Hot Rod Camry

[Shel_B]

Yesterday, quite by accident, I came across some chips and performance items to boost power in the 4-cylinder Camry. I was definitely surprised to see performance enhancements for that car and engine combination. The main thing that grabbed my attention was the simplicity of using some of these chips. You just plug 'em into the OBDII port, wait a bit until the chip talks to your computer, and off y'go. The chip is easily removed just by unplugging it from the port and the car reverts back to the way it was.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME EXAMPLES

Dragon Works and Thornton seem most interesting both with regard to price and simplicity of installation.

I'm not saying that I want to do something like this, certainly not without further investigation, but it would be nice if the ol' Camry had a little more grunt when driving in the mountains.

If anyone has experience with these, or similar, chips, I'd like to hear from you.

 

[racer12306]

This is a hot rod Camry

 

[supton]

I have a tough time believing these work…. I realize ECU reprogramming is done “often” but I’m not sure how much of a back door is left open, nor that it’s “quick” to reflash.

Regardless: if it was me, I’d want video proof, showing a Camry making x hp on a dyno, followed by popping this in and now making x+y hp on the dyno. Too many hucksters out there (and to be honest, just who do I trust when it comes to Camry mods? it’s not like it’s a big crowd!).

IMO, if you want more in the mountains, ditch any extra weight and once in the hills, slide the shifter so as to lock out top gear, then maybe the next one too. Let the motor rev. That moment where it pauses before downshifting… that’s kinda annoying, but if the 4 pot is already up in revs, it will feel seemless.

 

[Shel_B]

I have a tough time believing these work…. I realize ECU reprogramming is done “often” but I’m not sure how much of a back door is left open, nor that it’s “quick” to reflash.

Regardless: if it was me, I’d want video proof, showing a Camry making x hp on a dyno, followed by popping this in and now making x+y hp on the dyno. Too many hucksters out there (and to be honest, just who do I trust when it comes to Camry mods? it’s not like it’s a big crowd!).

IMO, if you want more in the mountains, ditch any extra weight and once in the hills, slide the shifter so as to lock out top gear, then maybe the next one too. Let the motor rev. That moment where it pauses before downshifting… that’s kinda annoying, but if the 4 pot is already up in revs, it will feel seemless.

Good suggestions for diving in the mountains. I have been doing that for 56 years. But a somewhat more enjoyable driving experience would be welcome. I prefer the 4-cyl to the 6-cyl for many reasons.

Good idea about getting more proof. Thanks!

 

[javacontour]

Yesterday, quite by accident, I came across some chips and performance items to boost power in the 4-cylinder Camry. I was definitely surprised to see performance enhancements for that car and engine combination. The main thing that grabbed my attention was the simplicity of using some of these chips. You just plug 'em into the OBDII port, wait a bit until the chip talks to your computer, and off y'go. The chip is easily removed just by unplugging it from the port and the car reverts back to the way it was.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME EXAMPLES

Dragon Works and Thornton seem most interesting both with regard to price and simplicity of installation.

I'm not saying that I want to do something like this, certainly not without further investigation, but it would be nice if the ol' Camry had a little more grunt when driving in the mountains.

If anyone has experience with these, or similar, chips, I'd like to hear from you.

If it sounds too good to be true...
If Toyota could get 2-6 more MPG or 50 more horsepower AND retain emissions and reliability for $100 or less worth of tuning, they would.
Looking at the Thornton chips, in very small print it says "upto"
Zero is included in the "upto" range of numbers even though it doesn't appear as anything other than a place holder for "ones place" in the numbers presented.

Pass!

 

[SatinSilver]

Fill up with Shell 93 Nitro(halfway full), make sure air filter is clean or replace it, remove spare tire to save weight, give it the Italian tune up once per week and you'll be surprised how much quicker it is.

 

[Astro14]

I once bought a similar product for a normally aspirated V-8. Back in those days, the "tune" programmed more aggressive timing, making a tiny bit more power, at the expense of requiring premium fuel. The control system on that engine was simple. An electronic feedback carburetor, points ignition, and basic ECU.

