Is DSG Software Upgrade worth it?

By Clinton HulleyInformative
DSG Tune
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Is DSG Software Upgrade worth it? This is something that I was wondering about even before I bought my first DSG car. DSG gearboxes already shift fast and it is fun to drive. It takes a bit getting used to if you have been a manual gearbox driver since you started driving.

So I bought my first DSG car when I bought my 2011 Golf 6R. I drove it for almost 2 years before I even started looking at upgrades. I didn’t even try stage 1 software, I just went straight for REVO stage 2. This is where I noticed that the DSG gearbox started behaving differently.


So what happens running upgrades engine software on stock DSG tune.

The DQ250 gearbox that is used in most of the Golf 5 models all the way to the Golf 7 models can handle most of the power you can throw at it. At certain levels you need to look at doing clutch upgrades but this is only at higher power levels.

The problem with running upgraded engine software with stock DSG tunes is that the Gearbox and engine are sort of out of sync. At least this is my experience with not having an upgraded DSG Tune. Running in Sport mode the gearbox behaves fine, even in manual mode it is great. Where you notice the difference is in drive mode. This is where the “mismatch” will drive you insane.

It is almost as if the car is racing to get into 6th gear. This is very annoying. You have almost just pulled away and the car is in 6th gear already. You may get instances that you are in 6th gear and the revs are so low that you hear engine knock. If you take a manual transmission and you are in 6th gear and the revs are 2 low then the engine will start to knock as the load is too high for the engine. What will you do, you will gear down to get the revs up.

The DSG gearbox will not do that it will keep it in 6th gear, because it thinks it is fine. On a standard engine tune you make a certain amount of power at certain revs. The engine control unit calculates the power it makes a decides off that when to change gears. Because the power through the revs is at different points the gearbox will behave differently. This is where the gearbox loses the well-tuned sync with the engine.


So what does the DSG upgrade do for you?

Most of the upgraded DSG tunes is not just tuners changing some values on the DSG code, but new strategies implemented. What they do is change the way the gearbox shift. Instead of mostly looking at power levels at the revs you are doing they focus more on RPM points. The engine will not go below a certain RPM range in a specific gear if they found that the engine will labor at that point.

The gearbox will behave more like a manual gearbox but with the quick-shifting of a DSG box. How much different will the shifting really be you will think. Running an upgraded tune will transform the car completely. You will ask yourself why did the manufacturer not do the tune like this from the factory? The DSG software will transform your car completely. It will make the car fun to drive again.

Is it worth running upgraded DSG software with stock ECU software?

I don’t think it is worth the money to change the DSG software if you have a standard tune on your ECU. The DSG software is expensive and doing the upgrade without doing the engine tune you will not gain anything. On a stock car the DSG and engine are in sync and they work well together.


So what is different with DSG upgraded software.

To give you an idea of what is different on running upgraded DSG software here is a list of the differences upgrading a Golf 6R to REVO DSG stage 1 tune:

Sports Mode

  • Up/Downshift mapping has been Improved
  • Upshift limit has been raised to 7000rpm
  • Designed for performance
  • Improved Shift times
  • Gear Shift Indicator (gear display is turned on – if applicable)

Launch Control

  • The Launch Control enabled
  • Launch set at 3200rpm for FWD vehicles
  • Launch set at 4000rpm for AWD vehicles
  • Upshift points in launch control mode have been raised to 7000rpm helping optimize the full potential of the engine

Drive Mode

  • Smoother gear changes
  • Improved response
  • Maximum shift point increase
  • Gear changes based on load and throttle position rather than set points

Manual Mode

  • Automatic shift is disabled
  • Kick-down disabled
  • Full control to the driver
  • The full potential of your vehicle’s performance

Features

  • Increased torque limit
  • All limits within safety tolerances
  • Enhances drive-ability
  • Allows full potential of Revo performance software

So what is the best DSG tune use?

You can use any of the reputable brands, just do your homework before you do DSG software. Find a reputable brand and go with them. The reputable brand my be a bit more expensive but rather go with them. The last thing you want to do is go for the cheapest tune you can find and then blow a DSG gearbox. DSG transmissions are not cheap to replace. You will hate yourself if you blow a DSG transmission because of a cheap tune.

So who has reputable DSG Tunes?

Here are some tunes I have come across, this may not be all the reputable tunes out there but you can’t go wrong with these:

So what DSG tune to I want to get for my 2011 Golf 6R?

As I am running REVO Stage 2 tune on my Golf 6R, I would like to run the REVO Stage 1 tune for my DSG. Please help me to get the tune, I will then do a full review of the tune. If you want to help you can do so below:

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One thought on “Is DSG Software Upgrade worth it?”

  1. Pingback: 2 things I hate about having software on my Golf 6R! - CH Crasy Ideas

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