Shock on a Clutch Release
The DL501-7Q is the manufacturer’s designation of Audi’s 0B5, seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission. It’s a real beast of a transmission weighing in more than 300 pounds, which is certain to hurt your back if you do not handle it correctly. There are quite of few of these running around on the streets here in the U.S. and many more worldwide. A code set for a transmission range sensor is one reason a vehicle will find its way in for repairs. Another more common reason is shifting issues related to the double clutch drum assembly.
Programming Isn’t Cheap
A few months ago I wrote an article about Diesel tuners in reference to keeping the software updated and some of the issues that can arise if they aren’t. This go around I will touch on something similar but different at the same time: vehicles that have third-party programming installed, but there is no tuner that you can hold onto or plug in and update. This is hardware that has the ability to pull the factory calibration from the ECM/TCM in order to be edited, and then flashed back into the ECM/TCM. HP Tuners and EFI Live are the “big two” so to speak, and there are a few up-and-comers entering the market, but for the most part these are the brands that are the most widely used and can give us some headaches.
To Flash or Not to Flash
At this point, everyone is familiar with the fact that most 1996 and later GM vehicles are equipped with computers that must be programmed (flashed) in order for the vehicle to operate properly.
What some technicians may not be familiar with is the fact that earlier GM vehicles were equipped with PCMs that are also flashable. As a matter of fact, you could have a GM vehicle as early as the 1993 model year that is equipped with a flashable PCM. This is mostly because GM was the pioneer in developing the EEPROM and the programmable process.
