Hi, I am considering getting a Horsepower Factory gearbox remap on my 200. Has anyone out here done this and what are your thoughts? My main interest is in holding the clutch locked in longer, i.e. not feathering every time is sees a small incline and secondly some additional control in sports mode.
I would appreciate your thoughts.
Dave
KJB said
10:35 AM Oct 1, 2022
Tappets wrote:
Hi, I am considering getting a Horsepower Factory gearbox remap on my 200. Has anyone out here done this and what are your thoughts? My main interest is in holding the clutch locked in longer, i.e. not feathering every time is sees a small incline and secondly some additional control in sports mode.
I would appreciate your thoughts.
Dave
Can they supply an "Options Switch" as well? (Sport/Comfort/Towing)
Sounds like a great Update as "Factory Drivetrain Mapping" is always geared towards economy and emissions control at the expense of performance and peace of mind (out of sync. Shift Points are a constant annoyance, especially when towing)
If you go down that track please give us all an update on your thoughts....... KB
deverall11 said
03:03 PM Oct 1, 2022
Tappets, you have already asked this question and got very useful, real life experience
by owners answers on LCOOL.
Are you looking for someone to agree with you so that you can justify whatever you are
wanting to do.
The replies on LCOOL may not be to your liking but they are far more accurate than you
can ever hope to get here.
Ivan 01 said
07:36 PM Oct 1, 2022
My son has a torque converter lock up kit fitted to his 200.
Fitted by a company in Murray Bridge in SA.
They are easy to fit and many fit them themselves.
His is 6 years in service without any problem at all.
It is adjustable to lock up at 80 kph. It can be switched to lock in low range as well.
Saves a bucket of diesel and keeps the transmission temps down when towing.
I know there was an article on LCOOL explaining how a bloke on there fitted one.
I have no idea what the OP Tappets wants to do with his 200 but for towing a van then the lock up kit works fine.
-- Edited by Ivan 01 on Saturday 1st of October 2022 07:37:59 PM
Gundog said
08:38 AM Oct 2, 2022
Save a heap of cash and learn how to drive it in sport/manual mode.
Joda said
08:45 AM Oct 2, 2022
Gundog is right, use the manual function, your not using a roadranger transmission, all it takes is a flick of the shifter to change gear and in manual mode its well and truly locked up, use the tacho. for your shift points.
Tappets said
10:09 AM Oct 2, 2022
deverall11 wrote:
Tappets, you have already asked this question and got very useful, real life experience by owners answers on LCOOL. Are you looking for someone to agree with you so that you can justify whatever you are wanting to do. The replies on LCOOL may not be to your liking but they are far more accurate than you can ever hope to get here.
Sorry I am unclear what you are trying to tell me . I don't have a view , I am seeking peoples real life opinion Not everyone on Nomads reads LCOOL and vice versa. I think you do people on Nomads an injustice assuming that LCOOL are "far more accurate" . I am on both does this mean I am inaccurate when I reply on Nomads and accurate when I reply on LCOOL? Having said all of that I was un aware my questions were monitored and if I want to ask the same question on both forums is there a problem or do we now have forum Police?
Tappets said
10:10 AM Oct 2, 2022
Joda wrote:
Gundog is right, use the manual function, your not using a roadranger transmission, all it takes is a flick of the shifter to change gear and in manual mode its well and truly locked up, use the tacho. for your shift points.
Sorry, the 200 gearbox doesn't work like that.
Ivan 01 said
10:19 AM Oct 2, 2022
Tappets wrote:
Joda wrote:
Gundog is right, use the manual function, your not using a roadranger transmission, all it takes is a flick of the shifter to change gear and in manual mode its well and truly locked up, use the tacho. for your shift points.
Sorry, the 200 gearbox doesn't work like that.
Hi Tappets,
If nothing else your original post has brought out those who comment on this forum while having little knowledge on some topics at hand.
