GS Gearbox mapping/upgrades

tomoshea

tomoshea

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todd.the.submariner said:
I’ve installed the FD DBW and it definitely makes a difference. Speeds up shifting and more aggressive shifting at low rpm to reduce clutch wear.


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Is it any faster than standard sport mode, not at the lower revs which we know the DBW module improves, but is it any faster than the factory sport settings at the higher rev ranges..

standard factory sport mode settings are still slow, sloppy and hesitant compared to a standard F 360 TCU, never mind one mapped to CS software.

I’ve been on the fence for a few years as to whether buy a unit or not..
 
todd.the.submariner

todd.the.submariner

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tomoshea said:
Is it any faster than standard sport mode, not at the lower revs which we know the DBW module improves, but is it any faster than the factory sport settings at the higher rev ranges..

standard factory sport mode settings are still slow, sloppy and hesitant compared to a standard F 360 TCU, never mind one mapped to CS software.

I’ve been on the fence for a few years as to whether buy a unit or not..
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Being faster than the original Sport mode, I'd honestly have to instrument the car before and after to know. The crispness off the line is definitely noticeable, and is where the reduction in clutch wear is earned. But for faster shifts in Sport mode, not sure if it is or isn't.
 
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lozcb

lozcb

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conaero said:
Did the FD DBW on my first GS, was not impressed if I’m honest.

What I did on my second GS was to flash the TCU with Ferrari 360 Challenge software and that made a massive difference.

Your issue to do this is finding someone prepared and capable to do it.
Click to expand...

Is this still an option Matty
 
Bebs

Bebs

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Speak to Aldous at AV Engineering. They’re flashing plenty of 360 & 430 ECU’s. They might be able to assist with this. The difference it has made to my 360 is unbelievable. I’m basically now running a map sitting somewhere in between at 360 CS and a 360 Challenge race car.
 
Evo Cymru

Evo Cymru

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I was going to suggest this although he seems very busy with the Ferraris and even Lamborghinis now....

Who was doing it before?
 
FIFTY

FIFTY

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Bebs said:
Speak to Aldous at AV Engineering. They’re flashing plenty of 360 & 430 ECU’s. They might be able to assist with this. The difference it has made to my 360 is unbelievable. I’m basically now running a map sitting somewhere in between at 360 CS and a 360 Challenge race car.
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I am not sure but isn't the Ferrari and Maserati software/programming different? Ferrari ECUs are from Bosch(?)
 
Twinspark

Twinspark

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461
Given that some early 360 owners have used 4200 TCUs to map the CS software I don’t see the issue.
 
tomoshea

tomoshea

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All TCUs Ferrari/ Maserati made by Magnetti Marelli... slight HW upgrades ..but mainly SW differences... if AV in the UK is up for it... happy to contribute..

The guy on FChat that did my 360 opens the TCU casing and connects direct to the chip to update with SW, you just needed your PIS adjusted on reinstall for your specific clutch status. It was literally plug and play post upgrade...
 
tomoshea

tomoshea

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todd.the.submariner said:
Being faster than the original Sport mode, I'd honestly have to instrument the car before and after to know. The crispness off the line is definitely noticeable, and is where the reduction in clutch wear is earned. But for faster shifts in Sport mode, not sure if it is or isn't.
Click to expand...
You could use the toggle switch for the DBW unit next time you are out and about - drive with off, drive with on - it should be noticable at constant(ish) revs when changing gear (1 in low range, 1 mid range, 1 higher end)... I would really value this insight if it could be provided before forking out over a grand.
 
R

RJ237

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107
I have had two 4200's now, both with the FD DBW. FD informed that the switch offers two levels of performance, both different from the factory settings. I have driven with the unit disconnected and with both switch positions, always in sport mode.

There isn't much difference between the disconnected and low input switch position, but the second switch setting makes it feel like a different car. This may to a great extent be related to the throttle sensitivity, but I think the shifts, even at low speed, are much faster.
 
todd.the.submariner

todd.the.submariner

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349
tomoshea said:
You could use the toggle switch for the DBW unit next time you are out and about - drive with off, drive with on - it should be noticable at constant(ish) revs when changing gear (1 in low range, 1 mid range, 1 higher end)... I would really value this insight if it could be provided before forking out over a grand.
Click to expand...
The rain stopped long enough to give this a go. The verdict: the speed of the shift is likely identical, but the "feel" of the shift is far more authoritative with the DBW active. The result of this is, from disengaged to fully engaged, a faster shift, and less time with partial engagement, which is where the "less clutch wear" must come from.

I'm going to send a query to AV in the UK - actually came across his page today quite independently. Hopefully there's a way to do this all at a distance of seven time zones or so.
Though I have the DBW, I'd like to create a unicorn: the aggressive shifting of a DBW in Sport Mode, and the softer ride of Skyhook not in Sport Mode, for city driving.
 
todd.the.submariner

todd.the.submariner

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349
Progress update:
Aldous is not willing to undertake the reflash. Not sure if he was being humorous with me or not, but he replied with an email describing how he would have to pull out the code from the Ferrari 360CS and the 4200, compare them and create spliced code, taking weeks and cost estimates it would be immodest to display here.

