Flashpaq 3865/Cortex 3950 Advanced Transmission Upgrade
FAQ
Q: Will the transmission tuning options be added to my Flashpaq 3815?A: Regarding the 3815 and 3865/Cortex, this new transmission tuning technology is only compatible with the latest-generation of Superchips products. The three-&H(b u t t o n) 3815 design is about four years old and, unfortunately, can’t handle the complex programming or store the required information in the onboard memory. This does not mean that we have not forgotten those 3815 owners who have been waiting patiently for new options to be released. Superchips will be offering those owners an affordable ‘trade in, trade up’ option allowing existing first gen Flashpaq owners a chance to move up to the latest product at an affordable price and take advantage of these new options.
Q: Is there any difference between the Cortex 3950 and Flashpaq 3865?A: Functionally they are the same. The Cortex supports a much wider range of vehicles; there's one for Ford (gas and diesel), one for GM (gas and diesel), one for Chrysler/Dodge cars and trucks (gas and diesel), and more… and it has an additional two year drivetrain warranty and covers engine and transmission up to a specific dollar amount that the Flashpaq does not offer.
Q: When it is cold, my truck does not shift the same. Why?A: There is a cold shift schedule that is used until your truck gets up to operating temperatures. Once it is up to temperature it will use your shift schedule.
Q: On the torque management value, is 100% that is shown on the display 100% of the stock value? A: Yes. The ranges for torque management are based on percent of stock torque management. For example: If you set TM to 80%, you have reduced the stock TM by 20%.
Q: Should I set torque management to 0% or leave in some percentage?A: You should leave some TM in all of the shifts because the shifts will complete quicker with some load reduction. 0% doesn't necessarily mean a quicker shift; it means the engine is not reducing power during the shift. Think about it in the sense of friction, if you are applying torque to the transmission, the higher the friction. If you reduce it a little the lower the friction and this is a non-linear reduction. Too much torque and the truck will lag its shifts.
Q: What options are available for transmission tuning?A: You have many options to choose from.
These are the Shift Schedules:
• Shift Schedule – Used for day-to-day driving
• Low Shift Schedule – For 4x4 and AWD trucks only. Used when transfer case is on Low Range
• ODrive Off Shift Schedule – For those trucks with the OD Off option
Each of the three shift schedule above allows you to select tuning options for:
• Shift Up
• Shift Down
Each of these tuning options has three options to choose from:
• Superchips - Proprietary shift points but, much, much better than Stock
• User - User adjustable shift points - i.e. You choose what's best for your truck
• Stock
Once you've chosen the User tuning option you can adjust the shift points for:
• Shift 1 up
• Shift 2 up
• Shift 2p up
• Shift 3 up
• Shift 4 up
• Shift 5 dn
• Shift 4 dn
• Shift 3 dn
• Shift 3-2p dn (04 & 05)
• Shift 2p dn (06+)
• Shift 2 dn
And finally each shift point has several choices (based on your truck's calibration table) of % Throttle and MPH combination.
For Torque Management you have the following option:
• WOT (04+ years)
• Part Shift (available for 05+ years)
Each of these TM options has three options to choose from:
• Superchips - Proprietary TM but, much, much better than Stock
• User - User adjustable TM - i.e. You choose what's best for your truck
• Stock
For WOT you can adjust TM on the following:
• _1_st
• _2_nd
• 2dn_P
• _3_rd
• _4_th
For Part Shifts these are the available options to set TM for
• Part 1 Up
• Part 2 Up
• Part 2P Up
• Part 3 Up
• Part 4 Up
There are four(4) RPM setting for each of the Part Shifts above that you can adjust TM.
You may choose to use Superchips or take the default values for User and enjoy a much better ride. Are the defaults the *best* for your truck? Maybe so, maybe not, as each truck's calibration tables may vary, what may work well for you may not work as well for someone else.
Q: If I set my custom shifting then have to return to stock, will the tuner save all the user settings or will I have to start all over when I reinstall the turner?A: You may return your truck to Stock or return any of the shift schedules to Stock (or Superchips) and any User values you have entered will be retained.
However, there is also an option in the User, Shift Points to Reset/Stock which will reset the User values to their default values. This is really handy if you've been trying different values and want to start over.
Q: How do the part throttle custom shift settings impact the shift characteristics in tow haul mode or, OD off mode?A: Tow/Haul is ECU code outside of the shift schedule. So you still run the PT shift schedules.