In this case, though, the Camry engine control unit is far more sophisticated, and already takes advantage of premium fuel. You won't be changing the ignition timing, it already does that. You won't be changing the valve timing, it already does that. You can't change the amount of air it is drawing in, its normally aspirated. It's not going to give a lot more fuel, your engine runs very close to the perfect ratio all the time.

So, there really isn't a way to get more power out of your engine with a "tune" of any kind.

Turbo engine is a different matter. Easy enough to crank the boost with a tune.

But your car? Save your money.

 

[JavierH19]

They're usually just smoke and mirrors. I'd pass.

 

[atikovi]

If anyone has experience with these, or similar, chips, I'd like to hear from you.

This type of engine computer tuning is how car manufacturers can offer so many HP choices with the same basic engine. The Ford 3.5L Ecoboost can have 360 hp or 450 hp in pickups, to 660 hp in the GT. There are SOME internal modifications on the latter, but basically the same core engine.

On the Camry I would think it advances the timing a bit and maybe adds more fuel at certain RPMs. Might add 10 or 20 hp, but assume you will have to use premium gas. Will you feel even 20 more hp in a 3,000+ pound car? Maybe, barely.

 

[B1974]

I have a SCT flash tuner for my 2006 Mustang GT and you can tell there's a before and after difference on these cars.

 

[Astro14]

I have a SCT flash tuner for my 2006 Mustang GT and you can tell there's a before and after difference on these cars.

So, you think the difference on a four cylinder Camry will be noticeable?

 

[Shel_B]

I once bought a similar product for a normally aspirated V-8. Back in those days, the "tune" programmed more aggressive timing, making a tiny bit more power, at the expense of requiring premium fuel. The control system on that engine was simple. An electronic feedback carburetor, points ignition, and basic ECU.

In this case, though, the Camry engine control unit is far more sophisticated, and already takes advantage of premium fuel. You won't be changing the ignition timing, it already does that. You won't be changing the valve timing, it already does that. You can't change the amount of air it is drawing in, its normally aspirated. It's not going to give a lot more fuel, your engine runs very close to the perfect ratio all the time.
So, there really isn't a way to get more power out of your engine with a "tune" of any kind.
Turbo engine is a different matter. Easy enough to crank the boost with a tune.
But your car? Save your money.

I'm curious about that statement. The manual calls for regular and the two or three times I've used premium there was no discernable performance difference between the two grades.

 

[edyvw]

It is Camry, nothing can fix performance!

Those are bottom feeders. For ANY gain, you need complex variable intake manifold in addition to ECU tune.
For example, i managed to gain 25hp and 21lb-ft on my BMW. How? Installing intake manifold from 330 with variable DISA valves. Then ECU tune, and European air intake (OE on Euro models) that comes without fixed charcoal filter behind regular air filter. That all for 25hp and 21 lb-ft.

Why they sell that? Bcs. tunning now by altering ECU is popular. Why? A lot if turbo engines. Altering ECU on turbo engine can actually result in meaningful gain. But, you need turbo. Someone mentioned Ford Ecoboost. Yes, but it is turbo. Camry still doesn’t come with 2.4T engine. Once it does, there will be cottage industry of tuning. But then, it is Camry.

Now, I see Supra. For Supra there are serious upgrades from BMW tuners. But, ain’t gonna be $89. Depending what you want to do, any serious tuning also requires mechanical upgrades. Ask @TiGeo

 

[IndyIan]

I once bought a similar product for a normally aspirated V-8. Back in those days, the "tune" programmed more aggressive timing, making a tiny bit more power, at the expense of requiring premium fuel. The control system on that engine was simple. An electronic feedback carburetor, points ignition, and basic ECU.

In this case, though, the Camry engine control unit is far more sophisticated, and already takes advantage of premium fuel. You won't be changing the ignition timing, it already does that. You won't be changing the valve timing, it already does that. You can't change the amount of air it is drawing in, its normally aspirated. It's not going to give a lot more fuel, your engine runs very close to the perfect ratio all the time.

So, there really isn't a way to get more power out of your engine with a "tune" of any kind.

Turbo engine is a different matter. Easy enough to crank the boost with a tune.

But your car? Save your money.

The factory tune is probably pretty conservative with timing and a/f ratio, and it does a few things to lower emissions, which uses more fuel as well.
Toyota hasn't left too much hp out, but it probably has left some, and the engine "feel" at part throttle is very tunable. Also I guess the open loop settings are quite conservative too, so there's probably a few hp available there. Is it worth doing for the money? I guess that's up the owner.

