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I got a new TCU with a remarkable tune for my SL55 2 days ago, and my face hurts from smiling.
EVERYTHING I had ever hoped a TCU tune could do for my SL55 PLUS a thing or two I never imagined a TCU tune could fix .... is fixed!
I don't know enough about TCU tuning to accurately describe the parameters, etc that can and have been worked over, but I can try to describe the difference in feel/feedback.
>The first thing I noticed is that the car is ALWAYS immediately responsive to the gas pedal (this is something that I would NOT have guessed would/could come from a TCU tune) .
>Next I noticed that the car seems to shift faster (up and down) and when you are accelerating it seems to "push" you forward in your seat as it shifts up compared to stock TCU (guessing it cuts the throttle less and/or for a shorter period?)
>I also notice that it is in the correct gear in a turn (much more so than before) which I have observed on my aftermarket gauge which displays "actual gear"
>It seems to require less of a throttle "stab" to downshift into a passing gear. Example, driving on the freeway at 80mph this morning and I give the pedal a small but quick stab and it shifts down to 3rd
>This TCU also has a cool feature in that Troy has added "A" mode to the TCU which in this case does NOT adapt (unlike "S" and "C" which will adapt as they did before).
>Cooler still, I did not have to send my TCU in. I got a complete plug-n-play replacement for less than $300 shipped to me in 2 days! (I can't imagine it staying this underpriced for too long)
>Another cool feature that benefits 2003 SL55 owners is that in this TCU tune, Paddle Shifters (steering wheel shift buttons) are now functional in all modes "C", "S", "M", and "A" (2003 came from the factory with shift buttons that were only functional in manual, so this is fixed for those owners as well)
I had read a bit about this TCU in the E55 W211 forum https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-shatters.html, and was anticipating that it might be a little harsh (if nothing else, during the re-adaptation and/or in "A") ... but it was and has been smooth and 100% "harshness free" from the first drive ... this comes as a surprise to me since the factory stock (2004) TCU I was running prior to putting this in my SL55 was occasionally "abrupt" from 1-2 and 2-1 in "S" (likely due to the slightly modified 2004 valve body w/blue tops that I have been/am running) ... but now it is perfect!
There are a variety of options for some models, but for the SL55 the only option that is currently listed is whether or not you want it to auto-shift up at red-line in manual mode or not (I opted for auto shift And I understand that like the other models, Troy will make an SL55 TCU for any final gear ratio. Here is a picture of it next to my TCU .
Cheers,
Chris
Last edited by latemodel21; Apr 15, 2021 at 12:41 AM.
I got a new TCU with a remarkable tune for my SL55 2 days ago, and my face hurts from smiling.
EVERYTHING I had ever hoped a TCU tune could do for my SL55 PLUS a thing or two I never imagined a TCU tune could fix .... is fixed!
I don't know enough about TCU tuning to accurately describe the parameters, etc that can and have been worked over, but I can try to describe the difference in feel/feedback.
>The first thing I noticed is that the car is ALWAYS immediately responsive to the gas pedal (this is something that I would NOT have guessed would/could come from a TCU tune) .
>Next I noticed that the car seems to shift faster (up and down) and when you are accelerating it seems to "push" you forward in your seat as it shifts up compared to stock TCU (guessing it cuts the throttle less and/or for a shorter period?)
>I also notice that it is in the correct gear in a turn (much more so than before) which I have observed on my aftermarket gauge which displays "actual gear"
>It seems to require less of a throttle "stab" to downshift into a passing gear. Example, driving on the freeway at 80mph this morning and I give the pedal a small but quick stab and it shifts down to 3rd
>This TCU also has a cool feature in that Troy has added "A" mode to the TCU which in this case does NOT adapt (unlike "S" and "C" which will adapt as they did before).
>Cooler still, I did not have to send my TCU in. I got a complete plug-n-play replacement for less than $300 shipped to me in 2 days! (I can't imagine it staying this underpriced for too long)
>Another cool feature that benefits 2003 SL55 owners is that in this TCU tune, Paddle Shifters (steering wheel shift buttons) are now functional in all modes "C", "S", "M", and "A" (2003 came from the factory with shift buttons that were only functional in manual, so this is fixed for those owners as well)
I had read a bit about this TCU in the E55 W211 forum https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-shatters.html, and was anticipating that it might be a little harsh (if nothing else, during the re-adaptation and/or in "A") ... but it was and has been smooth and 100% "harshness free" from the first drive ... this comes as a surprise to me since the factory stock (2004) TCU I was running prior to putting this in my SL55 was occasionally "abrupt" from 1-2 and 2-1 in "S" (likely due to the slightly modified 2004 valve body w/blue tops that I have been/am running) ... but now it is perfect!
