Under powered

https://www.4runners.com/threads/does-sprint-booster-affect-mpg-you-decide.19955/

 

This is just an idea I had after reading this whole thing through.
I imagine that your '01 had a true throttle cable from pedal to engine. I believe the 5th gens are all drive by wire. I know our '19 is.
I don't know if you would necessarily feel the difference or not but add that to all the new emissions and computers that imput must go through before the throttle opens. This is why all the P.C & S.B devices help.
I am not a mechanic so maybe I am smoking crack or just ignorant! LMAO
Just my thoughts.
Ryan.

 

Driving around town, S4 feels much more responsive to me. You don’t get the squishy pedal as much, as you’re locking out 5th gear.

 

That’s good to know. Thank you.

 

No that makes perfect sense. That’s kinda what I concluded when feeling how heavy or sluggish the car felt and the degree of peddle movement required just to do the simplest of things.
Not ignorant and ya got no crack!!

 

The speed of the throttle opening has nothing to do with emissions equipment or the responsiveness of an electric signal through a wire (which is nearly the speed of light). If that were true, adding another computer like the Sprint Booster or Pedal Commander would make it even slower via complication. That is not what is happening.

The throttle responsiveness programming (called mapping) is deliberately set the way it is to allow more granular control of the vehicle in low speed situations (very helpful off road). The entire pedal travel is designed to be used to allow the driver the most possible control over the engine. It is mapped to open the throttle slowly even when the driver's foot moves quickly- this is done for emissions and safety reasons.

Some people do not like the way the factory has programmed the throttle input and elect to get signal modifiers. This does nothing except lower the granularity of the pedal control so that the throttle feels more responsive with less pedal travel required. At the most extreme setting, the throttle pedal becomes an on/off switch (either idle or 100% open).

You can get used to it, or you can spend a few hundred bucks to change it with a signal modifier. The performance remains the same.

 

Very good explanation!
This is my point. His '01 likely didn't have that mapping etc. Must expand to see what I Bolded!
Again, I could be wrong.
Ryan.Bolden!
*edited for Bold portion*

 

Excellent explanation, thank you

 

This is an extremely important point to be made. Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Just today (day 11) while running errands, I was clearly getting used to it. Reasoning to myself “it won’t INCREASE power will it ...... it’s not like it’s a necessity like vehicle won’t run efficiently without it .... mainly will just effect peddle movement”.
Yours and (4Runner fun) Ryan’s point is well made and respected. Thank you both.

 

Throttle response was retarded about 10 years ago. This was done to prevent accidental acceleration. In addition, if you step on the gas and brake the vehicle will not move or at least it will be slower to respond.

This was done after A drivers family sued Toyota over the death of their family member. Several other cases of accidental acceleration while breaking were also recorded. The solution was to retard throttle and prevent the vehicle from moving forward when the throttle and brake were pressed simultaneously. My Tacoma also has the throttle pedal cut so you don’t accidentally step on both at the same time. I think the claim was the driver tried to step on the break but hit the gas. Anyway, Toyota issued a recall updated the firmware and cut the pedal.

 

Something else I have noticed is T/C.
If you turn of traction control and drive using S 1-4 it feels to me you have a lot more control over the powerband. Otherwise T/C thinks about fast imput & must work. Bypassing it makes a difference.
Maybe just my butt dyno but try it!
Ryan

 

I haven’t even got to understand T/C yet. It’s benefits nor how to turn it on or off.
I just posted a question about S Mode. That’s what’s next for my “one thing at a time” pea brain.
You’ve dyno’d your butt????!!!!

 

My butt can dyno cars!
It just refers to the different in felling in the seat of your pants (if you will).
Ryan

 

To actually defeat traction control, you must be stopped. Hold down the button for about 5-10 seconds and you will see multiple lights pop up on the dash. Then, lett'er rip!

 

Then T/C is disengaged. Repeat process to re-engage, correct?

 

No, you can just hot the button to reengage. It's just a project to fully disengage, as shown by the numerous posts I've read claiming it cannot be defeated.

 

If you turn off TC while moving, isn’t it like “half off”… and when you turn it off while stopped, is “totally off”? Something like that.

 

S-mode is simply a gear limiter. S5 let’s the transmission use all 5 gears. S4 will only let the transmission use gears 1-4. S3 will only let the transmission use gears 1-3.

Practically speaking…
When towing you don’t want to use the overdrive gear (5th gear) so you use S4 mode. If you’re on a hilly highway using cruise control and it keeps hunting for gears, you might want to use S4. Off-road you may want to use S3.

 

That is a very helpful explanation. Thank you.

 

Correct. You must stop completely and hold the button for a few seconds down to actually turn it off. Then it will remain off until you restart or push the button again.

 

It doesn't work with cruise control...
Ryan!

 

Not sure what you mean. I've used S mode in cruise control. I have a 2020 but not sure why Toyota would prevent this in earlier model years.

 

Above a certain speed (which I didn't hunt for) there is a limit (speed wise) to which one can use Traction Control off & use cruise control @ the same time.
That was my only point. Besides being able to disable Traction Control beyond a certain speed.
Sorry for the confusion,
Ryan

 

I'm really not sure why anyone would ever need to defeat traction control while using cruise control.

 

How to know a vehicle is underpowered.

When an ant, pulling a bale of hay, passes you.

 

My 4runner felt like a slug until I installed a throttle controller. World of a difference but my mpgs are hurting lol

 

Probably nothing to do with electronic throttle control and everything to do with your foot

 

4runners can get to 500,000 miles. You're missing the point. It's not a Ferrari

I got 160,000 miles on my 2005 4runner. Daughter's Camry has 50,000 miles. They are known to last to 350,000 miles.

Starts and runs like when it was brand new. Drives like BN too.
The 1996 JIMMY by GMC did not have the truck performance and durability like Toyota, and I owned that one from BN for 10 years.

Toyota owns the automobile industry today. The US will never reclaim that leadership spot.

I'll never own a GM or US product again after knowing Japanese "cars and trucks".

Bought my daughter a brand new (black) Camry for her Florida State graduation, and she has taken that to her job at Charles Schwab for 4 years already.

Camrys are the best-selling cars in the USA today. No one comes close. Japanese reliability and performance.

Daughter LeeAnn with the Toyota salesman. He's not the one that we bought a Camry from. I wanted and paid for her Camry because they have been the top-selling American car for 20 years, and I promised her a car for graduation!

Thinking she would probably not have gotten hired at CS without solid transportation to get to work.

LeeAnn loves her 2015, 4 banger Camry. Can zoom to over 100mph - believe it or not!

 

They can’t get to 500 unless they go.

It was one of the first things I said to the sales guy after my test drive. I have a pedal commander and all is well.

 

Agree. It really doesn’t need it. There’s not nearly as much play in the peddle as the Tundra.