If it was as simple as driving the Toyota 200 transmission like you may drive some other 6 speed autos then there would be few people who would be considering transmission modifications on the 200.
deverall11 said
11:15 AM Oct 2, 2022
Tappets wrote:
deverall11 wrote:
Tappets, you have already asked this question and got very useful, real life experience by owners answers on LCOOL. Are you looking for someone to agree with you so that you can justify whatever you are wanting to do. The replies on LCOOL may not be to your liking but they are far more accurate than you can ever hope to get here.
Sorry I am unclear what you are trying to tell me . I don't have a view , I am seeking peoples real life opinion Not everyone on Nomads reads LCOOL and vice versa. I think you do people on Nomads an injustice assuming that LCOOL are "far more accurate" . I am on both does this mean I am inaccurate when I reply on Nomads and accurate when I reply on LCOOL? Having said all of that I was un aware my questions were monitored and if I want to ask the same question on both forums is there a problem or do we now have forum Police?
in its entirety? If so you will have read how EGTs are critical to gearbox operation. Perhaps you missed the meaning.
I made a post on that thread. It essentially states that after an ECU remap that gives me 1200Nm and nearly 300Kw (dyno measurements), increasing
EGTs precludes me from using higher gears. Got plenty of torque and power but cannot make use of it. I can tow
a 3.5t caravan in 6th gear at 95kph and have the T/C locked. Problem is EGTs go through the roof.
In case you are wondering, this tunes was not my choice. Asked for a towing tune, the nutcase gave me a racing tune.
In its standard form the ECU on the LC200 has the ability to use a number of parameters and detune the output in order
to preserve the engine. If you were to read some of the posts on LCOOL, some of the guys went very deep in the study
on how the whole thing works and posted their findings.
Forumites on LCOOL are the knowledgable people when it comes to LC200s. That is all I am trying to point
out. The replies on LCOOL would potentially be more accurate then here. On here people are treating the LC200s
as another 4WD and comment accordingly. A Ford Ranger or an Isuzu operates quite differently to an LC200. I know
nothing about those vehicles and abstain from making unqualified comments.
In regards to the forum police, your question had a ring of familiarity and simply made me wonder if you are fishing
around looking for the answer that will justify you means.
Gundog said
12:39 PM Oct 2, 2022
Tappets wrote:
Joda wrote:
Gundog is right, use the manual function, your not using a roadranger transmission, all it takes is a flick of the shifter to change gear and in manual mode its well and truly locked up, use the tacho. for your shift points.
Sorry, the 200 gearbox doesn't work like that.
I dont understand your statement "doesn't work like that" are you saying that you cannot select a gear of your choice in Sports mode meaning you cannot up or down shift or hold a particular gear you want.
deverall11 said
03:07 PM Oct 2, 2022
Gundog wrote:
Tappets wrote:
Joda wrote:
Gundog is right, use the manual function, your not using a roadranger transmission, all it takes is a flick of the shifter to change gear and in manual mode its well and truly locked up, use the tacho. for your shift points.
Sorry, the 200 gearbox doesn't work like that.
I dont understand your statement "doesn't work like that" are you saying that you cannot select a gear of your choice in Sports mode meaning you cannot up or down shift or hold a particular gear you want.
On an LC200, yes you can put the transmission on sports/manual mode however it won't go in the gear you actually select when you want to. For example if you select 5th gear,
there's a good chance that won't happen unless you are doing in excess of 90kph. In the same way, if you select 1st gear at 100kph, it won't happen. The ECU
has a certain amount of override. Now with a lockup kit, you can lock the T/C in any gear except 1st. Need a different valve body. However once again, if you are
locked in 5th for example at 80kph and want to accelerate, it will change down, usually with a clunk. Not recommended.
Cannot comment on how others work, unless they use the same transmission being an AB60.
Tappets said
06:43 PM Oct 2, 2022
Gundog wrote:
Tappets wrote:
Joda wrote:
Gundog is right, use the manual function, your not using a roadranger transmission, all it takes is a flick of the shifter to change gear and in manual mode its well and truly locked up, use the tacho. for your shift points.
