SMG settings for E46 M3 , What's yours

[Neal 540]

Seems each time I talk with a E46 M3 SMG owner I'm finding that we all seem to like different settings for the SMG shift patterns and speeds. Looks like there are a number of owners & ex owners on here.

M3 Power has suggested some settings previously for excellent technical reasons , (3 manual , 3 auto)

So, what's your settings and why ?

here's mine

Manual mode 4 , DSC on ( car is in this mode the majority of the time)

Seems similar to a quick manual gear change

Auto Mode 2, DSC on

Only used in stop / start motorway , seems to change up at 2,200 rpm with light throttle with smoothish changes

track days / driver training

Manual mode 6 , DSC off , sport throttle setting, but avoid full throttle changes 1-2

Edited February 3, 2014 by Neal

[hybrid 1043]

All I know is I prefer to lift a little on gear changes .. goes in way better on most SMG m3s ive driven.

6 is a bit to pointless and brutal for my tastes with no real gain in performance.

[M3_Power 636]

I run mine on s3 basically all of the time now and nothing more than s4. s6 is just far too brutal, even s5 is a bit too much sometimes in my opinion.

You should NEVER lift in an SMG car, once calibrated correctly you shouldn't need to. And if you do, it'll just slip the clutch overtime as it adapts.

According to the US guys who have been dissecting the coding for the SMG tune for both standard m3 and CSL the difference is vast. The S5 shift speed is about the equivalent of the S3 shift speed in the CSL.

The torque ramp up is also 100% (in the CSL) vs 60% (in the standard M3) - this is what gives it that instantaneous perfect rev match in the CSL.

There are apparently 6 different maps for the DME for the upshifts and 6 more for the downshifts characteristics - each of those incorporating a full throttle map (100% torque load)

It is now possible to fully flash the CSL SMG software together with the corrected CSL DME codes to match (you need to do both, otherwise it is pointless as it'll just give you the higher launch modes and slightly better upshift speed, but you lose out on the downshift torque match from the DME).

Edited February 4, 2014 by M3_Power

[mrphil 1]

I used to drive mine in s3, never lifted when changing gears and never used the auto mode

S6 is nuts, seriously track only mode

[m325i 709]

I'm actually finding S2 is my preferred. It's smoother.

Is there a reason I should be using s3 instead?

Edit. I'm back on s3 and agree it's prob the best all round.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Nick G