hellbird79

OK, i am installing my trd SC this week, and the manual says to take out the ecu, and have it flashed with the software module i have (i have an automatic if it matters) So i take out my ecu and take it to the dealer, with my software module. The jask ___ tells me they can't do it out of the car, that it has to be in the car....Even though the installation manual say to take it outside and do it. He tells me i have to drive my car and then they will flash it. My question is, is he right? Or does he have no clue about what he is talking about? I know alot of people ship out their ecus to get flashed, so what the hell is this guy talking about? He must be talking about the wrong reflash tool right? Perhaps the scans tool instead, or are they the same? Please help b/c i really dont trust the dealership.
Thanks

Nick06tC

It is done outside of the car. Find a different dealership, or send it off to zpi and pay to have them do it. Should have it back in a few days and good to go. I wouldnt drive it as is.

jasonrs2

The software module that came with your kit is plugged into the TRD Reflash tool which gets connected to your ecu CAN be done outside the car.

Since you have an auto, you have to get the TIS updates installed (basically sets the new shift points for the tranny). For this second "reflash", the dealer needs to plug the TIS machine directly into your car (I believe the plug to the left of the knee airbag - where they would plug the scan tool if you were to get a check engine light).

I would double check with the dealer. if they meant that you need to have the car physically there for the first reflash that both autos and manuals get, id take it somewhere else. if he was talking about the TIS updates, then i would take it to them because not many dealers know about that extra step for the autos. and im sure you know you need the auto fit kit - without it, the tranny mounting bracket wont be able to be installed since you need those bushing extensions. and the dipstick is routed slightly different. both of those things are whats in the auto kit. goodluck and let us know how it goes.

BrownDogg

ok, I just installed my SC last week and had a few issues. I have an auto as well. You will need the auto fit kit which is about $50 through the dealer or TRDsparks.com

For the reflash, I drove my car for a week with out the reflash and it ran just fine. I just had mine re flashed yesterday at the dealer and they do not have to have the car present to do the reflash.

Your ECU is used for both the reflashes. You can take it out if you want to and take it to a dealership. Do not let them tell you they cant do it because they can and I know this because they just did mine yesterday. The first update/reflash gives the car a new fuel/air map so it will run correctly with the bigger injectors and SC.

I drove mine with out either of the reflashes and basically all that happens is the car runs SUPER FREAKING rich and if you step on it, since we have autos, the shifting will lag. It will feel like the car is retarded at shifting so I would recommend not flooring it until the car is reflashed.

And dont forget to put premium fuel in your car!

jjos1

iTrader: (1)

Make sure you don't change the pulley on it until you get the reflash also

jasonrs2

did you see them do the second reflash? when i did mine, the first was done with the ecu removed from the car. then the second reflash which is essentially an update to the ecu is done with the ecu hooked up inside the car as it is in stock form and they plug a laptop with the TIS software and they hook it up to the obd scanner port by the knee airbag.. so they would need to physically have your car there to do the second one..

BrownDogg

I did not actually see them do it but when I contacted ZPI racing, they said they could do BOTH re flashes with my car being here in SoCal and my ECU being in Kentucky. So that would tell me that they do not have to have the car.

MkhoiD

so u can install the S/C and don't have to reflash it..as long as u don't gun it right lol...man that's risky as ____.

tC-Collin

how much was the reflash?

ScottTc13

Short answer. I paid 85 bucks from Hamer Toyota is Mission Hills CA. I was also quoted 275, and 170 from other dealers.

Here is my experience. I did my own install last week. Here are my various responses from different dealers.

1- they said they don't do it.

2- they put me on hold for a while and came back and said 275, f that.

3- they said, "Yeah sure 90 bucks, it's just a reflash right, yeah no prob." I called this dealership twice on different days before I started on my install to make sure I didn't have to send it ZPI to get a decent price. When I got there, they quizically looked at me and as it turned out, they don't have the computer that does the TRD reflash. They referred me to one that does.

4- They said 170, and at this point I was stuck with that quote unless I wanted to send it to ZPI and lose a few days. One of their supposed "Lead Techs", sporting a TRD hat, was giving me a hard time because he said he had to have the car. THEY DO NOT NEED THE DANG CAR. Maybe for auto, I dunno. I persisted that the car was not necessary and asked to talk to the service manager. Well I got it reflashed WITHOUT the car and they only charged me 85 bucks. Although, I had to wait overnight because the magician who knew how to operate this extraordinarally complicated computer was not working that evening.