Sorry, the 200 gearbox doesn't work like that.
I dont understand your statement "doesn't work like that" are you saying that you cannot select a gear of your choice in Sports mode meaning you cannot up or down shift or hold a particular gear you want.
The Toyota software that is used in sports mode will only prevent the box from moving into a taller gear, i.e. if you select S4 it will not move into 5 or 6. If It is in, say 6th, and sees a hill it drops to 5th or 4th , the torque converter unlocks and all of that torque is wasted stirring up the gearbox oil. I have used a Richards lock up kit on a Prado which was great, I am trying to establish what the software does to the shift control and clutch lock up.
Tappets said
06:55 PM Oct 2, 2022
deverall11 wrote:
Tappets wrote:
deverall11 wrote:
Tappets, you have already asked this question and got very useful, real life experience by owners answers on LCOOL. Are you looking for someone to agree with you so that you can justify whatever you are wanting to do. The replies on LCOOL may not be to your liking but they are far more accurate than you can ever hope to get here.
Sorry I am unclear what you are trying to tell me . I don't have a view , I am seeking peoples real life opinion Not everyone on Nomads reads LCOOL and vice versa. I think you do people on Nomads an injustice assuming that LCOOL are "far more accurate" . I am on both does this mean I am inaccurate when I reply on Nomads and accurate when I reply on LCOOL? Having said all of that I was un aware my questions were monitored and if I want to ask the same question on both forums is there a problem or do we now have forum Police?
in its entirety? Yes I did. If so you will have read how EGTs are critical to gearbox operation. Perhaps you missed the meaning. You didn't read my comment re dropping it down a gear to achieve a lower EGT and keep the clutch locked.
I made a post on that thread. It essentially states that after an ECU remap that gives me 1200Nm and nearly 300Kw (dyno measurements), increasing
EGTs precludes me from using higher gears. I am not talking about a power increase only a gearbox remap. Got plenty of torque and power but cannot make use of it. I can tow
a 3.5t caravan in 6th gear at 95kph and have the T/C locked. Problem is EGTs go through the roof.
In case you are wondering, this tunes was not my choice. Asked for a towing tune, the nutcase gave me a racing tune.
In its standard form the ECU on the LC200 has the ability to use a number of parameters and detune the output in order
to preserve the engine. If you were to read some of the posts on LCOOL, some of the guys went very deep in the study
on how the whole thing works and posted their findings. No I didn't because I am not interested in more power.
Forumites on LCOOL are the knowledgable people when it comes to LC200s. That is all I am trying to point
out. The replies on LCOOL would potentially be more accurate then here. I have no basis to conclude who knows what in LCOOL, some people clearly have no idea, some guess and others have quantitative information on the subject. Unfortunately there is no knowing who fits which category. On here people are treating the LC200s
as another 4WD and comment accordingly. A Ford Ranger or an Isuzu operates quite differently to an LC200. I can't comment, I don't know who is who and their ability nor qualification. know
nothing about those vehicles and abstain from making unqualified comments.
In regards to the forum police, your question had a ring of familiarity and simply made me wonder if you are fishing
around looking for the answer that will justify you means. I don't understand this comment. I am trying to make contact with someone who has actually had the software installed, not some armchair opinion. I need no one to justify my means, I will make up my own mind based on facts and my interpretation of feedback. As in all walks of life, feedback and experience from others is free, used it as you wish and at your peril.
In summary, thanks for your feedback, I think you have misinterpreted my aim.
deverall11 said
07:05 PM Oct 2, 2022
I am trying to make contact with someone who has actually had the software installed, not some armchair opinion.
Obviously you did not read that thread in its entirety otherwise you would've pickup that I have such lock up
kit and are trying to explain to you that by locking the T/C you potentially increase EGTs.
One of the many functions of the ECU in standard form is to release the T/C when EGTs become too high.
