Will the C8 need a Range device?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 981
Likes: 157
Will the C8 need a Range device?
I just read in Motor Trend (page 14, September 2019) that the multi-plate clutches in the DCT will be slipping a little ("a few 10s of rpms") when the engine transitions from eight to four cylinder operation.
Last edited by WelderGuy; Aug 11, 2019 at 04:47 AM.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 473
Likes: 92
From: Indianapolis Area
I had the dreaded shutter with my 2015 A8. They did the flush and I installed a Range (service writer recommended it to me). It's been perfect since with no V8-V4 switch.
I will order a Range at the same time I order the C8, if mine will not work with the C8.
I love being in V8 all the time.
I will order a Range at the same time I order the C8, if mine will not work with the C8.
I love being in V8 all the time.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 473
Likes: 92
From: Indianapolis Area
i’ve heard (Unsubstantiated) that the clutches slip somewhat for the V8-V4 switch in the DCT.
I’d just rather have V8 all the time.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 12,351
Likes: 14,184
From: Central Illinois
Not sure why everyone is trying to apply solutions for an automatic to a DCT. A DCT is not an automatic, it's a manual that will shift for you. There is no torque converter or a ton of other components in an automatic. I have already told my wife there will be a learning curve on the feel and how a DCT works, it will not have the same feel as an automatic because it isn't one.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 16,669
Likes: 7,736
From: NJ
Not sure why everyone is trying to apply solutions for an automatic to a DCT. A DCT is not an automatic, it's a manual that will shift for you. There is no torque converter or a ton of other components in an automatic. I have already told my wife there will be a learning curve on the feel and how a DCT works, it will not have the same feel as an automatic because it isn't one.
Its a manual thst you cannot control the amount of slip.. so if their guess is wrong? And with your particular driving style maybe you only get 15 or 20k out of the clutches... and every time you are stopped... in gear.... these clutches are slipping...wearing down... and the C8 has "creep" built into the programming. Makes the slipping worse than non creep. Which keeps the clutch disengaged until you begin to apply throttle from a stop.
Remember there's usually some sacrifice with these things. Here it will be maintenance and wearable item longevity. All determined by their program and your style of driving.
Last edited by 24/Eray; Aug 11, 2019 at 10:39 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 4,079
Likes: 2,414
From: Florida
Worse.
Its a manual thst you cannot control the amount of slip.. so if their guess is wrong? And with your particular driving style maybe you only get 15 or 20k out of the clutches... and every time you are stopped... in gear.... these clutches are slipping...wearing down... and the C8 has "creep" built into the programming. Makes the slipping worse than non creep. Which keeps the clutch disengaged until you begin to apply throttle from a stop.
Remember there's usually some sacrifice with these things. Here it will be maintenance and wearable item longevity. All determined by their program and your style of driving.
Its a manual thst you cannot control the amount of slip.. so if their guess is wrong? And with your particular driving style maybe you only get 15 or 20k out of the clutches... and every time you are stopped... in gear.... these clutches are slipping...wearing down... and the C8 has "creep" built into the programming. Makes the slipping worse than non creep. Which keeps the clutch disengaged until you begin to apply throttle from a stop.
Remember there's usually some sacrifice with these things. Here it will be maintenance and wearable item longevity. All determined by their program and your style of driving.
Mike
Team Owner
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 34,551
Likes: 505
From: Auburn Hills MI
Not sure why everyone is trying to apply solutions for an automatic to a DCT. A DCT is not an automatic, it's a manual that will shift for you. There is no torque converter or a ton of other components in an automatic. I have already told my wife there will be a learning curve on the feel and how a DCT works, it will not have the same feel as an automatic because it isn't one.
I've had 5 DCTs and as many TC in the past 3 years and they are the same.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 1,766
Likes: 1,244
From: Central Texas
St. Jude Donor '21
Not it sure why they built the creep into it, it’s not required. I suspect so it’s “like” an automatic. It’s what people expect. They even built creep into the Volt, battery powering electric motor, certainly no need for creep in that case although easy to program.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 16,669
Likes: 7,736
From: NJ
Yeah. Here's where this will be interesting. Say you're on a slight slight incline. You stop in traffic. As the traffic creeps forward you are intuitively letting off the brake and the car is creeping forward like an auto..... it's not though. It's like someone sitting there and resting their left foot on the clutch allowing it to slip just enough to keep from:
- Rolling back
- Slowly moving forward
Unless you're constantly thinking to yourself when stopped "is this good for the trans?" We will all be lulled into that "automatic trans" everything is fine mindset.
It's just something you will have to be mindful with while driving a car with a DCT. This car hasn't been out long enough driven far enough with enough stop and go cycles in varying climates and circumstance to account for what the public will endure. That's what happens. It's what happened to gm and others for decades. The good thing is it should be made better each year and hopefully to the point where they can not have people trying to warranty clutchpacks at 15 20k miles. As these cars are driven hard whenever we have the opportunity. As they should be not like a conventional car that happens to have a DCT.
