Where my 6-MT Falls Short

I've had my '21 TRD OR 6-MT for 60K miles and have no regrets in my choice of trim, drivetrain, and ultimate purchase - mostly because of the excellent info on this forum.

But driving up a typical ski resort access road from 25 to 35 mph is not enjoyable. There's not enough torque in 3rd if speeds drop below 35, so you wind up -literally -in 2nd gear while that normally quiet V-6 howls away. They say she's happy doing that -but I'm not!

In a perfect world, you would have the road to yourself and be happy tooling along uphill at 25mph, but with eager skiers and riders on the road the pace is always quicker.

I am a flatlander so I don't drive in the mountains too often. But if I lived on a mountain road, I might feel differently about the choice of a manual.

 

After owning both a manual and automatic 3rd gen, I can tell you the auto truck would be using some RPM's to maintain the same grade and speed. Yes, the rear on both are different ratios, but I noticed similar behavior on both.

 

If the road is gravel or dirt u can use 4x4 to get up the higher inclines .

 

Altitude is probably playing a big role in exagerrating the lack of lower rpm torque.

You could try adding a manifold spacer (increases runner length, should help shift some torque lower in the rpm range) and/or a tune to help.

Ultimately, it's a rev-happy v6 that barely mskes torque below 2200rpm. Short of regearing steeply (e.g. straight to 5.29 gears and keeping close to stock tire size) or swapping to the 4th gen tacoma 6mt, the engine needs to be keot high enough in the rpm band to make enough torque to move the vehicle.

I'm at fsirly low elevations, but live in a very hilly area with lots of moderately steep hills to climb and pull out into traffic on. I feel you about the lack of low end power.

 

I'm not trying to plug a tune here, I am being genuine in saying that I know exactly what you mean and it was one of the original reasons I went seeking a tune. I can honestly say it delivered in this department

 

x2 on the tune!

 

Why do you an auto would be any different?

 

Let it eat, the engine loves revving.

 

Rev the engine up, it wants to spin, its built for it.

It's not a old pushrod V8 that redlined at 3,200 rpms.

 

I hear ya. I don't have a tune yet...trying to get something figured out with the dealer first....but sometimes driving through a neighborhood up a hill is the same way. 25 mph limit and a hill is tough.

 

Man they're gonna boot you off the island for even suggesting that

 

Yes, as others have mentioned this engine is notorious for this. Manual or Auto I want to pass another vehicle subtlety but the engine overreacts and screams. A little embarrassing. Actually just happened to me first thing this morning. Usually I will try and intervene ahead of time and use S-Mode with my Auto. I wasn't fully awake yet. I have the OTT tune as well. Helps but not in every situation. These engines love to REV, that's were the torque is.

 

Of course! Lugging low rpms in this variable valve timing V6 that makes more horsepower at high RPMs is not the way.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/enough-already-your-trucks-t-hp-and-rpm-explained.574429/

 

My old pushed V8 red line is only about 500 rpm's less than my Tacoma.

 

But the torque is down lower..

I know the feeling he's talking about. He's trying to drive carefully up to a ski hill. Some of those roads are narrow, twisty and steep. He doesn't like the engine rpms being so high because it's a slow drive and it doesn't feel right. Unfortunately that's just how these modern engines are built. Higher efficiency, higher rpm, higher everything

Forget about how older trucks felt and behaved. Everything nowadays is basically a Honda civic under the hood and that's just the way it is..

 

OP, As far as mountain driving here in the PNW goes. I'm always in the higher RPM's. Just like this photo from @eurowner. Whether that's driving up a long steep mountain grade or engine breaking on the way down. I exclusively use S-Mode, ETC to avoid disappointment and to stay in control with the right gear. I don't find this embarrassing like when it happens in the city, passing someone. Keep your manual in a gear on mountain grades that's appropriate for the conditions.

 

I'm seriously considering it given the reports back from the one member whose done it. I was originally planning to regear to 5.29's and stick with a 33" tire, but the increase in ratio offered by the 4th gen/hilux 6spd basically gives you that with stock 6mt axle ratios, its similar in cost, and it's an oem toyota psrt swap vs aftermarket, which has potentially less impact on resale value down the road. Plus it lets you keep your driveshaft and pinion rpms lower across the range. Somewhat of a tossup if either set of parts fall into a similar price range. Plus, the trans has a smaller ratio difference between 1 and 2 than the 3rd gen 6mt, which will help pulling out on hills every single day.

 

Oh, so my failure at reading comprehension made it seem like you were suggesting getting an actual 4th gen with manual...

 

I'll x3 (I think that's where we are at now?) a tune. It makes the truck easier to drive and provides more torque lower in the RPM's. I went with the Coyoza tune as, at the time, it was the only tune that was built on an actual M/T. The OTT is getting a lot of praise these days. I can't justify paying for another tune to move to OTT so I can't compare. But, the Coyoza tune has been a nice addition for drivability. I will admit though, I'm mainly on flats right now and haven't hit the hills here in Colorado after the tune.

 

That's another option, certainly!

Lol, no. Although I was tempted to take a measuring tape to the new tacomas and tundras when I was at a dealer thursday, to see if the tundra front drivetrain and suspension could be swapped to a tacoma... ala the old nissan oem long travel swap.