Does the 2nd gen have can bus and is that easy to program?

Read @Pittsy LS swap thread from start to finish. He worked through a lot of what you’re asking, if I remember correctly using Holley components

 

Depends on the year, on 05-08 only the ECM, Skid Control ECU (ABS), Yaw Rate Sensor (Models with VSC & 09+), and Steering Angle Sensor (Models with VSC & 09+).
Starting around the 2011-12 Model year (12/10 Production date according to service info) the Combination Meter (Instrument Cluster) and Center Airbag Sensor Assembly (SRS Module) are also on the CAN bus.
All other modules that are accessible via a scan tool (which isn't many) are on a K-Line that is just used for diagnostics and not module to module communication.

Fuel level sensor is connected directly to the Combination Meter and is solely for the fuel gauge, the ECM has no fuel level input.

Coolant Temperature is a 0-12v squarewave duty cycle output from the ECM to the Combination Meter and A/C Amplifier with a pulse width that varies with engine temperature, on models where the Combination Meter is on CAN it is transmitted via CAN but the A/C Amplifier still uses the duty cycle temp signal.

Engine speed is a 0-12v squarewave signal (frequency varies with engine speed) from the ECM to the Combination Meter and A/C Amplifier, on models where the Combination Meter is on CAN it is transmitted via CAN but the A/C Amplifier still uses the digital signal.

Vehicle speed comes from the Skid Control ECU (all A/T models & ~11+ M/T models) or Vehicle Speed Sensor (05-10 M/T Models) to the Combination Meter on the SP1 terminal (and via CAN on 11+), it is also a 0-12v digital signal. The Combination Meter then sends the Vehicle Speed Signal out on the SPD terminal to all the other modules that use it including the ECM.
Do note that 11+ trucks that have the Meter on the CAN bus have to see the vehicle speed both on the SP1 terminal and over CAN for the speedometer to work.

All other warning lights in the Meter are Ground inputs, some are inverted meaning it needs a Ground input to turn the light off while others need a Ground to turn the light on.

A/C Amplifier controls the MG CLT (Compressor) Relay directly and needs/has:
A/C Permission signal from the ECM (Switched 12v)
A/C Idle Up Request signal to the ECM (Switched 12v)
Coolant Temperature signal from the ECM (0-12v duty cycle)
Tach Signal from the ECM (0-12v square wave)
A Dual Pressure Sensor input (Switched Ground)
Evaporator Thermister input
Compressor Lock Sensor input (if this signal is invalid/not present within about 3 seconds of the MG CLT Relay being commanded on it will turn off the relay and flash the A/C Light.)

 

"Does the 2nd gen have can bus and is that easy to program?"
It has a CAN Bus but it's rudimentary compared to newer vehicles and it's not being programmed to avoid or fool one of the ECUs into thinking something different which is what you're describing with the other vehicles. As was mentioned many of the signals aren't exposed or available over the CB and use seperate, dedicated wiring. Newer vehicles run almost everything over the CAN bus which is also why you can steal them via CAN injection. You can play with the 2nd gens CAN system all day long and you'll never start the truck with it, it's not that sophisticated. If it was possible it'd already be done, there lots of annoying little signals many of us would like to see go away; TPMS warnings, air Injection errors, emissions related faults etc. That's not happening via the can bus on a second gen.

 

I like how you're asking a question and getting an accurate and detailed answer but not liking it and arguing with it lol.

 

I was gonna say DM93 is correct and that your best bet is to get a wiring diagram off Tis for your year and model and see what is a direct input/output and what is a CAN input/output but he beat you to it it seems like.

The transmission module (tcm) i believe is internal to the ecm so you'd have to find someone who makes a stand alone tcm. For other things such as the coolant sensor on your desired engine, you may have to run two sensors with a tee adapter and go old school. The original toyota one ran to converter then cluster and donor engine sensor to it's ecm.

What engine exactly are you looking to swap in again?