On the good news side, there once was a man from Toulouse (this could be the start of a limerick), on the FerrariChat forum (eric355), who has been flashing 360 TCUs with the 360CS software since 2014. Cost is not advertised, but he has a very loyal following in that group, consistent since he started the practice. No mention of flashing Maserati TCUs, so I'll give him a shout and see where it goes. You are welcome to do the same, here is the thread of interest - note, the thread has been closed for comments, so you'll have to message him another way.
Challenge Stradale TCU Upgrade | Page 12 | FerrariChat

From reading the entire 12 pages of the thread, the 360CS software works fine - but you need to transfer over the clutch wear and set the PIS with an SD2/SD3 for it to work right. The Sport button then toggles between Sport and Race modes. Which means the unicorn is possible, Sport mode with a softer Skyhook setting.
 
Twinspark

Twinspark

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461
todd.the.submariner said:
Progress update:
Aldous is not willing to undertake the reflash. Not sure if he was being humorous with me or not, but he replied with an email describing how he would have to pull out the code from the Ferrari 360CS and the 4200, compare them and create spliced code, taking weeks and cost estimates it would be immodest to display here.
Click to expand...
I think the only way this could be feasibly done is through a large group order, would be hard to organize but I guess with enough people anything is possible.
 
spkennyuk

spkennyuk

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5,964
todd.the.submariner said:
Progress update:
Aldous is not willing to undertake the reflash. Not sure if he was being humorous with me or not, but he replied with an email describing how he would have to pull out the code from the Ferrari 360CS and the 4200, compare them and create spliced code, taking weeks and cost estimates it would be immodest to display here.

On the good news side, there once was a man from Toulouse (this could be the start of a limerick), on the FerrariChat forum (eric355), who has been flashing 360 TCUs with the 360CS software since 2014. Cost is not advertised, but he has a very loyal following in that group, consistent since he started the practice. No mention of flashing Maserati TCUs, so I'll give him a shout and see where it goes. You are welcome to do the same, here is the thread of interest - note, the thread has been closed for comments, so you'll have to message him another way.
Challenge Stradale TCU Upgrade | Page 12 | FerrariChat

From reading the entire 12 pages of the thread, the 360CS software works fine - but you need to transfer over the clutch wear and set the PIS with an SD2/SD3 for it to work right. The Sport button then toggles between Sport and Race modes. Which means the unicorn is possible, Sport mode with a softer Skyhook setting.
Click to expand...

If your thinking about getting another TCU and having that flashed with the potential 360CS spliced code as a swap out module there are other things that are recorded in the TCU that mean you can tell if the TCU is from that vehicle or not.

The TCU records the mileage done in each gear. Total miles in each gear added together should equal the speedometer recorded miles. If the two readings dont match then one of three things has happened to the car.

  1. Tcu changed.
  2. Speedo/instrument cluster changed due to a fault.
  3. Mileage has been changed on the instrument cluster. (Scam)
Obviously in this case its a genuine change of tcu if you change the unit but i mention because on a future pre purchase inspection it could red flag if the mileage in gear data is not cloned across as well as the PIS setting and clutch start and new closed position data.

Obviously if a new/used TCU was used and you wanted to return to stock to sell the car. Tcu can be swapped back over but the miles recorded in each gear would be wrong again assuming you had put some miles on with the new updated TCU.

I think with the cars that were done in the past. The most likely scenario was the the data from the existing tcu was read and stored on a laptop. Lines of code were then altered and a custom TCU flash was created to load back onto the car. This way the clutch data and mileage data would be retained.
 
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todd.the.submariner

todd.the.submariner

Member
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349
spkennyuk said:
If your thinking about getting another TCU and having that flashed with the potential 360CS spliced code as a swap out module there are other things that are recorded in the TCU that mean you can tell if the TCU is from that vehicle or not.

The TCU records the mileage done in each gear. Total miles in each gear added together should equal the speedometer recorded miles. If the two readings dont match then one of three things has happened to the car.

  1. Tcu changed.
  2. Speedo/instrument cluster changed due to a fault.
  3. Mileage has been changed on the instrument cluster. (Scam)
Obviously in this case its a genuine change of tcu if you change the unit but i mention because on a future pre purchase inspection it could red flag if the mileage in gear data is not cloned across as well as the PIS setting and clutch start and new closed position data.

Obviously if a new/used TCU was used and you wanted to return to stock to sell the car. Tcu can be swapped back over but the miles recorded in each gear would be wrong again assuming you had put some miles on with the new updated TCU.

I think with the cars that were done in the past. The most likely scenario was the the data from the existing tcu was read and stored on a laptop. Lines of code were then altered and a custom TCU flash was created to load back onto the car. This way the clutch data and mileage data would be retained.
Click to expand...

Concur with all. In my case, not worried about resale, it’s an 04 Coupe, so there’s almost no resale value left, this is all for fun at this point. This car is mine to the end.

For those worried about such things, the FerrariChat thread link I posted above has all of these concerns discussed at length. It appears the SD3 is used to transfer the data to the new TCU after flashing it.


2004 CC “Siluro” the Italian Torpedo
2011 Audi A4 “mafia mobile”
 
mjheathcote

mjheathcote

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Interesting looking at approx UK cars currently registered over the last few years, there are approximately twice as many Ferrari 360/430's registered than Maserati 42/GS/Spyders.
I think it would be fair to say more Ferrari owners are likely to want gearbox ecu reflashing, so can see why it is happening in the Ferrari world and not the Maserati world.
 
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