What does TCU tune improve?

[S4B9ner]

Hi

I’ve been having 034 stage 1 ecu and tcu for a while and really enjoyed it. And I recently got stage 2 tcu but doesn’t really feel much improvement on drivability. 2 major differences I can feel are 1) it holds the gear to higher rev before up shift, and 2) revs higher when down shift which gives a less smooth feeling.

As of now, I’ve only driven in dynamic mode, both D and S. And these really are the only 2 points I can feel. I am guessing stage 2 tcu is more for drag race or drivers who always drive “spiritedly”? Or what other differences do you also noticed?

A little background, S4 is my daily car driving to work and ride with kids. So I don’t really drive fast 99% of the time.

[Jrbball7]

Hi

I’ve been having 034 stage 1 ecu and tcu for a while and really enjoyed it. And I recently got stage 2 tcu but doesn’t really feel much improvement on drivability. 2 major differences I can feel are 1) it holds the gear to higher rev before up shift, and 2) revs higher when down shift which gives a less smooth feeling.

As of now, I’ve only driven in dynamic mode, both D and S. And these really are the only 2 points I can feel. I am guessing stage 2 tcu is more for drag race or drivers who always drive “spiritedly”? Or what other differences do you also noticed?

A little background, S4 is my daily car driving to work and ride with kids. So I don’t really drive fast 99% of the time.

I just flashed stage 1 to stage 2 tcu and the biggest things I noticed was that it was more eager to give downshifts when applying throttle and for me it actually smoothed out some shift points compared to stock.

I noticed right away on launches and wot pulls the shifts are violent and quick which is an awesome feeling. I think you'll get more bang for your buck on the stage 2 if you drive like you stole it....otherwise there's no reason for the car to give you the quickest most optimized shifts.

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[Tuned08ss]

I just flashed stage 1 to stage 2 tcu and the biggest things I noticed was that it was more eager to give downshifts when applying throttle and for me it actually smoothed out some shift points compared to stock.

I noticed right away on launches and wot pulls the shifts are violent and quick which is an awesome feeling. I think you'll get more bang for your buck on the stage 2 if you drive like you stole it....otherwise there's no reason for the car to give you the quickest most optimized shifts.

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I'm stock currently. Is it worth an extra $600 for the stage 2 tcu over the stage 1 that comes with the stage 1 ecu tune? Or should I try full stage 1 and upgrade to 2 later since it cost the same. Doesn't sound like stage 2 tcu is worth it if I only occasionally drive spiritedly.

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[Jrbball7]

I'm stock currently. Is it worth an extra $600 for the stage 2 tcu over the stage 1 that comes with the stage 1 ecu tune? Or should I try full stage 1 and upgrade to 2 later since it cost the same. Doesn't sound like stage 2 tcu is worth it if I only occasionally drive spiritedly.

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I was originally going to stick to the stage 1 tcu but it didn't feel much different then stock. The provided stage 1 tcu doesn't change anything other then clamping force to accommodate for the extra torque.

I agree the $600 extra is a tough pill to swallow at first but in the long run I think ill be happy I made the switch. The car feels quicker everywhere wheras before on the stage 1 tcu the extra power was only noticeable in the higher rpms.

With the stage 2 tcu you will get quicker shifts, optimized shift points, and hard crisp shifts which feel more engaging.

If you're on the fence, just stick to the stage 1 and see how you like it, it might work for your driving style. For me the stage 2 tcu takes full advantage of the extra power in my opinion.

Also I think 034 provides a 30 day return or something like that so you could try that. But do your own research to confirm haha.

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[Tuned08ss]

Sounds like the stage 2 tcu is a must have then.

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[spacecase]

I'm stock currently. Is it worth an extra $600 for the stage 2 tcu over the stage 1 that comes with the stage 1 ecu tune? Or should I try full stage 1 and upgrade to 2 later since it cost the same. Doesn't sound like stage 2 tcu is worth it if I only occasionally drive spiritedly.

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I think it's worth it. I think 034 offers a 30 day money back guarantee so you can always try it out and return it if you feel it isn't worth the price tag.

[Jrbball7]

Sounds like the stage 2 tcu is a must have then.

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If you want good synergy between the ecu and tcu then I would say it's definitely worth it, even if your spirited driving is limited, like my own.

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[S4B9ner]

What synergy do you mean? I think stage 1 tcu already gives pretty good synergy on torque and power.

[S4B9ner]

I was originally going to stick to the stage 1 tcu but it didn't feel much different then stock. The provided stage 1 tcu doesn't change anything other then clamping force to accommodate for the extra torque.

