Orange Virus Tuning? Interesting Read About TRD Vs. Non-TRD 1GR-FE.

https://www.ovtuned.com/blogs/news/...king-the-real-potential-in-the-2nd-gen-tacoma



I don't know anything about these folks, but stumbled upon this. No idea if the product is good or whatever, but it's a Nice read! What really caught my attention was that a retired Toyota Engineer told me basically the same thing regarding the tuning of TRD version Tacoma 1GR-FE Vs non-TRD version Tacoma 1GR-FE.

Anyone happen to have maps of 1GR-FE from a TRD and non TRD to compare?

 

Seems like we have been waiting for the full development from OVTUNE for a while now.
I have held off buying it until they get the maps and tuning ironed out, and whether it'll be handheld or whatever.

 

Well, I'm more interested in real world maps of TRD Vs non-TRD trucks. From the factory, Is there a difference, like I was told and mentioned in the read?

 

I have the NA handheld for 2nd gen and its been great so far. Played around with 87 and 91 tunes.

 

Have you read either of the 2 OVTUNE threads?
There's all the info you're looking for on those threads, I just don't know how to post links on this phone.

 

"Once again the TRD version of the tune for the supercharger"
He's referring to the TRD flash, for supercharged engines. Yes, it is different

 

+1

 

We have, and good call.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-ecu-tuning-for-4-0l.496449/
AND
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ovtune-tacoma-4-0l-sc-na-ecu-tune-software-oem-ecu.549347/

 

A couple of questions...

When I bought mine, a selling point was that it was setup for the supercharger, which they claimed was only about 6 months out. So I did tell the dealership, ASAP as soon as available, I want one! Years go by, no supercharger, I let them know I was out.

Then I think around 2009-2010 there was a push by dealerships to 'reflash' ecu's. I heard about this. I personaly remember arguing with the service manager when I brought mine in for the floor mat issue, I stated I did not want mine reflashed! He stated to have warranty work done it had to be updated. The reason was the first few runs of the 2nd gens shipped with read only ecu's. That is againainst emissions regulations. It wasn't actually a reflash, it was switching the ecu from read only to reflashable. Then reflashing it with updated software.

So... Were early TRD Sport and Off Road shipped, flashed ready for supercharger?

Is the read only on early ecu's true?

Why would Toyota be that adamant on reflashing?

 

AFAIK, all can be flashed to the TRD Supercharger tune.

I feel as though you still think that the TRD Sport and Off Road have some kind of special tune. THEY DO NOT. All NA tunes are the same.

 

Not exactly my point, re-read.

 

NO! No such thing as "flashed ready for supercharger." ALL ECUs are tuned for NA, unless specifically flashed for S/C, which won't work right UNLESS you have one.

No idea about "read only" on early ECUs.

Probably adamant about doing a TSB update, so they could be paid for it by Toyota.

Part one of your post is FALSE. ONLY "virgin" ECUs will accept S/C reflash, even from Toyota. Mine had been reflashed for an engine ping TSB and would not accept S/C update, so I had to buy another "virgin" ECU.

Part two of your post is mostly accurate in that all ECUs are tuned for NA, unless specifically flashed for S/C during S/C install. All NA tunes are not, however, the same. Almost every Tacoma variant (model year, auto, M/T, 4WD, etc) has its own specific ECU and "tune," with unique IDs. This makes tuning a Toyota is a total PITA!

 

Oh, you guys are in CO Springs? I may need to swing by and check y'all out sometime. I have a '14 Supercharged with CAI. As soon as I get some headers and full exhaust thrown on, maybe the 2.8 pulley, I wouldn't mind getting it tuned.

 

Wow? No. Kinda...


Not sure where you studied, but I got my Computer Science degree from one of the best programs in the world. University of Southwest Louisiana (USL). Now know as University of Louisiana Lafayette (ULL).

Look it up!

There are 3 types of flash memory that can be used. PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM.

PROM is write once memory.

EPROM is write once memory, with exception of circumstance, chip is on test bed and subjected to specific reprogramming environment such as UV light.

EEPROM is what you know as 'flashable', programmable memory. By way of sending specific voltage to pins on the chip you can lock, unlock, read, write 'Write Enable '.

So...

Either I am right sorta right and you are also sorta right or I'm right and your wrong or vice versa.

At first I was going to flat out say you were wrong, but I re-thought this. You may be on to something.

You stated only 'virgin' ECU'S could be flashed to supercharger. That is a physical impossibility on an EEPROM chip.

UNLESS, the flash memory on the chip required for the flash is not large enough to receive the flash. Meaning that, in order to run a supercharger you have to have a different ECU with a larger flash memory, which doesn't make sense??


