TCU Swap Idea for 03-04 CLK500
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,250
Likes: 21
From: Los Angeles, CA
Supercharged CLK500,ML500,S580
TCU Swap Idea for 03-04 CLK500
I've been doing some research on trying to enable paddle shifters on the 03-04 CLK500's (I haven't found anyone with a 03-04 CLK500 with OEM paddle shifters enabled) and among other things, the TCU would have to be updated with a TCU model that had paddle shifters enabled (///AMG TCU with 428 option). What the CLK55/C55 guys have been doing is swapping out the TCUs between the model years and getting different characteristics with different TCUs. They can do this because the rear axle ratio and gears are the same (I think first gear is SLIGHTLY different between them but no one has complained) between the CLK55/C55.
So I was thinking, is there a ///AMG model that has the (almost) same gearing as a 03-04 CLK500? Yes, there is! The 2004 SL55 ///AMG! Here are the gear ratios between the two (I haven't found a reliable place that has these figures, so I may be off):
CLK500________SL55
1st 3.56_______3.59
2nd 2.19_______2.19
3rd 1.41_______1.41
4th 1.00_______1.00
5th 0.83_______0.83
Final 2.82:1____2.82:1
Here are the part numbers (from EPC)
04 CLK500 A0345454232
04 SL55 A0345451032
Anyone have any thoughts about this?
So I was thinking, is there a ///AMG model that has the (almost) same gearing as a 03-04 CLK500? Yes, there is! The 2004 SL55 ///AMG! Here are the gear ratios between the two (I haven't found a reliable place that has these figures, so I may be off):
CLK500________SL55
1st 3.56_______3.59
2nd 2.19_______2.19
3rd 1.41_______1.41
4th 1.00_______1.00
5th 0.83_______0.83
Final 2.82:1____2.82:1
Here are the part numbers (from EPC)
04 CLK500 A0345454232
04 SL55 A0345451032
Anyone have any thoughts about this?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 239
From: Santa Clara, Ca
2003 SL55 / 2002 SLK32
I've been doing some research on trying to enable paddle shifters on the 03-04 CLK500's (I haven't found anyone with a 03-04 CLK500 with OEM paddle shifters enabled) and among other things, the TCU would have to be updated with a TCU model that had paddle shifters enabled (///AMG TCU with 428 option). What the CLK55/C55 guys have been doing is swapping out the TCUs between the model years and getting different characteristics with different TCUs. They can do this because the rear axle ratio and gears are the same (I think first gear is SLIGHTLY different between them but no one has complained) between the CLK55/C55.
So I was thinking, is there a ///AMG model that has the (almost) same gearing as a 03-04 CLK500? Yes, there is! The 2004 SL55 ///AMG! Here are the gear ratios between the two (I haven't found a reliable place that has these figures, so I may be off):
CLK500________SL55
1st 3.56_______3.59
2nd 2.19_______2.19
3rd 1.41_______1.41
4th 1.00_______1.00
5th 0.83_______0.83
Final 2.82:1____2.82:1
Here are the part numbers (from EPC)
04 CLK500 A0345454232
04 SL55 A0345451032
Anyone have any thoughts about this?
So I was thinking, is there a ///AMG model that has the (almost) same gearing as a 03-04 CLK500? Yes, there is! The 2004 SL55 ///AMG! Here are the gear ratios between the two (I haven't found a reliable place that has these figures, so I may be off):
CLK500________SL55
1st 3.56_______3.59
2nd 2.19_______2.19
3rd 1.41_______1.41
4th 1.00_______1.00
5th 0.83_______0.83
Final 2.82:1____2.82:1
Here are the part numbers (from EPC)
04 CLK500 A0345454232
04 SL55 A0345451032
Anyone have any thoughts about this?
worth mentioning, the 2004 sl55 TCU is intended to work with newer valve bodies (that among other differences, included blue top solenoids)
the 2003 SL55 is more likely to compliment your cars valve body HOWEVER, it only shifts with the paddles in M mode (not in S or W mode) unlike the 2004 sl55 TCU (that changes gears with the paddles in all modes),
Chris
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
E92
Hi mate.