I agree the $600 extra is a tough pill to swallow at first but in the long run I think ill be happy I made the switch. The car feels quicker everywhere wheras before on the stage 1 tcu the extra power was only noticeable in the higher rpms.

With the stage 2 tcu you will get quicker shifts, optimized shift points, and hard crisp shifts which feel more engaging.

If you're on the fence, just stick to the stage 1 and see how you like it, it might work for your driving style. For me the stage 2 tcu takes full advantage of the extra power in my opinion.

Also I think 034 provides a 30 day return or something like that so you could try that. But do your own research to confirm haha.

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I’ve been curious what exactly does “optimized shift point” mean? Is it just shifting until higher rpm like what I noticed or there’s something else behind the scene?

I do have to say the power now feels more connected from gear to gear. But does shifting until higher rpm mean sacrificing the fuel consumption? So if I daily the car, I probably shouldn’t flash tcu stg 2?

[S4B9ner]

I'm stock currently. Is it worth an extra $600 for the stage 2 tcu over the stage 1 that comes with the stage 1 ecu tune? Or should I try full stage 1 and upgrade to 2 later since it cost the same. Doesn't sound like stage 2 tcu is worth it if I only occasionally drive spiritedly.

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I agree with you said in the last. Don’t think the slightly faster shift matters that much if you don't race.

For me what matters more is the car’s exhaust sound and the pops and benga from stage 1 tune. Stage 2 tcu feels a bit overkilled.

[will13k7]

made the car feel a bit more raw when pushing it to me, reminded me of the early b8 s4 DSGs. adds to the fun.

[S4B9ner]

Some update for all.

Just went for a canyon run and the tcu stage 2 is really amazing when you run “spiritedly”!

I used having to use M mode but now I can totally rely on the tcu. The shift logic is made for canyon run!

But I might still refund it as I love driving with M mode for canyon runs and for daily I still don’t see any benefit from stage 2.

Will update again if I notice anything else.

[Quimicax]

I’ve been curious what exactly does “optimized shift point” mean? Is it just shifting until higher rpm like what I noticed or there’s something else behind the scene?

I do have to say the power now feels more connected from gear to gear. But does shifting until higher rpm mean sacrificing the fuel consumption? So if I daily the car, I probably shouldn’t flash tcu stg 2?

GEAR OPTIMIZED RPM
The IE TCU Tune remaps each gear's RPM limits for the fastest possible acceleration. Every gear will shift at the optimal points to pull the car through the powerband as quickly as possible for the fastest conditions on road, track, or drag strip with incredible improvements in acceleration and G's. These optimized shift points occur when in drive mode, sport mode, and AMAX. The transmission limit remains 6500 RPM in all gears in manual mode, retaining complete manual control over the shift points.

1st Gear

6150 RPM

2nd Gear

5850 RPM

3rd Gear

5600 RPM

4th Gear

5650 RPM

5th Gear

5650 RPM

6th Gear

5650 RPM

[Jetta03]

Does anyone happen to have quarter mile times for stage 1/2 ECT + TCU stg 1 (or no TCU tune) compared to stage 1/2 + TCU stage 2?

I know TCU stage 2 subjectively should be firmer/more sporty and that this alone is likely enough to justify the spend, but are there objective performance improvements? ie. improvement in 60' times and quarter mile trap speeds/times that anyone can point to?

[Quimicax]

Does anyone happen to have quarter mile times for stage 1/2 ECT + TCU stg 1 (or no TCU tune) compared to stage 1/2 + TCU stage 2?

I know TCU stage 2 subjectively should be firmer/more sporty and that this alone is likely enough to justify the spend, but are there objective performance improvements? ie. improvement in 60' times and quarter mile trap speeds/times that anyone can point to?

I See People With APR (comes without TCU Tune) Running 12.3 ~ 12.2

And People With IE And 034 Stage 1 With TCU Tune Stage 2 Running 11.8 ~ 11.7 TCU Tune Have More Optimzed Shitf Point And Better LC

[Sebastian Tu]

(Without reading other replies) I loved the stage 2 ecu tune. I did all the other subframe, trans, diff mounts, around the same time. It made the shifts much snappier and made the ZF feel more like a DCT (not quite but in the spirit of) and all around snappier.

I'm surprised you didn't feel an immediate difference because it was night and day for me. If you haven't done the others, the trans insert is a must. The other mounts are nice and you'll likely notice the subtleties, but the trans mount with the tune will transform the car.

