Olddragger

The transmissions are the same ExCEPT it is thought the the clutch packs are different. Porsche has different clutch part numbers between the base/GTS/turbo models but sometimes that doesn't mean the part is actually different. It may be but my garage seems to think they are all the same.
My unproven theory is that in certain circumstances our transmissions do run a little hot. Once I am up and running I will submit temperature logs to this forum.
Again I am thinking that it is stop and go driving that heats them up. Of course during mountain driving or towing one needs to be aware also. The transmission cooler is built into the radiator so the temperature of the engine coolant will have an impact on the temperature of the transmission fluid. My engine coolant usually runs at 200F after warm up. (Actually our coolant temperature gauge is not very accurate...but that is another story.) This means the fluid will be at 200F also. It shouldn't take much to push it to 225F. At that temperature ATF starts to breakdown and over time that can cause problems. Optimal temp for ATF is around 175F. That will be what I am aiming for.
The Audi guys have been dealing with temp issues in this transmission for years. The transmissions circuitry was actually redesigned years ago to address this problem. We do have the latest and greatest design.
My problem is extreme. Usually the solenoids don't short circuit and melt things like it happened in mine. Usually it is just bad solenoids that don't work as well or circuitry boards that don't send the signals like they should anymore.
To answer your question about warrenty....if I had an affordable option ... I would NEVER own a Macan without a warrenty. I am having to repair mine with parts from a junkyard because Porsche will not sell the parts needed to fix it. Without a warrenty one could end up in the same boat as I.
I also plan on changing the fluid and filter at 30K miles because I do have a fair amount of stop and go driving. If I was doing mostly highway driving then 40k miles doesn't seem unreasonable. My best advice is if you notice ANYTHING different in how your transmission is shifting.....takes longer to go into drive after shifting from reverse, hesitant is starting off, different sounds...clunking, shuttering etc, hesitant to down shift, hesitant in taking off...GET IT CHECKED......and do not tow without a trans temperature gauge. Running is sport mode may help since that causes the upfront shutters to open resulting in cooler coolant/ oil temps.
You know I wouldn't be concerned about this transmission at all if Porsche would install a transmission temperature gauge and make needed parts available including the software. What say Porsche....can you do that?

VAGfan

Can you post some more pics of the melted section of the Mechatronic unit.
I think the black filter is normal, that is mostly the metal particles from the normal wear of the clutch pack discs.

VAGfan

Olddragger: Can you ship me the bad Mechatroninc unit, so I can do an "autopsy" ?
I am an electrical engineer and have reverse engineered many an electronic assembly, in order to find ways to repair them.
I can send it back to you, undamaged, after I have examined it. I might even be able to repair it, then you would have a spare.
From your pictures, I think I have a theory as to why these fail...at least what failed in your case. I suspect there more than one failure scenarios for these.
Let me know.

Olddragger

Here is a picture of the mechatronic unit out of a dl501 transmission. Notice the right hand upper part of the unit, black part ,that has the 2 red dots. That is where the unit has temperature monitoring mechanisms/circuits. Now look at the bad picture of my unit. It is obvious what melted off of mine.
Now concerning the filter. Yes you are right ! Trans filters do get dirty...that is why they are there, right? Our transmission has two filter...one inside the unit and the one outside the trans. My picture is the one outside the transmission. The internal one was also very dirty. You can see "gobs" of stuff on my filter picture and if you feel this stuff with your fingers it is obvious that it is not the normal stuff that usually collects on one.
I do apologize for the quality of the pictures and will take better ones my next visit.
My guys at the garage just got back from the IMSA race last week and we really haven't had the time to sit down and draw out the plans for temp gauge and cooler. The trans pan is pretty shallow and pitting a bung there may be problematic. Instead perhaps one in the fill hole...it is currently thought. The cooler will probably tap into the Oem return line, have a thermostat and switched fan. The switch and temp gauge will be in the Oem smokers package spot....but we haven't looked at the details yet. Things may change.One of the guys at the garage thinks we have a voltage control problem also. He is trying to look into that but it is difficult. I am not sure but I believe that Porsche had a transmission flash available in 2017 addressing this issue?
Once all of this is over I will see if I can get that unit shipped to you.....and appreciate your offer to delve into this unit a little more. Some of the solenoids are shot so their resistance etc will be all off.
Stay tuned!

VAGfan

What does your mechanic mean by a "voltage control problem"???

