Your thoughts....

I really enjoy my truck, but I am not a fan of the transmission. I either drive with the ECT button on or in S4-S5. What are your thought with engine longevity, if I am cruising around 2000rpm on the freeway or backroads vs 6th gear(super low RPM)? The truck seems to drive so much better with the RPM's around 2000rpm.

 

I haven't seen 6th gear in 3 years. This engine was designed to be a high-revving engine so I don't worry one but about longevity when it comes to running it above 2k for 8 straight hours.

 

I think most cars are more responsive when at about 2k rpm vs 1k, but the Tacoma is probably worse.

I don’t think it’s all that bad, I’ve learned how to get out of my truck what I want, and accept that it isn’t a sports car.

 

Should be fine.. The transmission is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) complaints about the third gen. If you aren't tuned, get a tune. It is the main thing they address and kept a lot of us from trading them in. I have a custom tune from KDMax that I like very much, but there are other options so do some research on them and see what looks good to you.

 

In all my manual cars, 2k was always the sweet spot. I'm not sure why the Toyota transmission designers seem to think you need to be in top gear at 10 mph.

 

Right! From what I've read the consensus is that it was setup that way for emissions somehow, but my AFR's and MPG's have improved since getting the tune, not to mention more power and a smoother running engine.

 

If it bothers you that much, you can get one of the many tunes offered for the 3rd gen. That’s what I did a few years back and it drives like a totally different truck.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/performance-and-tuning.8/

 

Had a manual Tacoma. Wasn’t a fan of how clunky it was. Get a tune or regear. Both?

 

Nothing beats regearing the diffs.

 

If you change your oil and do your scheduled maintenance, you could buzz around all day, every day at 3,000 RPM with no ill affects other than noise and fuel consumption. Each engine design has it's own sweet spot, but lower RPM's doesn't always equate to longevity like some tend to think.

 

I have a manual and usually shift in the 2500 to 3500 range depending on need. I was even trying to find 7th gear the other night on the highway. I drive my truck more like a sports car. Always have. Always will. I have no concerns about longevity. My old Corolla XRS, I drove the same way. My father-in-law drives it now and it is almost at 300,000kms without any issues outside regular maintenance. And that Singer sewing machine reved up 8400rpm red line on multiple occasions, it loved to rev!

 

Lugging this high-revving V6 engine is soul-crushing. Let'r rip!

 

A tune will help, but won’t solve all your problems.

I started with the KDMax tune and still wasn’t happy with the truck especially on road trips. Ended up installing 5.29s and changed to the OTT tune and it’s amazing.

If I could go back in time, the first thing I woulda done to my truck would be a regear and tune.

 

The stock transmission tuning is laughable. Used to use the ECT button, but now I pretty much stay in S4 or S5 and also just mash the go pedal if I wanna go more. When the RPM get up the truck has no problem getting out of its own way. Sure sounds like the world is headed towards an end when I pass on the freeway with a downshift,

 

OH NO! Now all of our engines are going to explode!! (sarcasm)
I'm with you, I tend to think lugging an engine is far worse than letting it run in it's designed parameters. For the non-believers; put your bicycle in the highest gears (for Max speed) and peddle around a tight parking lot all day if you don't believe so.
Unfortunately, the big GOV is putting a tremendous amount of pressure on the MFGs to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, so vehicles tend to be programmed to lug around to save 1/1,000th of an ounce of fuel to do so.

 

This thread is awesome. It is good to hear we are all thinking the same thing. I almost sold mine until I had it tuned. It is much better but it is still jerky off the start and in stop and go traffic. I am going down to light/mild this weekend in hopes that it helps. If it doesn't, I may seriously consider getting another 4Runner. I don't want to because the Tacoma is a great truck but the damn transmission and shifting is brutal. I honestly believe that the 4.0 V6 in the 3rd Gen Tacoma would have made it the best generation Tacoma and really best truck of all time. Damn you Toyota!!

 

Thats what I did and it made a difference.
Started with KDMax, switched to OTT mild/ medium, then to light/ mild for same reason.

 

When I take any of the back roads around here I'm lucky to see 4th gear, 65 mph in 3rd is tapping 5k and its like that nonstop up the hills. I was like well i guess i'll get to see what the rods look like if its not supposed to hold that gear.

 

well? did you test drive it before you bought all this agony ?