LAK3RS

When I was down in Houston getting my car tuned by Doug he spoke with me a bit about his auto tranny strategies he unlocked through the SCT software. It's actually pretty sweet...IMO he's the shiat with these auto's!!!

Doug@C&L

Hey guys,

First off I want to say thanks to John (GTjohn) as he has been excellent to work with. For the last two years it seems like everytime I need someone to try something for an automatic he's there and willing and always provides me with plenty of information about the tune.

The adaptive learning feature of the transmission is an entirely different feature then that of the engines and has no impact towards it. The adaptive learning that is always thrown out has been aimed towards the engine until now, about 2 weeks ago. I now have the ability to disable this feature in the PCM and this inturn will prevent the transmission from adjusting the shift scheduling and pressures from normal day to day driving.

Now for the rest of my automatic tune...

The OD shift point, funny this should come up on here. I started sending out my autoloc tune last year about this time. When I did I had the shift point for OD set at 60mph as everyone had requested. I started doing this to every tune file I made. I was bombarded with retunes as most of my customers truly didn't like this because alot of them drove in inner cities or places that barely got about 45mph and they didn't like the way the it stayed in 4th gear. So I had to go in and remap the 4-5 shift for OD to bring it back to a point higher then stock but nowhere near 60 or even 50 mph. Now I can still make the OD shift point higher then 60mph, I have that file, but I only do it on a case by case basis.

The converter lock up scheduling. On the factory tune, SCT, and Diablosport base file the torque converter parameters are all left stock. Yes, on the SCT and Diablo tunes the shifting is adjusted a bit but nothing is done to the torque converter files. In these files the torque converter is never called upon to lock up in 2nd or 3rd gear and its not until 40mph in 4th that is will. You can be in 4th gear at 22mph and not have the converter lock until you reach 40pmh.

With my tune the converter is locked starting in 2nd gear at around 1/4 - 1/2 throttle and from there fully except on shifts. I've had to remap the transmission shifting as well to go along with the new converter lockup so you wont get the double shift feeling, like the 6th gear talk from before. As soon as the car shifts the converter locks up or locks back up to prevent any bucking or harsh shifts.

The benefits of this are one, better fuel mileage. An open converter is nothing more then a slipping clutch and this eats up power because its just spinning. With the converter locked you get a more solid coupling to the
engine helping to transmit more power to the wheels. Next, longer transmission life due to lower fluid temps, with less converter slippage the heat build up is less.

Lower track times at the drag strip, with the converter being locked in 2nd and 3rd gear you're getting more power to the ground and therefore lowering times and improving MPH. I've consistantly had reports of drops of .2-.3 tenths on n/a engines and even more using nitrous over MY old performance tunes and other SCT and Diablosport tune files.

Finally easier and more beleivable numbers at the dyno. With the stock tune and base performance files the Torque converter will lock and unlock at 4800 rpm's causing a spike in the Hp and Tq curve on the dyno. The old way to remeady this was to load a special dynoloc file that puts the car in 4th gear by 20mph and locks the converter and wont allow it to goto OD at all. With my file you can goto the dyno and run the car, starting at 3000 rpm's because it will downshift if you aren't this high in the RPM's, and you will not get the annoying spike. I've proven this on 10 cars in a row in St. Louis at the dynoday we had.

Basically if you have any issue with your car ask me about it. If its something I can adjust or work on for you then I'll be happy to help. for example, on manual cars they hold RPM's when you depress the clutch when shifting or slowing down. I had alot of customers asking about this so I worked with a few and finally got it to drop when you hit the pedal and now I incorporate this in to every manual tune I make. This is what sets true custom tuning dealers apart, we work with the customers and listen to way they say and we further our tunes with this information.

Thanks, Doug

Error404

Doug, when you are adjusting the shift times based on MPH, how does this work with cars that have different gear ratios? I assume you would bring that down to something that would work better with steeper gear ratios?

Also, what is the best way to get ahold of you, over the phone? I'd like to get this tune for my transmission, but I'd like to keep my engine tuning (which has been dyno tuned for the supercharger and new injectors), how possible is this?