As I tried to explain to you the knowledge base on LCOOL is far greater then here when it comes to LC200.
May I suggest you go and get a lockup kit and suffer the possible consequences. I have the Wholesale
Automatics on mine. It has two modes and will lock all gears except 1st.
Ivan 01 said
09:17 PM Oct 2, 2022
Just out of curiosity I phoned my son to get some info from the horses mouth.
He has the unit supplied and fitted by this company.
His unit switches both hi and low ranges and has a position to turn it off as well.
He said that there were different options for switching when it came to his fitting and he opted to have his set up exactly the same as the companys own 200 series.
The EGT can get high when operating under extreme towing conditions while locked but my son fitted a Pyrometer or exhaust gas temp gauge to monitor it.
As he explained it to me the transmission on his 200 2014 model was flaring between gear changes and causing the engine to rev a lot higher even if the exhaust gases arent hot.
He explained that the 200 was designed to drive on expressways and as such the converter and ECU in standard trim would not lock up until 115 kph. ( This is by design)
The dealer at the time adjusted it to achieve a 108 kph lock up which was of no real improvement. Most of our highways are restricted to either 100 or 110 kph maximum.
The lock up unit he has can be adjusted to lock at a selected speed and is very smooth in its operation. As I said earlier he has had no problems in over 6 years.
His is set at approx 82 kph.
He also mentioned that the newer model 200 series may have different ECU settings and transmission valve bodies may be different.
Tappets if you are still with us, my son suggested phoning Richards Auto. He says that they are extremely knowledgeable and very helpful and I do note that they also have different kits for other models including the 300.
He also said that some other kits that were around at the time caused a lot of other worries with the vehicle ECU and it was common for the Engine Fault Light to come on for no reason. His modification has not had any such problems to date.
He added that back in the time he was modifying his 200 there was talk of the valve bodies and converters etc being rebuilt and such but no one had convinced any owners that this was going to be any better for the massive cost of the exercise.
So I guess anyone can take this info how they want. But I can confidently say it came from someone who has a unit, onto this page via an armchair spokesperson.
As an edit I wanted to say that anyone towing in 6 th gear probably should not be towing anything.
6th gear in a 200 is a second overdrive with 4 the gear being direct
My son drives his in 4th and 5th and never even uses 6th.
He and I towed a 2.8 tonne boat from Pt Augusta to Mackay and he never switched the lock up kit as the exhaust temp stayed well within range.
Any modification which stops that converter from slipping will allow the operator to maintain sensible transmission temperatures while towing.
-- Edited by Ivan 01 on Sunday 2nd of October 2022 09:37:33 PM
deverall11 said
10:45 PM Oct 2, 2022
Richards and Wholesale automatics are one and the same.
Ivan 01 said
10:08 AM Oct 3, 2022
I think that if Tappets phones Richards he will find that they are in fact not one in the same or at least they werent back in 2015 when they fitted the kit to my sons 200.
Without going completely into the technical side of how the lock up kits worked, it was the switching within each individual kit which was different.
Some used mechanical switching which caused the engine management light to come on and the same switching apparently caused the *clunky* operation from lock to unlock and vica verca.
The method of switching within the unit my son had fitted eliminated this problem.
From memory when I was researching with my son on LCOOL this was all explained by techs.
It was also mentioned that any modification to the ECU which was performed on a vehicle while still under warranty could be, and was being switched back to standard by servicing Toyota dealers.
This was not good if an owner had parted with reasonable money to have it re programmed.
Good luck with it Tappets.
Tappets said
07:05 PM Oct 3, 2022
Richards is speed sensitive, wholesale's lock all the time.
Tappets said
07:10 PM Oct 3, 2022
Ivan 01 wrote:
I think that if Tappets phones Richards he will find that they are in fact not one in the same or at least they werent back in 2015 when they fitted the kit to my sons 200. Without going completely into the technical side of how the lock up kits worked, it was the switching within each individual kit which was different.