There are a variety of options for some models, but for the SL55 the only option that is currently listed is whether or not you want it to auto-shift up at red-line in manual mode or not (I opted for auto shift And I understand that like the other models, Troy will make an SL55 TCU for any final gear ratio. Here is a picture of it next to my TCU .
Cheers,
Chris
Chris hey thanks for this review and this TCU tune sounds interesting and I had a couple questions if you happen do know.... .
Does it do anything to the torque values, either increasing them or removing them completely from gears 1-2-3?
This mod includes the physical TCU device and all you do is remove the OEM one and replace with this and no other steps needed? (No OBD port flashing or other steps)?
How does one purchase this device for a 2004 SL55 all stock? Thanks let me know! John
Chris hey thanks for this review and this TCU tune sounds interesting and I had a couple questions if you happen do know.... .
Does it do anything to the torque values, either increasing them or removing them completely from gears 1-2-3?
This mod includes the physical TCU device and all you do is remove the OEM one and replace with this and no other steps needed? (No OBD port flashing or other steps)?
How does one purchase this device for a 2004 SL55 all stock? Thanks let me know! John
Hi John,
I believe Troy has raised the torque limits in all gears.
You are sent a complete TCU (so you get to keep your old one as a spare, or sell if if you like). There is no flashing (or data transfer, etc) required. All you have to do is unplug your old TCU and plug the new one in. It is however, recommended that you reset the transmission adaptations after you install the new TCU. My understanding (after reading the thread in the E55 forum that I linked above and a few other threads that include user feedback on this TCU in MBworld) is that some users have just swapped it without any adaptation reset and have been just fine. In my case, I DID reset the adaptations (using my starDAS tester) after I installed it.
You can send Troy an email at ga8knxp@protonmail.com if you want more accurate answers to your questions (and to see about getting one).
Hi John,
I believe Troy has raised the torque limits in all gears.
You are sent a complete TCU (so you get to keep your old one as a spare, or sell if if you like). There is no flashing (or data transfer, etc) required. All you have to do is unplug your old TCU and plug the new one in. It is however, recommended that you reset the transmission adaptations after you install the new TCU. My understanding (after reading the thread in the E55 forum that I linked above and a few other threads that include user feedback on this TCU in MBworld) is that some users have just swapped it without any adaptation reset and have been just fine. In my case, I DID reset the adaptations (using my starDAS tester) after I installed it.
You can send Troy an email at ga8knxp@protonmail.com if you want more accurate answers to your questions (and to see about getting one).
Cheers,
Chris
Thanks Chris super helpful. I've been emailing with Troy and he's super responsive. I didnt realize that he has a separate ordering link for the SL55 which (https://mkultra-electronics.company.site/) and needs to verify the P/N off your existing TCU first before he can order, but thankfully he emailed me after I ordered incorrectly and we have it straightened out.
My TCU part number is the same as yours A0345451032.
***For those ordering one of these TCU tunes for SL55 / R230 you may not know (i didnt) that the TCU is located in the passenger side by the footwell area but its actually on the sidewall near the door and just behind that carpet. You have to pull up the door sill trim so you can then get the carpet pulled back. There should be 1 philips bolt that has a plastic cover on it which just pops off and you can unscrew the bolt which is surprisingly long (about 2" on mine).
Am looking forward to seeing how this TCU tune works out on my stock SL55! Thanks again Chris
2004 SL55 AMG - TCU module location on passenger side footwell area, its behind the carpet on the footwell side area next to the door. (Its not in the bottom of the footwell behind that metal plate which is the common location for many MB.)
Last edited by jvakos; Apr 18, 2021 at 03:51 PM.
Reason: added photo of TCU location
Thanks Chris super helpful. I've been emailing with Troy and he's super responsive. I didnt realize that he has a separate ordering link for the SL55 which (https://mkultra-electronics.company.site/) and needs to verify the P/N off your existing TCU first before he can order, but thankfully he emailed me after I ordered incorrectly and we have it straightened out.