But mine was setup for supercharger already. Then later, dealership was trying to force upgrade, and change the ECU even though I didn't have a supercharger simply because of some so say emissions thing.

In other words you brought up some good points and kinda in a way supported my initial findings.


If they claimed you needed a 'virgin' ECU, the dealership either ripped you off, or the original ECU was in fact EPROM or PROM.

 

I think you misunderstand. I'm simply an OVT customer, who's "been waiting for the full development from OVTUNE for a while."

If you (thought) you knew the answer, why did you ask the question?

I understand PROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs. The issue is not technical. It's procedural, and I wish you luck in overcoming it. Toyota tuners look for a specific tune ID before they'll flash the ECU. If the correct/expected ID isn't found, they simply won't flash the ECU. Once an ECU is flashed away from "virgin" (as mine was when performing the TSB), it no longer presents the correct/expected ID to the tuner. THAT's why I had to procure a replacement. These facts have been bantered about by numerous owners with experiences similar to mine in numerous threads, including the ones I provided above. I encourage you to peruse them, if you're serious about increasing your S/C and (Toyota) ECU knowledge.

I don't understand how your truck was "setup for supercharger already." A N/A truck won't run correctly with a S/C tune because it requires supporting components like larger fuel injectors. It makes no sense that your ECU was "setup for supercharger" in the absence of a S/C and supporting components.

BTW, my CS degree came from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Look it up!

 

RPI.. Touche'

One key point, you took TSB.

They insisted I allow it (for free) or they would not honor the floor mat recall. I REFUSED!

 

But here is the thing, since you understand this bro, why did they approach me stating that the update had to be done, when I pressed the issue, the final answer I got was because the OEM ECU was not flashable and it had to be upgraded (so they could upgrade the flash) to meet emissions regulations. This was at no cost to me. I still refused, lol! Manufacturer Free updates are NEVER good!

Thinking about this more... It wouldn't be a flash chip 'ID'. It would be an ECU ID.

I don't know what they use... Atmel, Agere, ST... But on secure modules the ID is always stored on a secure chip. A good example is Sirius/XM security.

I want to get my hands on one of these now, lol! Tear it apart! Anyone have some detailed pics of the board?

 

I'm not sure why your dealer was so insistent but, if I understand your description of events correctly, it seems to confirm their "inability" to flash/update an ECU that doesn't present the "correct" Calibration ID. They couldn't update yours because it had been previously updated, giving it a new/different Calibration ID.

Having refreshed my memory on the topic, they're called Calibration IDs, rather than flash chip or ECU IDs. (They're listed in here.) Unfortunately, the end result remains unchanged - once flashed away from "virgin," it's difficult (impossible?) to further update the ECU through "standard" Toyota channels.

I had a spare (TSB-flashed) ECU for several months, but eventually sold it. Sorry!

 

No one touched my truck before I brought it in. Watched it unloaded off the truck when delivered brand new.

This is getting interesting. Mine wasn't updated or changed because I refused to let them touch it.

My whole thing started at the dealership when they stated that Toyota was requiring them to upgrade the software, and added the comment about some emissions requirement that stated that it had to be flashable, but my ECU 'the chip' (word they used) was not able to be reprogrammed.

Re-thinking this, 2 scenarios come to mind...

1. It's the programmer, not the ECU. The flash has a header with Cal. ID. If Cal. ID of flash file doesn't match the flash on the chip, the flashing software on the programmer throws an error and flash is aborted. Same as when you have a corrupted firmware on a laptop, phone, etc. The flashing software will error out, ID's don't match... DUH! It's corrupt! If you pull the chip off the board, place in a programmer, if Flash size matches, checksum validates it will flash.

2. This is rare case scenario, usually only high security chips, still wouldn't apply to me, but plausible. The manufacturer of the chip designed and shipped the chips (assuming as per spec of customer) to provide like 32+ byte write once only section on the chip. Locked down the chip so that WE could only be (so say) flashed with proprietary programmer, the programmer will write those write once only bytes with a static ID, so it can only be reflashed once. But I'm sure someone would have pulled the chip by now and found that? If that was the case.

CMPS was like my life when I was young. Even started a company, specialized in basically dumping and dissasm flashes and find weaknesses. Sold off equipment, god, 10 years ago. So no test beds on hand, no programmers on hand, but still have the knowledge and can trace boards, etc.

Dood, if you want to, or care to, sounds like a good challenge! Want to try and figure out how these things work???

 

I'm not well-versed in earlier 2nd Gens but, as I understand it, scenario #1 is what's happening on later models (like mine).

I wish I had the time to tackle a project like this. Unfortunately, that's not in the cards right now.

He's been slow to deliver, but OVTune seems pretty knowledgeable on our ECUs. You might reach out to him, to see if he can clarify.