Rereading your last question - "Wouldn't you already have downshifted manually at that point?" I should have clarified - no, at this point in the track with no traffic I would NOT have downshifted - but as I was trying to suggest - it's those circumstances where I'm just a bit slower than normal due to traffic. I then finally can accellerate around the traffic and OOPS - the damn thing shifts down, I buzz up to red line immediately, and then I'm stuck in that gear. I was caught by surprise since normally I'd not shift up again until another couple of hundred feet or yards down the track.

I'd rather it NOT shift down (even though I'm not at the ideal drag race RPM for accellearation), hold 3rd gear and I buzz out of the turn and then shift up as normal.

 

What RPM are you talking about when it downshitf?

 

Does it really matter? When racing in maneuvers you are not watching your gauges. That's done on longer straights. So, I don't know - other than the downshift point is too high a point in that on the race track you're not trying to optimize every last ounce of power under the curve - you're trying to maximize the dynamics of the entire vehicle. At the point it happens on the local track - I don't want it to downshift.

I've always thought it is interesting in that Jaguar programmed the TCU to be totally automatic in sport mode for both upshifts and downshifts UNTIL... you touch a paddle one time. From then on, the computer decides when it wants to downshift (without driver input) BUT it won't upshift again - that takes manual input.

I don't want half manual - I'd like full manual once I touch the paddles the first time.

 

Well it matters if you are under the stall RPM limit, which I doubt but for sure.

 

I simply want to know if the programming disables the auto-downshifts in Sport Mode, after you've engaged a paddle at least once (i.e. gone to what I'd like to be manual shift mode).

Chris?

 

Yes, absolutely that's possible. You would just need to specify this when sending your original TCU file in for modification.

 

No it does not disable the auto downshift..

However, I can get a car down to nearly 2,000rpm on a loaded roller dyno and smash the throttle, it stays in the gear I select. I just avoid hitting the throttle pedal kickdown switch..otherwise the car does as you requested and drops down a gear..aka kickdown. The last 5-10% of the pedal travel you'll feel like your pushing a switch, that's the kickdown zone of the pedal.

 

Thanks, Chris - too bad because that might have motivated me to purchase .

Instead maybe I just need to fabricate a simple 'spacer' for track duty that impedes travel near the floor - thereby precluding contact with the switch. Appreciate the response.

 

I can always adjust the mapping to allow the downshift rpm to be way high like 9k or near idle like 850rpm(avoiding the prerequisite of rpm to be meet for allowing the shift during driving automatically), but I'm really not sure how it would act when you physically push the kickdown range of the pedal.

 

Hey all- Just a quick FYI on this tune.

I have a 2014 base and went to update the TCU software. VAP worked with HP Tuners but ultimately I am unable to tune my specific car due to the TCU Software not meeting standard (meaning the JLR dealer needs to update).

I spoke to my service manager at the local dealer (great guy, btw. He is tune friendly), and he indicated that the software shows up fine for them. He is willing to try to do the work to see if another file is out there to load, but it will likely be a couple of hours of labor with no guarantee that they will be able to update it, nor that they choose the proper file from JLR if there are options.

Not sharing this to rain on VAP here, they are bound by what HP Tuners will work with. More to let you all know the possibility of issues that are not simple to overcome with the TCU.

 

thanks, Chris. I'm not sure how frequently I'll go to the track to warrant the need - I think what I suggested might be easiest in any case. We'll see how Black Friday discounts come in

 

Anybody here with VAP TCU tune on SVR?

 

Hi Stuart,
After TCU and ECM Update, I have 500 rpm plus! Exactly 7000rpm on my Display in the car, OEM was 6500rpm I think. Is it not to much? Also, my gear in automatic mode do a little bit curiously things. When full throttle 1,2,3 gear, after that it goes in the 6. Or 7.not in the 4. Gear. I think it is perhaps a safety thing, when it goes to the limit T round about 7.000 rpm? In Manuel mode no problems, when I shift at 6700 or 6800 rpm. Full speed and pressure in each gear. I can't see wich gear is comming after the 4., but with my messuered times gps I think it is the 6 or 7, perhaps the 8. GEAR, no power after the shift automaticly after the 4. Gear... Any ideas?
Thank you so much...
Andi

 

What does "shows up fine for them" mean?
Am assuming they can "see" the changed code, etc. ?

TIA - am interested in this thread....

 

Wtv the service manager meant would be unknown..

Dan went to the dealer and had the software update done (which was required to replace his superseded software). Once that update was performed, HPTuners had what is called a "Definition file" ready for me to edit of the latest TCU calibration for his vehicle.

JLR will often release updates to powertrain software. What some dealer tech's are guilty of after a powertrain module update, is not verifying if all the powertrain/driveline module files are of the correct updated calibration. When doing something like an engine module update, sometimes a TCU module update is available to resolve other issues but needs to work with the latest engine file, and goes the opposite if an engine file is releases, it's designed to function with the latest TCU calibration (not something that is 4-5 revisions too old).

