I just sent my TCU out today to CO springs. I did my ECU last spring and i noticed a considerable difference.

Will I notice a big difference in the TCU upgrade?


Trimix

 

Not huge, but noticeable. You'll find that the lag between gear changes aren't there any longer, shifts will be crisper, and you'll get a cute little "M" mode now, which does exactly nothing on the 600 cars.

 

Cool i am looking froward to getting the TCU back on Wednesday. Where does the "M" mode come up? When switching from "s" to "C"?

Trimix

 

Yup. As you toggle through your S/C shifting program, a 3rd option will now appear on your instrument cluster "M", for manual. Although, there's nothing manual about it. It does exactly nothing on the 600's unfortunately. It acts the exact same as if you were to bump the gear lever to the left for "manual" shifting, or use the buttons on your steering wheel, if you have the AMG package on your SL600.

 

Got it!

Thanks

 

Benz-O-Rama,

They must have change the TCU tune. I did not gt the "M" when i installed the TCU from Kleemann.

Trimix

 

Does your car have the 321 AMG package? Do you have shifter buttons on the backside of the steering wheel?

 

Paddle shifter yes

On the dealer run of the options amg 321 was not on the option list.

2006 SL600R

Trimix

 

Interesting. There's only a few of us on here that have done the TCU upgrade, and all of us have the 321 package, and we all have the "M" in the instrument cluster.

Odd. You should call/email Cory@Kleemann and ask. Maybe the TCU tune didn't take all the way?

 

I'm interested in this upgrade myself. From what I understand, the ///AMG cars have an "M" mode where the biggest difference is that the car will hold the gear all the way up to the limiter and still not shift (only up shift when you command it). "C" and "S" modes will shift to the next gear automatically once it hits redline.

 

To verify it the the "C\S" button on the top corner of the shifter?


I will send Cory over an email and he probably will not get to me till Monday. I will post what he says.

The car definitely shifts noticeable better i do not have the shift lag anymore. The shifting is way crisper. I should have done both when I had Kleemann do the ECU.

What is the 321 package and if it was not on my option list from when the dealer ran my maintenance report how do i know if the 600 has the option?

Trimix

 

Yes sir, the C/S button. The 321 AMG option included front and rear AMG fascia, and button shifters on the steering wheel. Not sure if there was anything else, but it shouldn't be too hard to find out. I'm guessing if your car has the AMG body kit and steering wheel shifter buttons, you have the 321 AMG kit. Unless, it was called something else for your model year....I have a 2005.

 

I think the 2006 models made most of those items standard. I have the amg front but the rear and I have single tips. Most stock amg had dual tips.

But thanks for bringing up the "M" i will have to look into that.

Do you still have your 600? You were trying to sell me your wheels months back. I did purchase a set of barbus wheels off this forum and got totally screwed. They were so bent up I think they hit every pot hole from west to east coast. I would have bought your wheels if i did not have to drill them for tmps sensors.


Trimix

 

I have that TCU upgrade in mine, and yes it came back with full M mode. Agree 100% with Clayton that M mode does not do anything for the V12, so you really are not missing anything other than the ability to put it into M. I have used M mode once, maybe twice, never again.

It does take a few miles for the TCU to fully work, but it enhances all things transmission wise, definitely worth doing in conjunction with an ECU tune.

 

Programming does not enable the manual setting for the transmission unfortunately. Some cars do have the ability to switch into the "M" mode, however, it's not a true manual mode, and will behave like Sport mode- I'm not sure why some cars do and others don't. To truly get an M-Mode, wiring changes, and hardware changes (Gear selector module) need to take place, not to mention steering wheel and buttons if your car isn't already equipped with them. It winds up being around $5K for the necessary parts and roughly 3 hours worth of labor to install everything.