Just tuned my DCT

[financenick]

Just flashed my DCT using an OBD tool direct from TMC MOTORSPORT. I was a bit dubious as I'd not found anyone else who had done this to the M5 yet (or maybe I did'nt look very hard) and it's quite expensive... but glad I took the gamble and felt I should tell the forum how i got on.

Ive never done this type of thing before, and did not even realise it existed until i head of a couple of tuners doing it recently, but never found out how i could do it myself. However TMC offer this and is very simple, you receive the OBD tool in the post and once you plug in it takes under 2 mins to install. all you do is plug straight into your OBD port and it beeps when it's done uploading.

We then took it out for a drive and you can notice the difference instantly (even in learn mode which usually takes 100 miles to fully mature) the gear changes felt so different it was like a new car.

But the real bonus came from the increase in power, as the tool re-calibrates the torque limiter which im told is very restrictive. Its probably IMO a better mod than when i did my ECU tune, the power delivery now is so strong now, it made a big difference to my car and the gear changes so much faster - what a mod and highly recommended !!

Don't forget, for those running extra mods this DCT tune offers up to 20% greater clamping force on the clutches which helps it hold on to more power.

http://www.tmcmotorsport.com/autofla...gearbox-tuning

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by financenick

However TMC offer this and is very simple, you receive the OBD tool in the post and once you plug in it takes under 2 mins to install. all you do is plug straight into your OBD port and it beeps when it's done uploading.

We then took it out for a drive and you can notice the difference instantly (even in learn mode which usually takes 100 miles to fully mature) the gear changes felt so different it was like a new car.

But the real bonus came from the increase in power, as the tool re-calibrates the torque limiter which im told is very restrictive. Its probably IMO a better mod than when i did my ECU tune, the power delivery now is so strong now, it made a big difference to my car and the gear changes so much faster - what a mod and highly recommended !!

Don't forget, for those running extra mods this DCT tune offers up to 20% greater clamping force on the clutches which helps it hold on to more power.

I hope Kris from SSP will add his thoughts to this interesting post! My DCT downshifts quite slowly under braking at track speeds and perhaps this is a solution? More loading on the oil pump for the DCT with the 20% increase in clamping?

[Mkai0]

Do you know if it's reversible?

[josec70]

Interesting

[financenick]

Originally Posted by Mkai0

Do you know if it's reversible?

Yes, a dealer can re-flash your DCT back to standard, and then you can re-use your OBD flash tool as many times as you like.

[Phatcat]

Finally someone here has done it. It's actually quite popular in Taiwan for many BMWs to tune the transmission which I find dubious and I haven't heard anyone here has done it.

[m5 guy]

Wow, nice! Another possible mod added to the list lol...

[Mkai0]

This product looks similar, but it doesn't mention clamping force in the description-

https://www.vividracing.com/catalog/...IcQaAqiz8P8HAQ

[apexlocator]

http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1287758

Looks the same rebranded product. Anyone else try?

[allmotor_2000]

Interesting find - can you describe the 'power' gain you feel... this is with stock clutches?

[financenick]

Originally Posted by Mkai0

This product looks similar, but it doesn't mention clamping force in the description-

https://www.vividracing.com/catalog/...IcQaAqiz8P8HAQ

Alot of smaller dealers/tuners rebrand the TMC unit and sell it under their own name. I spoke with Darron at TMC over the phone at length, and confirmed he supplies these to countless places across the globe, they then just put their own label on the tool and add some extra $$$ for profit..

Thought it best to just go direct to TMC

[financenick]

Originally Posted by allmotor_2000

Interesting find - can you describe the 'power' gain you feel... this is with stock clutches?

Yes stock clutches, but has only done total of 17k miles so quite fresh still. I have a totally unique hand made exhaust too that has released masses of power, an ECU tune and meth next week with no slip at all yet.

The power difference we experienced was felt more noticeably after 4500 RPM full throttle, it now just pulls so hard, like a train, its hard to explain but more like a fair ground ride now, i feel like im just a passenger trying to hold on. Was a big differnce.

TMC dyno'd another M5 with this DCT tune and it made over 1028 NM and i think standard there limited to 700 NM here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...04185996286170

[allmotor_2000]

Originally Posted by financenick

Yes stock clutches, but has only done total of 17k miles so quite fresh still. I have a totally unique hand made exhaust too that has released masses of power, an ECU tune and meth next week with no slip at all yet.

The power difference we experienced was felt more noticeably after 4500 RPM full throttle, it now just pulls so hard, like a train, its hard to explain but more like a fair ground ride now, i feel like im just a passenger trying to hold on. Was a big differnce.

TMC dyno'd another M5 with this DCT tune and it made over 1028 NM and i think standard there limited to 700 NM here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...04185996286170

I am trying to understand if this torque limit change is different than what the ECU tunes are doing.

I have close to 1200Nm torque

[financenick]

Wow, that's alot, not sure how you achieved this with stock DCT settings (which im assuming you have) but thats where my knowledge ends

[allmotor_2000]

Originally Posted by financenick

Wow, that's alot, not sure how you achieved this with stock DCT settings (which im assuming you have) but thats where my knowledge ends

I changed the torque limits via the ECU tune.. wondering if it is the same thing that is being changed or different limits inside the DCT module.