Q: Will we have an option to just choose like 87, 91 tune and will it program the best shift point for our trucks or do we have to figure it out. Kind like shift points for dummies.A: Yes. You have three options to choose from:
• Superchips - Proprietary shift points but, much, much better than Stock
• User - User adjustable shift points - i.e. You choose what's best for your truck
• Stock
You can choose to use Superchips or take the default values for User and enjoy a much better ride.
Q: Why do we have duplicate TP% values and how are they used?A: The first duplicate TP is the transition point between the lower TP and the secondary duplicate. This helps the transmission scale the shift point between difficult shift points.
Q: What is 2P and what is its role in the transmission? A: 2P is Second Prime - a second, second gear. Its primary function is a passing gear. During normal up-shifting and down shifting 2P is not used. It is used only when significant throttle (60% or more) has been applied to force a passing gear.
Q: Why do we have shift points for 2P up?A: It is used to shift out of once your vehicle has down shifted into Second Prime.
Q: Should we change the shift points for 2P Up and Down?A: You may modify the shift points to shift out of 2P into third more quickly. This may reduce the stress on the over-all drivetrain. To fine tune 2 dn you may have to first adjust 2P dn.
Q: My buddy has torque management adjustments for Part Throttle for each gear on his ’07 Dodge. I only have TM for WOT on my ’04 Dodge: Why?A: There is NO Part Throttle Torque Management for the 04’s; all you have is one reduction for all shifts. The PCM code from Dodge, for the ‘04s, does not support individual gear TM; later years do have this ability.
Q: What vehicles are supported with the new PT and TM options?A: Current plans are to cover 04-09 HEMI Rams, 04-08 4.7L Rams, 07-08 HEMI and 4.7L Jeeps. 4.7L and 5.7L Dakota's and Durango's and if the V6 models have either the NGC3 or NGC4 transmission in them then they apply as well but, we do not have accurate year ranges defined yet.
Q: Does the tuner allow you to get rid of 2nd prime?A: 2P is still there, however, what you can do is change the down shifts for 5, 4, and 3 to eliminate the need to ever get to 2P; very much user tunable.
Q: When viewing or collecting TP% data with DAQ, the display always shows 12 or 13% at idle and WOT peaks at 86%. How can I correlate the percentage values with those found in the Shift Schedule?A: You will find a much better correlation of TP% to the Shift Schedule by using the PID “Accel Pedal Pos” found in NGC3 Sensors or NGC4 Sensors.
Q: I do not have a 0% in a couple of my shift tables. Why? And. How are they treated?A: The calibration tables from Dodge do not have that value and therefore there is nothing to display. When the lowest TPS% value is not zero, the ECU will use the value at that data point for all TPS% below or equal to the first entry.
Q: When I change my User Set Points in one table of Shift Schedule, they are also changed in OD Off Shift Schedule. Why?A: Dodge has shared some tables with Shift Schedule and OD Off Shift Schedule therefore, if you change it in Shift Schedule it is also changed in OD Off Shift Schedule. The opposite is true as well. That is, if you change it on OD Off Shift Schedule it will also be changed in Shift Schedule.
2008 -
2007 - 1Up and 2Dn are shared between Shift Schedule and OD Off Shift Schedule
2006 -
2005 - 1Up and 2Dn are shared between Shift Schedule and OD Off Shift Schedule
2004 –
Q: My truck shifts up before hitting the RPMs I defined in WOT: Why?A: Think of it this way. 100%TP is WOT therefore, if your shift schedule is set to shift at a MPH which is less than what would be achieved at your defined WOT RPM then the shift will occur at the MPH rather than the WOT RPM. Try increasing the MPH at 100%TP until you reach your WOT RPM setting. You may have to increase the MPH at 100%TP of next up shift as well.
Q: What is the trigger mechanism for upshifts and downshifts?A: Try to remember that upshifts function differently than downshifts.
1- Upshifts occur immediately when you hit a specific MPH for a given TP%. If you set the upshift to occur at 34.61 MPH, than it will shift as soon as it reaches that target.
2- Downshifts occur at any MPH that is below the set point. This means that if you set the 31.37% downshift to 26.37 MPH and then slow down to 20, it will down shift as soon as it sees 31.37 TP%. It's not looking to occur at a specific MPH, but rather any MPH below the target.
Q: Engine Coolant Temp is in Celsius in NGC3 Sensors (NGC4 Sensors): Is there an Engine Coolant Temp in Fahrenheit?A: Yes. Use the PID Engine Coolant Temp found in Engine Misc.
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