Tune Comparison

With your MT on a stock tune do you experience any bucking/hesitation or the feeling of an engine stumble?

I wouldn't mind a bit more mid-range but at least getting the stumble/hesitation resolved would go a long way towards improving the enjoyment of my truck, tempering 2400 RPM and 3600 RPM surge would certainly be welcome as well.

 

I only ran the bone stock tune and gears for about a week and a half, so not a lot of experience with that specifically. There was for sure a few times where it bogged down extremely bad at low speed, especially in 2nd gear.

When I ran the tunes I switched to 93 octane which seemed to help with not retarding timing as much, though I didn't measure that in any scenarios so I can't be specific with how much timing it's no longer retarding compared to before I switched fuel. It could be placebo but it certainly feels better.

Then I regeared, which gets me out of the bog down scenarios a lot easier due to the lower gearing. I don't think any of this on any truck is really a misfire or anything like that, I think it's just a low torque scenario and the engine struggles with those.

If I put it into 2nd gear at 5 mph and floor it, yes, I can get some bucking and jerky acceleration....but here's the kicker: that was never any better on any aftermarket tune. Just like the rev hang stayed the same, the 3600 rpm stayed the same, etc. The jerky acceleration can absolutely still happen on aftermarket tunes, just the same. Really the only thing I ever felt different between the tunes was how sensitive the throttle was. Which, while sensitive throttle was fun for a while, it did get old esp on low gearing. I have found that the stock tune and premium fuel is ideal for me with lower gears. I did not really feel a midrange power increase on the tunes I tried. One of the tunes was very sporty and aggressive and may have had a bit more power, but it really felt like a sensitive throttle just wanting to GO. This doesn't mean I don't think tunes have their place for other folks, but for me I'm good with what I've decided on.

I wish somebody would employ one of the lexus factory tunes to our truck and see how that runs.

 

I wouldn't tune an MT either as the AT is the biggest reason to tune it.

 

FWIW my throttle is not touchy at all, traffic 1st gear/4low 1st gear. Throttle response definitely improved though, like when rev matching. Premium SFOB on 94 E0

 

I haven’t tried SFOB. My throttle was less touchy before I regeared but the later versions of the tunes I’ve had (recent updates) were all significantly more touchy than what I ran for the year prior.

For me after going back and forth between aftermarket tunes and stock, rev matching is 100% the same. I was on the tune train for a while and I was surprised to see what going back to stock was like. Initially it felt terrible, and I only drove it around the block and tuned back. But then a few days later I went back to stock again and drove it longer…..it is much better for me. With a regear I really like the stock dull throttle in 1st gear. Gives me more control because it takes more of the pedal range to get something out of it.

 

I just got the OTT tune a few days ago, and am very impressed. Truck feels about 500 pounds lighter and more responsive at any speed. I have not noticed any real change in mileage, but haven't even run a full tank of gas through it yet. I got the mild tune with the ECT button bumping up to medium. Medium is a bit too twitchy for me and only seems good at converting gasoline into giggles.

 

Rev Hang in the 3rd Gen cannot be removed like it can on a 2nd Gen (using the right software). The maps don’t exist/haven’t been defined to make it possible.

By chance did you ever try the OTT Lite? Or did you get pushed to Medium or higher?

If you didn’t, and would be willing, I’ll personally refund any fees you’ve paid as a result of getting a tune too aggressive for your preference.

 

It was the one before the KDMax Pro Tune because I remember asking the person who installed my tune if I should switch to the pro tune and he said he liked the one I was running better. So when the OTT one came out I asked again if that was something worth upgrading to and he was like HELL YEAH and I have to say AMAZING up to this day

 

Do any of the tunes get rid of the rev hang for those with manual transmissions?

Edit- read before you post Toy_Runner, JustDSM answered this.

 

Good to know. I figured, but was not sure. Personally, that’s actually how I like it. I don’t love how long I have to wait from 1-2 when I’m driving it hard, but otherwise the engine rev-down is about perfect. No one would actually want it to be quicker anyways or else they’d have to rev up for shifting from 4-5 and 5-6 which would feel…unnatural. The revs already fall fast enough for those two shifts that you really have to shift quick or you’ll get that clutch jolt when you let it out.

I wasn’t really pushed towards anything - I first was tuned in late May or early June 2022. Alex was still offering KD and OTT so we tried KD Sport, OTT Spicy, OTT Super Spicy, in that order. As many of us are, I was looking to really feel a difference. KD started out very noticeable because of
the sport setting. Then going to OTT Spicy from there felt pretty mild, so we tried super spicy. Definitely felt that, so I stuck with it.

