Novice Tune Question

I’ve been reading up on the benefits of the various tunes on the market. However, I can help but think that if the tune improves performance and fuel economy, why wouldn’t Toyota use this as a factory standard?

 

Any answer given would only be speculation.

 

End result, IMO. Car Manufacturers have mandated MPG targets they must hit in order to sell the vehicle in the US. Toyota’s tune is for best possible MPG’s over a variety of different factors. Aftermarket tunes are geared more for performance enhancements.
This is all pure speculation on my part, so I could be wrong, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

3 letters EPA. Ski

 

Out of curiosity, have any of the tuning companies had emissions tested before and after their tune? I wonder how detectable (or not) this is. I’m no mechanic nor did I sleep at a Holiday Inn last night, but would a tune that largely targets shifting issues change emissions that much?

 

I know this Question was asked in the tuning section about the OTT tune. They said it in no way will affect emissions. YMMV.

 

Under light/high load, less/more accelerator pedal, or early/late shift less you ARE producing more or less emissions and affecting MPGs. That's just the way combustion works. So if we can agree that demanding more work from the engine like flooring it affects those values then I do not think it's any speculation to say any tune had the potential to do the same.

I've read some control studies of various models for shift points alone (based on some GM models). It was very clear that adjustments to shifts would show consistent affects of short vs. early shift directly on MPG, CO2 and NOx. So while tuning should not defeat or alter emissions controls they do affect emissions....it's not magic after all. Since the stock Tacoma tune really lacks, giving it back the characteristics of a normally responsive vehicle and supporting custom builds are main goals in tuning. There's a lot of states that still have emission inspections and we have yet to hear or any owner concern across the tuning community. That does NOT mean that emissions are not affected....it just means we're not rollin coal.

KDMAX Pro v9 is my fix