ECT Button

atkinson only changes the valve timing using the VVT-i system. So wear will not change.

 

I usually run with ect off and turn in on when i need more pickup.. I can get 25 mpg backroads driving with easy gradual acceleration.. I average 22-25 when some modest driving; since summer hit. I used to get 17-19 mpg in the winter and it gradually got better as the engine broke in.

People should play with the s shift mode which limits the highest gear allowing you to shift at higher rpms.. With Ect and s mode both on it seems to disable 6th gear and will only shift into 5th when you hit 52-53 mph..kind of a bummer when you want the response and save a little fuel.

 

I have a more tinfoil hat type suspicion that the gearing of the truck is intentionally designed to avoid the 2100-2500 rpm range where everyone feels the vibrations.

That would be a pretty reasonable place for the rpms to sit in most circumstances, imo, but the gearing in my experience tries to avoid that range as much as possible. /Conspiracy

 

Tested today. 20mi highway/back road/one stop light commute each way. Averaged same gas mileage 22mpg. I prefer the button off as I found the gears searching and hovering more with it on... But I could tell a difference in pickup for sure.

 

I was wondering about this as well...need to try a tank with etc on and check mileage...
manual says use etc for towing in hilly terrain

 

Only wish it would stay on all the time after the button is pushed.

 

For driving around town I engage the ECT and disengage the auto rear view mirror dimmer...

 

i drive in s- 4 all the time anything in city . i like it even better then ect.

 

so far i dont care for the ect function.... i almost feel a delay or glitch in the shifting.. it doesnt feel smooth to me... i like driving the city in S-4 if i start going fasteer or get to at higher rpms ill shift it into s-5. i enjoy it more when the truck doesnt want to rush in to overdrive mode all the time . and drive at 1000 rpm

 

I don't like driving in ECT function either...Too jerky for me, I prefer it shifting smoothly even if it means more gear hunting.

 

For me, that is still super sluggish. Im not afraid to let a motor sing. So it shifting at 1500rpm with ECT off doesn't do it for me.

 

For those that use ECT consistently, have you noticed whether the shifting becomes smoother with increased usage?

 

My shifting seems smooth to me. But the bigger tires might help smooth that out. Shift more like a GM trans which is what I drive all day

 

i feel a jerk or delay in the shifting with my ect with stock wheels tires. first gear goes to way too high before shifting for my liking . i do like the higher rpm shift after 2nd gear . i would never drive a manual like the ect shifts unfortunatl. maybe it is your bigger tires that make in smother .

 

I think ECT is Toyota's way of thumbing their nose at the EPA. Unfortunately it seems their average customer misses the point and blames Toyota, not the EPA.

The EPA has been crawling up the auto industry's collective asses for years now with CAFE standards. Everything has to meet their standards, and they've been pushing hard as hell with some really unreasonable shit. This is also one of the chief reasons the Taco is getting bigger, because it pushes it up a weight/size class where the restrictions are a bit lower. A few years back my old man bought a Shelby GT500- the biggest joke ever was reading the "factory recommended" shift points. V8 with 500+ HP, but if you're following their "recommended guidelines" you're shifting before 2000 RPM. But they had to do that to avoid a reaming on the "gas guzzler" tax.

That's exactly why the 6 speed is so shift happy outside of ECT. It's desperately trying to hit overdrive as fast as possible, and I'm not 100% sure about this but I think it normalizes throttle input via the throttle by wire system... At least it sort of feels that way sometimes.

The ECT button is Toyota showing you "this is the car we could have made if the EPA let us be."
And then people scream at Toyota, not the government agency that has their fist up the company's ass like a sock puppet.

 

This X2, just wish it was the other way around. Call it "ECO PWR" or something.

 

Yeah, that would make sense, but I'm pretty sure there's something in the rules that say the "economy" mode has to be enabled by default.

 

Haha, yes of course! If it makes sense then its not allowed!

 

I found this a while back.
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...an-i-run-with-ect-power-mode-continuosly.html
I think the Lexus guys had it figured out 6 years ago...
They also have an interesting shim mod for the accumalators to improve shifting.

This is what ECT does for them; bit more descriptive than the Tacoma info.


A lot of them like it in S-mode as well; disables AI.
Interestingly, 1/4 mile times(WOT) for them are best achieved in D w/ ECT off.
Personally, I prefer S5 w/ ECT off for 95% of my driving.

 

i agree. i mostly dont mind the auto trans untill it wants to race into overdrive and drive at a 1000 rpm sometimes giving it a floating feeling... so ill drive in in s-4 mostly around honolulu where im mostly driving upto 40 mph... and then ill shift it to s-5 if i start going a little faster . i pretty much only use D when on the freeway