Then this year I became self sufficient by buying VF, and you guys initially sent me spicy and super spicy of the tunes you’re issuing now. I started with spicy and it was significantly more aggressive than the super spicy I had been running for the 10 or so months prior. I think that was attributed to the updates you guys came up with sometime around the end of last year? Not really sure. Anyways, you guys sent me a medium file after that which was more tolerable but still pretty aggressive. I’d be interested to try the lite if it’s not a hassle to send it over. What I am appreciating most about going back to the stock tune with my gear combo is that it doesn’t seem to be down on power at all, yet it has a very mild throttle response so 1st gear is easy to control.

I do appreciate the offer on fee refunds, fortunately I never spent any money on fees so there is nothing to refund. Alex was great to deal with when I did deal with him and now I’m self service.

I do think it’s important to mention I have no disdain for any of the tunes, and I see and know why people like them. They can be fun and super sporty to drive, just so far my conclusion for me personally is that out of all the testing I’ve done, I’ve found my favorite daily driver setup to be the stock tune with lower gearing as it basically feels like a very happy medium between power/torque but not too much inflated throttle response. Of course, with more testing I could certainly end up finding something I like more. I will also say that if I still had 4.30s, I’d be tuned for sure because it did help out there.

 

I initially was running the KDMax Pro 9 at Normal throttle map and I thought it was too sensitive/jerky from a stop and seemed to shudder at low RPMs. Other members suggested reflashing to the Sport map and its much better than Normal. I cant imagine running my truck without KDMax at this point. I've since went ahead and purchased the VF dongle so I can flash myself.

 

I'll send you over the Lite and Mild variants. The information as it was relayed/conveyed to us was you wanted "more" so we supplied files that were designed with "more" in mind. Anyhow, I appreciate your willingness to revisit.

John manages our email but is currently out of county. If you wouldn't mind, please PM me your email address and I'll get you setup with the files.

 

Yeah, sorry, that (me wanting “more”) can be misleading….I wanted more power/torque, not necessarily more throttle, but it’s also hard to know what you really want until you’ve tried more and more options comparatively. It’s much easier to evaluate things for myself now that I can flash my own files. When you have to depend on someone else, you sort of just have to make a spur of the moment decision on what to run before you and the tuner part ways.

I’ll reach out shortly. Thanks, I do appreciate it.

 

This is the most civilized thread/discussion on comparing tunes I’ve read to date. Kudos to all who contributed.

 

2023 Manual and it stumbles in second sometimes like an old carburated engine on a cold day. I hope OTT FIXES this too?

 

From what I have seen, it won't.

The tunes can offer great improvements, im not disparaging them at all, but from what I have seen they don't (and cannot) fix the fundamental issue

 

What does a tune change?

I'd like realistic shift points based on torque and rpm. I'd like to understand what other elements of Tuning would be beneficial.
Conservative driver but I do match highway speeds for safety. Slow starts are fine.

Toyota Drive automatic is 100% useless, since purchase I've been in S mode with ECT on. Stock 5th gear uphill at 36mph is nuts.
I'd trade for a manual transmission in a heartbeat.

Can a tuner give me TWO shift modes:

a. Normal driving 3rd gear getting on highway to 3400 rpm 4th to 60 plus 5th to 75 6th never unless low torque downhill 75.

b. Can ECT be made into a TOW MODE, all highway speeds stay in 4th except low torque downhill 75. 3rd driving around 45 mph.

 

I can for sure help you out but if I know where you're located I can refer you to the correct tuner. Or if you'd like you can send us an email directly to yotawerxtuning@gmail.com
And we can get that tune built for you

I'm also a conservative driver and my original motivation for getting tuned was improved fuel economy from the sense of having more torque would require lower rpms to achieve the same results. That has paid off for me by between 0.7L/100kms and 2L/100kms depending on the gas I fill up with. I have a manual through so not exactly apples to apples.

Tune changes various engine parameter targets such as ignition timing, valve timing, fuelling, etc along with transmission targets/ shift scheduling which is dependant on engine load, vehicle speed, engine rpms, engine and transmission temp, etc along with the torque converter logic

Along with that, ect is not specifically tuned as a "tow mode" but it essentially comes out that was as it will have a different shift schedule and throttle response than non-ect mode.

 

This question may not apply to this thread... but I was wondering if anyone here had any experience with, or knew of any tuners that had preloaded settings like tow, mild, wild, etc... was planning on getting a diesel 3/4 or 1-ton truck back in 08 before I got my tacoma and am still big into wanting a diesel. Many of the diesel programmers had multiple tunes you could just push the button at the stoplight or turn the knob on a switch and change the power setting. I've just gotten into really looking at putting on power/efficiency adders to my tacoma and was wondering if there were such a tuner for out trucks and if so if it was any good.

 

Thanks for all the information