My TCU part number is the same as yours A0345451032.
***For those ordering one of these TCU tunes for SL55 / R230 you may not know (i didnt) that the TCU is located in the passenger side by the footwell area but its actually on the sidewall near the door and just behind that carpet. You have to pull up the door sill trim so you can then get the carpet pulled back. There should be 1 philips bolt that has a plastic cover on it which just pops off and you can unscrew the bolt which is surprisingly long (about 2" on mine).
Am looking forward to seeing how this TCU tune works out on my stock SL55! Thanks again Chris
2004 SL55 AMG - TCU module location on passenger side footwell area, its behind the carpet on the footwell side area next to the door. (Its not in the bottom of the footwell behind that metal plate which is the common location for many MB.)
Yes JVAKOS, please give us your feedback on this mod. I am VERY interested.
Bill
I have the 2007 model which isn’t listed on his website. I did email him the part number so we will see if he can do it!
amir - email Troy he is super responsive, and yes you definitely have to get the part number off your TCU is that determines The compatibility with his TCU tune.
I hope to get it by this weekend and will report back. My car is a 2004 and totally stock so it will be interesting to see How my first mod of a TCU tune plays out
amir - email Troy he is super responsive, and yes you definitely have to get the part number off your TCU is that determines The compatibility with his TCU tune.
I hope to get it by this weekend and will report back. My car is a 2004 and totally stock so it will be interesting to see How my first mod of a TCU tune plays out
Mine are still factory, so I assume they are brown tops....and it's a firm and aggressive shift in A mode, little less of each in S mode, and pretty stock in C mode.
I got a new TCU with a remarkable tune for my SL55 2 days ago, and my face hurts from smiling.
EVERYTHING I had ever hoped a TCU tune could do for my SL55 PLUS a thing or two I never imagined a TCU tune could fix .... is fixed!
I don't know enough about TCU tuning to accurately describe the parameters, etc that can and have been worked over, but I can try to describe the difference in feel/feedback.
>The first thing I noticed is that the car is ALWAYS immediately responsive to the gas pedal (this is something that I would NOT have guessed would/could come from a TCU tune) .
>Next I noticed that the car seems to shift faster (up and down) and when you are accelerating it seems to "push" you forward in your seat as it shifts up compared to stock TCU (guessing it cuts the throttle less and/or for a shorter period?)
>I also notice that it is in the correct gear in a turn (much more so than before) which I have observed on my aftermarket gauge which displays "actual gear"
>It seems to require less of a throttle "stab" to downshift into a passing gear. Example, driving on the freeway at 80mph this morning and I give the pedal a small but quick stab and it shifts down to 3rd
>This TCU also has a cool feature in that Troy has added "A" mode to the TCU which in this case does NOT adapt (unlike "S" and "C" which will adapt as they did before).
>Cooler still, I did not have to send my TCU in. I got a complete plug-n-play replacement for less than $300 shipped to me in 2 days! (I can't imagine it staying this underpriced for too long)
>Another cool feature that benefits 2003 SL55 owners is that in this TCU tune, Paddle Shifters (steering wheel shift buttons) are now functional in all modes "C", "S", "M", and "A" (2003 came from the factory with shift buttons that were only functional in manual, so this is fixed for those owners as well)
I had read a bit about this TCU in the E55 W211 forum https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-shatters.html, and was anticipating that it might be a little harsh (if nothing else, during the re-adaptation and/or in "A") ... but it was and has been smooth and 100% "harshness free" from the first drive ... this comes as a surprise to me since the factory stock (2004) TCU I was running prior to putting this in my SL55 was occasionally "abrupt" from 1-2 and 2-1 in "S" (likely due to the slightly modified 2004 valve body w/blue tops that I have been/am running) ... but now it is perfect!
There are a variety of options for some models, but for the SL55 the only option that is currently listed is whether or not you want it to auto-shift up at red-line in manual mode or not (I opted for auto shift And I understand that like the other models, Troy will make an SL55 TCU for any final gear ratio. Here is a picture of it next to my TCU .
Cheers,
Chris
Hi,
Thank you for the review. Would you say that this TCU takes care of the lagg between steering wheel button input and shifting?
