Tacoma - OVTUNE - VFTUNER - Update Info and Original Development

I can't deal w/ it - I felt like I was going to get hit nonstop while driving home from the office this afternoon. Promptly flashed back - thought I could deal w/ stock for a few days and then just flash the optional update. No. Stock is miserable after driving OVTuned for a long time. Miserable. Felt like my truck was broken!

 

If anyone ever has doubts/buyers remorse (after they've gotten used to the tune) should do this. Once they experience what you did, there will be no doubt that this tune is worth it!

 

I know this has been brought up before but I did a search through the thread and could not find an answer. With the new TCU update for A/T the S gears were said to be all gears full lock. I have the OBD fusion app and it shows it locking on gears 4-5-6 only just like in D. Does anyone know the correct definition of full lock on all gears? Does that means it’s even engaged when you let off the gas?

I Can definitely feel it when throttle is applied in 1-2-3 but it just doesn’t show it. There is no delay like the stock TCU tune. I’m not complaining, just trying to get the facts. Lol

 

I vaguely remember the comment of full lock on 4-6, and near full lock on 1-3. I know there was some small distinct difference betweeen the two though.

 

I did a search and found this .

 

It’s not a problem for me. I still use the S gears most of the time anyways. I’ve tried D but I still hit 5th gear at 35mph. I have to take a good amount of roads that are 35-45 and have turns. The high gears in this situation don’t work for me. I’m also running stock wheels & tires w/o a lift and Mat is working on these adjustments for this. I do have a K&N filter and a Dynomax exhaust but I don’t think they have to much to do with shifting. We all have different driving scenarios and I don’t blame this on the tune but still the truck itself. My truck runs better than ever. There is plenty of power (ECT is frickin’ insane! I love it!)now over stock. I can pull into traffic and have to let up on the throttle cause I catch the car in front of me so quickly. It’s definitely worth ever penny.

 

Are you using the 87 tune ?

 

I went 91 and never even considered 87. Lol. I love the power it has now

 

I'm going to be honest, i flashed the 87 tune and I'm really not impressed on first impressions. The throttle is much more responsive but the shifting (to me) is worse than the stock shifting in terms of being seamless and not being able to feel the shift. I also don't feel much difference in power or torque. I'm not going to put a review on the review thread just yet, I'm gonna get more drive time in but those are my first impressions

 

Power and torque don’t improve a noticeable amount with the 87 tune.

 

That's cause there's no big power differences from stock on the 87 OVT maps. The focus drivability and the application of power. 91 maps add more.

I have a 6MT, so my experiences are automatically different from yours, but I've ran both 87 and 91 maps and thoroughly enjoy them equally, for different reasons of course. Since they have different goals

 

Yeah, you have to put some miles on it. Give it a couple tanks and it will settle in.
It does get better but if you’re looking for a drastic change in the way the truck performs and drives you should try the 91.

 

Did you flash back to the 87 tune ?

 

1.03 came out ages ago. Get with the times!

 

Yeah. I really enjoy the 87 tune actually... while I know there isn’t more power it’s far more accessible and shifting is immensely smoother. I ran an errand after flashing back (and idling), pavement was still damp from rain earlier, turning left against traffic and I spun my tires taking off - fun mode back... won’t normally do that that my foot readjusted to an actual functional skinny pedal

I’ll probably run this full tank down then may consider trying out the revised 1.03 91

 

Dropped mine off at the dealership yesterday and the mechanic I guess thought oh another taco and when he pulled it out of the service drop off bay burnt some rubber for all of us

 

I certainly feel a marginal power and torque improvement in my manual on the 87 tune. I think everyone needs to recognize though that this tune is not like regearing or adding a turbo/supercharger. It’s remapping the shotty stock map with a more refined, logical map that performs as we’d expect for this truck. Linear throttle response, improved throttle output, etc. The stock tune sucks and Toyota should be embarrassed. That said, Tacoma world is comprised of enthusiasts (and critics), while the general population that buys this truck probably doesn’t know any better...especially if they didn’t own a previous generation Taco.

I’m looking forward to the next 87 revision. I’ve been back on stock tune for a week after taking the truck in for service (not required to flash to stock but I did due to the subtle hesitations at 2-3k). The stock tune is just utterly terrible. I can’t wait to flash back or to the new software revision. I would absolutely have sold my truck had I not come across OV Tuning.

 

Toyota sent me a customer satisfaction survey (bought my '18 Tacoma 3 months ago), and I roasted them on how bad the stock tune is.

 

Some of you will find this interesting as to how poorly this transmission works in other applications, not just the Tacoma. In Australia, they pair this transmission with not only the 2.8 liter TD Hilux, but also with a with a 4.5 liter V8 twin-turbo diesel (480 ft/lb torque at 1600 rpm) in the LC200, and people are STILL not happy with how the torque converter works in this transmission, so they have come up with a fix for it in Australia. It sounds like OVtune is trying to do with software (as best he can) what these guys are doing with a combo hardware/software solution. I don't know the cost, but judging by what's involved, I bet it's a lot more than $800

http://richardsauto.com.au/wp/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=33&v=JFCRnfvyzLs

I'm still not completely happy with the transmission performance with the tune, but it's miles better than stock. It just goes to show you how bad the issue is that Matt is trying to fix that even with these engines that make loads of low end torque, the engineering of the shifting parameters with this transmission in Toyota vehicles was garbage. Whether or not the tune makes the Tacoma a vehicle you can be happy with is completely subjective, but objectively, based on the improvement, it's very hard to argue it's not worth the asking price.

On a positive note, if they pair this transmission with that 4.5 TT diesel, it must be fairly robust and will last quite awhile paired with our 3.5 NA motors...and it should be up to the task of handling the TT setup that is in the works.

 

2500 ish I also did a ECHS CV clamshell bushing upgrade