TCU Upgrade? Who's done this!? [$470]
 

I have an automatic, so I was very curious about this when I saw it on the Cattman.com website. It's JWT's TCU upgrade. Do you know anyone who's bought it? Does it do anything that's worth spending money on? Sounds expensive unless it does something dramatic...

Tell me what you know!


From Cattman.com:

3 Mode Automatic Transmission TCU Upgrade

Jim Wolf Technology
TECU-M
1995-1996 Maxima/I30

$470

Upgrades transmission controller, using switch to select from 3 modes: 1) stock settings, 2) performance up- and down-shift points, 3) traction mode that locks out first gear. Stock ECU can be sent in for direct modification or exchanged w/ a core With a $300 core charge upgraded ECU is sent from JWT, working original unit returned after installation (w/in 15 days) for credit. No core charge if customer’s ECU is sent in for upgrade.

I've heard of it and read about it, I don't know of anyone on here who actually has it.

yeah, this was the first I've heard of it. One of the problems with the regular ECU upgrade is that, for an automatic tranny, it doesn't help with that long lag time between "flooring it" and actually getting a downshift.

If you are starting in 1st gear, no problem. It will go to redline in each gear and then change. But if you are on the highway, it takes FOREVER for it to kickdown into 3rd gear when you slam the peddle.

I was hoping someone could tell me if the TCU upgrade fixes that. If not, then it's not worth much to me...

Isn't your vb mod helping at all?

VB mod doesn't determine when the transmission shifts.

EXACTLY!!! From a standing start, with the VB mod the car shifts FAST from redline to redline to redline.

But you still don't have instant downshifts when in a higher gear. I want the TCU to be smart enough to downshift INSTANTLY when it sees wide-open-throttle. I don't like waiting for my power! :)

I have a 5-speed and don't have any experience in driving newer automatics (my mother's 1985 Chrysler 5th Avenue doesn't count).

When you're on the highway, can't you just manually downshift the autotragic and put your foot in it, then upshift when the torque starts to fall off? Wouldn't this help result in the desired performance without spending a lot of money and having questionable benefits?

Oh, I wans't really planning to spend that much money on this. I was just very curious about it since I've never seen it before. And unfortunately, even turning the OD off (to lock-out 4th gear) has a long delay before it actually drops down to 3rd. I haven't actually tried to manually downshift while on the highway. Others have said it's very bad for the tranny. I'd be curious to hear from people who do this regularly.

Turning O/D off has an impact on torque I think. If I am in 4th doing about 75-85 and then I click O/D off ... obviously it will downshift. But then click it back and the RPMs will jump up an extra 100-250 RPMs and then shift, depending where on the powerband you are. Everyone with an auto should try this but when you click O/D back on keep your foot deep and don't let it shift into 4th or downshift back into 2nd. What is up with this??? I am curious to see if anyone else has this as well.

This DOES NOT apply at low speeds.

I can't imagine how OD would change anything related to torque besides what gear you are on. It doesn't do anything except tell the TCU "okay, don't shift past 3rd gear. Unless he hits redline in 3rd, then we'll shift it whether he likes it or not."

Don't bother. And yes, I had it. I bought it from Matthel(guy with turbocharged Max in the Cali, forgot his username). It didn't do a darn thing. The "performance" setting seem to be just if you had OD off. That was about it.

That's really disappointing for a JWT product. At least you bought it second hand, so I'm assuming you didn't pay full price for the thing. Thanks for your input. And you also answered the question as to why you don't hear much about this mod.

:mardi: :doublethu Thank God for 5-speeds is all I can say!

Yeah Murdock, I've considered selling my auto and getting a manual. My mods list is short, and all of them are easily ported to the new car, minus the VB of course! Just swap the rims, exhaust, and suspension and I'm good to go. By selling the old and buying the new, I'd come out about even.

Three things make me hesitate:

1) I know my current car is in perfect shape. (When you buy used you never know what troubles you will inherit.)

2) I got the car from a relative for almost nothing. That person might feel miffed when they found out I had traded it in. (Or they might not care at all.)

3) The VB mod makes me pretty satisfied with my automatic tranny most of the time. It's not like having a manual, but it will still shift like mad when I slam the peddle from 1st or 2nd gear. (only 4th gear seems to have that complete lack of responsiveness when you hit WOT).

i know him.... sn TURBO95MAX

Avoid the temptation until you're finished grad school and have some free cash flow. Then don't go off and do something stupid like buying a brand new car.

Very true! Ha ha. No, I won't be buying anything NEW for a long time. I was referring to selling my 95 maxima and buying another 95/96 with manual. Seems like too much effort for the moment. I'm pretty happy with my car 95% of the time.

Just don't ask me that same question when I'm on the highway and hit the gas to pass someone and have to wait before the damn thing downshifts! But yeah, that's a minor annoyance. When I know I'm going to pass, I hit the OD-off button a few seconds ahead so the tranny is ready to go.

You are absolutely right that way too many young people on these boards end up spending a year's pay on a shiny new car that they don't really need. And more importantly, that they can't afford. I have a big problem with putting that much money into something that is only worth half its price in 3 years. That's just bad investing.

Oh yeah, same thing goes with mods. Personally, I find it hard to believe that people will spend so much more than the value of their car on modifications. Not a big deal for people with real salaries, but lots of these guys are still in school!

I did a tally about 6 months ago of all my mods and came out to $2,000. (For suspension, exhaust, rims, tires, VB mod.) At that point, I basically decided that I was done! But I did cheat a little... I bought the new Red/Clears that just came out!

I know you weren't talking about buying a new car. Your point was in the context of a lateral move in years, or a year or two newer, to get you to a 5-speed. Better the devil you do know, then the devil you don't know at this stage.

And I hear you when it comes to the money being dumped into cars. Just take a peek at the 6th Gen Forum (aka The Dark Side) and look at the number of owners who are say 22 and younger driving those cars that I'm sure they can ill afford.

As a wise man once said: Stupid is as stupid does!

That is excellent advice. And I think I will take it. When you buy a 10-year old used car you really have to be careful...

Besides that, you would probably be leaving the Black Emerald Club, lol!

+1 to 1995 Black Emeralds, autotragic or manual. :doublethu

Resurrecting a 1+ year old thread to see if anyone else has any insights or experience with the JWT TCU.

I was considering one but this thread is making me rethink it. Anyone else with any additional information? What's the cost of doing a VB mod and does it affect your downshifting at all in the auto? I'd presume that tranny modification shold be performed before an ECU upgrade. Is this correct or does it matter?