C55 Paddle Shift Steering Wheel & TCU upgrade P1

[terrymcg]

I find mid rev range just driving along it changes straight away. But if clogging it and near the top of the revs, and you click up it just seems to hold on that bit longer for some reason.

 

[just240]

Well, I've driven a 54 reg C55 and that deffo has a delay compared to mine.

I always use the M-mode and dont really find it slow at all, it's not SMG fast but still I woudnt say there is a delay when changing.

It's not the TCU as I asked MB Uk AMG headquarters & they confirmed that there was absolutely no software version changes in the 54-56 plate UK AMG C55's However, it could be due to the ECU units as some of the UK cars have a slightly different fuel maps.

 

[terrymcg]

It's not the TCU as I asked MB Uk AMG headquarters & they confirmed that there was absolutely no software version changes in the 54-56 plate UK AMG C55's However, it could be due to the ECU units as some of the UK cars have a slightly different fuel maps.

Off topic Justyn...do you have contact details for the AMG guys in UK? As I was after a new name plaque for the engine and the dealers are next to useless. I also emailed AMG from the website a few times and never get an answer!

 

[just240]

Off topic Justyn...do you have contact details for the AMG guys in UK? As I was after a new name plaque for the engine and the dealers are next to useless. I also emailed AMG from the website a few times and never get an answer!

You need to contact MB Brooklands in Surrey, they are the only official AMG premier dealership in the UK. They should be able to help or give you someone in Germany at the factory.

 

[BenzedUP]

It's not the TCU as I asked MB Uk AMG headquarters & they confirmed that there was absolutely no software version changes in the 54-56 plate UK AMG C55's However, it could be due to the ECU units as some of the UK cars have a slightly different fuel maps.

I'm not sure then to be honest. :S

When you get your TCU done, we need to meet up, i'd like to see the difference.

I have a very special mod coming soon from Renntech

 

[just240]

I'm not sure then to be honest. :S

When you get your TCU done, we need to meet up, i'd like to see the difference.

I have a very special mod coming soon from Renntech

Definitely,,, BTW did Olly inform you that Renntech also supply & upgrade a C55 LSD. It's different to the quife model as it is 100% locking & not the 40-60 option that quife do! It is expensive though!

 

[BenzedUP]

He recommended the Quaife LSD and he's driven a 600bhp E55 with one and said it made the car, so that's good enough for me.

It's Renntech, so it will probably be mega expensive.

 

[BenzedUP]

As I was after a new name plaque for the engine and the dealers are next to useless. I also emailed AMG from the website a few times and never get an answer!

Why, What happend to your original one Terry?

 

[RPieter]

Hi Just240,

did you eventually got this TCU Upgrade installed? What is your experience with it? I also bought a C55 AMG some months ago, and like you said in this thread, the shifting is really slow So I would appreciate some feedback about your experiences with this.

 

[just240]

C55 TCU upgrade reply

Hi Just240,

did you eventually got this TCU Upgrade installed? What is your experience with it? I also bought a C55 AMG some months ago, and like you said in this thread, the shifting is really slow So I would appreciate some feedback about your experiences with this.

Hi RPieter, i sold my C55 sometime last year However, happy to respond to you message. Yes i did get a TCU upgrade which was performed by Eurocharged when they visited the UK a couple of summers ago. At the same time i also had an engine mapp. From memory the TCU upgrade did provide a very slight speed increase but it wasn't a lot. They did also raise the rev limiter by 200 cc to 7200 & instead of the engine bouncing off the red line (as standard) the car then just had power cut-off at 7200 - which is the same system the BMW M cars use & apparently a lot safer! At the time Jerry who performed the upgrade also informed me that he was working on a faster map but that wasn't available at that time as they were still testing it in the US. I would get in contact with them now & see what developments they have progressed in the last 18-24 months. FYI i have also seen on their website they are soon opening a London branch !!! Good luck.

 

[sjmaxwell]

They already have!

Check the traders section for savman (Paul) as he is the UK agent for Eurocharge. Also MSL Performance in Birmingham can do TCM and remaps by Eurocharge

 

[derekgage]

Hi everyone,

After much research & time I have finally got round to changing & upgrading my C55 (button-push shift) steering wheel to a Full Paddle Shift steering unit. I know that there has been quite a lot of discussions & different options done to other C55 owners cars on this forum however, here is what I believe to be the best option & most importantly cost efficient option to date.

Background – The C55 uses exactly the same steering wheel with the triangle airbag that was fitted to the early (pre. 2007) R171 SLK55 AMG cars. In 2007 MB changed the steering wheel in the standard SLK55 (also in the C55) from the push-button shift wheel to a full paddle shift wheel with longer metal AMG levers. During 2005 & 2006 AMG in Germany offered an upgrade programme for the C55 called “SpeedShift(+)” package. The package comprised of AMG fitting a new steering wheel (same triangle-design airbag) trimmed in full alcantara (same wheel was latter fitted to the SLK55 AMG Black Series) with Full Paddle Shifts instead of buttons. They also upgraded the TCU (transmission control unit) software to allow for 30% faster gear changes. I believe this upgrade has also been referred to as the “C55 – F1 package” as it has been fitted to a few C55 estate cars over here in the UK that had it done to commemorate the C55 estate being used as the F1 Medical car at the time. AMG only carried out this conversion in Germany at their factory & it cost c.€3,000 when the cars were new.

Therefore, I decided to fit the standard post 2007 SLK55 AMG steering wheel to my C55 as it uses the same triangle airbag (so looks the same) & should be the most simple full paddle shift wheel to fit as MB had previous done it & a few American owners had also done the same conversion.
I bought the steering wheel MB part no. (A 171 460 53 03 9E37) new from a well know ebay retailer for £380 delivered. I was then contacted by the retailer to inform me that they had no “standard” all leather wheels left of that model but that had 1 limited edition version available that had perforated leather sides & i could have that instead at no extra cost. After looking at photos of the steering wheel I jumped at the chance as the perforated sides on the new steering wheel exactly matched the C55 half perforated leather seats!! see the first (of 3 posts) pics below.

Would you mind divulging the EBay shop you bought the steering wheel from as I have just been quoted £1400 plus VAT for one ???