 

[supton]

Those are bottom feeders. For ANY gain, you need complex variable intake manifold in addition to ECU tune.

Bah. People made power long before VVT and a pile of other tricks. Having computer control does indeed mean that practically everything needs an ECU reflash in order to be effective, but saying you can’t do anything without messing with the intake manifold… bah humbug.

Now bothering to mess with a Toyota 2AR-FE, probably a waste, lower end is probably only just good enough, and top end (breathing) too, just like the prior engines. Optimized for nothing, but looking for the intersection of competing goals (or Venn circles) to obtain what they thought best. Same with the transmission, who knows what it can handle through it.

But if the pocketbook is deep enough, a turbo plus a few psi and a willingness to take some risk… would still cost more than just swapping for a V6 version (unless if you are good with welding and fab work). I don’t think OEM’s leave much on the table these days on the NA mills.

 

[edyvw]

Bah. People made power long before VVT and a pile of other tricks. Having computer control does indeed mean that practically everything needs an ECU reflash in order to be effective, but saying you can’t do anything without messing with the intake manifold… bah humbug.

Now bothering to mess with a Toyota 2AR-FE, probably a waste, lower end is probably only just good enough, and top end (breathing) too, just like the prior engines. Optimized for nothing, but looking for the intersection of competing goals (or Venn circles) to obtain what they thought best. Same with the transmission, who knows what it can handle through it.

But if the pocketbook is deep enough, a turbo plus a few psi and a willingness to take some risk… would still cost more than just swapping for a V6 version (unless if you are good with welding and fab work). I don’t think OEM’s leave much on the table these days on the NA mills.

You are confirming what I said. For meaningful gain you need intake manifold manipulation etc. I should say that is to do it cheaply! Like, $1000.
Of course we can talk turbo, superchargers etc. and then we are talking $5000 for serious hardware and software. I was strictly referring what needs to be done to get anything meaningful from NA engine.
And Toyota engines are definitely not good platform for that.

 

[Infomercial]

I have an ecu tuner on my v6 mustang the biggest improvement is the transmission shifts the way it should now.

 

[OVERKILL]

This type of engine computer tuning is how car manufacturers can offer so many HP choices with the same basic engine. The Ford 3.5L Ecoboost can have 360 hp or 450 hp in pickups, to 660 hp in the GT. There are SOME internal modifications on the latter, but basically the same core engine.

On the Camry I would think it advances the timing a bit and maybe adds more fuel at certain RPMs. Might add 10 or 20 hp, but assume you will have to use premium gas. Will you feel even 20 more hp in a 3,000+ pound car? Maybe, barely.

That's a forced induction application (the EcoBoost), so the ECM can be commanded to make more boost, same thing with diesel tuners that add a LOT of power. That's not the case for naturally aspirated engines, which the OP has. The 4.6L engine in the Mustang had different camshafts than the one in the truck for example, and made ~20HP more. Not a huge difference. You weren't turning the truck 4.6L into the Mustang 4.6L with a tune.

As @Astro14 noted, "back in the day" tunes were mostly about adding some ignition advance and maybe firming up the shift programming so it felt "snappier". If it was DBW, they could also modify throttle tip-in to make it feel more "peppy". Overall actual gains were VERY low however.

@Shel_B if you want more power, your only real path without expensive engine modifications (upgraded cams, ported head...etc) that might not yield big gains, is forced induction. It doesn't take much boost to really bump up the output, but that's not going to be inexpensive either, though it's definitely the most cost effective.

 

[WylieCoyote]

I'm guessing it alters throttle tip-in and transmission shift points, since there's not much left to do to a n/a engine. Fuel and spark are already as good as they're going to get according to what kind of gas you're using, and air is decided by the throttle plate, which can be easily commanded to open wider, quicker, giving the sensation of a newly-eager engine They're mostly counting on your butt-dyno's wishful thinking.

 

[nthach]

The only hot rod Camry one can buy is the 1992-2001 and 2016-2020 V6. The 2016-2020 models with the 2GR-FKS V6 engine is surprisingly quick.