OEM-level 8HP swaps in E-series cars

[MR-KRAKA]

MR-KRAKA
I'm looking to do this to my e90 328i, other than measuring driveshaft ect to bolt up, what else do I need to do the swap, part for part list of how yours went, I also can't seem to find the Cantcu to be anywhere just a website. U seem to be the only other person in the states with knowledge of this swap and also a pioneer of it on the n54 platform so u have a knowledge on how to work around the kinks. Thanks,
Before anyone says buy a 335, I'm building a dedicated track car that won't kill me around a turn, so a fbo 28i is perfect for that, and I like to build what everyone says not to.
I was looking into swapping to the zf transmisson and came across the 8 spd swap wich makes me so happy cause frankly all autos in e90s suck, and they all suffer whether a mt or at they suffer from only being 6 spd and falling out of power band

I’m not affiliated with Canformance/Cantcu in any kind of business sense. Just a happy customer willing to provide help when I can (no pun intended) with my experience. I’m fairly certain it would be one of the easier integrations that have been done with the controller. It’s used across many different platforms/ECU’s. You guys would be find a lot more info on the Facebook group where Ken is much more active.

@MR-KRAKA Would you know someone who could point me in the right direction if i wanted to go Manual to this route?

As in manual control of the 8HP? Or manually writing/building a custom controller… both?

 

[SLOWESTN54]

As in manual control of the 8HP? Or manually writing/building a custom controller… both?

As in going from a manual transmission to 8hp

 

[SlowE93]

As in going from a manual transmission to 8hp

You just love fucking off money

 

[SLOWESTN54]

naw cars still for sale just exploring options

 

[SlowE93]

naw cars still for sale just exploring options

Find me a buyer for mine too. I will even clean it up a bit b4 sale.

 

[Begood69]

Ok. Im considering this cantcu option for my e90 dct swapped to swap again into a 8hp70.
Any advise? What is the price tag and what is the time to get the installation kit? Ideas? I found a 8hp70 for anout $600 close to me I will get it this week. And start the process.

Is this a better solution that lamik tcu?

 

[MR-KRAKA]

As in going from a manual transmission to 8hp

Oh lol, that’s no problem just need to change the VO to be AT and flash ECU/code the appropriate modules. Other than that you just won’t have the existing AT harness to tap power from to the new 8HP connector. Maybe some other small things like unplugging clutch switch or something. You’d be better off than most from the start really. The 3.08 diff ratio in the manual is much better suited for the swap than the 3.46 in the AT.

Ok. Im considering this cantcu option for my e90 dct swapped to swap again into a 8hp70.
Any advise? What is the price tag and what is the time to get the installation kit? Ideas? I found a 8hp70 for anout $600 close to me I will get it this week. And start the process.

Is this a better solution that lamik tcu?

The Cantcu also will control the DCT as full a standalone and comes with a custom flash. Unlike the 8HP that will use factory software+XHP if you want. If I were you I’d give that a try first with the DCT. And you will have the controller for whichever path you chose. RWD is more forgiving as far as driveshaft length AFAIK. There are several adapter manufacturers out there for the swap available. Which one you chose would all depend on your location and how soon you want it or are willing to wait a bit to some a few bucks.

I have no experience with the Lamik but from what I see on the FB group many have switched from that controller to the Cantcu. Seems like initial support and development was good but kind of fell off for it. They haven’t been able to get the refinement of the OEM software. The singular leg up they have as far as I can tell is the ability to add a simulated clutch for drifting and such. IMO this should never be done on an AT but I can also see it’s fun factor.

 

[Svmp]

As in going from a manual transmission to 8hp

Electronics-wise using CANTCU it's just flashing your DME to a Auto model and code the car with the S205 option (Auto trans), and then following the instructions found in the CANTCU wiki. For mechanical installation like driveshaft etc it fully depends which transmission you choose to go, but there are combinations that will not need any custom fabrication.

Ok. Im considering this cantcu option for my e90 dct swapped to swap again into a 8hp70.
Any advise? What is the price tag and what is the time to get the installation kit? Ideas? I found a 8hp70 for anout $600 close to me I will get it this week. And start the process.

Is this a better solution that lamik tcu?

Answered your email inquiry this morning. Let me know if you have any further questions.

 

[Begood69]

The, I just picked up the 8hp70. I will go that route and reset all my car to at setup as original vo. As fpr the m3 kombi/m3dsc/m3shifter can I use them with the cantcu? Also I'm using 1kmos bin for my tune. Is that compatible too? Or best go back too ijeos? Thx u. I emailed u back, and awaiting reply to pull the plus on the controler, but to deciding on pnp vs pin on option.

Also 1 question about the transbrake compatibility, yes?

 

[Begood69]

Oh and I guess I have to find a diff TC, the 8hp70 v8 seems diff. Which TC shpuld I use?