Normally it can take several seconds even before the transmission shift from the point when you push the buttons on the steering wheel?
Thank you for the review. Would you say that this TCU takes care of the lagg between steering wheel button input and shifting?
Normally it can take several seconds even before the transmission shift from the point when you push the buttons on the steering wheel?
When you say your car "takes several seconds to shift" are you seeing this when downshifting in sport mode? are you seeing this in manual mode? "several seconds to shift" is not behavior that I have ever witnessed in this car with stock or any TCU (except upshifts in sport and comfort when the "car" thinks it is better to stay in a lower gear). I would say that with this TCU, the "lag" is improved (everything is improved with this TCU) , but I would also recommend that you upgrade your shift buttons to paddles (operating the shift buttons just takes longer than the paddles). I can give you some info/help upgrading to paddles if you like. If you wanted to just try the TJ Merry tune, I would let you try out mine in your car. Feel free to send me an email at Latemodel21@yahoo.com
Cheers,
Chris
When you say your car "takes several seconds to shift" are you seeing this when downshifting in sport mode? are you seeing this in manual mode? "several seconds to shift" is not behavior that I have ever witnessed in this car with stock or any TCU (except upshifts in sport and comfort when the "car" thinks it is better to stay in a lower gear). I would say that with this TCU, the "lag" is improved (everything is improved with this TCU) , but I would also recommend that you upgrade your shift buttons to paddles (operating the shift buttons just takes longer than the paddles). I can give you some info/help upgrading to paddles if you like. If you wanted to just try the TJ Merry tune, I would let you try out mine in your car. Feel free to send me an email at Latemodel21@yahoo.com
Cheers,
Chris
Thank you for the reply and the very generous offer of trying your tune.
I think I need to clarify a bit what I mean (English not being my first language and all). I would say that 0.7-2sec (maybe that doesn't count as several) delay from the press of the button to shift actuation is quite normal for this car across the different modes and can be seen in various videos of the car online as well as other cars with the same unit.
Since my car is mainly built for the track i would really like to enhance the stock shift time hence my question. I have a complete standalone TCU from OFGear on the shelf ready to go in but I am still on the fence if I want to go that route, try to tune the stock unit or just go full manual swap with a transaxle.
I might be pickier than most when it comes to shift times though. I do think the stock buttons are ok as far as tactile feel goes and will probably utilise them with a standalone TCU if I go with that.
My car is currently not at home since I am having some work done to it but if I don't put in a standalone I will send you an email when I get it back. Thanks again.
Thank you for the reply and the very generous offer of trying your tune.
I think I need to clarify a bit what I mean (English not being my first language and all). I would say that 0.7-2sec (maybe that doesn't count as several) delay from the press of the button to shift actuation is quite normal for this car across the different modes and can be seen in various videos of the car online as well as other cars with the same unit.
Since my car is mainly built for the track i would really like to enhance the stock shift time hence my question. I have a complete standalone TCU from OFGear on the shelf ready to go in but I am still on the fence if I want to go that route, try to tune the stock unit or just go full manual swap with a transaxle.
I might be pickier than most when it comes to shift times though. I do think the stock buttons are ok as far as tactile feel goes and will probably utilise them with a standalone TCU if I go with that.
My car is currently not at home since I am having some work done to it but if I don't put in a standalone I will send you an email when I get it back. Thanks again.
//Jon
Hi Jon,
your experience with shift times (actual or perceived) is a bit different than mine.
In my own SL55 (2003 USA spec), for many years, I have had a display (see pic below) that uses the CAN protocol and communicates directly with the TCU reading the "actual gear" (which updates the gear only after the shift is completed). It can simultaneously also display a variety of other parameters including "target gear" (which makes it easy to see how long a shift actually takes). Like I said, I have had this set-up in this car for many years ... with the original 2003 (brown top solenoid) valve body (and 2003 stock TCU), with the 2004 (blue-top solenoid) valve body (with stock 2004 TCU), and with the Troy's TCU. ... and I don't recall every seeing shifts over 1 second. And I will say that they are all faster with the Troy's TCU.
I don't know if they will be fast enough for you, but I would suggest trying it before going to a stand-alone "solution".
