ECT / Towing / Hills

Probably discussed before but let's bring it up again.
The trip from Phoenix to say the Grand Canyon is nice but there are a few
steep hills to climb - coupled with hot-weather road signs advise to turn off A/C
to prevent over-heating and I've seen many cars go up in flames ( literally )
on that trip.
Questions:

1. Can the ECT button be engaged while driving? Say I'm doing 60-65 realize
I'm about to hit some elevation can I just push it on or should it be done from
a complete stop.

2. And that begs the question if using ECT and the road becomes nice and
flatter can I disengage at 60-65 or do I need to stop first.

3. Is driving with ECT full-time that big of a deal or should we not do it.

4. Can it be used in conjunction with 'Sport' mode?

We're talking about a 1,000 lb teardrop, 200-300 pounds of cooler and gear in
the truck bed, 300 pounds max in the cab not like we're hauling 4,000 pounds
but I believe the ECT delivers a smoother go at it while towing.

Thanks to this board I know I'll get a myriad of responses - and damn fast too.

 

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No
4. Yes

Good talk.

 

driving with ECT on is completely okay and you can turn it on/off to your hearts desire.

 

Wait... but how are baby Tacoma's made?

 

Second this.
4. Yes and it is not sport mode. Read the manual on towing it tells you to use ECT in conjunction with "S" mode in S5 on the hwy to lock out the 6th gear

 

Well you see a daddy tacoma finds a mommy tacoma and they go play in the woods. I left out some details since it seems like our audience may not me into the nitty gritty details.

 

Wait, its not "Sport" mode? Even with the SR5?
Don't tell me... it stands for Standard...

 

S stands for Sequential not Sport

 

Son of a....

 

Towing you'll be in S4+ECT. 3rd up and down hills, maybe 2nd if it gets steep. Don't be afraid to rev it.

 

A lot of times I'll forget to immediately hit the ECT button after I start up the truck, so I'll just push it while going down the road. No issues with that. Same with turning it off. I always use ECT and S-mode when towing and plenty of people use it all the time and there haven't been any problems.

 

Just calls it "S mode" in the manual and mainly talks about how it is used for engine braking. But my understanding is it shifts as you said "sequentially" and stops at the highest gear you have selected instead of picking what ever gear the ECU wants at that moment in time. The manual calls "D" "AI-SHIFT" .... Ooooh fancy.

 

When I went to Greer in mine from Phoenix, TRDOR not an SR5, so I cannot comment on overheating, But I pulled a ~1500lb side-by-side with a ~1000 lb trailer. I was in the "sequential" shift mode with ECT on always. The steeper hills I would be doing S3 moderately flat S4 and super flat/downhill in S5. Never use S6 while towing, or so its been preached on here a lot.

I never once worried about having my A/C in July & September when that trip ocurred

 

Direct quote page 186 "Vehicles with an automatic transmission: To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system performance when using engine braking, do not use the transmission in D. If in the S mode, the transmission shift range position must be in 5 or lower. "

 

Thanks for the clarification - !

 

i installed the messo ECT "on at start up" mod about 4 years ago on my 2016, ECT has been on every time i drive the truck since.

 

Definitely hold a lower gear, the upshifts, only to downshift are what really heats the transmission/converter. Revs won't hurt the engine.

 

Grandpa was a logging truck driver- I'll always remember him telling me; go down in the gear you would go up in, and gears down, revs up.. he was talking about my little 22re but I still apply it today.

 

S4 and ECT is the best setting for hills. 4th is the lowest gear that the torque converter will lock, keeping tranny temps down. If you can maintain speed and keep the torque converter locked S4 is the best gear.

 

Imo, driving with ECT on all the time without towing anything heavy shouldn't be used. You'll over-rev your shift points plus get worse fuel economy. All else is ok.