ETC vs Normal...no tune.... efficiency.

that's what happens when you have an engine that makes 265 lb-ft @ 4600 RPM...

 

ECT button in a manual tacoma???

 

I have a 2022 2.7L SR Tacoma with just over 2000 miles. I have had my truck for only 3 months, and I just started using the ECT-PWR button this week. For me the difference in the way the truck performs is like night and day. Before using the ECT button my truck wanted to drive as close to 1000 rpm at it could, such as 1100 rpm on a 35 mph road. Once pressing the ECT button the truck does not go lower than 2000 rpm. I have driven standard shift cars since 1973. I never drove my cars at 1000 rpm except just to get moving in first gear. There's just too great a chance to lug the motor at this low rpm. I always tried to keep the tach no lower than 1500 - 1800 rpm to be on the safe side. Lugging a motor is definitely harmful. It seems the ECT button keeps the motor closer to the power band sweet spot. Which is similar to the way I drove my stick shift cars. Probably not so great for gas milage, but much better for engine longevity.

 

I've not noticed any immediate downshift when i punch it. I have noticed tire squeal from a stop.

 

I don't pay attention to timing or AFR, but I do pay close attention to fuel flow rate. If I'm driving along in S6 and I see a hill coming up, I will preemptively shift to S5 or S4 to give the torque converter time to lock before the hill actually starts. If I shift way too early, I can tell a 10% increase in fuel flow between S6 and S5, and about a 25% increase in fuel flow between S6 and S4 with the same slope and this is after the torque converter locks (an unlocked torque converter is miserable for power, efficiency and ATF temp, so if it unlocks, I downshift, and if I know it will need to shift, I try to shift in advance before it's needed to ensure the TC is locked already.) and those are obviously not scientific figures, but they're statistically significant enough to tell me that it definitely uses more fuel when in a lower gear than the highest suitable for the conditions.

I will conduct a test with my scangauge this weekend to satisfy my desire for scientific data. I know of a 1 mile stretch of rural road with a 1.3% grade that is always empty on saturday morning. 1/4 mile for decel, turn around, and 1/4 mile for accel each test. I'll go down there and drive up and down 28 times at different speeds and in different gears, basically I'll fill out the spreadsheet below. I'll get up to target speed, set the cruise in S mode with the tested gear, and reset my trip AVG MPG with my scangauge at the start line, and pen down the reading at the finish line when I stop for the turnaround. I'll do trial 2 in reverse order (filled out from bottom to top) to get the best possible averages. Then I'll graph the data and we can draw some pretty good conclusions from there. So far I have only a scientific score of 2/10, but this test procedure should be a solid 7/10 for scientific credibility. I would need a really good indoor dyno, a machine driver and a more accurate metering device for that coveted 10/10, but I think it'll be good enough.

 

First, the vast majority of owners have a V6.

Second, ECT doesn’t really do anything above 55mph.

 

Holy shit. The time you're wasting on this could fuel your truck for a year unless you value your time as zero

 

Lugging a motor is definitely harmful, but the 2TRFE is impossible to lug above about 1800 rpm, and it never lugs more than a split second with the automatic. If you are at 1100 rpm at 35 mph, the torque converter will be locked, and that only happens when the requested power output is very low (fun fact, if you push the pedal down 15%, it will keep the engine at 1100 rpm at 35 mph, but the throttle will be electronically opened by 79%, this is exactly as if it were a manual transmission with cable throttle and you were in 5th gear at 1100 rpm and pushing the pedal down 79% of the way ... very close to lugging by any standard, but mind numbingly close to lugging by yours, and yet it still runs nice and smooth and will still last a long time ... which is all to say that it gets pretty darn close to lugging, probably more than you even realized)

If the ECU even thinks it might lug, it will unlock the torque converter and the rpm will go up to 1500, and that's just with a feather's touch on the throttle. The 6 speed auto is quick to upshift, but it is just as quick to downshift with a sharp stab at the accelerator. I wouldn't be concerned about lugging the motor at all, but if ECT power on gives you a more pleasant driving experience, you should absolutely turn it on. The fuel penalty is not even 50% more, probably only 25% in the worst of conditions. It's something though. If fuel was free, you would see me using ECT a lot more often, but as it is I never touch it.

Lugging has not only to do with engine speed, but also engine load. Requesting 100% of available engine power at 1100 rpm is very bad, but requesting 80% as it turns out is totally fine, at least on such a semi-modern engine design as the 2TRFE. Trying that on something available for purchase in 1973 won't have such good results as you're probably well aware.

 

I'd "waste" 4 or 5 hours and 4 or 5 gallons of fuel. Science doesn't come free, but that's a cost I'm just willing to pay.

If I find out that it makes no difference what gear I drive in, I have knowledge that will enable me to drive in whatever gear I want effectively without consequence, and I can share that knowledge with other 2.7 Tacoma owners.

If I find out that driving in the highest gear allowed for the situation saves fuel, I'll also find out a rough margin, and I can decide if that margin is worth more frequent shifting, and I can also share that knowledge with others and they can decide for themselves.

If I find out that driving in a lower gear is actually more efficient, I can figure out how many miles I need to drive by driving in a lower gear before I make up the fuel this test costed me.

Either way I think the knowledge I gain will be worth the time and money.

 

From the comments.
"The ECT power button changes the shift points during normal driving/towing to help keep the truck’s RPMs in the power band. It does nothing for full throttle applications because it’s already going to rev out."

 

Unlike most of TW I already know what the ect button does and doesn't do.

 

but it revs out much quicker with ECT mode on. there's a lot of delay in normal mode. If it can get to max RPMs quicker...wouldn't it be faster?

 

Same here. It really comes alive when it hits that rev range.

 

Should be the same. ECT doesn't make any more power. I think it alters the throttle mapping slightly so the truck feels more responsive at part throttle (conflicting info on this). And the engine is usually at a little higher RPM when cruising so it's making more power. But this all only applies to part throttle. At full throttle I don't think it should matter.

 

ECT does something to make the engine sound louder in my truck, maybe because its pulling stupid long shifts without enough load on the engine that makes it seem this way. Could be the reason its sucking more gas to because the transmission is no longer running as efficient it would in the D or S modes.

 

Are you sure the loudness isn’t caused by the higher engine rpm?

 

Not louder in my truck at all. Sound is the same at 2500 rpm in ECT as it is in normal.

 

i think ECT does more than raise the shift points. not sure what but it feels different at the same RPM as non-ECT mode.

 

Get a tune.

 

Exactly. These long delayed shifts in the ECT mode cause the engine to over-rev vs the load on it. It's similar to the truck being in neutral, and stepping on the go petal. ECT without something really heavy to pull sucks otherwise.