General Supercharger Thread

After i read about a few bricked ecu's i've thought about keeping an eye out for a good deal on a spare.

Any trick to make sure its compatable? Just match part numbers?

 

get same part number thats on the cover of your stock ecu

 

Not I! I have the J&L (which does also work well). I do remember the post you’re talking about though, but can’t remember who was the original person who modified it. Also tried searching briefly with no luck.

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/general-supercharger-thread.85513/page-405#post-3405840

 

Thanks! I'll grab the PN off it and start searching

 

Apologies as I know it’s been discussed before, but assuming you have the same part number ECU what’s the process on swapping them out if you brick the original again? It’s not as simple as installing it and flashing the existing tune to it right? Thought I remember there being a “handshake” process or something but don’t remember what that entails.

 

If I remember right the only hurdle was relearning the keys to the new ECU. I definitely did not get the same PN as the point was getting a nonflex so I doubt that is important, just get the same general year range.

https://order.ebay.com/ord/show?orderId=09-11453-98858&purchaseOrderId=09-1145-398855#/

 

This thread is amazing and page 3 covers what appears to be the 2 different processes (one via mechanical jumper, the other via software): https://www.tundras.com/threads/how-to-recover-replace-ecu-thread.141787/page-3#post-3576797

 

My question is: do you have to buy more HPT credits if you reprogram the new ecu with the correct VIN?

 

No, did this exact thing.

 

As curious as I am to see if I could get a spare ECU, I don’t feel like going out in the cold garage to try and pull it out and get the part number. If I ever get the ambition, must the battery negative be disconnected or anything before removal/reinstallation?

 

if you pop off the trim panel under the glove box in the right footwell you can see the part # sticker on the ecu

 

Yes definitely disconnect the battery. The ecu is pretty hard/annoying to get out since there is a bunch of stuff in the way. The sticker is on the side of it so you do have to remove it from its spot to see (or way easier to do what Helidave said). I remember getting a different part number than what looking it up online said, so glad I looked.

 

I was hoping for a hack to get a view from the interior like this. Great tip, thanks!

 

If the Calibration ID and VIN are the same you wont have to relicense. If you change the Cal ID or VIN, it will require relicensing.

 

ECU swap:

Some time around 2014-2016 the ECUs increased in memory capacity and the calibration file sizes increased. So an ECU from a '13 might not work in a '17 and the inverse, for example. I don't know if anyone has had to try to cross that particular bridge or not to verify one way or the other though. Just a point of note.

 

I had to pay, JustDSM made it less painful.

 

Hey guys, I apologize for jumping in, but I'm hoping to get some advice about my transmission, being that there are several of you have who have had problems in the past.

Recently my trans violently stumbled from 6th to 5th while trying to overtake a semi. I was at lower elevation with Sniv's party pulley, so it made a little more boost than what it normally would. Dash lit up and truck went into limp mode. I manually shifted into 4th and pulled off the highway at my first convenience. I found myself 1,200 miles away from home with no cell service, 23:00 on a Sunday night in a wintery central Oregon - not ideal!

ScanGauge reveled a P0894. I let the truck rest for 15 min, cleared the code, and took off being very light with the throttle. It worked! I was able to get to my hotel, which was 130 miles away.

The next day I took it to a Toyota dealership to have it looked at. I picked it up a few hours later and they said there weren't any obvious problems or pending codes. They had done some sort of soft flush (I don't recall what it was called, but basically a drain and fill, but pulled out extra fluid without doing a full flush), and said the fluid didn't show any debris.

A week later I drove home, being careful not to smash the gas. There was one point where I was going up a steep grade past another semi and I tried to keep it out of boost - it stumbled into 5th from 6th. It wasn't nearly as bad as it was before, but I could tell something was wrong. I drove the remaining 1,000 miles without incident.

I've driven it one other time since my trip - I was able to shift from 6th to 4th with all of the boosts, and it shifted fine and pulled hard. But under medium throttle, going from 6th to 5th, it gave me a light stumble and I backed out of accelerating. I have no problems with any other sequence of shifts, however it now lurches into 1st from park, which it has never done before. I experimented with tow/haul which exacerbated the 6th to 5th downshift problem.

My question to all of you who have had transmission troubles, what signs or symptoms did you have before needing a fix or replacement? And what advice would you have for me? I've only gotten the solitary P0894 code, the one time. The truck exhibits no other problems.

 

I had a similar issue in NM 2 years ago, but also got a code for a S4 solenoid out of range. I'd be temped to climb under with a DMM and ohm out solenoids at the trans connector, both hot and cold. Mine was in spec cold (on the edge) but replacing it solved my issues.

 

what do you mean by "stumble"

 

1) Rough downshifts on the highway (6 to 3 or 4) 2) Rough 2-3 shifts 3) Not going into reverse all the time, eventually not at all. I think symptoms will depend on what gears you usually give it the beans in. Doing 0-60s vs highway overtakes will burn out different clutches. Experience: Destroying two transmissions in 34k miles lol.