Some used mechanical switching which caused the engine management light to come on and the same switching apparently caused the *clunky* operation from lock to unlock and vica verca.
The method of switching within the unit my son had fitted eliminated this problem.
From memory when I was researching with my son on LCOOL this was all explained by techs. It was also mentioned that any modification to the ECU which was performed on a vehicle while still under warranty could be, and was being switched back to standard by servicing Toyota dealers. This was not good if an owner had parted with reasonable money to have it re programmed.
Good luck with it Tappets.
Hi Ivan,
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I fitted a Richards lock up kit to my Prado and found it excellent. Looking at the https://www.project200.com.au/torque-converter-lockup/ he has experience of using both the Richards lock up and their gearbox remap. Sounds well worth while. The Horsepower factory claim that the lock up kit is not required with their software upgrade, I am trying to get some real life feedback to substantiate their claim. If I can't get it I need both the lock-up and software from Richards which is $1000 more expensive!
cheers Dave
Tappets said
07:12 PM Oct 3, 2022
deverall11 wrote:
I am trying to make contact with someone who has actually had the software installed, not some armchair opinion. Obviously you did not read that thread in its entirety otherwise you would've pickup that I have such lock up kit and are trying to explain to you that by locking the T/C you potentially increase EGTs. One of the many functions of the ECU in standard form is to release the T/C when EGTs become too high. As I tried to explain to you the knowledge base on LCOOL is far greater then here when it comes to LC200. May I suggest you go and get a lockup kit and suffer the possible consequences. I have the Wholesale Automatics on mine. It has two modes and will lock all gears except 1st.
I think we need to agree to differ. 5th locked up or 5th unlocked either should be ok the only issue is the gearbox oil temp gets very hot unlocked.
deverall11 said
09:52 AM Oct 4, 2022
Tappets wrote:
deverall11 wrote:
I am trying to make contact with someone who has actually had the software installed, not some armchair opinion. Obviously you did not read that thread in its entirety otherwise you would've pickup that I have such lock up kit and are trying to explain to you that by locking the T/C you potentially increase EGTs. One of the many functions of the ECU in standard form is to release the T/C when EGTs become too high. As I tried to explain to you the knowledge base on LCOOL is far greater then here when it comes to LC200. May I suggest you go and get a lockup kit and suffer the possible consequences. I have the Wholesale Automatics on mine. It has two modes and will lock all gears except 1st.
I think we need to agree to differ. 5th locked up or 5th unlocked either should be ok the only issue is the gearbox oil temp gets very hot unlocked.
Tappets, are you looking at pan temp or T/C temp? You'll find pan temp a lot more stable.
I have the Richards lock up kit which allows a low speed lock up (under 80kph) and high speed lock up (80kph+).
Hi, I am considering getting a Horsepower Factory gearbox remap on my 200. Has anyone out here done this and what are your thoughts? My main interest is in holding the clutch locked in longer, i.e. not feathering every time is sees a small incline and secondly some additional control in sports mode.
I would appreciate your thoughts.
Dave
Can they supply an "Options Switch" as well? (Sport/Comfort/Towing)
Sounds like a great Update as "Factory Drivetrain Mapping" is always geared towards economy and emissions control at the expense of performance and peace of mind (out of sync. Shift Points are a constant annoyance, especially when towing)
If you go down that track please give us all an update on your thoughts....... KB
by owners answers on LCOOL.
Are you looking for someone to agree with you so that you can justify whatever you are
wanting to do.
The replies on LCOOL may not be to your liking but they are far more accurate than you
can ever hope to get here.
My son has a torque converter lock up kit fitted to his 200.
Fitted by a company in Murray Bridge in SA.
They are easy to fit and many fit them themselves.
His is 6 years in service without any problem at all.
It is adjustable to lock up at 80 kph. It can be switched to lock in low range as well.
Saves a bucket of diesel and keeps the transmission temps down when towing.
I know there was an article on LCOOL explaining how a bloke on there fitted one.
