2002 SR5 Sport Towing Question...Use ECT?

[Rancho5]

New to T4R’s... I have a 2000 Coleman Cheyenne Popup, weighs about 3200 dry. My previous tow vehicle was a 7.3 Powerstroke so I never worried about gearing etc.

This rig has an overdrive deselect button on the shifter AND an ECT button on the dash, which apparently is for higher revs going up hills? Aren’t they the same thing?

Anyway, which combination of these two buttons is recommended for towing a popup?

 

[jgue467]

Not the same.

OD and ETC are not the same on a 4runner.

Use OD when climbing moderate hills/mountain passes. If you've got a super serious mountain pass like I-70 west of Denver, don't use OD, just pull the shifter into a lower gear, using OD there alone won't be enough to maintain even 50mph and you'll have to pull down a gear which then causes the engine to scream above 4000rpms. Ask me how I know.

ETC adjusts the shift points to higher rpms, which can help when towing to get started from 0 to your preferred speed. BUT, big but, ETC will also (and most won't acknowledge this on here) cause the transmission to "hunt" for gears by downshifting at the slightest amount of pedal pressure. While this may help with acceleration situations it causes more fuel to be used in otherwise normal driving, like close to 1 mpg in my experience.

Luck, experiment for your own sake but these are my experiences. :cowboy:

 

[theesotericone]

OD and ETC are not the same on a 4runner.

Use OD when climbing moderate hills/mountain passes.

Either that quote is a missing the word DON"T or your transmission hates you.

Do not use OD when going up any moderate hills. Click the button off. It's fine for cruising on the flats when not towing but any hill will melt your trans.

In 3rd gear with OD off you have a 1:1 ratio. That will lock the torque converter and keep the trans cooler.

With OD on you have a .705:1 ratio. That will not allow the torque converter to lock and will cook the trans.

I don't know what your real world testing was for your reply to the post but I'd really like to know what your trans temps are on moderate grades with OD on.

 

[Rancho5]

It's fine for cruising on the flats when not towing but any hill will melt your trans.

In 3rd gear with OD off you have a 1:1 ratio. That will lock the torque converter and keep the trans cooler.

With OD on you have a .705:1 ratio. That will not allow the torque converter to lock and will cook the trans.

Please clarify and thanks for your patience. So click the OD button off on any semblance of a hill because if not, the tranny will cook. Got it.

What’s “it’s fine for cruising on the flats” mean? Does this mean on flats I can click the OD back on?

Two variables now.

1. I’m installing a tranny cooler, a B&M, the thick one. I’m assuming nothing you say changes and that I still click off OD on any hill. Correct?

2. The PO had the gearing changed from 4:10 to 4:11, both front and rear. Because the change is so slight, I’m assuming this will make no difference in any directions you’ve previously given. Correct?

 

[Lamer]

2. The PO had the gearing changed from 4:10 to 4:11, both front and rear.

that seems very odd

 

[theesotericone]

Please clarify and thanks for your patience. So click the OD button off on any semblance of a hill because if not, the tranny will cook. Got it.

What’s “it’s fine for cruising on the flats” mean? Does this mean on flats I can click the OD back on?

Two variables now.

1. I’m installing a tranny cooler, a B&M, the thick one. I’m assuming nothing you say changes and that I still click off OD on any hill. Correct?

2. The PO had the gearing changed from 4:10 to 4:11, both front and rear. Because the change is so slight, I’m assuming this will make no difference in any directions you’ve previously given. Correct?

Depending on how much weight your towing you might want to consider leaving OD off. The best thing you can do is monitor your trans temp with an ODBII reader and Torque Pro. If you have a 96-97 you'll have to add an after market trans temp gauge like I did. It's very easy to do while your installing the trans cooler. The idiots light for the trans in our rigs doesn't come on til well over 270 degrees. By that time you've already boiled your fluid.

1) A trans cooler helps if run in series with the rad. That's how mines set up. I don't tow but I wheel a lot and live in a mountain area. Lots of steep long grades. Prior to the cooler my trans light came on twice when wheeling. I've never seen it come on since. My temps never get above 190 with my cooler in series.

I have 33's and lots of added weight so I leave OD off almost always. I also leave ECT off always. I'd rather have higher shift points and RPM's then no power. Again, this is how I run and I run this way because I know my truck and monitor my temps.

2) The gear ratios I quoted are for the trans not the diff. It doesn't matter if you have 4.10 or 5.29's. When going up a hill with OD on the torque converter can not lock and will heat the trans way more then with OD off and the converter locked.

Experiment with your driving style and see what works best for you. Do it when you can monitor your trans temp though.

 

[Rancho5]

that seems very odd

He said he did it to help him go faster in hilly areas. Had it professionally done at a reputable shop. If anyone would care to elaborate I’d appreciated it.

 

[jgue467]

Either that quote is a missing the word DON"T or your transmission hates you.


With OD on you have a .705:1 ratio. That will not allow the torque converter to lock and will cook the trans.

