[AlpineSwift]

I reset mine every time I swap tunes or parts. It's definitely something you should do after the Alpina flash.

[Bluesnake01]

Does it put a bigger strain on the transmission? Im wondering if its worth the flash. I don't give it WOT runs all the time, mostly cruise.

[big_c]

You will love it. Send me PM for details on how to get it installed remotely.

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by Bluesnake01

Does it put a bigger strain on the transmission? Im wondering if its worth the flash. I don't give it WOT runs all the time, mostly cruise.

Alpina Trans Flash:

Alpina put this flash on 335's that they sold as Alpina Bi-Turbo models (fancy bad ass versions of the standard 335) from the Alpina Factory. I very seriously doubt they would put a tune out there for the TCU if it meant they were going to be sued for transmissions having to get replaced all the time. As long as you keep up with regular maintenance you shouldn't have a problem.

Resetting Adaptations:

If you're pushing your car while its learning after a reset without the car being warmed up to operating temps, then yes, you're putting substantial wear on your trans internals.

Drive it like you stole it after you've put about 100 miles on the car after the reset. Just use good common sense and you won't have any issues.

[kjohnson949]

I've been interested in this since hearing about it. How much is this to get done. Im not all that good mechanically either so how hard is it to do. Thanks guys for the info

[big_c]

Right on, I'll do the reset now. I've only tested it for about 3 miles with 2 or 3 WOT runs while fully warmed up. Hopefully no significant wear occured.

[big_c]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

I reset mine every time I swap tunes or parts. It's definitely something you should do after the Alpina flash.

Cool, I haven't done it yet, but will now and give it a hundred miles or so before getting into the throttle hard.

Is your procedure the same as the one I described?

Ignition on but engine off
Hold gas 30 secs
Start car normally

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by big_c

Right on, I'll do the reset now. I've only tested it for about 3 miles with 2 or 3 WOT runs while fully warmed up. Hopefully no significant wear occured.

Should be fine. I did the same thing. Haven't noticed any wonkiness to my shifts or slipping.

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by big_c

Cool, I haven't done it yet, but will now and give it a hundred miles or so before getting into the throttle hard.

Is your procedure the same as the one I described?

Ignition on but engine off
Hold gas 30 secs
Start car normally

Yup. Official procedure below so that there is zero confusion about this.

1) Turn cars electronics on-push start button once or twice without turning the actual engine on.

2) Hold the gas pedal to the floor for 25-30 seconds.

3) Most times you will hear the gearbox resetting itself and hear some "noise" coming from your car but not always noticeable so don't worry if you don't.

4) Now start your car and enjoy the gearbox reset to its factory settings and open for all new learning. The shifts are silky smooth again and shift points shift faster-basically it totally makes your transmission perform better.

[big_c]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

Yup. Official procedure below so that there is zero confusion about this.

1) Turn cars electronics on-push start button once or twice without turning the actual engine on.

2) Hold the gas pedal to the floor for 25-30 seconds.

3) Most times you will hear the gearbox resetting itself and hear some "noise" coming from your car but not always noticeable so don't worry if you don't.

4) Now start your car and enjoy the gearbox reset to its factory settings and open for all new learning. The shifts are silky smooth again and shift points shift faster-basically it totally makes your transmission perform better.

Thanks for posting. After releasing the gas pedal, leave ignition on and just start the car, or do you turn it off? Or does it not matter?

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by kjohnson949

I've been interested in this since hearing about it. How much is this to get done. Im not all that good mechanically either so how hard is it to do. Thanks guys for the info

If you have some awesome coder's in your area from this board, they'll usually do it for a 6 pack of beer or something. I got my local buddy a starbucks gift card since he was at work when he did mine.

If you don't have a clue as to what you're doing DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS YOURSELF. If you don't follow the steps exactly, you can basically brick your tranny and BMW has to reset it at the stealership. There's a lot of software you need and a cable as well. I'm still waiting on my damn cable to get here so I can flash my dad's 335.

It's not my first rodeo with coding so I'm not worried about the risks involved, but for a new guy, DEFINITELY don't do this until you've got some experience.

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by big_c

Thanks for posting. After releasing the gas pedal, leave ignition on and just start the car, or do you turn it off? Or does it not matter?

I just do it before I go for a drive (since i'm usually testing a new part or tune when I do this anyway). On, floor it, turn the engine on, drive off. That simple.

[SSW]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

I just do it before I go for a drive (since i'm usually testing a new part or tune when I do this anyway). On, floor it, turn the engine on, drive off. That simple.

Does this tranny reset "un-do" the Alpina B3 TCU flash?

If so, I want to make sure absolutely sure that I NEVER to do it!

If not, what exactly are the benefits of doing this reset?

Read thru the thread but I don't "get" why it's useful or necessary to do it and I'm not sure if it was ever done before or after the Alpina B3 flash was installed in my car.

[kjohnson949]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

If you have some awesome coder's in your area from this board, they'll usually do it for a 6 pack of beer or something. I got my local buddy a starbucks gift card since he was at work when he did mine.

If you don't have a clue as to what you're doing DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS YOURSELF. If you don't follow the steps exactly, you can basically brick your tranny and BMW has to reset it at the stealership. There's a lot of software you need and a cable as well. I'm still waiting on my damn cable to get here so I can flash my dad's 335.

It's not my first rodeo with coding so I'm not worried about the risks involved, but for a new guy, DEFINITELY don't do this until you've got some experience.

Thanks brotha I appreciate it. I stay in southern cali orange county to be exact. I'll have to find some to do this asap

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by SSW

Does this tranny reset "un-do" the Alpina B3 TCU flash?

