[Nonecure]

3 years ago when I got my car and installed a tune, it was highly recommended to do the Alpina flash to keep the AT from slipping over time. The consensus on this forum back then was the Alpina TCU flash was designed to handle more torque on the Alpina B3. People were experiencing their AT’s slipping over time due to the increased torque.

Now that time has passed and we know more, is this still true and recommended? I ask because for one I don’t like how the Alpina flash behaves. The other reason is some lessons have been learned, like the JB4 was not allowing the TCU to see the true load because of fake signals sent to the DME. I have never run the JB4, but this stuff I have read many times from people on this forum.

So is the consensus that Alpina is still the best thing for your AT? Is it maybe only needed for upgraded turbos and not just FBO? IF the Alpina flash is still recommended, is there a version that is best to run?

[Jnat]

Great question. I have and 09 XI Coupe with many mods. I started with the JB4 and that was a very powerfull mod but i think it hurts our A/T's due to false readings to the TCU (IMO). I know that doesn't answer you question but i think this will. Manufacturers want A/T's to shift very smoothly, people who mod don't want this because amoung other things, smooth means slip and that increases wear. Anything (flash tune for ECU and TCU) that decreases slip (makes shift more positive) will be better for longevity on anything clutch disc related in the transmission. On the other hand, increased power equals more wear and or likely hood of hard part failure (snap rings ect), pick you poisen.

[ajsalida]

Well there are now 2 Alpina flashes out there. Or there always were 2 just the second was found only recently (last year or so). An earlier (in terms of when it was written) one and a later one, they are both found in the usual daten files. The later one is the one first and most widely flashed. Some have reported issues with the earlier one. I have been running the later file version for years and recently flashed the earlier one. The earlier one for my car (FBO + meth + BMS backend race flash) at least seems to shift a bit better.

I don't think anyone knows what is really going on in the TCU and shift points, line pressures etc. I think it is a safe bet that they are both designed for higher TQ levels.

One new thing is JB4 has some new firmware out (v31.1 and later I think) that remaps pedal-throttle to boost (menu 11) more aggressively. It makes the D mode on Alpina much more pleasant to drive and not so dead.

I am guessing the original Alpina B3 ECU & TCU programming were better matched, and flashing only the TCU with Alpina left D mode with incompatible OEM throttle mapping. Which we all blamed on the flash when in fact it may have been meant to go with a different ECU map. Now most/all of that is gone with recent JB4 firmware.

[Cloud9blue]

I don't think there is any downside with the alpine flash. Been running one ever since I went FBO two years and been running full e85 with bms e85 backend flash for the last few months as well. No problem with it at all for the last 20k miles, and that's with close to two dozen road course events.

You might hate the auto mode, since it shifts very early in the rpm. Not a problem if you just paddle your own gear like me though.

Change fluid and trans pan if you got some miles on it though.

[boostaholic786]

You dont want to change your fluid if you have 85k-90k miles on your car. Our transmission fluid is "suppose" to be a lifetime fluid. When its been in so long its not a good idea to change since the OEM fluid has already bonded to all the little metal pieces that are in the transmission itself and when you change the fluid, the viscosity is not going to be the same therefore not being able to provide proper lubrication and could possibly lead to early transmission failure....From what I have heard, people say under 80K miles is ok to change the trans fluid. Not a transmission expert so I dont know for sure but

just my 2cents

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by Cloud9blue

I don't think there is any downside with the alpine flash. Been running one ever since I went FBO two years and been running full e85 with bms e85 backend flash for the last few months as well. No problem with it at all for the last 20k miles, and that's with close to two dozen road course events.

You might hate the auto mode, since it shifts very early in the rpm. Not a problem if you just paddle your own gear like me though.

Change fluid and trans pan if you got some miles on it though.

If you have a JB4 try the newer firmware and set menu 11 to 1500 or higher. Alpina D mode is completely different, seems to really like more aggressive throttle mapping.

[Turbo_power4ever]

my 07 was built october 2006. is there still no flash for me?

[Cloud9blue]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

If you have a JB4 try the newer firmware and set menu 11 to 1500 or higher. Alpina D mode is completely different, seems to really like more aggressive throttle mapping.

I prefer a smooth and predictable throttle and boost mapping (I even lowered the PID gain to 5 because of that) much easier to balance the car on its edge. Never bother with D unless I am stuck in a stop and go traffic

[roadkillrob]

I am still very happy, I switched to the earlier flash as I have a 2008 MY built in late 2007 and it seems to like that flash better and D mode is a bit better in my book.

Turbo_power4ever no love for you, you have to have a Trans TCU that has the larger memory in it which I think is March 07 or newer, only fix is to pull the pan and swap to a newer TCU and have it coded to the car.

[Turbo_power4ever]

Originally Posted by roadkillrob

I am still very happy, I switched to the earlier flash as I have a 2008 MY built in late 2007 and it seems to like that flash better and D mode is a bit better in my book.

Turbo_power4ever no love for you, you have to have a Trans TCU that has the larger memory in it which I think is March 07 or newer, only fix is to pull the pan and swap to a newer TCU and have it coded to the car.