I don't know what your real world testing was for your reply to the post but I'd really like to know what your trans temps are on moderate grades with OD on.

Guess my tranny hate me buddy, but that's what works best in central texas hills with or with out pulling a trailer and 2 quads, I watch my tranny temps via torque, they definetly show much higher temps if I do not hit the OD button to turn OD off when climbing hills, hit OD and the temps drop 25 degress in 20 seconds. How can you argue with that ??

So i never hit over 190 climbing hills with a 3500 pound load if I use OD over ride on hills, allow over drive to stay on and it'll climb over 210 easy.

I think you have things backwards. When driving at 70 mph leaving the OD operating causes the trans to slip as soon as a moderate hill comes along, the rpms shoot up from 2150 to 2600-2700, that's a lot of slip, turn OD off and now it's locked in 3rd gear spinning 3400. I've seen this hundreds of times on my vehicle. Anyone else have similar experiences or am I full of shit here ??

:cowboy:

 

[Rancho5]

The best thing you can do is monitor your trans temp with an ODBII reader and Torque Pro. If you have a 96-97 you'll have to add an after market trans temp gauge like I did. It's very easy to do while your installing the trans cooler.

1) A trans cooler helps if run in series with the rad.

I have 33's and lots of added weight so I leave OD off almost always.

I have an OBDII reader...need to buy torque pro app. What is the best temp range?

I realize running my new trans cooler in tandem with the new radiator provides max cooling. I’m trying to avoid pink milkshake though. Doesn’t tandem just create milkshake potential again? Or... does my new radiator alleviate that concern altogether because the original radiators were the ones that would break internally? Would the thick cooler be sufficient solo?

I have a 2002. Should I still install a trans cooler gauge?

I have P245/75R16 109 tires, if that helps any.

BTW, thanks for your guys’ help on all this.

 

[theesotericone]

I think you have things backwards.

I think we're saying the same thing but just to clarify:

If the OD button is pushed IN and the OD dash lights are OFF you are allowing OD to operate.

If the OD button is OUT and the lights are ON you have OD turned off and the truck will stay in 3rd.

Would you agree with that? lol

I have an OBDII reader...need to buy torque pro app. What is the best temp range?

I realize running my new trans cooler in tandem with the new radiator provides max cooling. I’m trying to avoid pink milkshake though. Doesn’t tandem just create milkshake potential again? Or... does my new radiator alleviate that concern altogether because the original radiators were the ones that would break internally? Would the thick cooler be sufficient solo?

I have a 2002. Should I still install a trans cooler gauge?

I have P245/75R16 109 tires, if that helps any.

BTW, thanks for your guys’ help on all this.

With your year you don't need a temp gauge. Just use Torque via ODBII. As far as the best temp keep it under 200 if you can. There's plenty of transmission heat to life charts online if you wanna see what the effects of higher temps are.

I run series because I want the extra cooling. My rad is new so I have zero worries about a pink milkshake. I'll just replace the rad after another 100,000 miles. I've never seen any real figures about the BTU rating for the stock rad cooler. Plenty of people run just the aftermarket cooler and are fine with that. I prefer having the extra cooling because of what I use my truck for.

 

[Hepar]

I think we're saying the same thing but just to clarify:

If the OD button is pushed IN and the OD dash lights are OFF you are allowing OD to operate.

If the OD button is OUT and the lights are ON you have OD turned off and the truck will stay in 3rd.

I think you guys are saying the same thing too. Just in two different ways.

 

[Rancho5]

Got it now! Thank you. I have an iPhone so I’ve searched for the Torque app in The App Store and can’t find it. I’ll keep searching.

 

[theesotericone]

Got it now! Thank you. I have an iPhone so I’ve searched for the Torque app in The App Store and can’t find it. I’ll keep searching.

Torques for Android only. I'm sure iOS has something close to it. Maybe some iPhone folks can chime in with what app they prefer.

 

[whyzee125]

ECT just raises shift points/makes kickdown more sensitive. I always leave it off but when towing I do use the OD off button.

 

[thezentree]

While this may help with acceleration situations it causes more fuel to be used in otherwise normal driving, like close to 1 mpg in my experience.

Luck, experiment for your own sake but these are my experiences. :cowboy:

My experience was the opposite. Before I lifted mine, I tracked fuel mileage for a few months with and without ECT on. I ended up averaging 0.2 or 0.3mpg more with ECT on with a consistent 50/50 highway/city commute. 0.2mpg is pretty negligible, but it's certainly not a decrease in fuel economy.

 

[Scramble]

Thanks for this thread, I'm still learning my 99 Limited. I live in a valley between (2) 900ft mountains & have to drive over one to & from work everyday. A manual is so much easier, put in 3rd & power up the hill! :biggrin2:

 

[02gixxersix]

I keep my ECT on all the time in my 4runner. It makes it feel slightly less like a power wheel with a weak battery and more like an actual truck :frusty: