[jf262]

I just bought the 97 rav 4.

It's in good shape with some new parts. Problem is acceleration sucks, takes me 3-4 kilometers before i can get it up to 80kms when i first turn on the car, which is a problem as i get on the highway every time i drive. im glad to read that the ETC button can help, but hesitant to try it on an older engine, as it brings up the RPMs a lot.

anyone have issues with it, or care to discuss their experiences with ETC on first gen automatic ravs?

thanks.

 

[TurboRA40]

I leave my ect button on all the time these days. The auto seams to be geared too heavily towards milage for the mighty 3sfe and it feels like you're driving with the hand brake on without it. Another thing to note is the auto won't go into top gear while the engine is cold. I assume this is to prevent the engine being loaded up by the highway gearing while cold.

 

[leon r]

Another thing to note is the auto won't go into top gear while the engine is cold. I assume this is to prevent the engine being loaded up by the highway gearing while cold.

Right, it will not shift into overdrive until 140F/60C no matter what you do. The main reason for this is to warm your engine up as soon as possible (warm engine produces less pollution, their main concern, unless you drive a VW ), and higher revving engine heats-up quicker.

 

[OldRav4]

warm engine produces less pollution, their main concern, unless you drive a VW

Baahahaha!

Don't worry about getting your engine into the higher RPMs. It won't do any harm unless your engine mounts have gone loose but you'll feel that even in the lower RPMs. If anything, it even helps cleans your piston heads, intake and exhaust valves. Works best with good gas, not the gas you can get got cheap at a non-brand name gas station.

Higher RPM in a non-turbo car = always more POWWWWAAAAAH

 

[Wilycoyote]

I just bought a very nice looking 1997 FWD in great shape and have yet to use ECT. Cleaned it really good put on new wheels and winter tires and it seems to drive really nice without ECT on. Got 145k miles and needs regular maintenance. Brakes, transmission fluid flush, timing belt, and engine oil change. Other than that its in great shape.

 

[Ahya728]

Even w/out the ECT, play with the L-2-D on top of the rpm each gear, then you're good to go.

 

[RavyAngel]

Does running with the ECT engaged effect gas mileage ?

 

[TurboRA40]

I've had mixed results with ect on and off. With it off i find I'm using more throttle because the engine is bogged down in most gears. With the ect on i sometimes get tempted to use more throttle because it actually does something. But if you can control your throttle foot i found that the ect on keeps the car in a better gear more of the time and provides slightly better mileage. The other thing i found that provides better milage is resetting the ecu. During the relearning phase it seems to provide good milage but after a couple of tanks learns it's bad habits and over fuels again.

 

[RavyAngel]

Thanks for the info, Turbo. In all the 17 yrs with my last Rav, I usually only engaged the ECT at a stop light when I knew the dweeb next to me was gonna try to cut me off on the green >

I'm going to do a little more research and will probably be getting a tune up soon, so I'll see if that helps the performance a little. I just got this Rav two weeks ago and am still learning her abilities, though I do know mechanically, it was a great find !!!!