Doug@C&L

Hi daniel,


The best way to reach me is via email. I respond to everyone I get but due to the huge number of phone calls I receive and the messages I get a phone message isn't the best way.

The ONLY way I can do that for your car is if you were able to get the tune file from your dealer in a dealer format and then send it to me. From there I would apply my transmission changes only to it and send it back to you. I dont normally do mail order supercharger tunes but I would do it that way. Unfortunatly most custom tuning companies dont give out there tunes, I don't.

Yes, I have a ratio of adjustments I have to do with each different gear ratio for all of the shifts and the converter lock up times.

THanks, Doug

Error404

hm... yes I see now! I think I would feel a little bit guilty/butt-holeish just asking for the raw tune file from my tuner. I didn't realize it was broken down like that, locked (or whatever) once it's uploaded. No way I would want a tune for a supercharger with out the tune being tuned to my exact car, I agree with your policy on that! That's probably a safe one! Thanks for your reply!

mhk

Any idea when this new tune will be available to purchase?

SoundGuyDave

Okay, the lockup scheduling explains a LOT about how the trans feels, well, more like a stick than an automatic. I was so used to the feel of converter slippage, that with the clutch engaged, it feels VERY direct, for lack of a better description. Doug, your tune rocks. The actual shift scheduling takes a little getting used to, but in the end, it really feels great, and I can confirm the MPG increase. Last time out to the strip (90 miles one-way), instead of burning off a little better than a third of a tank, I burned off slightly less than a quarter tank. I spent the last 20 miles with the OD off, blipping the throttle like a caveman trying to burn off what would only be dead weight! I would have to say that it's worth around 4 mpg, which is huge. If you need another development platform, let me know what you want me to do in terms of datalogging and subjective description, and I'm all in...

Arrow

I only notice mine when there's a cop behind me and I'm not driving like normal. It gets upset when I try to just coax it along and keep it at 44 in the 45's.

Just disconnect the battery next time.

Of course, you wouldn't have that problem if you drove on the highway like you drive on the street!

GT John

Also, you can look in your owners manual, it explains it pretty well.

GT John

Been running the recently revised automatic transmission tuner by Doug for the last week.
It works as advertised. Transmission shift scheduling does not change when the KAM is reset.
Doug also threw in a few bonus attributes that I'm sure you all will be happy with.
This tune may not be for everyone, there is a lot of torque in all gears, yup even in 5th at 60mph
I couldnt be happier.

By Joe, I think he's done it.....written the "perfect country and western tune" (David Allen Coe)

Thanks Doug

70MACH1OWNER

Hi John,
Would it be possible for you to post a vid of the tach and speedo like I did of Lidio's tune. I am interested in Doug's new tune. If I could see how it acts under normal accelleration would be great.
Scott

GT John

I dont own a video camera.

And besides, trying to video the tach while I would be driving would be a big mistake.

Clark Kent

would doug do a free upgrade of an old tune if you bought it recently or is he going to sell this seperatley

70MACH1OWNER

No kidding...that's why you put someone in the back seat with the camera while you drive. You know what they say... "a picture or vid" is worth a thousand words.
Scott

tdbrown75

Doug just generated at least one more email for himself as a result of this post! This is just one reason why I went with Doug over the other tuners out there, hes still improving the tunes years after developing the originals.

Tim

GT John

+1

Since the automatic transimissions in these things are 100% fly by wire the programming is somewhat endless.

Just between you, me and the fence post............hes not done yet.

Stay tuned.

Clark Kent

so do you guys think he will give a free upgrade to this tune or not?

blkstang06

Hey, big dog!.. where is your tachy speedo vid at! I was oxygen starved at birth cant find it!.........Ok really I'm lazy and hoping you will re-post it!............

70MACH1OWNER

You talk'n to me youngster? If so.. the vids are at post 29 of this thread. Before this is over I expect my SCT II to have (3) 93 octane tunes on it. Lidio's, Brent's and Dougs. Only way to fairly compare them.
Scott

blkstang06

Thanks, Pop's!....