 

[Svmp]

The, I just picked up the 8hp70. I will go that route and reset all my car to at setup as original vo. As fpr the m3 kombi/m3dsc/m3shifter can I use them with the cantcu? Also I'm using 1kmos bin for my tune. Is that compatible too? Or best go back too ijeos? Thx u. I emailed u back, and awaiting reply to pull the plus on the controler, but to deciding on pnp vs pin on option.

Also 1 question about the transbrake compatibility, yes?

CANTCU supports a lot of various shifter/transmission combinations, so yes, you can use your M3 DCT shifter and the M3 kombi without issues. For the DME, it doesn't matter which version bin you're on as long as the main program is a 6HP version, not DCT, not manual.

Using OEM logic, there's no implementation for transbrake in it, but it's something that may or may not be possible to add in the future.

Oh and I guess I have to find a diff TC, the 8hp70 v8 seems diff. Which TC shpuld I use?

There are many options depending on which 8HP70 trans you get etc. There are adapter kits for the N57 8HP70 which is the most common one.

 

[SLOWESTN54]

There are many options depending on which 8HP70 trans you get etc. There are adapter kits for the N57 8HP70 which is the most common one.

is it possible to use a 8HP70 out of a 550i?

 

[jholmes328!]

I’m not affiliated with Canformance/Cantcu in any kind of business sense. Just a happy customer willing to provide help when I can (no pun intended) with my experience. I’m fairly certain it would be one of the easier integrations that have been done with the controller. It’s used across many different platforms/ECU’s. You guys would be find a lot more info on the Facebook group where Ken is much more active.

As in manual control of the 8HP? Or manually writing/building a custom controller… both?

Thank you for the advice and input, I really want to do this swap, and as far as I know I might be the first n52 to do it, but being 17 the money's scary, and the fact it's my only car rn lol, but I can't seem to find anything on fb I've looked and looked and can't find anything related to cantcu
Thanks

 

[Begood69]

Ok. I got me a cantcu. Now waiting delivery. I will prep all the tranny and cables on the car undoing the dct back to AT. Hope in the next 10day I have the car back on the road with a 8hp70 setup. So I can start adjusting the cAr for the 1200+whp.

 

[nibbtastic]

I know that all these TCU systems are still actively being developed and that features and information changes fast so I've gotten a bit confused and thought I'd ask: Are any of the currently available systems capable of running xHP and/or xDelete? Adding a clutch pedal? I know at least Turbolamik allows for the pedal, but I'd love to have access to all three of these for a build coming up.

 

[nibbtastic]

Additionally, is it possible to use the F10 XDrive transfer case on e9X XDrive cars from a software standpoint?

 

[Svmp]

Thank you for the advice and input, I really want to do this swap, and as far as I know I might be the first n52 to do it, but being 17 the money's scary, and the fact it's my only car rn lol, but I can't seem to find anything on fb I've looked and looked and can't find anything related to cantcu
Thanks

There are a couple of E9x N52s running CANTCU. It's nothing different from a N54 etc.

I know that all these TCU systems are still actively being developed and that features and information changes fast so I've gotten a bit confused and thought I'd ask: Are any of the currently available systems capable of running xHP and/or xDelete? Adding a clutch pedal? I know at least Turbolamik allows for the pedal, but I'd love to have access to all three of these for a build coming up.

- CANTCU is the only system capable of running xHP, as the other ones remove the OEM TCM so there's nothing left to flash xHP to.
- xDelete has nothing to do with the transmission.
- A virtual clutch pedal cannot (at the moment) be added for CANTCU because of the OEM TCM not supporting it. TurboLamik has virtual clutch pedal and transbrake functions.

Additionally, is it possible to use the F10 XDrive transfer case on e9X XDrive cars from a software standpoint?

- No. F-series transfer cases use FlexRay instead of CAN-bus for communicating, and there's no "translator" for it. That being said, the stock E-series (6HP) transfer cases bolt on directly on the 8HP transmissions, so you will just keep your stock transfer case when swapping in the 8HP, and everything will continue to work fully OEM.

 

[nibbtastic]

Thanks for the concise reply!

- A virtual clutch pedal cannot (at the moment) be added for CANTCU because of the OEM TCM not supporting it. TurboLamik has virtual clutch pedal and transbrake functions.

Does that parenthetical indicate that a virtual clutch pedal and possibly transbrake are in the works for CANTCU? That would make the choice an obvious one for BMW owners.

 

[Begood69]

I just preped the 8hp70. But I am wondering if the tc speed sensor is needed and part of the connections for the CANTCU before I discard the bell housing. Thank you

My Frankenstein 8HP70

 

[tesnion90]

Well, surely both the transfer case and front diff will at some point be weak points. But i haven't really investigated it as i don't have an xdrive-car myself.


Nope, we concentrate on controlling things. There are a ton of vendors supplying mechanical adapter plates etc for conversions like these. Places like PMC Motorsport, DomiWorks etc. Also, an adapter isn't even needed if you use a 8HP45 from a N55.

My car is an E90 335 with an N55 engine. Are you saying that if I use the 8HP45 transmission, which is compatible with the N55 engine, such as the transmission used in the F35, I won't need to use cantcu to achieve it?