[momos750]

You cannot gain power (hp) from a TCU (DCT) tune. The only way to increase power is through the ECU's. Adjusting torque limits without an ECU tune doesn't gain you power.

I've seen these products before and from all the details I have read, all it does is Reset your Transmission Adaptations.

I could be wrong but that is just my understanding.

[MissionPerformance]

momos750 you are correct, you can not raise total torque limitation via gearbox flash. To put it very simply, Fxx run on two major torque limiters: one built into DME/DDE and one built into gearbox. EVEN if you were able to raise gearbox torque limiters, your total output will remain identical. But even raising torque limitation with tool posted above is not possible in any way due to gearbox flash signature security. Even if signing a file via a private RSA key was even possible (and its not), the tool would not have enough working memory on it to hold all possible combinations of program/data area for the DTCs found on F10.
Instead of being a flasher, this tool is basically a Adaptation Reset tool. By sending a basic "2E 41 50 00" command to EGS, you can reset adaptions and the car will feel like new for a while. This has been discussed many times already.

[BPMSport]

Smoke and mirrors....

Almost want to buy one, log it, and post up everything it does... It might just have a 60 second counter and then beep

Aside from what Alex posted above, there are so many other reasons why the claims made can not be true.

If it's undetectable from a data standpoint, then the data must not be changed in the first place...

Even by their own "pdf manual" it's clearly not a poper flash:

"Step 5. Remove the flash tool from the OBD port and switch ignition into the 'OFF' position. Step 6.
IMPORTANT - Start the engine by turning the key only. DO NOT PRESS GAS/Throttle/
Accelerator Pedal and allow to idle for 5 mins.
On some vehicles you may hear the engine hunt/rev in this time, then eventually settle.
DO NOT TOUCH ACCELERATOR PEDAL; DO NOT REV the vehicle or attempt to drive at this
point. The vehicle is in its learning phase and must idle.
(if the accelerator is pressed remove the battery terminal for 15 mins and restart the procedure
again from step 1) "

Flashes either complete or fail. The fact that you'd have to start from step 1 if you press the accelerator means that this is merely an adaptation reset - if that at all.

There is no reason to idle the car for gearbox software. I bet that it clears both the engine and transmission adaptations (but more than likely just the engine).

They also loaded their model list database three times.

Someone with the tool should press the button and pull it out of the OBD port 30 seconds into the process. If it's actually flashing, the gear indicator would be gone and the car would not engage any gears.

financenick: If you are an unaffiliated third party, post a video of "flashing" your car with this system - it will only take 60-90 seconds and will give us all the answers we need.

Don't fall for this!

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Smoke and mirrors....

Aside from what Alex posted above, there are so many other reasons why the claims made can not be true.

financenick: If you are an unaffiliated third party, post a video of "flashing" your car with this system - it will only take 60-90 seconds and will give us all the answers we need.

Don't fall for this!

I appreciate both of the skilled tuners, BPM and MP, giving us their input. If the transmission limits torque, even after the DME has been modified to provide for much increased HP and torque from the engine, as in allmotor's case, how does that higher HP and torque reach the rear wheels? It obviously does, a 9.9 proves that, but this car has so many controls I have no idea how it all works!?

[MissionPerformance]

DCT software has much higher torque limitation then DME from the start, and that is why you can see 850nm/630ftlb on just a basic DME tune. After that, DCT starts to throw in limitations. This limitation is VERY obvious on all 8HP non M cars and lots of trickery is done to bypass it. That is where the JB4 comes into play. Because JB4 is a trick box, it tricks engine into making more torque, while it still "thinks" its making stock number. Aside from JB4, its possible to re-scale entire internal torque model of the DME, but that is very difficult and take a very long time. Lets say on stock DME, 19psi means 650nm of torque in the internal model. We can rescale entire model to think 25psi is only 650nm. This way, when we are pushing 700+whp (23psi), engine is reporting only 650/700nm to trans and no limitations are kicking in.

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by MissionPerformance

DCT software has much higher torque limitation then DME from the start, and that is why you can see 850nm/630ftlb on just a basic DME tune. After that, DCT starts to throw in limitations. This way, when we are pushing 700+whp (23psi), engine is reporting only 650/700nm to trans and no limitations are kicking in.

Interesting. So it's the DME reporting to the DCT, the DCT has no measurement of its own to understand the torque going through it? At some point we will find the mechanical limit of the DCT I suppose, the SSP clutch seems to hold up.

[SSPKris]

Originally Posted by Used2be

I hope Kris from SSP will add his thoughts to this interesting post! My DCT downshifts quite slowly under braking at track speeds and perhaps this is a solution? More loading on the oil pump for the DCT with the 20% increase in clamping?

Its an interesting read. I would believe it if I could see an actual log monitoring the transmission pressures. This is the only way to verify if these people are actually able to manipulate transmission pressures. It would be a huge break thru, if true.
What they don't tell you is that you stock clutch is designed to hold around 650NM from the factory. Increasing the line pressure will only decrease the life of your stock clutch. Increasing the clamping pressure will also create a lot of additional heat in the clutch assembly.

Kris