Dtronic

Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 16:15
ThreadID: 11703 Views:3380 Replies:4 FollowUps:4
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Has anyone fitted a dtronic unit to a Turbo Deisel Prado and do you have any feedback on them in relation to towing. I have purchased a boat that weighs in at just under 2 tonnes and the Prado really stuggles with it on the back.
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Reply By: Joe - Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 16:50

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 16:50
Hi Barry,
Lot's of input/experiences .... at www.lcool.org.
Land Cruisers owners on line.... forum at yahoo groups.
Regards
Joe
AnswerID: 52668

Reply By: Outnabout David (SA) - Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 16:50

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 16:50
Barry,

Do you have a manual or auto?

Yes they do work as per the manufacturers website. I think they claim from 14% increase in Power and 20% torque at certain revs. There are higher figures achieved at different rev ranges but I have some printouts from indepenadant dyno. If you are further interested then email me with a direct member message and I can give you more info.
AnswerID: 52669

Follow Up By: barry christy - Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 18:18

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 18:18
Thanks for the reply David.

My Prado is an auto. I am hoping a dtronic unit will not only give more power and torque but also better fuel consumption when towing the boat because at the moment my fuel usage drops from 11l/100km @ 110 km/hr to 20l/100km @ 100 km/hr.
Any info you have would be most appreciated.

Thanks also to Joe for replying. I will visit the website you suggested.
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FollowupID: 314519

Reply By: Topend - Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 21:25

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 21:25
Hi Barry,
I have a Dtronic on my 100TD Cruiser and it makes a huge difference. I recently removed it for a week while I had some warranty work done near the glovebox (did not want Toyota to know I have it) and this was a huge reminder of how well the Dtronic works.

I don't think it will improve your economy, should stay about the same. I also tow a large boat (2040kg) and the Dtronic helps you get off the mark easily, even on the boat ramp.

I say get one.

Topend.
AnswerID: 52725

Reply By: Mick - Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 23:07

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 23:07
Barry these and other add on devices are the automotive equivalent of the Placebo Effect. Many people are very easily convinced of the benefits without any scientific testing. Read Ron Moon's review of the product and he states that it was not scientifically tested but it's what you feel on the road that counts - and that's where the Placebo Effect kicks in!! I've actually known people who report that their vehicle runs better after a grease and oil change!! Just keep in mind that if there were benefits even approaching those claimed (eg torque increase from 354nm to 410nm) the manufacturers would be falling over themselves to get the technology. How great it would be if by simply plugging in an electronic device you could increase the power and torque so dramatically!! PS A friend in 1980 was convinced that removal of his fan blades on an HQ sedan improved his fuel economy by 4mpg. I tested it on my car and there was no measurable difference for me. I filled the tank, drove a particular route, refilled the tank and calculated the consumption then repeated the process without fan blades. I drove at the same speed as close as possible for both trips. Result - no difference in economy. This is just an example of a person who genuinely believed it worked and in fact "made it work" by changing his driving habits. Same for the product you are enquiring about. Last observation - no prices on their site - always bothers me when the price isn't up front as it usually means a full on sales pitch is necessary before price is mentioned!
AnswerID: 52737

Follow Up By: Topend - Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 23:49

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 at 23:49
I agree Mick that most add ons are just that and there is really no difference. The Hiclone is a good example of this. Then there is the Dtronic. I can only comment on how it affects a 100TD as that's my only experience with them. I can tell you catagorically that they perform as advertised. If you know anyone that has one get them to remove it, drive the vehicle then refit it and again drive it again. You will see for yourself. I have even timed acceloration from 40-80km/h in four gear and the stop watch shows the difference.

As for the manufacturers not using them, they have to pass emission tests from all over the planet and cater for different fuel qualities.

Topend
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FollowupID: 314561

Follow Up By: Member - StevenL - Thursday, Apr 01, 2004 at 00:08

Thursday, Apr 01, 2004 at 00:08
Had a look at these myself. Not an indepth look but just read through the website and talked to two people that had them. Does make a difference apparantly but whether it is worth the moola (about $1200) depends purely on how much money you have and are prepared to part with. Purely a personal judgement.

In terms of the manufacturers using them (or the concept) my view would be that a company like toyota takes conservative approaches to tuning to suit emission controls and engine component life. The aftermarket appraoch is to be more aggressive and take performance closer to limits. If that means running the fuel mix a bit leaner or richer or things like that then all the better. I would be worried about increased component wear or failure.

I guess this is also why my local Toyota dealer would be frowning very heavily when assessing a warranty claim for something if I had one of these things plugged in. I know you can just unplug it but if you have read the installation instructions on the website you will see that it would be hard to completely remove the evidence of having a unit installed. Is it worth the hassle of removing and replacing it every 5000kms for 3 years?

Just my thoughts.

Steven
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FollowupID: 314562

Follow Up By: Outnabout David (SA) - Thursday, Apr 01, 2004 at 10:55

Thursday, Apr 01, 2004 at 10:55
Mick,

The dyno report I have, which is independant of the manufacturer, does not suffer from the "placebo effect" however I concur that sometimes people will tell you the gains achieved with any modification are directly proportional to the money spent.

The Dtronic doesn't turn the diesel, and remember we are talking about diesels into V8 Supercar racers but they do give improved performance and maximise what is already there in the motor.

If I could work out a way to always get cool, dense air to the inter-cooler, coupled with perfectly refined diesel, I am sure you could get similar increases as it is well known that the turbo diesels run better under these conditions.

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FollowupID: 314593

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