[Frankie P]

Dear Membership,

A few weeks back, a fellow member mentioned that LeoNardo-the German aftermarket supplier for Maserati-offered a transmission control unit upgrade to Gran Sport specifications for the Coupe. I'm surprised this didn't generate more excitement. I for one would like to hear more about it.

It occurs to me, prompted by another thread comparing Coupes to Gransports, that a Coupe equipped with a Tubi, ECU upgrade, lowered and stiffened suspension, and now a TCU upgrade may actually out-perform a stock GS. I for one prefer the cleaner lines and interior architecture of the Coupe over the GS. Thus, this is the recipe I personally have been following with my car.

I believe Kevin at MVP, and perhaps Formula Dynamics, are authorized LeoNardo dealers here in the U.S. Perhaps they can shed some light on the pricing and process by which the TCU upgrade is done. Do I smell a group buy?

 

[RickBullotta]

I'm with you. Plenty of ways to add 10 or more HP, stiffen the suspension, and so on - but I would like to find out about the shifting reprogramming.

I don't like wearing skirts, personally... ;-)

 

[M!]

Wait.. aren't there many claims the 02 cc has even more aggressive shifting than a gs? did yours get updated and lost that old program?

perhaps, someone can find out how to reflash the old programming...

 

[Frankie P]

Dear M,

Yes, I believe my '02 received "updates" that changed the original programming. I remember telling the dealer not to update anything, but they indicated that it was mandatory for warranty related issues. I remember getting the car back, putting it in reverse, and immediately noticing increased feathering of the clutch (which was welcome only for reverse!). The car never spun wheels in 2nd or 3rd again. Thus, I'm interested in a TCU reprogram.

 

[Steeldream]

There was a "Campaign" either 95 or 98 that reflashed the TCU to deal with customer complaints of abrubt shifts. IIRC it also had unintended side effects and most dealers routinely don't apply it. I was warned off by Ferrari of Denver, and when I mentione it to Ferrari of SV and Ferrari of SF they told me they never applied that campaign.

It's possible you were an "early adopter" and had the flash done before Dealers generally became aware of the problem. Taht or yout stelar didn't really give a FF...

 

[BeeYouZeeZee]

Dear Membership,

A few weeks back, a fellow member mentioned that LeoNardo-the German aftermarket supplier for Maserati-offered a transmission control unit upgrade to Gran Sport specifications for the Coupe. I'm surprised this didn't generate more excitement. I for one would like to hear more about it.

It occurs to me, prompted by another thread comparing Coupes to Gransports, that a Coupe equipped with a Tubi, ECU upgrade, lowered and stiffened suspension, and now a TCU upgrade may actually out-perform a stock GS. I for one prefer the cleaner lines and interior architecture of the Coupe over the GS. Thus, this is the recipe I personally have been following with my car.

I believe Kevin at MVP, and perhaps Formula Dynamics, are authorized LeoNardo dealers here in the U.S. Perhaps they can shed some light on the pricing and process by which the TCU upgrade is done. Do I smell a group buy?

The GS has ported and polished heads as well as a polished intake manifold. I used to think that was all BS until I saw the dyno results (on a Viper). CRAP! almost 50 HP. I guess you could get GS heads and intake, or have yours ported/polished. People that think the GS is just a coupe/spyder in a skirt are WRONG! Also, the transmission compter IS different. GS programs as is will not work on a non-GS car (hence the GS TCU).

 

[The Head]

the GS and Coupe TCU (according to eurospares) have the same part number it is appearantly how they flash the box that defines the rest of it...as for the LeoNardo TCU upgrade I was the one that mentioned it...I will probably look into the software but as I had stated in the last thread I did not really like having to wire my cash to them in Germany...as winter rolls in I may go ahead with the modification...As a side I had discussed with a person at the Chicago auto show in the maser booth to loading GS software into a non GS car and they had speculated that is was possible...although since it has not been tested yet we don't know for sure...as for the port and polish I can easily see 50 hp on a viper but most engines see 5-10hp if that on a port an polish alone...I would not be suprised at all if the Maser is in that catagory.

 

[BeeYouZeeZee]

the GS and Coupe TCU (according to eurospares) have the same part number it is appearantly how they flash the box that defines the rest of it...as for the LeoNardo TCU upgrade I was the one that mentioned it...I will probably look into the software but as I had stated in the last thread I did not really like having to wire my cash to them in Germany...as winter rolls in I may go ahead with the modification...As a side I had discussed with a person at the Chicago auto show in the maser booth to loading GS software into a non GS car and they had speculated that is was possible...although since it has not been tested yet we don't know for sure...as for the port and polish I can easily see 50 hp on a viper but most engines see 5-10hp if that on a port an polish alone...I would not be suprised at all if the Maser is in that catagory.

Oops! You're right. It's the same TCU just not the same transmission. The GS transmission has a different gear ratio in 6th gear. I agree completely with the port/polish. But little things like the more agressive exhaust, port/polish, different gear ratio add up to a different car than the coupe/spyder. Granted not much, but a difference.

See my post from January http://www.maseratilife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2057

 

[calcoupe]

Now that I have had 2002 coupe and GS

My 2c on the 2002 vs the GS trans: If you can find a 2002 without the software updates you can leave it in the Org config and keep the aggressive programing. SFMF did not upgrade my software when they changed my clutch. But they had to work it out with the factory and I was told it was the only one they had done. The factory wanted the software upgraded with the new style clutch (twin plate?), Brad was able to work it out so they did not upgrade my software.