>A0345454232
TCU number of I, A032 · · ·
DIY
make the paddle shifters work
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/...blog/28126631/
Good luck
>A0345454232
TCU number of I, A032 · · ·
DIY
make the paddle shifters work
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/...blog/28126631/
Good luck
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,250
Likes: 21
From: Los Angeles, CA
Supercharged CLK500,ML500,S580
worth mentioning, the 2004 sl55 TCU is intended to work with newer valve bodies (that among other differences, included blue top solenoids)
the 2003 SL55 is more likely to compliment your cars valve body HOWEVER, it only shifts with the paddles in M mode (not in S or W mode) unlike the 2004 sl55 TCU (that changes gears with the paddles in all modes),
Chris
the 2003 SL55 is more likely to compliment your cars valve body HOWEVER, it only shifts with the paddles in M mode (not in S or W mode) unlike the 2004 sl55 TCU (that changes gears with the paddles in all modes),
Chris
One other possibility is getting a 2005 CLK55 TCU, then having a TCU tuning company (like B.I.P v3 CDT TCU remapping) change the final gear ratio from the CLK55's 3.06:1 to the CLK500's 2.82:1; all the other gears are the same (except maybe first gear is a little off, I still haven't found a reliable source for these gear ratios). Here are the CLK55's gear stats:
CLK55 Gear Ratio
3.59:1 1st
2.19:1 2nd
1.41:1 3rd
1.00:1 4th
0.83:1 5th
3.06:1 Final
Any thoughts on this approach?
Hi mate.
>A0345454232
TCU number of I, A032 · · ·
DIY
make the paddle shifters work
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/...blog/28126631/
Good luck
>A0345454232
TCU number of I, A032 · · ·
DIY
make the paddle shifters work
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/...blog/28126631/
Good luck
I took a look at your link and tried the google translate to make sense of everything, but I couldn't find where you have the step by step details of the DIY. Could you send a link to the DIY page (where it has all the part numbers and instructions) or to the company that did your install?
Thanks!
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
E92
Thanks Chris, I'm still trying to solve this Da Vinci Code! So in other words, the 2003 SL55 TCU is better suited to the valvebody I have on my 2004 CLK500, but I will only have paddle shift capabilities in "M" mode; where as the 2004 SL55 TCU has paddle shift in every mode, but my valvebody may not be compatible with with the TCU settings.
One other possibility is getting a 2005 CLK55 TCU, then having a TCU tuning company (like B.I.P v3 CDT TCU remapping) change the final gear ratio from the CLK55's 3.06:1 to the CLK500's 2.82:1; all the other gears are the same (except maybe first gear is a little off, I still haven't found a reliable source for these gear ratios). Here are the CLK55's gear stats:
CLK55 Gear Ratio
3.59:1 1st
2.19:1 2nd
1.41:1 3rd
1.00:1 4th
0.83:1 5th
3.06:1 Final
Any thoughts on this approach?
Hi w209 japan,
I took a look at your link and tried the google translate to make sense of everything, but I couldn't find where you have the step by step details of the DIY. Could you send a link to the DIY page (where it has all the part numbers and instructions) or to the company that did your install?
Thanks!
One other possibility is getting a 2005 CLK55 TCU, then having a TCU tuning company (like B.I.P v3 CDT TCU remapping) change the final gear ratio from the CLK55's 3.06:1 to the CLK500's 2.82:1; all the other gears are the same (except maybe first gear is a little off, I still haven't found a reliable source for these gear ratios). Here are the CLK55's gear stats:
CLK55 Gear Ratio
3.59:1 1st
2.19:1 2nd
1.41:1 3rd
1.00:1 4th
0.83:1 5th
3.06:1 Final
Any thoughts on this approach?
Hi w209 japan,
I took a look at your link and tried the google translate to make sense of everything, but I couldn't find where you have the step by step details of the DIY. Could you send a link to the DIY page (where it has all the part numbers and instructions) or to the company that did your install?
Thanks!
Hi mate.
I had Steve tell me.
Because he has favor, I cannot teach me in detail, but, see a link for more information.
You may understand the most.
From Japan
I wish you a good luck.
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/elect...dle-shift.html