 

I can confirm we are bumping 500rpm, stock is 6500rpm with a softcut that allows an additional 200rpm(6700rpm is possible) and our tcu tune brings to 7000rpm with a hardcut of 0rpm (7k max achievable on the ZF).
I'm not sure I understand your other concern, I've yet to hear of a complaint with any of the JLR TCU tunes going from 3rd straight into 6th gear under wide open throttle in automatic mode. Nonetheless, if you wanted to verify, you don't need to compare against gps speeds. Simply press your paddle either up or down and you should see the next gear either up/down.

 

First, thank you so much Christopher for this fast supporting. Unfortunately, I'm a dumb User and Driver, and not a Software or Technology Expert. So I understood the logic like this:

1. if I want a more sporty and crisp transmission as OEM, I need a TCU update file via the HP Tuner tool.
2. should it also be the limit increase +200rpm, then update the ECU files as well. This was also the case in this Thread at the very beginning of VAP. “You don't *need* an updated tune, but the RPM limit increase won't work unless you do both TCU and ECU.”
3. My cat had always switched gears at 6,500 rpm in automatic mode D, S and dynamic before, I assumed that after ECU / TCU tuning it would be 6,700 rpm. So exactly the +200rpm
4. My shift point (is it the limit or whatever) was always at 6,500rpm in automatic mode D, S and Danymic. I made my own videos where you can see exactly 6,500 shift points in each gear.
5. That's why I assumed that after the limit increase of +200rpm my cat would shift at 6,700rpm in each Gear
6. But it's not like that, my cat shifts in every gear in automatic mode, D, S and dynamic at exactly 7,000 rpm, that's a fact (I can see this in the cockpit, and this View is very exactly,
I measured with VAP Log Tool 6.504rpm when the Cockpit View was exactly 6.500rpm)
7. This is not the case for all other users I know who have the TCU and ECU update from VAP. Shift point at 6,700 rpm according to the instrument display in the car. I think 7,000 rpm is too much in the long run.
There was also a statement from VAP in this thread. +200rpm is safe, but you could go higher if you wish!
8. I don't understand how the +200rpm is now technically implemented via programming. But it's +500 not +200 in my car. I'll record this with the VAP Log Tool, I think you can clearly see the 7,000rpm there instead of 6,700.

Maybe I still don't get it, but somehow I find it all a bit strange at the moment, sorry for my thoughts!

The real problem that I only have about 50% power after 3rd gear from 160 km/h to 200 km/h is of course still there. However, whether it was skipping the 4th gear or whatever, I don't know. Perhaps this will also be visible in the log file ore I can test it when I press the paddle in Automatic. As I said, there are no problems in manual mode D, S, dynamics. If I shift gears at approx. 6,700rpm, the cat runs almost a 7.0 sec. time with Stage2 and TCU update under full power :-)

 

When the +500rpm State of the Art, and its after new insights also safe, so the point is cleared for me, sorry for all discussions and confusions...
With the second point, I think it will be cleared after Log File or Testing with the Peddals while my Drive 100-200km/h...
I will come back after the Test.

 

Andi, you started communicating over email this weekend and now you've brought this to the forums. Unfortunately, I do not monitor the forum often and leave most replays done from sales, posting to the forum site is going to delay a response and solution from our technical team.

Nonetheless, lets bring everyone up to speed...

As mentioned in my email and I'll say it again. Regardless of what anyone else has sated..Our JLR TCU tune paired with our Engine tune bumps 500rpm...

The stock limit is indeed 6500rpm, it also has a "softcut" rpm limit that enables +200rpm if particular conditions are meet..which means 6500rpm+200rpm = 6700rpm on the stock tune.

Our early TCU tunes bumped to 7500rpm, but we decided after much testing that no power was left in that range in low gears to provide any benefits. Avoiding the need to short shift in lower gears to increase trap, the call was made to drop to the 7,000rpm range and cancel the softcut to 0rpm, that way 7k is the max possible under power.

There's also some calibrations that have the stock limiter set in all modes except Dynamic which is bumped to the 7k, that is because they were superseded versions that HPTuners did not have the option at the time to edit those map fields..aka, dynamic mode only had the rpm bump.

In reply to your concern of skipping gears, I informed you I don't understand your testing and I needed something more than what you proved of a quoted time taken to accelerate. Being you have one of our datalogger tools, I simply advised to record a datalog of your concern and I would investigate to see if the trans is indeed skipping gears and what could possible be related to you slower time.

Maybe it's my misunderstanding, but I really don't know what more you want me to offer you, to help resolve your concerns with our product.

 

I have had the VAP TCU tune on mine for quite some time now, and have had no issues at all. Shifts great and I honestly have not even looked to see what RPM it shifts at, but seems to be well matched with the engine RPM/Torque from my perspective. I have not experienced any "gear jumps" either...So not sure what that really means??

I am also not sure if I have the new or old TCU tune??..I assume the new one.

DC