As for the shift speeds and style the 2002 hits like a truck not as fast as the GS in sport mode but very sharp and still had the blip on downshift. Compared to the upgraded coupes the 2002 software was night and day. But this was more like the F-cars and not for the GT SL500 crew so Maserati started down the eazy shifting and now fully auto path.

I loved the RAW style of the 2002 program, but the speed of the GS shift makes up for it. The GS is eazy to drive compared to the coupe better in stop and go but a lot more slip.

Paul

 

[The Head]

so this update for the 02 it was just a software update to the TCU correct? No changes to the ECU or other computers?

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

The periodic updates have been both TCU and ECU, however these particular ones are TCU only. The 2002 cars have a physically different clutch setup from later cars.

I have been told the GS and Coupe have different selection hardware in the gearbox, but I've never checked into it.

 

[The Head]

The information I had found was that with the exception of the different gear ratios the units were identical...I am more then willing to play gunea pig on trying a GS TCU in a CC if it seems to be possible

 

[The Head]

the guys with the 02 models did you lose the throttle blip on the downshifts when the software was upgraded?

 

[Frankie P]

It was never my intention with the original post to start a debate over the performance differences between the Coupe and GS. That said, published 0-60 and 1/4 mile times reveal that the Coupe is within a tenth of a second as fast as a GS, which led me to think that for all the supposed upgrades of the GS, they don't result in much acceleration-wise, and that with certain modifications, a Coupe could outperform a stock GS. Whether I'm right or wrong is unimportant. I would simply love to have a more aggressive shift in my '02 Coupe. If LeoNardo can reliably provide that at a reasonable price, I'm interested.

I believe that all '02 Coupes that received service from authorized Maserati service centers received the hardware upgrades i.e. replacement of a single tang to double tang clutch, installation of a brace to the transaxle assembly to quell "thumping" upon shifting, etc. With those upgrades, I don't believe there were any other mechanical differences between the '02 transmission and later models. Mark seems to indicate otherwise, so I may be wrong. More questionable is the number of cars which received the so-called upgraded software. My sense is the majority of them did.

With regard to the question of whether the throttle is blipped upon downshift with the TCU upgrade, not as much as with the original program, though I never felt it was perfect even in its original form. Upon acquiring the car, I quickly developed the habit of blipping it manually, so I'm not missing that feature as much. For sure, with the CC the blip is more of a general stab rather than the precise metering it would be in a true manual.

If anybody learns of any mechanical differences between the Coupe and GS (aside from gear ratio), I would like to know of them. I couldn't find the LeoNardo TCU upgrade on the site. Anybody know what the price is?

 

[The Head]

I had a price of 4500 US for both ECU and TCU upgrades although I did not pull the trigger on it yet I recommend contacting Leo Nardo directly

 

[calcoupe]

No debate intended

I was just tring to add some back ground info on the software upgrade. Most of the 2002's I came across had been upgraded (in 03/04) SFMF had one that had not been done yet and I jumped on it. But now I have driven 5 coupes and 2 GS and feel I have good sample of the diffs between models and software. The non upgraded 2002 is quite rare and I was abel to keep the software with the upgraded clutch (double tang clutch) as a one off.

The GS is just a faster shift which is nice but the raw shifting of the 2002 or an after market program will add the performance feel back to the car that some may feel is lacking. I enjoyed the edge and worked with the imperfections in the software: stop in go nightmare, throttle lift during low speed shifts and so on.

Paul

 

[The Head]

It was never my intention with the original post to start a debate over the performance differences between the Coupe and GS. That said, published 0-60 and 1/4 mile times reveal that the Coupe is within a tenth of a second as fast as a GS, which led me to think that for all the supposed upgrades of the GS, they don't result in much acceleration-wise, and that with certain modifications, a Coupe could outperform a stock GS. Whether I'm right or wrong is unimportant. I would simply love to have a more aggressive shift in my '02 Coupe. If LeoNardo can reliably provide that at a reasonable price, I'm interested.

I believe that all '02 Coupes that received service from authorized Maserati service centers received the hardware upgrades i.e. replacement of a single tang to double tang clutch, installation of a brace to the transaxle assembly to quell "thumping" upon shifting, etc. With those upgrades, I don't believe there were any other mechanical differences between the '02 transmission and later models. Mark seems to indicate otherwise, so I may be wrong. More questionable is the number of cars which received the so-called upgraded software. My sense is the majority of them did.

With regard to the question of whether the throttle is blipped upon downshift with the TCU upgrade, not as much as with the original program, though I never felt it was perfect even in its original form. Upon acquiring the car, I quickly developed the habit of blipping it manually, so I'm not missing that feature as much. For sure, with the CC the blip is more of a general stab rather than the precise metering it would be in a true manual.

If anybody learns of any mechanical differences between the Coupe and GS (aside from gear ratio), I would like to know of them. I couldn't find the LeoNardo TCU upgrade on the site. Anybody know what the price is?

Ok so the TCU is changes and the throttle blip for rev matching changes too that means that if the ECU was no changed as well the TCU controls that...

 

[Frankie P]

Interesting question. If I'm understanding you correctly, you're wondering if the throttle blip is controlled by the TCU rather than the ECU. I believe it is the former, as I noticed the lesser blipping immediately after receiving the TCU upgrade campaign. I do have the EuroTek ECU reflash, which of course is performance-oriented. I noticed no change in shifting after the ECU reflash.

 

[The Head]

Correct so if the throttle blip is controlled by the TCU not the ECU then the GS software should work fine...anyone know where there is a wrecked GS we can get a TCU out of? or any other way to get a GS programmed TCU?