Hi...Yes, it appears to match the revs/shift points better in all driving conditions. I have not seen the actual shift strategy file that is uploaded, but they appear to have set the shifts at better RPM ranges, and also appear to have it build up more pressure for harder/faster shifting. At least that is what it feels like.

DC

 

No Dream Killing!! - Looking forward to hearing more about the results - I am considering an out of warranty VAP pulley and tunes just to make the car slightly more ridiculous.

 

No Dream Killing!! - Looking forward to hearing more about the results - I am considering an out of warranty VAP pulley and tunes just to make the car slightly more ridiculous.

 

You will not regret such a purchase - especially if you live somewhere North of Florida where you get cool/cold weather to really enjoy the oxygen effects!

 

V6S ECU + TCU TUNE - UPSHIFT SNORTS ARE GONE!

OK...took advantage of Thanksgiving sale and thought I'd report on my experience with my V6S and ECU + TCU tune (no pulley - yet). The flashing process was easy. VFlash takes 20-25min to read ECU. I got the new HP Tuners MPVI3 which read the TCU in <2min using the instructions provided by VAP. Uploaded files via their website and amazed at how quickly I got the modded files back on Thanksgiving Day - like 2 hours! ECU flashed without a hitch. HP Tuners had some issue requiring an update of firmware before it would allow me to use the 4 credits required to write. Chris helped me figure this out responding to my emails in minutes! Very impressive communication! Stuart also replied multiple emails prior to my purchasing the tunes answering various questions that I had.

So the results...the engine is definitely more willing to rev to the increased redline after the ECU tune. Traction control light came on a lot more than usual accelerating out of corners. TCU tune makes shifts quicker both in auto mode and using the paddles. This is especially noticeable with manual downshifts which were previously slush-box lazy. But the thing I noticed since the tunes is that the upshift snorts/farts when using the paddles (particularly 2-3 and 3-4 shifts) are completely gone at any level of throttle input. I sort of got used to the obnoxious snort before and kinda miss it. I asked Chris if there was a way to tweak the tune to get the upshift snorts back but he explained that because the TCU is shifting gears faster there might not be as much gurgle between shifts. So basically you trade the V6's characteristic upshift snort/fart that many DSG cars "feature" for faster shift times even though ours is a conventional auto transmission.

For now I'll take the more intuitive shift algorithm and faster shift times along with the extra oomph that comes with the concurrent ECU tune. I guess if I really miss the upshift snort I could just flash back to the OEM TCU file. Just be aware that you'll lose the upshift sound on the V6 (not sure if it's the case with the V8) with the TCU tune. I did not know this would happen and was surprised and still a little sad that it's gone. The pops and crackles on the overrun are still there though.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with the TCU. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what the TCU does. In layman terms, do you feel when you pull the paddle, the car downshifts in to the gear faster? Currently in stock form, there seems to be about a half a second delay from the time when you pull the pedal to when the car actually downshifts.

 

My understanding is that the TCU is the computer within the transmission that controls the shift strategy (shift times, torque allowance, etc) and communicates with the ECU to do its thing which is why you need to let VAP know you have one or both tunes so they can increase the redline amongst other things. Yes, when I use the paddles now the shift times are noticeably quicker which is particularly apparent on the downshift compared with the OEM TCU tune. The downshifts in stock form used to bug me as they were almost as slow as my Honda Pilot (?0.5-1s) at times. Now they are not instant but much improved. Similarly the upshifts are quicker both in AUTO mode or when using the paddles. The car now snaps my had back with the upshifts when each gear engages when giving it the boot.

Overall I feel the improved performance with both tunes done at the same time is worth the money spent. Still miss the drama of the upshift snort at times but I think it's worth the trade off. I believe the snort happens when shifts commanded by the TCU are slower and the ECU pulls timing to allow the revs to drop for the next gear leaving unburnt fuel to ignite again with a boom/snort after the next gear is engaged and ignition resumes. Some people pay money for the sound, some hate it and pay money to get rid of it. Go figure...

 

@Tuning@VelocityAP would it be possible to have the TCU programmed so the burps are retained on manual upshifts when in D, and have max performance shifting contained to Sport?