Also, here is a kit with a heat exchanger with fan, a pump, and hoses, that could be adapted to the DL501 DSG/PDK. This company SSP specializes in DSG upgrades, but they don't have a specific kit for the DL501.
These items could be bought for less separately.
EVO Titan Series Front Mount Transmission Cooler (sspperformance.com)

Pump:
12V High Volume Oil Pump - General - NEW/USED PRODUCTS (sspperformance.com)
Tilton 40-527: Cooler Pump For Continuous Use Longer Than 2 Hours - JEGS High Performance

Heat exchangers:
Derale Cooling Products 15960 Derale Hyper-Cool Remote Fluid Coolers with Fan Kits | Summit Racing
Hayden Automotive 689 Hayden Rapid-Cool Transmission Oil Coolers | Summit Racing
Summit Racing SUM-331000 Summit Racing™ Heat Sink Transmission Coolers | Summit Racing

With built in fan thermostat:
B&M 70298 B&M Hi-Tek SuperCoolers with Fans | Summit Racing

Olddragger

Thanks! The B&M one is what I am thinking off. For this job I like the plate type coolers. Will have stainless lines and aircraft style fittings. We will probably do a horiziotal mount on a underbody panel. It appears there is not any room for a horozionql bung mount from the pan ( it is too shallow) and a vertical bung will run into the cross brace....so we will have to use the return line from the factory cooler. That is when it can get tricky. The transmission pump that to the Oem cooler doesn't come on until around 100C. I don't think I can use any additional pump for the fluid in that line so the secondary cooler will be dependent on that flow. This should work out fine but I would have loved a totally divorced system.

VAGfan

How about a right angle bung?

I think you want to splice in the added cooler in the line where the ATF flow exits the existing radiator heat exchanger, as on a hot day, the engine coolant in the radiator will be very hot in low-airflow driving speed conditions.

So I tried if my Ross-Tech VCDS scanner product (for VW & Audi) could communicate with the PDK TCU, but it does not for my 2019 Macan. I thought I read that somebody could get their VCDS to communicate with the TCU, but maybe it only works for earlier than 2019 Macans.
I am thinking you might have to do some clutch and/or shift servo adaptations when you replace your Mechatronic.

What does your mechanic mean by a "voltage control problem"???

Olddragger

Sorry I didn't answer that earlier. One of my mechanics aske me if my car was reflashed in 2017. There was a software flash for the transmission because of voltage spikes being seen. I don't know if there is a long dwell associated with the spike or if the voltage just was too high, don't know if it was the TCU doing this or the engine control module. I will try to find out more details. Who knows, it maybe a voltage problem along with a temp problem? It seems to me if it was just a voltage problem there would have been more early failures? Perhaps the reflash also adjusted the cooling parameters in the transmission? Opening valves and starting pumps at a lower temperature perhaps. Dang I do wish at least we would have a accurate engine coolant gauge. Sigh! I do wonder what is the true engine coolant temp. Mine stays at 200F all the time while driving....even though the oil temps will wax and wane when I hit the sport button... the engine coolant stays the same.
My junkyard transmission is in town now and just waiting to be delivered to the shop....so that is good.
It would be nice to have a finned transmission pan to help with cooling too. But first things first...temp gauge to collect data.
My wife drives Audi's and I too have a reader for Audi...but it would not connect with my Macan either.
I do wonder how much hotter the fluid is around the clutches, especially during stop and go driving.

Olddragger

This will not be a rambling post like the above lol. My transmission has arrived at the shop and the cannabilistic process should begin this coming week. The location that was decided r the trans temp gauge was in the smokers package site. It will be an electric gauge. Which one to use has not yet been decided.

Olddragger

Ok car will be on their lift sometime this week. I have more pictures of my old mechatronic unit to try and visualized the melting that occurred. The primary area that melted is the spot that houses the temperature sensor on the mechatronic unit ( their is another one in the actual mechanical unit). The mechanic is looking to see if a transmission temps can be monitored using the Oem sensors with a separate gauge. I will post pics soon. The voltage problem previously mentioned concerns a part within the TCU. It was first identified as a problem source my a company in Europe that does total rebuilds. Wether this continues to be a possible source of a problem remains to be seen. One thing we are going to do is once and for all determine is if the clutch packs are actually the same between models. If they are not then wouldn't that surprise some?!

Olddragger

After an exhaustive search I have been unable to find ANYONE that has checked the operating temperatures on the control/ clutch side of our transmissions. I did find where some Audi owners did check theirs (dl501) but that may not be relevant for us. Porsche did design new software for the trans and the cooling parameters that causes the engagement of pumps etc may have also been changed. Perhaps not ...just don't know. Guess I will be breaking into new ground here.
I have found out that the Macan is the heaviest vehicle this transmission has been placed in, that may mean something or it may not, still it is interesting.

Petza914

​​​​​​There's a reason they don't use it in the Cayennes - they're Tiptronic only because of the vehicle weight and towing capacity.

Olddragger

Makes sense. Hopefully mine will be on the road end of next week and I can start monitoring. Honestly I will be surprised if it stays below 200F during just normal driving. This will be interesting.

VAGfan

The heaviest vehicle that uses the DL501 PDK is the 2018 Audi S7, which weighs 4480 pounds. It has a 4L twin turbo V8 making 406 ft-lbs of torque.

Olddragger

I stand corrected...so that is about 200--300 more lbs than the usual Macan. Thanks for the info!