Good luck getting help from a dealer, it seems mostly they don't know much about the install and that there might be 1 or 2 ppl that know about the install process. Also dont' assume that the lead tech knows either.

gwtc

iTrader: (4)

Hey ScottTc13, can you please give me any tips of problems or special tools you need to install the SC? $85 dollars is really cheap, thanks. BTW...I have my SC sitting at my job, I wan to install it but I'm scared I will run into something I can not do or fix, thanks for any help.

tC-Collin

we just did mine a few days ago.... here are some problems

that oil pan S U C K S. unbolt the pan, torch the gasket, then put a screw driver through the drain plug and pull it off while someone pries it off with another screw driver, BUT DONT TOUCH THE BLOCK WITH THE SCREWDRIVERRRRRRRRRRRRRR

to do the injectors the tell you to take out the old fuel line and take out the fuel rail then reinstall a new fuel line. problem is you need a special tool to take the old line off. you can pop the rail off without replacing the fuel line. saves a lot of hassle

make sure you give the new pulley some working space, its been sitting in a box and is formed weird, wont always sit the way you want it. definately a two man job. everything else is pretty easy

i think thats it. haha

Sleep3r

i have experienced everything you did also. most dealers dont even know what the hell your talking about. so i basically just asked for the service manager all the thime when i called.

cool thing was i ended up calling the dealer where i bought my car from and he told me "oh yeah takes only like 20 minutes just bring it by and i'll do it for FREE"

i lucked out, i was actually willing to pay like 120 - 200 or something

Sleep3r

and yeah for you guys who did it yourself, did you even bother to use the VSV tube?

kikcaffine

^ which tube is that one? I changed the gasline, it wasnt that hard to do. Just need 2 flat blade screwdrivers.

Sleep3r

The VSV tube came in the same package as the map module as i remember, i didnt use it because it just reroutes the vacume tube line making a U shape for better clearance.

I mean it is not necessary right?

ScottTc13

Tips: Hmm be prepared to spend 10 hours. I was originally thinking 5 or 6, but in the end it was more like 10.

That fuel line was a pain in the but to get off without the special tool. I ended up removing the fuel rail and then prying in the metal tabs with screw drivers. I just bent them to the point they would probably be useless, but you don't need it again anyways.

And yeah, the oil pan was a pain to get off. luckily I had a really thin sort of chizzle looking tool. I hammered it in from the pulley side and it finally popped it loose. I got 85k miles so I'm sure it was baked on really good. I'm sure I put a couple scratched on the block, but oh well, I put enough gasket sealer down there and I don't have any leaks at all.

I never worked on a car with a belt system like this, I'm used to honda Acura. The tensioner is a simple concept, throw a 19mm shallow socket on a ratchet and with a breaker bar pull it torwards the front of the car. The manual suggests using the Toyo tool, but you really don't need that. I wasn't sure how far I could pull it and was overly cautious, but it stops at a certain point and don't force it past that point.

When putting the belt on it is soooo easy to have someone hold the tensioner down like I described above and slide it on from the bottom over that smooth pulley by the crank.

My kit was missing the 3/16 by 7/8 pulley key for the SC pulley. Home Depot had 3/16 metal stock and I cut a piece 7/8" long. Kinda ____ed me off but whatever.

Oh and installing the pulley was the very last thing I did. You need a stinkin strap wrench or else the belt just slips. I didn't want to use an airgun so I went to sears and bought the strap wrench for 6 dollars.

I think everthing else was pretty straight forward. Just take your time and do it right. And use a torque wrench when they tell you to. Very important!

Good luck.

ScottTc13

I used it, but it's probably not necessary. I don't remember it being hard to change, so I changed it.

gwtc

iTrader: (4)

Cool, thanks for all the tips, I have almost 90K miles on my car, so I'm sure the oil pan will not come off easey either, thanks again.

gwtc

iTrader: (4)

Quick ? I know you have to replace the oil, is there anything elese? like the coolant fulid or anything, I was breazing through the install manual and saw something that connects to one of the coolant lines so I'm just wondering. Are there any other fluids that need to be be drained and refilled? thanks again to anybody for any help.