If so, I want to make sure absolutely sure that I NEVER to do it!

If not, what exactly are the benefits of doing this reset? Read thru the thread but I don't "get" why it's useful or necessary to do it.

Nope. Resetting Adaptations just resets what the car has learned about it's owner's driving habits since it set off from the factory. IE: if it's a grandma driving or Kimi Raikkonen, the car will adjust accordingly to be more badass or more civil. The benefits are that you now have a car that's ready to learn about it's owner and adjust itself so that it drives as hard or as soft as its owner does. Make sense?

It will NOT reset your Alpina flash to the stock programming. Dealerships and Coders are the only ones that can reset the TCU.

[SSW]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

Resetting Adaptations just resets what the car has learned about it's owner's driving habits since it set off from the factory. <snip> It will NOT reset your Alpina flash to the stock programming.

Thanks for the clarification!

Just one other question: If the car changes hands and the tranny isn't "reset," won't the tranny eventually "adapt" to the new driver's habits over time or is the tranny "locked" into the prior driver's habits for good?

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

Yup. Official procedure below so that there is zero confusion about this.

1) Turn cars electronics on-push start button once or twice without turning the actual engine on.

2) Hold the gas pedal to the floor for 25-30 seconds.

3) Most times you will hear the gearbox resetting itself and hear some "noise" coming from your car but not always noticeable so don't worry if you don't.

4) Now start your car and enjoy the gearbox reset to its factory settings and open for all new learning. The shifts are silky smooth again and shift points shift faster-basically it totally makes your transmission perform better.

This is not the TCU reset. This just resets short term driver behavior memory. You need OBD2 cable and INPA or similar to do full TCU reset, which is what you should do after Alpina flash. There is a period you need to drive with light throttle when you do this, like 50-100 miles with progressively more throttle. This reset internal hard parts adaptations for the harder shifts Alpina will execute.

[big_c]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

This is not the TCU reset. This just resets short term driver behavior memory. You need OBD2 cable and INPA or similar to do full TCU reset, which is what you should do after Alpina flash. There is a period you need to drive with light throttle when you do this, like 50-100 miles with progressively more throttle. This reset internal hard parts adaptations for the harder shifts Alpina will execute.

Oh yeah? Haven't read that an INPA reset needs to be done in all the Alpina threads ive gone through. Whats the process to do it?

[westchester335i]

I had this flash done back in October when I was at 30k miles. I am now at 38k miles and I don't really like it and here is why......

I don't drive aggressive or like a maniac and 99% of the time I am always in normal D mode. Normal D mode is very sluggish. At first I didn't really mind but trying to accelerate normally is very laggy and annoying since your always in 6th gear the car has to downshift to help you move forward and if you gun it from a stop the way the gears rapidly change is annoying. However the alpina D mode yields good MPG for local town driving compared to stock D mode.

Manual mode is very fun. The downshifts are perfect and its more refined and perfect versus the stock crap. DS mode is also very fun and makes the car come alive but I rarely use M mode or DS mode.

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by big_c

Oh yeah? Haven't read that an INPA reset needs to be done in all the Alpina threads ive gone through. Whats the process to do it?

Procedure in INPA to reset TCU:

F9 E90

Transmission

Gearbox Control module GS19

F6 Activate

F3 Reset adaption values

This is NOT the same as gas pedal reset. This rest requires a break in period, 50-100 miles increasing load, TCU is adapting to current wear state of hard parts and fluid, given shift parameters from TCU.

Should be done on re-flashes and/or when hard parts or fluid etc. are replaced. Lot of people clear up major tranny misbehavior, even without Alpina flash, with just fluid/filter and this reset.

[SSW]

Originally Posted by westchester335i

I had this flash done back in October when I was at 30k miles. I am now at 38k miles and I don't really like it and here is why......

I don't drive aggressive or like a maniac and 99% of the time I am always in normal D mode. Normal D mode is very sluggish. At first I didn't really mind but trying to accelerate normally is very laggy and annoying since your always in 6th gear the car has to downshift to help you move forward and if you gun it from a stop the way the gears rapidly change is annoying. However the alpina D mode yields good MPG for local town driving compared to stock D mode.

Manual mode is very fun. The downshifts are perfect and its more refined and perfect versus the stock crap. DS mode is also very fun and makes the car come alive but I rarely use M mode or DS mode.

That's interesting. Guess we're all just "different." I'm an aggressive driver, but I'm also patient and never drive like a "mad man." When the traffic is heavy, I just go w/the flow BUT when the road opens up, I'm gone!

I like the Alpina flash much better than the stock program BUT I'm also using the Cobb Stage 1+FMIC Sport tune (on top of the Alpina flash) which makes some additional changes in the rev limits and shift points. So, what your car does might be somewhat different than mine.

FWIW, I find myself using all 3 modes depending on the driving conditions and what I want to do, but I use DS the most.

I always start out in D but because, as you note, it's somewhat sluggish, I always shift to DS as soon as I need to get "moving." However, if I come upon a winding road (or if I need to downshift to make use of engine braking), I'll shift into M so that I have more control over the engine. After I get off the winding road (or have slowed sufficiently using engine braking), I shift back to D or to DS depending on the traffic and the type of driving style I want to assume.

Sounds like a lot of work but now that I'm familiar w/how the tranny works, it has become almost intuitive and I hardly have to think about which mode to use at all.

[v1nc86]

Originally Posted by cialz

Is your gas gauge a boost gauge now? How did that work?

Sorry for late answer. Yes, I'm using "Boost on fuel" JB4 option (menu 2, option 1)