Auto Trans tweak!

I discovered this in Uwe's Vag-Com forum on Yahoo.

Recode your Automatic Transmission to "00002" using Vag-com.

Mine was coded "00000" the change to "00002" REALLY woke the whole car up. "Snappy" is the word that comes to mind. I think maybe the "00000" code was a generic default or something, and now that the ECU knows what transmission is in there it can use it best. "00001" is supposed to be the North America setting, "00002" is the rest of the world (Europe).

Doing this fixed all of the wierd shifting that was going on. Much more positive and direct. It is almost like the transmission knows what I want to do! It will even stay in a taller gear at the torque peak---OOF! lots of grunt that just was not there before. Before it would (almost)always downshift putting the revs in the useless stratosphere. The shifts felt ok before, but now I can really tell a big improvement.

Auto folks have to try this! It really improved the transmission response 100%! Neck-snapping fun!

Be sure to restore the basic settings after the recode, though. It acted kind of funny until I did this.

Let us know what it does to your mileage, if anything. Thanks!

So step us through the steps, the suspense is killing me!

To recode the transmission:

You need a Vag-com. (duh)I am using beta ver 0.81

Engine not running, ignition switch on.

Choose the transmission controller. wait for comms.

Choose the "recode" button at the bottom right.

Enter "00002" in the upper box. Then "Do it"

Close out Vag-com, disconnect cable.

Ignition off.

Ignition on.
Restore the transmission basic settings. Easiest way to do this is the common "pedal to the floor for 10 seconds." Ignition off.

Ignition on. do not touch throttle while starting engine.

Start engine.

Make sure everything is tied down before you punch it!

Think of a good excuse to explain the silly grin on your face!

BART, Do you know if this tweak applies to only TDI auto's or would it apply to 1.8t with tiptronic as well ?

Thanks I will try this when I get home this evening.

WOW!! Me too. I hope this is everything it's cracked up to be.

How the heck haven't we discovered this before now?

Definitely have to have the latest beta release, the older version did not have it. Too early to tell, I don't drive hard off the line, so will see how it does in travelling, seems to really hold the torque and not shift from 1800 and on up, so will see over the next few days. Thanks Bart.

I think the thread on the Vag-Com forum was about a tiptronic.

I decided, WTH, lets give it a try. Maybe it will work on the 01M.

At least it didnt break it.

BTW I made a mistake... THe Norh America code is 00002, and the other code is 00001. Regardless, it seems to work ok so far. (fingers crossed)

The shift behavior is very improved. Like Ripster said, doesn't "slip" as much. More direct and precise. Funny thing, too, black smoke at WOT has just about disappeared. Just a wisp or slight haze now insteasd of a thick black cloud above 3500 RPM.

Weird.

Is this documented anywhere? Shop manuals or VESIS or anything?

Most of you know I don't think much of mods and therefore never give them a second thought, BUT that automatic never has shifted right for the torque curve of the TDI, in my opinion. With much more than half throttle it upshifts pointlessly late. And it has always felt like you need too much throttle to move the car from a stop.

I think I'm going to go pull a car off the lot in the morning and mess around....

And no, last time I was looking at VESIS tranny stuff, it said something to the effect of "coding of the transmission is not necessary at this time" or whatever. Definately didn't say it couldn't be done. I'll verify this too.

If a two point change transforms the car- think of what something like 00010 would do! It would shift like a funny car!!!!!!

I did this last night with Beta 8.1. However, there is a block for trans code, and a box for shop code - I left the shop code alone. WHat is this for?? Anyhow, I reset trans defaults, and today I honestly can't feel any difference from before. I'm a bit perplexed.

Also, I noticed the options were 00000 - 000127. Is it more of a numerically-based gradient? I was under the impression that each group of numbers assigned a new program to the transmission, kind of like a "backup BIOS" on a PC.

[ May 10, 2002, 06:16: Message edited by: BoraTdi ]

The shop code *might* be the dealer id, which could be found on any service stamps in your book.

I believe the format is 4XX-XXX - if the shop code field accepts 6 digits, you might want to try it.

vag-com is supposed to leave the wsc alone if it is left blank, I believe. The wsc of the dealer's stamp is a 5 digit number which is gotten by dropping the beginning digit from the stamp.
Note: I did something with vag-com on my instrument cluster and the wsc changed to 00000 and I can't seem to change it, no matter what I've tried.

Well after driving it again at lunch, I see that the program takes a while to set in. It's definitely hanging in the higher gears, but I swear I feel the tranny slipping under certain high-load situations

I wonder if this is going to add any stress to the torque converter, etc?

Well I gave this mod a try.. Shift points were bumped up and feels much more agressive.