If this trans is close the PDK? Everyone will be very happy. Including myself as I would like a C8 Z06 someday
- Rolling back
- Slowly moving forward
Unless you're constantly thinking to yourself when stopped "is this good for the trans?" We will all be lulled into that "automatic trans" everything is fine mindset.
It's just something you will have to be mindful with while driving a car with a DCT. This car hasn't been out long enough driven far enough with enough stop and go cycles in varying climates and circumstance to account for what the public will endure. That's what happens. It's what happened to gm and others for decades. The good thing is it should be made better each year and hopefully to the point where they can not have people trying to warranty clutchpacks at 15 20k miles. As these cars are driven hard whenever we have the opportunity. As they should be not like a conventional car that happens to have a DCT.
If this trans is close the PDK? Everyone will be very happy. Including myself as I would like a C8 Z06 someday
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,980
Likes: 12,383
From: NE South Carolina
Not sure why everyone is trying to apply solutions for an automatic to a DCT. A DCT is not an automatic, it's a manual that will shift for you. There is no torque converter or a ton of other components in an automatic. I have already told my wife there will be a learning curve on the feel and how a DCT works, it will not have the same feel as an automatic because it isn't one.
Folks are comparing the issues with an A8, mostly related to the torque converter. As you say big difference between a "slushbox" and DCT! 
Last edited by JerryU; Aug 11, 2019 at 11:43 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 1,766
Likes: 1,244
From: Central Texas
St. Jude Donor '21
And honestly, who wants a V4 Corvette, lol. I put a Range device in my GMC Sierra and have been happy to always have V8 and hopefully I will have avoided transmission problems as well. I get about 1 less mpg after adding it. Easy decision. I’ll add one to the C8 after the earlier adopters determine that it works without any issues.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 10,586
Likes: 8,408
From: San Antonio, TX/Mahopac, NY
2026 Restomod of the Year Winner
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified
When I drive either of my C2 Corvettes (one with an M21 4 speed and the other with a TKO600 5 speed), I don’t sit at a stop light or on a hill with my left foot depressing the clutch and right foot on the brake. It is a known method of accelerated wear on the throw out bearing to hold the clutch depressed, just as it is a known accelerator of wear on the clutch disk to constantly feather the clutch and slip it to creep in stop and go traffic.
So my point. Every new technology has strengths and weaknesses. It is important to know both. When I installed the LS3 and 6L80 from a 2012 Camaro in my 1988 Land Rover Defender, I had Speartech turn off the AFM in the ecu and build a wiring harness deleting the control harness. This addresses the issue, although there is some lingering concern that the complex lifters and hydraulic actuators that control the valve train could gum up and fail over time (many owners of LS engines equipped with AFM replace the components with non-AFM parts).
If you are overly concerned, when ever you stop pull back on both paddles placing the tranny in neutral. I guarantee over time all the tricks will be exposed, wear will be minimal and we will all be happy with the DCT. Of course some will continue to rail over not having a manual option. So be it.
So my point. Every new technology has strengths and weaknesses. It is important to know both. When I installed the LS3 and 6L80 from a 2012 Camaro in my 1988 Land Rover Defender, I had Speartech turn off the AFM in the ecu and build a wiring harness deleting the control harness. This addresses the issue, although there is some lingering concern that the complex lifters and hydraulic actuators that control the valve train could gum up and fail over time (many owners of LS engines equipped with AFM replace the components with non-AFM parts).
If you are overly concerned, when ever you stop pull back on both paddles placing the tranny in neutral. I guarantee over time all the tricks will be exposed, wear will be minimal and we will all be happy with the DCT. Of course some will continue to rail over not having a manual option. So be it.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 729
Old school here I guess but one of plusses to me for the ZR1 LT5 was NO cylinder deactivation “extra parts” in the valve train. For anyone not familiar with the de-activation system, as it was explained to me by a GM engineer, 4 of the engines cylinders have collapsable tubes above the hydrolic valve lifters. When oil pressure is cut off to them during fuel saving mode, the valves in those 4 cylinders stay closed. The engine then only sends fuel to the other 4 cylinders. A lot of BS IMO to get an extra mile per gallon.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,980
Likes: 12,383
From: NE South Carolina
If you are overly concerned, when ever you stop pull back on both paddles placing the tranny in neutral. I guarantee over time all the tricks will be exposed, wear will be minimal and we will all be happy with the DCT. Of course some will continue to rail over not having a manual option. So be it.
He said you could rev the engine and do burnouts! No longer have a need to do that but may want to use a some slightly higher rpm on occasion when starting! Agree over time the tricks will come out on the forum.
Yep, this old gearhead has only had standard shifts for a DD for 60 years. Love shifting BUT eager to try pulling paddles fast! For me 0 to 60 in 3 seconds trumps all else!
Last edited by JerryU; Aug 11, 2019 at 01:26 PM.