 

It looks like that code, frustratingly, can be associated with a number of potential issues.
https://www.tundras.com/threads/p0894.89690/

 

As @VWTim stated you can check the solenoids without dropping the pan. Having the fluid not be burnt or debri can be a good sign and point to electrical. I always tell people with p2714/2757/761 etc to throw in a 1/2 to quart of atf and see how it goes. It's the easiest thing to try along with testing the solenoids.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TKax3xhyU3A

 

As if it tripped mid-stride. It acted as if it struggled to settle on a gear before slamming into 5th.

And that what's odd - 2-3 is super smooth, and 6-4 is almost instantaneous. I usually only give it the beans from a dig, but I don't do that too often. There are times where I do put my foot in it when I overtake, shifting 6-4. About the only time when I see a 6th to 5th shift is lower speeds and starting an incline.

Yep - this was the first thread I read when looking up the code. I was hoping to get lucky with the drain and fill, like he did. It seems everyone else who gets the P0894 also has an accompanying code. But with that said...

I will definitely give testing the solenoids a shot! Glad to know it can be done without dropping the pan.

Thank y'all for the input! I'm moving 1,100 miles away in a few months and the last thing I want is to be stuck on the side of the road with a trailer. Hopefully I can get this figured out before then.

 

I finally got similar results. Nothing in 3K after install, then pulled the check ball, another 2K and nothing. Replaced the PCV and finally got about 1/2 of what you did in 1,000 miles.

I decided to put in more SS mesh but went one step further. I saw the crossover hole in the head of the Radium and trimmed/cut a piece of copper tube to block that passage, then filled the whole thing with SS mesh. Cooper piece is a 3/4" tube sweat coupling that's cut in half and slightly flared to increase OD. Cut a rough notch with snips so it would drop down. If this works like I think it will, I'll do actual measurements and build a drop in piece.

Now the gas flow is forced out of the top cap into the catch body and then back into the cap, no chance for a short loop in the bypass hole.

 

T'was me.

@VWTim - What you did with your CC is a great idea. Mind sharing photos of the final iteration, all setup?

 

Sorry, my hands were dirty and I didn't take any more.

If you remove the top nipple that's inline with the check ball, you'll see down into where I placed the spacer. I put it in notch down, filled the tube/void with new SS mesh, and screwed the nipple back on.

I pulled the other ports plug from the inside, but ended up putting the mesh and everything back together how it was from the factory.

 

I had similar issues shifting w/my '08... Mine started intermittent and then became constant.

My code was P0893 'shift solenoid D', which also triggered the C1201 (simpathetic code pushing the truck into limp mode)...

Tried drain and fill... nothing

Took it in and had a shop replace the shift solenoid (D)... problem solved (for about a month)... then it was back but intermittent again

Shop thought maybe a faulty solenoid, so they replaced under warranty... same problem

Shop transferred vehicle to the dealer for diagnosis and dealer came back saying it had a faulty pin (little tiny ass wire thing that connects the transmission to the main ECU), and it was causing a communication error between the transmission and the main ECU; it was also my understanding that the it was one of the 'pins' in the harness itself, and replace the pin required a special tool from Toyota (of course)...

Here were some of my lessons learned during the process... maybe something here can help:

1) w/my situation, any time the code was cleared (either manually or on its own) my shifting problems were immediately resolved, which to me meant the problem was electronic and not mechanical

2) the P089... codes will self-clear when the situation resolves (doesn't require you to manually clear them)

3) connection issues made sense, because there would be times I'd have the code be in limp mode, drive the vehicle home, and the next time I start it codes are gone and it's shifting normal... to be this made sense that if it was a 'connection issue', vibration and bouncing around may be enough to wiggle these damn connectors around and be the source of the problem being intermittent

4) apparently the 'external' harness that's on the outside of the transmission (which ties back into the main ECU) is exposed (unless you have skids) and often subject to corrosion issues... it was one of the first things the dealer and shop checked when troubleshooting. So, you may want to look at that external harness to see if there's signs of corrosion that may have worked its way into the connection...

5) I miss simpler times when there wasn't so many nannies, montiors, computers, etc... that could all be sole and seperate reasons for the same issue

6) No one really has a definitive solution to what these types of codes are linked to most of the time... It's start w/least intrusive solution and work from there until the problem resolves. Frustrating!!!

 

I opened up the oil passage on my chopped up adapter. I couldn't drill it straight as the oil passage is off to the left and I would hit the outer wall of the passage if I drilled to far. I used a die grinder to enlarge the initial hole and carve more out of the passage opening for more flow. I can get my pinky up to the first knuckle into the top hole, and can do the same at an angle in the bottom hole, giggitty, so I'm calling it good. I also attempted to flatted the bottom of the passages perpendicular, but I didn't do a very good job. As a result, my tap wasn't exactly straight, but the fittings thread in and squish the o-ring into the chamfer, so I might test it to see if it's good enough and plan to make another. I consider this prototype a success, even though my result is sub-par. I need better tools, hand tools doesn't get the result I need.

 

Permission to billet?