I have no idea what the OP Tappets wants to do with his 200 but for towing a van then the lock up kit works fine.
-- Edited by Ivan 01 on Saturday 1st of October 2022 07:37:59 PM
Save a heap of cash and learn how to drive it in sport/manual mode.
Sorry I am unclear what you are trying to tell me . I don't have a view , I am seeking peoples real life opinion Not everyone on Nomads reads LCOOL and vice versa. I think you do people on Nomads an injustice assuming that LCOOL are "far more accurate" . I am on both does this mean I am inaccurate when I reply on Nomads and accurate when I reply on LCOOL? Having said all of that I was un aware my questions were monitored and if I want to ask the same question on both forums is there a problem or do we now have forum Police?
Sorry, the 200 gearbox doesn't work like that.
Hi Tappets,
If nothing else your original post has brought out those who comment on this forum while having little knowledge on some topics at hand.
If it was as simple as driving the Toyota 200 transmission like you may drive some other 6 speed autos then there would be few people who would be considering transmission modifications on the 200.
From a comment you made you seem to disagree with EGTs being brought into the mix when the subject is about gearbox. Did you bother to read http://www.lcool.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48006&highlight=egt
in its entirety? If so you will have read how EGTs are critical to gearbox operation. Perhaps you missed the meaning.
I made a post on that thread. It essentially states that after an ECU remap that gives me 1200Nm and nearly 300Kw (dyno measurements), increasing
EGTs precludes me from using higher gears. Got plenty of torque and power but cannot make use of it. I can tow
a 3.5t caravan in 6th gear at 95kph and have the T/C locked. Problem is EGTs go through the roof.
In case you are wondering, this tunes was not my choice. Asked for a towing tune, the nutcase gave me a racing tune.
In its standard form the ECU on the LC200 has the ability to use a number of parameters and detune the output in order
to preserve the engine. If you were to read some of the posts on LCOOL, some of the guys went very deep in the study
on how the whole thing works and posted their findings.
Forumites on LCOOL are the knowledgable people when it comes to LC200s. That is all I am trying to point
out. The replies on LCOOL would potentially be more accurate then here. On here people are treating the LC200s
as another 4WD and comment accordingly. A Ford Ranger or an Isuzu operates quite differently to an LC200. I know
nothing about those vehicles and abstain from making unqualified comments.
In regards to the forum police, your question had a ring of familiarity and simply made me wonder if you are fishing
around looking for the answer that will justify you means.
I dont understand your statement "doesn't work like that" are you saying that you cannot select a gear of your choice in Sports mode meaning you cannot up or down shift or hold a particular gear you want.
On an LC200, yes you can put the transmission on sports/manual mode however it won't go in the gear you actually select when you want to. For example if you select 5th gear,
there's a good chance that won't happen unless you are doing in excess of 90kph. In the same way, if you select 1st gear at 100kph, it won't happen. The ECU
has a certain amount of override. Now with a lockup kit, you can lock the T/C in any gear except 1st. Need a different valve body. However once again, if you are
locked in 5th for example at 80kph and want to accelerate, it will change down, usually with a clunk. Not recommended.
Cannot comment on how others work, unless they use the same transmission being an AB60.
The Toyota software that is used in sports mode will only prevent the box from moving into a taller gear, i.e. if you select S4 it will not move into 5 or 6. If It is in, say 6th, and sees a hill it drops to 5th or 4th , the torque converter unlocks and all of that torque is wasted stirring up the gearbox oil. I have used a Richards lock up kit on a Prado which was great, I am trying to establish what the software does to the shift control and clutch lock up.
Obviously you did not read that thread in its entirety otherwise you would've pickup that I have such lock up
kit and are trying to explain to you that by locking the T/C you potentially increase EGTs.
One of the many functions of the ECU in standard form is to release the T/C when EGTs become too high.
As I tried to explain to you the knowledge base on LCOOL is far greater then here when it comes to LC200.
