Manual transmission Fan Club and BS thread (All Generations Welcome)

It could be my driving style, my Passat TDI doesn’t need to be revved past 3000 RPM really ever and redline is 5000 RPM. I also was sensitive to the fact that this Tacoma had 7 miles and basically no break in, so I wasn’t pushing it I just wanted to know how it drove generally.

 

Right this engine is the total opposite, you can also look into OVTune which will add a few HP.

 

The hardware is solid. It is just the programming that sucks. A 2mb file spoils the feel of this really good motor. Orange Virus Tuning (OVT) has a killer tune that adds a bunch of torque in the bottom end.

The crappy stock tune has introduced ECU flashing to many that have never bothered with it before, like me. It is well worth the money and will pay for itself with a small MPG bump.

It is a crappy situation, but with the tune, the engine feels like a normal V6.

I drive mine all day long between 1,000 to 2,500 RPM with no issues in hilly WA. I am mostly near sea level though and will play with the upper revs for fun. This truck will scoot along very well when wound out.

 

Altitude absolutely kills these trucks, especially on stock tune. The complete lack of low rpm torque is baffling in a pickup truck - I’ve had to put it in low range to get going up steep gradients in the Colorado mountain passes (Ophir Pass) (did also have max payload or more)
Running OVtunes FOB definitely helps the 1,000-2,000rpm torque band

 

It has been stated previously but is worth repeating: In order to get the Taco engine to preform you have to take it past 3500 rpm.

 

Installed a Core/Hurst short shifter in my 2017 Tacoma today. Throw has been reduced drastically without changing the height of the shift knob, shifting gears feels mechanical and notchy, no more rowing through gears. In comparison it feels like my little Honda Civic with a B&M short shifter. One of the best upgrades I've done to the truck so far, highly recommend.

 

Looks very nice!

 

What was the cost on that?

 

Very cool. What did that cost? What is that 90° barbed connector for?

 

I’m going to try and find a used/broken in truck to test drive, shouldn’t be an impossible task with all the dealers in Phoenix. I’ll drive the balls off of that one and see how it performs.

 

4 cylinder motors especially. Not sure what he test drove, but a v6 should have a little more grunt down low. I haven't driven a v6 taco, but my Nissan with the 4.0 has traction issues.

 

I drove a 2020 TRD Off-road V6 MT. I had a Frontier 4x2 with the 4.0 as a rental car last year, there was no lack of power, that truck was fast. Horsepower and torque numbers are pretty close, but the Nissan was an auto. I’d be completely sold on the Tacoma if it had similar power to the Frontier I drove.

 

Thanks! The shifter was $299 off their website www.core-shifters.com The 90 degree connector connects to a vent hose that goes into the transmission.

 

The Tacoma actually has 17 HP more than the Frontier 4.0, you gotta go higher in RPMs to get to it though.

 

If anyone is looking for a MT, there’s a whole bunch of them here near eastern Iowa. Unfortunately no pros Found all these for @GQ7227

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/20233ff7

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/205dc739

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/1f81a0fb

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/1ff12776

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/20512a88

Here’s some more down south

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/2033d9bf

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/20073d36

And some up north

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/20670dd6

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/1fbe59db

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/201fd38a

http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/200149e0

 

Thanks for these @Shellshock.
Anyone have experience buying parts of used inventory at dealers? Very tempted to call them and see if they'll sell the shell separate from the truck. I doubt they will since the entire bed is carpeted.

 

Depends on the dealer and how long the truck has been on the lot. Some will, especially if they’ve had people that didn’t want to buy it cuz it had some parts on it. Never hurts to ask.

 

Tried that once on a front skid that was on a trade in truck...saw it when it was up on their website. When I talked to the GM, cuz I know him, he said he absolutely would have but...since it was already advertised (the truck) that he couldn't because they would be at risk of false advertising since the skid was clearly in the pictures.

Doesn't hurt to try tho

 

Side windoors are a huge plus on that.

 

Unrelated, but what is that big ugly warning label by the driver's side window controls? Thankfully mine doesn't have that, though I wonder how hard it is to get off if you are "blessed" with it.