ECU Tune and Failed Emissions Testing Experience

My 2016 had the high pressure fuel pump squeak and the dealer replaced it under warranty. I also run OVTune and I've flashed dozens of times. Unless they have a reason to plug into the OBD port, they're not going to waste minutes doing that. If they do, I suspect their software would flag it.

 

I’m more concerned with having some sort of issue with the heads (burnt valve, etc) or a transmission issue where they may hook up to techstream to look at live data, and notice that it doesn’t line up with stock numbers, ie shift points or timing.

 

Is this an individual with faulty software or ALL OTT tunes prior to software fix?

 

This plus people who just don't know or don't care about safety in general. An old friend was the cheapest SOB and one day riding in his car when it rained legit scared me, his wipers were junk and he could barely see.

I'm in agreement re the govt stuff. Re the detection, I always suspected it would happen in time. Better mousetrap, smarter mouse.

 

Curious how far back the change was made?

 

The software wasn't/isn't "faulty". At the time the OP/OTT went through this ordeal, the "stock" files in the VFT directory contained custom encryption to limit other software companies from stealing VFT's work/mapping. This additional encryption alters the checksum/CVN. This encryption and non-OEM CVN was unknown to VFT users at that time. We would not have sent the OP to retest if we had known about the encryption/non-OEM CVN.

We were very involved with VFT to bring the "new files" to software so this would not lead to widespread issues where folks would have to resort to the measures taken by the OP to pass their inspection. The files in the VFT directory dated after 9/27/2023 (at the time of this posting) are what we dub "true stock". Meaning they are stock files that will report the appropriate OEM CVN.

Any tune, or rather any single change made to the files will alter the CVN and thus will be flagged. There is no legal way of getting around this. If your location is checking Cal ID/CVN, you must return to a 100% "true stock" file to pass emissions in your area.

 

@JustDSM - Do the new STOCK filenames include STOCK within the filename or not?

 

The naming convention used for the file name isn't of any importance honestly (aside from it correctly identifying the appropriate Cal ID). The files dated on or after 9/27/2023 (or others that he may add after) would be what you'll need to flash to go back to "true stock".

 

All this talk about VF Tune makes me question of this applies to all of the OTT tunes, or just the 3rd gen Tacoma.

Is the 2nd gen Tacoma affected?

 

Again, any single change to the OEM calibration will change the check sum/CVN. There's no hiding or getting around that. Example: If you changed nothing else but raising your idle speed by 1RPM at -40deg C, your CVN is now different. If your location checks CVN, you will fail with just that change.

The 2G VFT files do not contain the encryption that the 3G files had, so flashing back to stock via VFT on a 2G is a non-issue.

 

My mother-in-law lives north of Atlanta and what I don’t understand is why they require this bullshit testing on brand new vehicles, we don’t even do that in California, which is much more insane than the metro Atlanta region.

 

It should apply to both. If you alter a file the checksum will change. It's probably a good idea to keep a copy of the original to revert back to stock.

 

Not true, who told you this? Emissions testing is not required until the vehicle is 3 years old.

 

6 in CA. That’s pretty new compared to us.

I must’ve misheard then.

 

Lol, that explains the crisp clean air they have in LA county!

 

Were you able to demonstrate a successful flash back to stock with a proper cvn?

 

Yes sir, using the files dated 9/27/2023 or later.

 

As a kid, my lungs hurt after biking or skateboarding all day around LA. These days that doesn't happen and the air is visibly cleaner than the brown haze that used to characterize the skyline. The air cleanup is huge improvement here and I'm all for it here where it very much helped. Of course Downtown LA is different than most of the country and that should be considered as well.

Clear skies FTW via smog laws in SoCal where breathing pollution used to suck.

 

so essentially any tune done after 9/27 should be able to be flashed back to stock and pass emissions...theoretically?