3rd Gen Tacoma 2.7L ECU Tuning

around CT, RI, MA

 

@lapoltba might be able to help you out, once we get tunes going.

 

@tonered

@Phich identified a 2022 4cyl and it was 04C10

We just wanted to contribute to the list.

 

Thanks.

 

Pleasure!

 

So yes, changing the throttle position will have an effect on the throttle opening and accordingly fuel flow as well, but not to the extent that you would intuitively guess. Only small increments will register though. Large increments will be handled by gear ratio and torque converter status. There are only a handful of situations when the throttle opening isn't close to full. If you're already in 6th gear, obviously there isn't anything else the ECU can do to maximize throttle opening when the requested power output is low enough. Also, when you are going just too slow for the next gear (like going 33 mph in 4th), there's just nothing that can be done to adjust increase the throttle opening for a low requested power.

I'm very new to this whole tuning thing, but I bet it's possible to modify some of the shifting maps (for 5th gear downshifts?) to ensure it doesn't automatically downshift after you reach a certain speed. That way once it goes into 5th at a certain speed threshold, you can drive in S5 and it won't downshift. You would have to be very confident about what you wanted though, because no kickdowns unless you manually shift to S4 or lower can be a mild safety hazard.

 

my 21 at

 

Perfect. Thank you!

 

Apologize for the late response. For some reason I never got the notification when @tonered tagged me.

That map is specific to locking only. But yes, if you go above the line, it will lock.

You can just do a straight line at 30 kph. But the torque converter can really bog you down. For 2016-2019, the V6 doesn't go into full lock until 4th gear, and only does slip lock in 3rd. For 2020+, full lock is the same, but slip lock engages as early as 2nd gear.

 

I'm very close to pulling the trigger on buying the VFtuner tuning kit for my 2020 2.7 AT Tacoma. I got out of a 2000 Tacoma with the 2.7L and the 5 speed manual, so I just prefer that 1:1 connection between the engine and wheels once a certain speed is reached, and I really prefer to be in a lower gear with a locked torque converter than be in a higher gear with a slipping torque converter. If I have to go in and advance the shift points slightly to prevent the torque converter from bogging the truck down, I'm happy to do that. It'll take a lot of experimentation though ... reminds of me when I used to mess with the settings on vehicles in RoR a long time ago. I already know I will need to update the unlocking and downshifting maps to get it right and to my liking.

 

It will definitely take some trial and error, but I have no doubt you will be able to find some edits that will suit you. Just make sure to monitor temperatures while testing. Unlocked TC will/can increase the temperature by a significant amount.

 

Trans fluid temps is one of the main reasons I want my TC to be able to lock in 2nd and 3rd gear. Here in Colorado, there are lots of hills that the 2.7 really needs 3rd gear to climb, and obviously you lose all ability to lock the TC once you go lower than 4th, which sucks. In fact, if you have to climb any hill slower than 38 mph (about the absolute slowest you can go in 4th with a locked TC and still be making any power), you're out of luck. You'll have no choice but to escalate that fluid temp. I think when you go back in automotive history and look for patterns in all the conventional automatic transmissions that have a reputation for failing, all of them have the problem that they are geared too tall for the vehicle application they are in, and they rely too heavily on torque converter slippage.

 

got my money ready as soon as a tune is available! maybe i need to learn the vftuner software so i can start messing with it myself. not a fan of cruising around in overdrive with a locked tc at 1200 rpm...

 

Why not? That's 37 mph in 5th gear and 44 mph in 6th. If you're traveling at a steady speed on flat terrain or slightly downhill (which is usually the only time it will do that), I don't see what could possibly bother you. Mine doesn't vibrate or make noise under those conditions, and it helps the fuel economy out too. If you do stab the throttle when it's at such a low RPM, it takes a second, maybe a second and a half tops, to respond and give you the gear you want. Cruising around at 1800 or 2000 instead of 1200 can definitely improve responsiveness and reduce the number of shifts when the road conditions change quickly, but it comes with a hefty fuel penalty. Trying to cruise at 2500+ in an automatic just seems wasteful. From my point of view, an automatic takes away all the work of choosing and shifting gears, so I don't mind it running a really low rpm since it can effortlessly downshift in the same time it would take me to smoothly rev match downshift a manual if I suddenly need or want to accelerate..

Even if that was the only thing that bothered you, that's relatively easily manageable by using S mode to lockout the higher gears until you decide you're going fast enough to permit them. That could be a little annoying to manage though, and I do understand that for a lot of people it's either all manual or true set-it-and-forget-it. In which case, a tune is definitely the way to go. Unfortunately for me, torque converter locking in 2nd and 3rd gear is flat out impossible without a tune. That just seems like a strange choice. Not even in ECT mode will it lock in 2nd or 3rd. Allison transmissions which are mechanically identical in conceptual design to the Toyota AC60E, all have lockup capability in gears 2-6, with some even able to lock in 1st, but only in manual shift mode. I just find it irritating when the engine is making a lot of power and the torque converter is slipping to allow the engine to make more power and also multiply the torque, but also wasting a lot fuel and heating up the ATF when the torque converter could lock in a lower gear and the job would get done in a similar way with less fuel wasted and less heat generated. I can see that being fine for a few seconds to climb a sudden steep hill and prevent 2 otherwise unnecessary gear changes, but some steep hills go on for miles ... the fact that even in the "manual" mode we still don't get lockup in 2nd or 3rd just adds insult to injury, especially when it's mechanically capable of doing it and simply not programmed to do it.

 

I guess still no major updates still itching at the bit to get my 21 a tune

 

No, unfortunately. I have noted the excitement that was going on here to vF Tuner. But, it is still just the four ECU IDs as noted in the 1st Post. There was an update yesterday with no change.

Sorry!

 

An update will come just a waiting game appreciate you keeping up with the post

 

You're welcome!

I will ask about them if they are not mentioned again soon. You guys deserve it.

 

all we need is someone with a 2.7L and knows how to use the vftuner software....guess i might have to learn