Hey someone posted this up on another site.
The wiring harnesses won't match. Auto and manuals use different plugs, so you'd have to get the wiring harness to go with the manual ECU.
Really? So the auto harness with the manual trans ecu that is in my truck right now and has been my daily driver for over a year with no codes wont work?? Don't tell my truck that, it might die
I hate it when people say stuff like this, that have absolutely zero experience with this type of stuff. I am not trying to pick on you rob, your a good guy, but that kind of stuff just gets under my skin and many other people on this and other boards have said the same thing.
Now, dont think that all auto harness will plug into manual ecu's, not all of them will. Most will, they had the different plugs mainly in the earlier years between auto and manual trans. That harness out of a 99 taco should be ok, but you need to get the p/n's off of the harness and the ecu and take them to your local yota dealer to make certain of what year they are. Then bury your head into the wiring diagrams for both trucks (the ecu and harness) and make sure every pin is in the same location between the two and that the plugs are the same.
Either way get the manual ecu, if that does not work with your harness, they go for decent money on ebay for guys like me piecing together a 5vz swap instead of buying another truck just for the motor. To answer your question it would be much better if you got the manual ecu to work on your truck. I was thinking like you on making an auto ecu work, but I am not sure if the ecu would throw codes when it starts seeing such a great load on the motor when it thinks the trans is in park (or neutral) That and I wasnt sure if it has a different timing map for the ignition when its in park vs. drive.
From the diagram that I am looking at, 99 taco ecu plugs are the same from manual trans to auto trans. Dont quote me on this, do some research and make sure for yourself and make sure of the year on both parts so that you know for sure what you are working with.