May I suggest you go and get a lockup kit and suffer the possible consequences. I have the Wholesale
Automatics on mine. It has two modes and will lock all gears except 1st.
Just out of curiosity I phoned my son to get some info from the horses mouth.
He has the unit supplied and fitted by this company.
https://richardsauto.com.au/
His unit switches both hi and low ranges and has a position to turn it off as well.
He said that there were different options for switching when it came to his fitting and he opted to have his set up exactly the same as the companys own 200 series.
The EGT can get high when operating under extreme towing conditions while locked but my son fitted a Pyrometer or exhaust gas temp gauge to monitor it.
As he explained it to me the transmission on his 200 2014 model was flaring between gear changes and causing the engine to rev a lot higher even if the exhaust gases arent hot.
He explained that the 200 was designed to drive on expressways and as such the converter and ECU in standard trim would not lock up until 115 kph. ( This is by design)
The dealer at the time adjusted it to achieve a 108 kph lock up which was of no real improvement. Most of our highways are restricted to either 100 or 110 kph maximum.
The lock up unit he has can be adjusted to lock at a selected speed and is very smooth in its operation. As I said earlier he has had no problems in over 6 years.
His is set at approx 82 kph.
He also mentioned that the newer model 200 series may have different ECU settings and transmission valve bodies may be different.
Tappets if you are still with us, my son suggested phoning Richards Auto. He says that they are extremely knowledgeable and very helpful and I do note that they also have different kits for other models including the 300.
He also said that some other kits that were around at the time caused a lot of other worries with the vehicle ECU and it was common for the Engine Fault Light to come on for no reason. His modification has not had any such problems to date.
He added that back in the time he was modifying his 200 there was talk of the valve bodies and converters etc being rebuilt and such but no one had convinced any owners that this was going to be any better for the massive cost of the exercise.
So I guess anyone can take this info how they want. But I can confidently say it came from someone who has a unit, onto this page via an armchair spokesperson.
As an edit I wanted to say that anyone towing in 6 th gear probably should not be towing anything.
6th gear in a 200 is a second overdrive with 4 the gear being direct
My son drives his in 4th and 5th and never even uses 6th.
He and I towed a 2.8 tonne boat from Pt Augusta to Mackay and he never switched the lock up kit as the exhaust temp stayed well within range.
Any modification which stops that converter from slipping will allow the operator to maintain sensible transmission temperatures while towing.
-- Edited by Ivan 01 on Sunday 2nd of October 2022 09:37:33 PM
Without going completely into the technical side of how the lock up kits worked, it was the switching within each individual kit which was different.
Some used mechanical switching which caused the engine management light to come on and the same switching apparently caused the *clunky* operation from lock to unlock and vica verca.
The method of switching within the unit my son had fitted eliminated this problem.
From memory when I was researching with my son on LCOOL this was all explained by techs.
It was also mentioned that any modification to the ECU which was performed on a vehicle while still under warranty could be, and was being switched back to standard by servicing Toyota dealers.
This was not good if an owner had parted with reasonable money to have it re programmed.
Good luck with it Tappets.
Richards is speed sensitive, wholesale's lock all the time.
Hi Ivan,
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I fitted a Richards lock up kit to my Prado and found it excellent. Looking at the https://www.project200.com.au/torque-converter-lockup/ he has experience of using both the Richards lock up and their gearbox remap. Sounds well worth while. The Horsepower factory claim that the lock up kit is not required with their software upgrade, I am trying to get some real life feedback to substantiate their claim. If I can't get it I need both the lock-up and software from Richards which is $1000 more expensive!
cheers Dave
I think we need to agree to differ. 5th locked up or 5th unlocked either should be ok the only issue is the gearbox oil temp gets very hot unlocked.
Tappets, are you looking at pan temp or T/C temp? You'll find pan temp a lot more stable.
I have the Richards lock up kit which allows a low speed lock up (under 80kph) and high speed lock up (80kph+).