Custom AW50-42 Autobox Remap

[charlyW]

Time to ask about my Autobox ECU: I want to have a custom map written for the AW50-42 Autobox to cope with the extra torque I'm planning, in the UK seems its never been done and frankly no one seems to want to do it [getting really common over here "It doesnt say it on the box cant" do it mentality] Does anyone in the USA or wider afield know anyone who can/will reprogram the ECU for me?

[rbodor3]

never heard of anybody doing this. Most people would rather swap with a manual. I'm interested to see how this turns out, if you're serious.

[JDS60R]

IPD

[JDS60R]

Keep in mind a remap will not raise the torque handling capability of the transmission. Usually it ends in an early failure

Torque handling capability is a function of the strength of the internal components countered by the mechanical advantage the designers force out of each piece as well as the ability of the lubricant to cool the compnenets as well as let them slide by each other. Any slack in bearings or bushings multiplys the ability of the unit to sieze or fail.

A badly maintained or high mileage transmission with average lubricant, put in a high torque situation is a great way to force a failure. Raising or lowering the shift points brings you closer to failure as well.

You would be best advised to bring the trans to a reputable shop and have them upgrade the bearings, bushings and clutch packs as well as adding a properly sized cooler with a thermal control to keep the fluid around 180 degrees all the time. An improved torque converter is also nice. If the budget allows improve the bearings/bushings and have the high stress components cryo treated.

If you can shorten the time allowed for the clutch pack to slip in balance with the amount of power being generated a remap can help in that regard. Otherwise the transmissions are pretty well tuned as is.

Now if you have a unit you want to blow up - that can be fun. You can tap into the internal electronics (shift solenoids) and make your own paddle shifter for the trans. Its great for a day of racing but when it blows and starts leaking fluid don't stand too close to the car beacuse it gets trans fluid all over your left shoe right before the little fire starts
Guess how I know )

[charlyW]

Before this gets out of hand and ends up with 9 pages I've had it confirmed that the AW50-42 autobox cannot be remapped had a conversation with Borg Warner in the USA on the subject along with IPD its the design of the ECU that does not allow remapping.

Currently here in the UK AW50-42 boxes are really cheap so if I kill it I will go and get a replacement then tone the power down a touch.

[JDS60R]

Its the TCM that would need the new program. Can also be done with a stand alone microcontroler.

[JRL]

IPD does nothing for a 4 speed, just the 5 speeds, (remove torque limiter in 1st gear) and it's not a TCM flash it's an ECU flash
I think I know what you're looking for, there's a company that i THINK is called Level 5, in Atlanta, GA and they do modify Volvo transmissions
That's all I know, you will have to search from here

[JDS60R]

Here is the VADIS explanation of the TCM's control functions on a 1997 850 T5 with an AW50-42

and also the VADIS explanation of ECM functions

[JRL]

The ECU controls what the TCU does

[charlyW]

Time to put this to bed. Had a great meeting with some boffins over at Borg Warner HQ in Michigan on a work visit and found the following information

The AW50-42 series box and any subsiduary units running a similar ECU are what was termed "hard programmed" ie this means instead of having a removeable/reprogrammable eprom type chip the information on program/control was laser etched onto the chips via a viewing window located on the ECU face, this makes the unit non reprogrammable without first removing the etched information by a style of UV lighting.

Both the engine/management ECU and Gearbox ECU do communicate via the other systems within the unit to adjust the various parameters used.