ECU Tune and Failed Emissions Testing Experience

Not to mention it was more fuel efficient than before but as you said..

 

Yeah good catch. This is by no means limited to OTT and I don’t want people to associate this with them.

 

I saw an article where dodge dealers are starting to check for modified tunes on some of their warrantied vehicles (HellCats).

 

Just because fuel mileage improved doesn't mean the tailpipe emissions like HC, CO and NOx improved too.

The transmission being sluggish and annoying plays a big role in keeping emission levels down

 

One of the pros I'll miss about being active military. All my vehicles have FL tags where they don't give af lol. Would've had to sell my deleted/tuned cummins a while ago. Good write up OP with lots of great information.

 

One truck out of tens of millions?

 

The CVN is like a hash or checksum and is internally calculated by the ECU. Any code reader that supports OBD mode 5 and 6 can report the 4 digit CVN from the ECU.

It's complicated but the CVN is analogous to a hash on a computer file. Oversimplified to be simply stated that a single bit changed from stock will likely change the CVN.

Manufacturers are providing information for their calibrations to determine if the ECU is indeed a stock calibration.

Checking if the CVN is stock is a cheap way to check emission compliance without actually analyzing the tailpipe emissions. It's assumed that if the CVN is stock, and no OBD code is set, the actual emissions met the standards.

 

This is true..without that piece of information it's tough to say for sure, no doubt.

 

Subbed for further updates...

 

Subbed

 

Really informative and helpful post; good job OP It definitely doesn't affect me, but subbing to see how the tuning community responds. Cobb tuning had a huge controversy arise when they had to begin complying to more strict emissions regulations, leaving thousands of customers stabbed in the back. From a business perspective it makes sense though - millions in fines or comply/lose some customers. Will be interesting to see how the Toyota tuning community responds, the solutions they'll offer to existing customers, and most importantly the cost to do so. Definitely something potential customers should know and consider on the front end. No shots fired at any tuners I've ever dealt with or any particular flavor of tune, but I've definitely read through plenty posts around here that point to some of these particular tuners being pretty clueless when it comes to actually tuning. Its kinda scary how easily people trust random "tuners" who just happen to buy a cable off the internet with a Youtube tutorial and had a laptop at home, tuning hundreds of trucks each month, not knowing what they're actually modifying. Thankful the tuners I've met with took months of their time to answer back and forth questions I had for them before tuning.

 

Link below from my local tuners Facebook in CA. Not a 3rd gen Tacoma but a supercharged 2nd Gen w/ OTT

Here is a passing CA Smog cert.

 

I think our trucks aren’t old enough yet to warrant smog checks in CA. Soon.

 

Likely not an CVN test, but also if he has a supercharger he has a CARB cert to go with it which should exempt him from a CVN check.

 

It's simple. The more tuners they add to their network, the more money goes into the owners' pockets. Add a tuner? Post about it. Tune a truck? Post about it. This keeps their thread at the top of the tuning forum and inflates the post count.

 

To simplify:

-Remove your stock ECU and store it safely
-Install a tuned ECU and enjoy the truck
-Plan to swap your stock ECU back in for future emission testing or warranty work

Right???

 

CARB EO for the TRD Supercharger kit allows the kit to be smog legal if it's on the stock 3" blower pulley and using the TRD flashed software. Any changes technically nullifies the legality of the kit. The CARB EO # doesn't exempt anything AFAIK.

I've been playing CA smog check dodge ball for 30+ years. I just passed CA smog earlier this month on my OTT tuned supercharged 2008. Also passed smog 2 years ago using OVT software.

 

Im unsure how much the emissions tests are costing but it might be cheaper to flash your tune, try the emissions, and then if you fail, swap ECU’s. One of the tuners on here is pretty confident they’ve figured out why it failed/how to pass (see post #6). YMMV but your method also would work.

 

Colorado is so full of shit. Its utter crap because you can drive around here with no bumpers, no brake lights any car condition is accepted (no state inspections) but gotta pass emissions...

 

Makes sense to me. You die, and possibly take out some others, now there’s less people polluting the air.