 

damn

youve done some digging into this…
Sounds like a pre ‘11 might be the way to go?

super thankful for you to chime in. Thats a lot of good info!

 

Ok.
good to know. Im actually very happy to learn this.

im not super up on this, my experience with CanB is with the FRS race car and it was quite a bit more involved.

 

no, not arguing at all. Just asking questions. My experience was a lot different, so this platform is very new to me.

 

Im not a 100% sure, but leaning towards the BHW outof a diesel Passat.

 

Neat, I was gonna do a BRM swap into my old ranger, I pulled the engine out of my jetta when the body was ready for scrap. I never followed though because the ranger started nickel and diming me hard to the point where I saw the bigger picture that it wasn't a solid project vehicle as I knew I wanted a 4wd and 4 door truck plus it needed alot of work at it's base level including alot of rust as it was originally a maritime truck from 2001... fast forward 3 months and here I am in a Tacoma. BRM is still just sitting on an engine stand with it's harness.

I guy I worked with at the dealership built his 86-89( I forget the exact year) 4runner very tastefully and functionally with an ALH under the hood. He also happens to be just as good as welder as he is a mechanic and welded everything from his exhaust, to boost pipes, to coolant pipes to even cutting and flipping the throttle body on the intake 180 so he could keep the front end exposed for future repairs and if needed, cleaning of the timing belt on the trail.

For you though, talk to these guys https://www.fastforward.ca/standaloneharness. I got a quote from them for a plug and play harness which would of electrically connected everything from the engine to the Ranger body and chassis components. I believe I would of just had to send off my ecm to get the immobilizer defeated and (somehow) install the VW accelerator pedal in place of the factory ranger gas pedal. When I got the quote in 2020 price was 1100$ CND for the job from them

 

You could say I get "consulted" every time someone is doing a swap and can't figure things out which tends to happen alot although I try to avoid it, somehow I always seem to get in the middle of it against my better judgement lol.

I've pretty much learned and reverse engineered how many of the 2nd gen systems work trying to help out with fixing them on here.

Would certainly be fewer electronics to deal with.

 

Ahh, another pump deuce motor. They are great but you have to make sure that you run the right oil since each injector has their own pump that runs off the cam (Im sure you know that already, sounds like you are a tech).
Yeah, being able to fab stuff yourself really cuts down on cost and time.
Projects like these need momentum and you just have to run through and get it done. Otherwise its 2026 and you havent made any progress.
I had a pretty good racket for a while, there was a guy who did fab stuff out of his garage but he was incomprehensibly expensive Im pretty sure he thought he was working for Red Bull Racing in his head…
BUT, if I needed something done that I tacked up myself, and take it to him, he would charge me like 20 bucks for an incredibly beautiful stack of dimes. It was good while it lasted.

Yep. Been in touch with these guys, probably my first step if everything comes together.
There is a lot of info and resources out there with regards to TDIs.

 

Thats awesome!

Im certainly thankful for chiming in like you did and Im sure others are too.

The early 2nd gen is really becoming a pretty obvious choice here. At firs I was looking at 1st gens with a turbo, but I think this is much more of an overall better truck. If I was only thinking of bombing the desert, 1st gen might be a great choice, but with the 2nd gen, you can actually use it as a truck, etc.

Whereabouts do you hail from?

 

South Texas

 

I swapped a BHW into my 2005 Tacoma. You can take a look at the build thread here https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/2nd-gen-tacoma-bhw-swap.516662/

 

You're just the inspiration this OP needed.

 

Thats awesome!
Any regrets?
Anything you would have done differently?

 

Yep!

 

So here is another quick question for the brain trust here.

What needs to happen to run the automatic properly?
Is the trans controller in the trans? Controlled by the ecu?

 

The transmission is controlled by the ECM so you would have to come up with a custom solution unless someone makes a standalone controller.

Everyone I've seen swap these either adapts to use one of the manual transmissions or brings their own transmission along with the engine.