NTMD8R

As the title says.
I'd like to disable the 4 cyl mode permanently (or at least on demand).

Any thoughts ?

Kracka

Easily with a variety of Diablo or Range products.

mdz06vetter

confused as NEVER have had my A8 C7.R ever going into that mode!

HighBeta

Range AFM device or drive in manual mode and use the paddles.

NTMD8R

Kracka,
could you elaborate please ?

BOBSZ06

https://rangetechnology.com/afm-disabler/

davepl

If you're willing to hose your warranty I found the BEST setting is to disable it in the tune below 65mph. That's what I do. That way on long highway cruise it kicks in but doesn't annoy me in town, doesn't growl, doesn't shake the belt, none of that nonsense. Basically you're looking for the "MIN VSS" setting if I recall correctly.

It's the best of both worlds and the way GM -should- have done it, but doing so will void your warranty.

HighBeta

To the OP:

Be aware that the Range AFM module constantly pulls power even with the car off; the mfr recommends that the device be unplugged if your car sits idle for more than a week or so. It's possible to install an off/on switch with the device so that you're not constantly inserting and removing the device.

jcthorne

Old information. The current revision no longer requires unplugging. It shuts down with the car.

HighBeta

Not according to the device manufacturer. They still recommend unplugging it if the car will be not run for a week or more.

The revisions they HAVE made were to eliminate, or reduce, instances of a CEL.

https://rangetechnology.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/204980565-Battery-Draw

jcthorne

No, many phone calls and actual trials have got the power thing solved in the latest version. Web site is out of date. You can actually watch the unit power down.

vdavenp802

Its beyond me why anyone would want to do this. But, some folks want the strangest mods to their car.

NSC5

As part of this beautiful V4 technology GM includes a special feature to ensure that your torque converter lockup clutch doesn't last too long by continuously modulating it on and off during V4 mode to reduce the transmission of engine vibration to the rest of the car. This ensures that you will get to visit your GM dealer during warranty to have the torque converter serviced and then it is even better after the warranty runs out because not only do you get to visit the dealer for the exciting torque converter repair you also get to pay for it.

I have no idea why anyone would want to pass up such a wonderful and generous opportunity from the General.

HighBeta

I *really* hope that you're correct about that as I've wanted a Range AFM for quite a while. Confusingly, their website indicates that it (the site's info) is current as of three days ago. I will call them tomorrow.

HighBeta

Just off the phone with the manufacturer and the bottom line is that the unit is "improved" but STILL drains the battery when the car is idle. The powering down that you see is it entering "sleep mode" - in that mode, it still wakes up occasionally (pulling power) to see if it needs to "get active".

As they put it on their current and website:

Support
Battery Draw
The Range Device does NOT draw much on the vehicle battery during normal operation. If you drive your vehicle daily (or almost daily), then this will not be a concern. However, if you drive your vehicle infrequently (i.e., only on weekends), please remove the device. It is best practice to remove the device if your vehicle will sit for anything longer than a week.

To add some more detail:

1. The device will go to a VERY low "sleep" state after the engine is off (within 3-10 seconds of the engine shutting off)
2. In this state all the LEDs are OFF and it hibernates at about 1-3mA
3. Every 7-25 seconds it will wake up to a "light sleep" state to check to see if the vehicle is running. In this mode, there will still be NO LEDS lit but current draw will spike for < 0.1 sec to about 7-10mA.
4. If the vehicle is NOT running (i.e. RPM < 500) then it'll go back to deep sleep. Rinse and repeat until the vehicle is running, at which time it'll fire up completely and you'll start seeing LEDs light again.

Given this and the normal draw from other modules (a modern vehicle will always have a small draw for the security systems, BCM, remote start/locks, OnStar, etc. .. sometimes as much a 50mA), it is recommended to reduce the risk of battery depletion by unplugging the module when the vehicle is going to be sitting for an extended period. Cold weather, weak charge state, age, etc. can all contribute to less battery capacity.

A healthy battery with decent capacity should be able to go much longer than the recommended length of time but it worth it not to come out from a 3 week vacation and find the battery dead in the airport parking lot!

________________________________________ _________________________

And that's why, to avoid V4 operations, I use manual mode almost all the time in my A8 ....

NTMD8R

Or, if you leave the car for long (?) periods, just keep your trickle charger plugged in.

C7/Z06 Man

A DS 'tuner' will not run down your battery so you can forget about it and if you remove the tune before going in for "any" type of service you will not have any problems. Like I said, do a search, you can use the tuner just to remove the V8/V4 mode from the stock tune if that's all you want but go to their site to check things out before buying.

Gonzo

So, whether you use the Range module or change the tune, you still void the warranty????

HighBeta

I know that the Range AFM device will NOT void your warranty. Just remove it prior to a service visit.

Changing a tune? IIRC, that will void your warranty.

vdavenp802

I have nearly 20K miles in 3 years and NEVER had any kind of warranty issue, much less the one you describe. Not sure where you got your information, but it sounds suspect to me.