As for the slippage BoraTDI mentioned, it feels like the torque converter locking/unlocking more abruptly. I need to drive it some more

I found the posting on the vagcom list, it's at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VAG-COM/message/5462

[ May 10, 2002, 18:21: Message edited by: acktdi ]

Ok, I did a little testing with the Vag-Com on the road (man, that little device is FUN)

Looked at measuring block group 006 in the auto trans controller. Indicates the "hill factor" and "sport factor".

Observation: the "sport factor" is MUCH more difficult to increase than it was at 00000. You really have to nail the pedal FAST to get it to go up. It also recovers much more quickly back to zero if it does go up. This could explain the lower shift points, and the reduced tendency to rev to the useless stratosphere.

This is goood for our diesels because they make their grunt down low.

It is definitely slipping less. The shifts are much more quick and positive. Before it was almost as if the Transmission couldn't make up its mind whether it wanted to shift or not. The revs kind of drifted down on a upshift, or stayed at or near the same revs while the transmission slipped. Now it shifts quick- *BAM!* its right there in the next gear locked in at the proper RPMs.

What was the original software coding on everyone else's transmission? Mine was at 00000 before I changed it to 00002. I wonder if the Upsolute programming erases or affects this coding value unintentionally or something.

What is the setting on a stock (unchipped) car?

Stock unchipped, checked mine today and it is 00000.

Originally posted by Bart:

What was the original software coding on everyone else's transmission? Mine was at 00000 before I changed it to 00002.
What is the setting on a stock (unchipped) car?

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">ALL U.S. automatic TDI's will be 00000 from the factory.

This sounds like a Godsend!!! Can anyone in the Seattle area help me to accomplish this mod? The transmission is the only remaining bugaboo to enjoying what is otherwise the nicest car I've ever owned.

The changes are sutle, move off at easy throttle seems quicker with less effort. Most of the other improvements will be minor, but certain shifts seem less noticeable with the 00002 mod. I tried the 00001 mod, not much difference than the original. Unless I am just a placebo type, there are some sutle changes that most auto owners I think will notice if you have spent time in your car. The tranny is hydraulic and different than american transmissions, so some things will always be there. Mine has not changed in 120,000, still dependable.

A couple things to keep in mind here. I didn't notce a change after I initially set it from 00000 to 00002. However, for the next 2 power cycles, the change became more noticeable and has set in. More than staying in higher gear, it shifts a bit quicker, and feels sportier (if you consider the trans allowing the TDI motor to "lug" sporty). One other point. This is verbatim what Uwe said on the post:

00002 is USA/Canda ("Dynamic Shift Program").
00001 is all other countries. This might be worth trying

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is the opposite of what we have been doing. Who's right and Kerma, how did you deduce the 00002 setting from this post?

This is interesting. When you change it, do you give up the adaptive character of the automatic? I wonder if the 0 setting means that programming of the shift pattern is dynamic, and changes according to driving conditions and style (that is what VW says about the A/T) and when you change it you lock your transmission to one shift program. It would be great to get some info on this fearure.

Wish someone could say why this "works" (or doesnt) and exactly what is happening to cause the percieved differences. It could be a placebo for all I know.

My observations with Vag-Com on the road indicate that the "sport" adaptation is not as trigger happy with 00002. Could this be because it is the "North Amerca" code, and we are a bunch of slowpoke torque fiends, while Europeans (00001)like to wind'er out on the 'bahn?

Surely someone has the answers.

I think I need to change my publicly displayed user name again to throw the "code police" off my trail.

I will see if there is any difference at the track, tomorrow night.

00002

I had mine re-coded last Sat,and the only difference I notice is that sometimes it seems to "lug".

I'll probably switch back to 000000 so there's little or no chance of a problem.

There is no difference at the track. Rats.

I like the way it uses the lower end of the rev band better though so I will leave it for now.

No real noticeable fuel economy change either.

So, to clarify, do I want to recode my stock tranny to 00001 or 00002? Thanks!

I did the tweak. Originally set at 00000, set it to 00002. The main difference I have noticed so far is less lag when the gear is selected from Park to Drive or Reverse to Drive. Used to have more wait time when the tranny would catch the gear. This sort of sucks in some ways. I have to relearn a new habit. I got used to the gear delay with the old setting. I usually roll in Reverse and shift into Drive while rolling backward and applying the brakes. By the time I came to a complete stop, the forward geard would just be catching.

Huck yikes don't do that! (With all respect.)

Use the brakes to stop completely before changing the direction of the gearbox. Not just for the transmission but for the differential and especially the CV joints. Also the suspension bushings etc.

May your car live forever!

Ted