Tacoma - OVTUNE - VFTUNER - Update Info and Original Development

Just to be clear you guys should be using ECT when you are towing

 

Is that being stock and/or tuned?

 

Yes, 1.05 93 performance

It seemed to go away for a while with the tune and is back with a vengeance. I’m going to clear learning tonight and see what happens. I have an apt with the dealership Monday am just in case. Fearing low fluid.

 

both

 

Verify correct ATF level is a good place to start.

 

Good to know.

 

low ATF makes a huge difference in these trucks, even a fraction of a quart. this needs to be where people start, not a last resort...

 

I’ll have it verified

Potential damage due to a few hours on the road in the meantime?

 

unlikely unless it was super low. I ran my 2016 for about 20k before it was filled to spec and it didn't have issues after. it ran way better.

 

@OVTune Hey Mat, I know you were working on a fix for trucks with high misfire count. Have you come up with a fix for that? I heard it may be worked into the “shutter fix” update. Is that right?

 

yes that's this weekend.

Yes it's the 5.7L 3UR which has been added to the OVTune stable

 

And as an added bonus, for me at least...

SSP overrides Gear Lock !
So you get the both of best worlds !

I really don't see me using Gear Lock unless I'm towing which isn't all that often and I was hesitant to give up SSP for everyday driving with ECT.

This is a great bonus to me !

 

Feeling stupid, what is SSP?

 

No, no. No problem.
SSP= "Shift Sense Pro"....
(love it or hate it)
It stretches out your shift points.

I'm on the road or I'd give you a link. Easy to find here or in the web.

 

Also, regarding radar cruise tuning. We are just waiting for the 2020s to be released to pick one up and make adjustments for radar cruise. it is on the list.

Since it was only 2 files (93 per / 93 GL) that needed a small tweak, and there aren't too many 19's using it, we figured it would be less confusing to new people to just rebuild the same file with the slight tweak.

 

No worries, I’ve heard about it. Just had a brain-dead moment!

Thanks!

 

Anyone interested in how my 2018 OR 6AT with 87 gearlock tune performed for my towing application?

I took my camper for a shakedown cruise and used my ScangaugeII to keep an eye on what was happening with TC and pan transmission temps.

I towed the camper from storage to a local CAT scale to be weighed. I used gearlock driving through the city, stop and go for about 45 minutes, highest speed attained was around 68kph (40mph). Lots of normal shifting up and down and what seemed to be adequate power and torque for each appropriate gear. When the TC temp hit 200F the first time, it appeared that the transmission cooler came on line. The pan temp dropped from 190F to 185F and held at 185F until I got to the scale. The TC temp went up and down, the highest being 205F and the lowest 190F.

The truck was loaded for camping and scaled at 5360#, 340# of that was tongue weight. Trailer weighed in at 2980#. Combined weight, 8340#. (Still have room for the wife and some other "stuff").

The next leg was a 120 mile roundabout highway trip to take the trailer back to storage. Using gearlock, I made my speed 95kph (about 57 mph), 2500 rpm in 4th gear and remained in 4th for most of trip. It was all flatland towing, at times against a headwind and a few minor inclines and overpasses. It was never necessary to unlock the TC in 4th gear for more RPM (nor to downshift) either against the wind or going up an overpass. After a few miles I found that both the TC temp and the pan temp achieved and maintained the same temp at 188F. This appeared to indicate that after the TC had locked up in 4th gear it was not necessary for the trans cooler to come online. The air temperature was 5C (about 40F) so I'll have to check again when towing after the weather warms up.

I did try using 5th gear with the trailer attached, but found that it would not hold speed against a headwind and required the TC to unlock too often to gain speed back. I do suspect it would tow in 5th with a tail wind though. Have to try that later. Keeping the TC locked appears to be the best bet to keep the trans temp normal.

Bottom line for my situation is that the 1.05 87 perf gearlock tune appears to meet my needs for towing. I'm quite satisfied with 87 octane and not going to the higher octane tunes because of the cost of the fuel here made all the worse after the @#$&* carbon tax was added.

 

Thank you for your review.
If you were monitoring mpg at the time, do you mind sharing your towing mpg?

 

Fingers crossed for Tacoma + Tundra tune combo pack...
(j/k, but looking forward to get the dongle in action on the tundra now too)