2016 OVTune Tacoma 3.5L Manual Transmission / Engine ECU Reflash

Maybe I can find a pre owned flash kit up for sale soon if I don't lose my mind before then. The current state of the world has more than a few of us on edge so I guess I should be thankful I'm even in a position to buy shit. Thank you.

 

Forgot to mention I would've bought the flash kit from 'ole 816 when he left (RIP)... but by the time I saw his listing a while later it had sold almost immediately.

 

There is a handheld for sale on pg1 of the Buy/sell/trade thread. Op and Mat said it’s ready to flash. Nothing needed from Mat

 

Did a lot of driving this weekend. And got to really try out the new tune, 2.0 reg super fob. I’m at almost 500 miles on it and the fluttering engine noise at highway speeds with light throttle is still there but not nearly as loud as when the tune was just flashed. Thinking it finally settled in. When I first switched over, I had a tank full of 91 and had to fill up, went to 87 first time since I could remember. And call me crazy but I can actually feel a slight loss in power, am I the only one? I still love how much more responsive the peddle feels. The tip in is fantastic compared to all the other tunes I’ve tried since buying the kit two years ago. For off-roading, I loved it. 4 low was awesome too and I had a blast during my desert trip.

Seeing that this is most likely the final tune, I’ll post my review now. The tune makes the truck drive like it should from the factory. Responsive throttle, faster smoother power delivery, which all help in making shifts much smoother and more natural. My mpg has taken a hit and I’m averaging 15-16mpg highway from 17-20 but that’s also without a doubt because of the way I now enjoy getting on it and feeling the difference the tune makes.

My single and only complaint I can think about this tune right now is the engine flutter I hear at highway speeds around 2500rpm with light throttle. It’s gotten much better after the first couple hundred miles though. Almost sounds like faint rumble strips on the highway. No other tune has had this yet, but no other tune has been as great on all other aspects as this new 2.0 tune.

After going on this two year journey and ending up at 2.0, I’m convinced it’s one of the most dramatic mods you can add to your Tacoma to enhance everyday drive-ability and get rid of the quirks the stock tune had.

I came off an 06’ 2nd gen Taco, and while my 3rd gen is light years ahead of it, I still miss the low end grunt that 4.0 had.

While this tune has made a world of difference, at the end of the day there is no replacement for displacement and the 3.5l in the Taco isn’t the most ideal engine for a truck. There is no magical tune that is going to make up for the lack of torque this truck has below 3k rpms. A supercharger or turbo can help fix that, but then the mod cost goes from hundreds for a tune to several thousand. Regearing may also help too, but that’s also rather pricy compared to a tune.

I like to think I use my truck for how the commercials like to show it being used, outdoor activities, having fun etc, you know, “Go places”. I do monthly trips in it, desert runs, 4wd mountain trails, sand dune fun, dirt bike trips, camping with the family and all in between. That’s why I got my Taco. I didn’t enjoy the highway though until this tune helped fix that. And I’m grateful for OVTune as he is really the only avenue we have in this category.

In the future, my dream would be to go to 4.88 gears and help wake up the 3.5l engine even more.

But I digress, the new tune rocks and gives you your truck back. Hopefully the new tuning software goes live sooner then later and everyone can get the opportunity to try it out.

Thanks @OVTune, you made my truck worth keeping, and for that it’s priceless. Also thank you to all you on here who helped test, log data and provide feedback to help all this become a reality. Also for the help you all have given me and others in trouble shooting our tuning experiences. Main reason I still came on this forum was for this specific thread.

Keep on shifting everyone!

 

Handheld not supported for 2020, but thank you!

 

It may be when 2.0 final comes out. Send a message to Zendesk and ask. Can’t lose anything.

 

2.0 final is out for MT. Or am I confused somehow...

 

Forgot you were manual. My error

 

We all get your frustration, try and hang in there until you find a used unit or the vF tuning software is available. I lamented selling my 2006 2nd Gen for quite a while before I got my first OVTune loaded (v1.03). I see a lot of pretty amazing reviews for the OVTune(s) on here, but honestly the best and most accurate reviews say: "the truck now drives like it should have from the factory".

I have found that this motor really does need more RPMs to perform well. Don't expect massive performance increases in the lower RPM ranges, but you will see major "drive-ability" improvements there - particularly with regard to shifting. I've moved my RPMs up and the truck drives really very well. It's not a race car of course, you just have to ignore the "street racing" feeling a little. But if you can't... at least you might no longer be "loosing"

 

Maybe mine is weird.... Low gears (especially first) have TONS of torque, and shifting (even with rev hang) can still be done quickly and smoothly, esp with ADM.

 

I agree, low gears have great torque. I'm at highway speed long before 4th gear anymore.

I've just found that I need to bring up my RPMs from where I learned to drive a M/T. My old rules of thumb when teaching my 2 teenagers were to shift around 3K and:

• Dead Stop: 1st Gear
• Moving-30mph: 2nd Gear
• 30mph-40mph: 3rd Gear
• 40mph-50mph: 4th Gear
• 50mph+: 5th Gear
• Highway: 6th Gear

Doesn't really apply anymore to the way I'm driving the 2.0 Tune... just saying

 

Judging by the dumpster fire the main tune thread turned into, I dont know how fast any other questions will be answered by Mat before he locks himself in his shop away from everyone.

 

That's pretty high, but then again my first manual was a '95 Pathfinder. Could shift at 700 rpm if you wanted.

I usually shift this truck around 2k, unless I'm pulling a load or a hill, then it's closer to 2500, 3k.

 

Stay Manual my friends.

 

I have my daughter in a M/T Xterra and it is much more at home at lower RPMs. I definitely know what you are saying. Of course I find the Xterra shifts like a dream at any RPM compared to my Tacoma

3K might be a little high once your comfortable with a M/T, but remember I was teaching teenagers to drive with my "rules of thumb"

Take a chance one afternoon and see what the higher RPMs are like in the Taco though. I was really surprised how it behaves at 4K+ RPMs. Not a sound I was used to, but at least it doesn't sound like it would explode like my 2nd Gen did. Matt (@OVTune ) seemed to indicate that the 3.5L motor safely generated a lot of power on his dyno in the higher RPM range, and why he raised the RPM Limiter settings for us in 2.0.

 

I’ll typically shift 2500-3000 rpm.
Towing is more like 4000+ so you don’t drop out of the power

 

On flats I can easily go 2-4, 4-6, 5-3 etc

 

With the new tune, I've found more than a few 3-6 shifts and 5-3 might be may favorite 2.0 shift combination now that I can reliably rev-match

 

3 to 6 is a pretty regular occurrence

I skip gears all the time.

 

Yep. Easy peasy.