this is kind of a lazy question, I'm just looking to utilize what is already there in the system if possible.

Also I came across a video showing that the OTT tune was making use of the ECT button to shift the tune into another mode. On my 09 I have no such button - but is there something I can pick up that would work in the system to make that available? I have the blank slots, that's easily done. I just don't know if theres an available logic slot in the ECU that can be taken advantage of, and a wiring port available to do that. I like the idea of a secondary mode, shift it from the house pico into the jabanero behind the counter spicy I think you get what I mean.

 

ECT button is 3rd gen talk so no dice. You will fine on those tires. A lot of folks here have 35 - 37” tires so you are doing better than most. On a good day my heavy truck on 35’s will give it a chirp.

If you can pull the Y and drop off at an exhaust shop . That’s what I did. $40 or so then back up it goes. Or if you weld or have a friend it was quick. The stock AFR won’t go low enough. you could prob see if that’s normal and vacuum but for sub 12 I think on your AFR the stock won’t do it.

 

I'm sad. I have never chirped a tire on my truck, but I have a Detroit locker, so it would have to be enough power to chirp both, not just one like you open diff boosted bois.

 

Yeah burning rubber at a stoplight wasn't really on my list of needs. There was a jeep behind me with about 40 rubber ducks on the dash. I really should not have tried that experiment with anyone around, I truly was not expecting that result but. Jeep ducks so. Eh.

Appreciate the notes on the button and the exhaust. I'm not sure what I can do with the AFR information if it's live in front of me, that seems very tune dependent as far as affecting changes. The boost gauge is a really good troubleshoot tool so I picked that up. Trying out a few 3d printed gauge holders to see what I like for that.