I must admit I am a HUGE fan of DSG’s; the smooth transition through the gears is brilliant! The shear speed to which the vehicle reacts to driver demand is awesome!
Let’s take a look into what exactly a DSG is and touch on the basic principle of how it works.
What does DSG stand for?
Simply put, DSG is an abbreviation for Direct-shift gearbox. No more no less than that.
History of the DSG?
Believe it or not they have been with us for some time now, in fact the first dual-clutch transmissions were actually developed on the Porsche model 962 in the 1980’s although this was developed for their racing cars it is for the first time the clutch was used. Amazing how old the technology actually is.
What is a DSG?
The basic concept of DSG is, it is an electronically controlled dual-clutch that has automatic clutch operation. How automatic the clutch is varies between fully automatic or what is called semi-manual gear selection which gives the option for the driver to manual change the gears as they desire.
As for the the gearbox at present has a total of 6speed option or a 7speed option which depends on manufacturer and vehicle design.
In basic terms how does it work?
In its very basic form the DSG system is two separate manual gearboxes and two clutches which have been automated, by automating the system and using two separate clutches we can achieve by far faster and smoother gear changes, all this is contained within the one unit.
The clutches and the gearbox(s) are controlled hydraulically via a device called the Mechatronics unit. Which is a combination of mechanical components and electrical components.
How the gearbox and the two clutches operate is dictated by the vehicle’s DSG control unit which in turn monitors drivers demand, vehicle speed etc etc. There are a lot of variables to monitor but the vehicle is constantly monitoring the inputs and can react extremely quick to changing situations.
Imagine you were pulling away nice and steady, our first clutch ”clutch one” will be operated (engaged) the control unit will pre-select clutch two but will remain “disengaged”, at the predetermined point clutch one will be disengaged and clutch two will engage which allows for a smooth gear change in gear and a non interrupted increase in torque.
The oil, why change it?
Interesting question, why do we change the oil in the DSG system?
Well in fact it is actually extremely important that we do change the DSG oil and the oil filter. I can not stress this enough. There are so many moving components that operate at such fine tolerances, which rely heavily on the oil for lubrication and also to remove very fine particles that can cause premature wear on extremely expensive components.
When do I change my oil?
The servicing intervals are every 40,000miles. It is always good practice though, to obtain the specific vehicle details and reference the details to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Technicians tips by Martyn Hetherington
Ensure your DSG oil and filter have been changed. This has to be the most important tip, regular servicing and maintenance of the system is essential. We only use the manufacturer specific oil, there is no room for error here.
Get your antifreeze checked and Changed at the correct intervals. Many of the Dual-clutch systems shed the heat from the gearbox using the engine cooling system. The cooling system contains anti-corrosive properties within the fluid which tend to last 3years. In particular, on the 6speed gearboxes, the heat exchanger fails leaking antifreeze into the transmission destroying the internal parts.
Thank you for your time! I hope you enjoyed my blog
Kind regards
Martyn Hetherington
