Any cons to having ECT power on all the time?

It’s all in the driver and what they consider acceptable.

 

I don't understand why you say your truck shifts too much in the D mode. I remember something like that when i first drove my truck 160 miles home from the dealer when i took possession of it....it hunted like crazy. Nothing of the sort now. My truck shifts just like any other truck i've had in the past, yet gets better fuel economy....usually 23 mpg, and change in the summer....and plenty more power too whenever i need it.

 

I'm usually picky when i buy a vehicle...you couldn't get me to own the 2.7 in these gen3 tacoma's after test driving one. I do recall when i first drove my truck home i questioned what i had ordered through this dealer. Truck hunted, and had no power. Seemed after 1500 miles of driving, and some towing the truck was getting better, and better every day. You wouldn't think it was the same truck i took home from the dealer over 2 years ago.

 

Get a Tune. My truck now drives like I expect a truck should drive.
The Toyota Tacoma will never be a race car. If your using ECT on all the time you apparently are not happy with stock configuration as well. I recommend KDMAX

 

Lol you couldn't pay me to trade my 2.7L with a 6ft bed, 4.30 rear diff, 1500 lb payload rating, for a V6 short bed with a wimpy 3.91 rear diff, 950 lb payload rating, that’s more of a sedan with an open trunk
I have the truck I want and love it.

By the way many with a V6 understand the advantage of ECT and use it. my friend with a Taco V6 uses it all the time, he understands the truck shifts too soon without it. Standard shifting is to keep rpm’s low to achieve EPA mileage ratings and not good performance.

 

A tune isn’t exactly stock configuration either. ECT does the job for me and it’s easy to you know, push a button. And free!

I don’t know why some are skeered to use ECT. Driving around town or rural under 45 just try it and feel the difference, pay attention to the rpm’s as it shifts compared to ECT off.

 

David hit it spot on on both posts just now.

The trick with ECT is part throttle. And when you want that heavy push, do the trick I mentioned above. 4.0’s don’t like it :0)

 

Imo, if you need to use ECT just for daily driving, you've got something wrong with you truck that needs looking into. Some of these trucks sound similar to a buddies that had a 3.5 auto trd. That truck just wasn't right no matter what the dealer kept telling him. He saw the difference between his 2019 and my 2020, it would piss him off to no end.

 

It’s not a need, it’s a want for better performance. I don’t think you understand what ECT does. Try it for a while around town, you might like it. There is no difference between 2019 and 2020 if he has the latest TSB update tune. The biggest difference between truck models is the weight. I believe TRD is one of the heaviest models.

 

Consider a KDMax tune. It was night and day. I got the middle level and when I hit ECT, it makes it the top program but sounds like you might want the top level tune. No Need to run premium if you don’t want.

 

100% this. My 2017 was same way and just got the 2022 and it's no different. Normal drive mode (to me at least) is infuriating. Truck stumbles, upshifts and downshift all the time around town. ECT button goes on and it drives like a normal vehicle would. I live at 3500ft asl so maybe that's part of the problem in normal mode.

 

I’ve got a 2.7L 2TR-FE, OVTune is just now developing tunes for this engine. I’m cautious about tunes though since their are no cylinder temps or exhaust gas temp sensors on either the 2.7L or the 3.5L (EGT is estimated) to ensure you aren’t running too lean a mixture that can decrease engine reliability. And yes I know AF ratio is monitored but EGT and cylinder temps are the proof in the pudding. Besides ECT does all I want anyway.

 

I forgot to mention why the magic happens. Being a 2 stroke tuner, I’m all about maximum power given said unit one is working on.

As David mentioned, and as most of us know, the ECT button helps keep the higher rev shift points. Many mistaken this as “where is the power?” The power comes from what many of us know as the 3500rpm “oh oh, here we GO!” This motor will not make power until 3500rpm and up. ECT allows each gear to be taken to that rpm depending on throttle placement. A moderate push will yield slightly lower rpm. A heavier 1/3-2/3 push will yield the sweet spot at 3500rpm.

So when one wants to stomps on the GAS, say 2nd gear off ECT from a 1/3-2/3 push, it puts the motor in the power band. 3rd gear is STRONG. That is what the Japanese engineers meant when they added PWR to ECT.

You have three choices. Keep it stock and you’ll have to press on the GAS more, which will never hit the sweet spots. Unnecessary gear changes. ECT part throttle and I’m stoked. Pay for a tune, which I believe is on par with the ECT.

IMHO

 

From dyno charts I have seen here a good tune can increase torque and hp through the power band, while ECT just puts you at a higher rpm (and thus hp) on the existing stock power band.
I have concerns about tunes though as mentioned in my prior post.

Basically folks are gonna do what they like best, tune, ECT, or stock with ECT off. I just encourage folks to give ECT a real try for a while around town and rural around 45 mph and let them form their own opinion.

 

a lot of posters say the same as you, for me and others just the opposite, strange.

 

Bingo! exactly why i drive all the time with ECT on.

 

which is funny, because i get better mpgs keeping the RPMs in the powerband instead of lugging it around everywhere in too high of gear...

 

the shifts definitely feel quicker/firmer/crisper with ECT mode on. sometimes the gear shift will rock the truck back and forth like manual.

 

does the truck still learn with ECT mode on? or does it revert to a static shift map? does it use "AI-SHIFT" like in "D"? what about S-mode?

 

I'm glad I read further back and found this post because I have played with ect and felt absolutely no difference. I was reading the more recent posts and thought maybe there was something wrong with mine.