On of the topic of shift buttons vs shift paddles ... I have been creating paddle-shift integration products and professionally upgrading Mercedes, Chrysler, and Porsches to paddle-shift for more than 10 years. I have driven MANY cars before and after upgrading to paddles , and have personally felt the "before" and "after" on over 1000 steering wheels ... there is just no comparison. Send me an email at Latemodel21@yahoo.com and I would be happy to send you some info on how you can upgrade your car to paddle-shift.
Hi Jon,
your experience with shift times (actual or perceived) is a bit different than mine.
In my own SL55 (2003 USA spec), for many years, I have had a display (see pic below) that uses the CAN protocol and communicates directly with the TCU reading the "actual gear" (which updates the gear only after the shift is completed). It can simultaneously also display a variety of other parameters including "target gear" (which makes it easy to see how long a shift actually takes). Like I said, I have had this set-up in this car for many years ... with the original 2003 (brown top solenoid) valve body (and 2003 stock TCU), with the 2004 (blue-top solenoid) valve body (with stock 2004 TCU), and with the Troy's TCU. ... and I don't recall every seeing shifts over 1 second. And I will say that they are all faster with the Troy's TCU.
I don't know if they will be fast enough for you, but I would suggest trying it before going to a stand-alone "solution".
On of the topic of shift buttons vs shift paddles ... I have been creating paddle-shift integration products and professionally upgrading Mercedes, Chrysler, and Porsches to paddle-shift for more than 10 years. I have driven MANY cars before and after upgrading to paddles , and have personally felt the "before" and "after" on over 1000 steering wheels ... there is just no comparison. Send me an email at Latemodel21@yahoo.com and I would be happy to send you some info on how you can upgrade your car to paddle-shift.
Cheers,
Chris
Hi Chris,
Those are all interesting observations and a very nice setup you have for tracking shift times. My own car happends to be a US Spec 2003 SL55 as well that had somewhat of a rough life before I got it (had to start with an engine swap) so its not totally unlikely that the TCU and/or the tranny is not 100% healthy making it shift slower than it should.
I would say that my transmission does however shift rapidly but when using the buttons the connection between button input and the transmission initiating a shift is very slow and seldom does what I want, when I want it.
It sound like it could be an option to try it since its such an easy swap and low cost. It seems that they are also pretty quick about shipping them out so that's also good.
I havn't driven a paddle converted car personally but rather just seen some aftermarket solutions for the SL that looked very dodgy making me think I might be better off without them. I am very interested in what you have had done regarding paddles for our cars and will send you an email soon.
Hi guys, I Just did Troy’s TCU upgrade on my ‘03. Simple and easy swap. My concern, whenI was unplugging the connectors I noticed a yellowish oil was on the connectors and running down the connector cable. Not active but enough to be concerning. Anybody have an idea of what this is or if they had the same thing happen to them?
2003 E55, 2003 SL55, 2014 CLS63, 2018 q50 Redsport, 1968 Camaro SS, 1999 Trans am Firehawk
Originally Posted by AMGenema
Hi guys, I Just did Troy’s TCU upgrade on my ‘03. Simple and easy swap. My concern, whenI was unplugging the connectors I noticed a yellowish oil was on the connectors and running down the connector cable. Not active but enough to be concerning. Anybody have an idea of what this is or if they had the same thing happen to them?
yea. Common issue. Electrical connector of the tranny is bad and stuff is wicking up. It being yellow is the concerning part. Likely need to change tranny fluid too
I also hope so. It is very difficult for me, but I am very grateful for your advice. Now, in order to distract me, I went to the website https://casinosters.com/best-payout-online-casinos/ where I read information about online casinos with payouts in the UK. I want to play and I hope to win.
Last edited by Kieran Williams; Apr 26, 2022 at 02:56 PM.
Buy some electrical cleaner spray and spray all over the areas that have the tranny fluid wicked on the wires and then use a dry towel to soak it up. probably need to replace your 13 pin trans connector because that’s likely where the leak is coming from and that fluid then wicks all the way down the wiring To the TCU.
Thank you for the advice. I am going to buy the whole conductor plate, connector, filter and do the tranny service. I want it right before I do the TCU and engine upgrades. 😬 I’ll let you know how it goes.
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And I understand that like the other models, Troy will make an SL55 TCU for any final gear ratio. Here is a picture of it next to my TCU .