[Joffe]

I think its definitely worth it the STAGE 1 tcu is there because otherwise the stage 1 ecu would be overriden by the stock tcu and limit torque. I dont think/ know if it alters shift points very much. The stage 2 definitely does. I think its worth it. Here is direct from. 034 product description :

STAGE 2 AND STAGE 3 DYNAMIC+ TCU FEATURES:

IMPROVED TORQUE MANAGEMENT:

As with any automatic transmission vehicle, the ECU and TCU computers work synchronously to properly apply torque to the vehicle's drivetrain in a safe and reliable manner. Within both the ECU and TCU, there are factory safety tables that limit overall torque output based upon what the factory first tuned the car for. The ECU reports the output of torque from the engine to the TCU, and the TCU decides if this is suitable, or too much. If it is too much, the TCU will command the ECU to reduce torque output based upon its safety tables.

034Motorsport takes a holistic approach with its Dynamic+ Tuning, and aims to retain as many OEM safety protocols as possible. While it is possible to tune around the factory TCU torque limiters from the ECU side, this is done at the expense of torque safety features that are integral in keeping your transmission running safely. 034Motorsport’s calibrators tune the ECU to work with the TCU to provide accurate torque values, and recalibrate the appropriate safety ranges for the TCU. Taking these extra steps to retain OEM safety systems on the ECU and TCU side is just one of the many reasons that Dynamic+ software provides substantial yet reliable performance increases

OPTIMIZED SHIFT POINTS:

In order to take advantage of the increased powerband from the turbocharger, Dynamic+ Tuning optimizes the shift points in Sport Mode to maximize acceleration while retaining smooth drivability.

When purchasing the Stage 2 TCU Tune, you will be offered specific calibrations for either E85/Race Gas and for 91/93 Octane (Pump Gas) when flashing! Both TCU calibrations are included free of charge. Each specific TCU variant sets shift points to correspond to the optimal RPM for the powerband that your car now has from your upgraded ECU tune. The Stage 3 TCU tune is maximized for pump gas and ethanol files.

KICKDOWN SWITCH DISABLED IN MANUAL MODE:

When in Manual mode, you no longer need to worry about accidentally pushing through the kickdown switch on the throttle pedal!

IMPROVED SHIFT SPEEDS:

To further enhance the acceleration of your Audi, the ZF8 shift times are dramatically decreased in all driving modes, which ultimately results in quicker acceleration.

Shift pressures are also increased in Sport Mode to maximize performance. In Sport Mode, you will notice less lazy shifts, more firm shifts, which ultimately results in quicker acceleration.

AMAX SHIFTING:

AMAX Shifting is a shifting strategy that stands for “Acceleration Maximum.” These gear shifts are the fastest and quickest possible for optimal acceleration . These are activated in shifting after launching your vehicle from a stop using launch control.

AMAX shift points are now optimized for specific RPM setpoints for Pump Gas ECU tunes, and Race Gas/Ethanol ECU tunes. Select the specific TCU file to match your current octane when flashing your TCU! The Stage 3 TCU tune is maximized for pump gas and ethanol files.

The S4/S5 has AMAX now activated in the 4-5 and 5-6 shifts where it was previously disabled from the factory. The SQ5 now has AMAX activated in all shifts from 1st through 6th where it was previously disabled from the factory

[Gunnarrrrr]

imo if you’re not gonna get a stage 2 tcu tune don’t bother doing a single other mod on your car whatsoever.


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[Speedster00]

stage 1 only changes the torque limits on the TCU to allow for higher power that tuning makes. The ECU and TCU need to talk and match up to power delivery.
Stage 2 actually makes shift changes based on newer power curves for more spirited driving.

Just email 034 and ask.

[Sebastian Tu]

For the record, I enjoyed the stage 2 tcu tune more than the stage 2 ecu tune. More power is more power, but the tcu changed how the car drove. more racecar

[Joffe]

Does anyone happen to have quarter mile times for stage 1/2 ECT + TCU stg 1 (or no TCU tune) compared to stage 1/2 + TCU stage 2?

I know TCU stage 2 subjectively should be firmer/more sporty and that this alone is likely enough to justify the spend, but are there objective performance improvements? ie. improvement in 60' times and quarter mile trap speeds/times that anyone can point to?

Im 034 Stage 1+ ECu Stage 2 TCU,here is a draggy vid from a few weeks back => https://youtu.be/1SyP3EHsphc
I skipped stage 1 tcu stage 2 tcu optimizes the shiftpoints and syncs the tcu with the ecu without this the tcu will hold back power by restricting ecu. So yes there is a oerformance increase