 

Manual shift via paddles has only 1 set of maps for delay, the TCU does not care if you are in normal, sport, dynamic for the paddle shift delay. If you would like the upshift burps, we'd need to leave the trans shifting at it's same delayed speed and also avoid reducing the amount of torque that is pulled during the gear change. At that point, you would only be achieving a higher rpm redline shift point, which means if you ran the engine to redline for every shift, you would be making the car slower in the 1/4.

 

2nd this. When my ‘18 R is in Dynamic/S and I stop, it only goes down to 2nd, as indicated by the dash. I need to manually shift it to 1st.

 

How do you know the gear when in "Auto"? I can only see a number when in manual mode (2016 R).

 

In Sport manual, when pulling to a stop it will automatically shift to 2nd, regardless of being in manual.

 

You can't, well no way that I know of.
I vaguely recall that I asked years ago "is there any way you can tweak something maybe with SDD so the gear number shows in Auto, same as it does in Sport?" and the answer (I think from Cambo) was "nup".

 

No way to get the upgrade for a 2021 flexray?

 

At this time, there is no available flashing protocol, for the TCU on Flexray.

 

Chris...so I've been driving around with the ECU and TCU tune for almost 2 months now and there's definitely an improvement is power, acceleration and shifting speeds as promised, consistent with my initial impressions. I do miss those upshift burps sometimes which is part of the drama and personality of the V6 F-type. I understand that those burps are due to the slower OEM TCU tune shift speed and torque allowances which ultimately reduces acceleration and prolongs 1/4 mile times. However, as a DD that never sees a track a fraction of a second 1/4 mile time isn't that important to me. With the OEM TCU tune it was really the downshifts that I felt had a significant lag, reminiscent of a a typical slush box automatic. The upshifts seems pretty quick already whilst being accompanied by that good old burp. So what I am wondering is if it is possible to retain the OEM upshift strategy (and hence the burps) while having the VAP TCU downshift strategy (quicker downshifts than OEM)? Can we have best of both worlds???

 

Most of the clients applying our TCU tune's are aimed at the next step in improving something like a 1/4mile time and/or trap speed. If I made a file meeting your requests to meet "both worlds", this would not do much to improve track performance. Out of +50+ edited inside a TCU file, I might only be leaving something in range of 3-4 maps edited...

 

I am a bit of the same mind. While I am keenly interested in improving my performance. The character is a large part of the reason I bought an F-Type.
I am going to put the car in the shop next week for a tune and sports cat install.
I'm going to request 2 TCU files
1) Automatic (full performance), Manual more responsive downshift (if possible), burps maintained
2) Automatic (full performance), Manual (full performance)

2) I am guessing is the standard request. If I had to choose between the two I'd probably go number 1 (and that's the one I will be intending to have flashed initially)
If 1) would be a huge pain due to the oddness of the request, then I'd be looking to have auto full performance, and manual left stock.

 

Please let us all know if (1) is possible because that's what I was getting at in my post. While I don't doubt Chris (VAP) that a lot of people getting their car tuned want to improve track and 1/4 mile times I think that their TCU tune would appeal to many more that use their F-type as a daily driver if it retained the factory-style upshift burps. Prior to purchasing the tune I has asked Stuart (VAP) the following "Would your TCU tune make any noticeable difference for street / commuting use. I don't drag race or take it to the track" and this was his response:

"Yes, the TCU tune makes a big difference to the shift speed. I daily drive a V6 XE and find the experience much more satisfying. There’s just less delay and it’s more intuitive."

While I find Stuart's response to be true, had I known it would remove the upshift burps completely I might have thought twice about messing with it. It really is a trade-off between the faster downshifts and the burps coz I never thought the upshifts were particularly slow to begin with.

 

I believe I received a version of 1, but have not been able to really wring out the car since getting it back Friday.
The shop said the tune may have compromised burps (related from their conversations with VAP), but that they were still there.
I added sports cats to the valvetronic exhaust with this trip, and the burp is enough to irritate my neighbors from blocks away.
So for me the "compromised" burps are entirely satisfactory. If work allows in the next few days I will try to get some video.