8 Speed Swap -- a reality

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76z28

Veteran Member
Jun 29, 2009
3,260
bakersfield
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76z28

Veteran Member
Jun 29, 2009
3,260
bakersfield
More updates on how the car is driving:
Changed the oil Friday. Went from a 0w-40 to a 15w-50 and cut the oil filter open. Everything looked pretty good, but I felt the oil was thinning out due to the heat here. 15w-50 stayed more consistent for oil pressure, so that's what I'll use during summer now. I get about 38 at idle with it and 46 at cruise. With the 0w-40 it was 32 at idle and 40 at cruise.

This was the first "long freeway" test. Took it for about an 80 mile cruise this weekend. It was a nice 72 when we left the house. Filled up the tank and hit the freeway. Cruising at about 70-75mph showed about 1800rpm on the tach. Engine ran 191* and transmission at 50*. Went to about 80 and the tach was right at 1900rpm. Talk about perfect. Still plenty of power to pass(it would downshift to 7th or just had enough torque to pull through). I stayed in my "P1" setting which is my eco mode. It drove extremely well. VERY smooth with the CV style drive shaft. Car got about 12.9mpg(I was running e30, figure I could also lean it out some based on the data I got too). If it was regular I think 15 would have been no problem at 80mph. Took it on a 2 lane back road too for a ways and at 55-63mph it stayed in 7th which was 1900rpm--again just right. If I went to 65 or faster it would go to 8th gear and drop to 1400rpm--not bad but there is quite a bit of drone.

All in all, the car did extremely well. Got back and did a nice little spirited cruise in P5 mode, and man does that wake it up. At part throttle it'll just chirp the tires on 2-3,3-4 shifts every time. Honestly it makes the car a blast to drive hard!
 

biker

Veteran Member
Dec 7, 2014
8,165
Canada
More updates on how the car is driving:
Changed the oil Friday. Went from a 0w-40 to a 15w-50 and cut the oil filter open. Everything looked pretty good, but I felt the oil was thinning out due to the heat here. 15w-50 stayed more consistent for oil pressure, so that's what I'll use during summer now. I get about 38 at idle with it and 46 at cruise. With the 0w-40 it was 32 at idle and 40 at cruise.

This was the first "long freeway" test. Took it for about an 80 mile cruise this weekend. It was a nice 72 when we left the house. Filled up the tank and hit the freeway. Cruising at about 70-75mph showed about 1800rpm on the tach. Engine ran 191* and transmission at 50*. Went to about 80 and the tach was right at 1900rpm. Talk about perfect. Still plenty of power to pass(it would downshift to 7th or just had enough torque to pull through). I stayed in my "P1" setting which is my eco mode. It drove extremely well. VERY smooth with the CV style drive shaft. Car got about 12.9mpg(I was running e30, figure I could also lean it out some based on the data I got too). If it was regular I think 15 would have been no problem at 80mph. Took it on a 2 lane back road too for a ways and at 55-63mph it stayed in 7th which was 1900rpm--again just right. If I went to 65 or faster it would go to 8th gear and drop to 1400rpm--not bad but there is quite a bit of drone.

All in all, the car did extremely well. Got back and did a nice little spirited cruise in P5 mode, and man does that wake it up. At part throttle it'll just chirp the tires on 2-3,3-4 shifts every time. Honestly it makes the car a blast to drive hard!
Nice. If you can just pick a mode and go without any weird behaviour, that is a fantastic upgrade.
 

76z28

Veteran Member
Jun 29, 2009
3,260
bakersfield
Long post but honestly, not much going on with this. It's too hot to go outside, but I have a few people message me out of interest and one person is using my transmission tune as he works out some kinks in his car.

I will say STAY AWAY from HTG. After their implosion they still don't have firmware out to be able to truly use their system. It's also overly complex and doesn't have very many "features"

"Seems Legit Garage" will basically just drop all support for you after you buy their system. They really never did any tuning. They were using Bartek(owner of HTG) to remote in while they remoted in, so it was a little shady on how that works. So if you have issues you're on your own.

It's best to just piece together a swap and then go to Turbolamik, Cantcu, Maxxecu or Sound German Automotive.


Just some rambling thoughts on my car:

I've only driven the car a few times with some testing of throttle map to make it "smoother" that I didn't like. That "issue" was self-created, but I had forgotten the trans is seeing PPS(pedal) and not TPS(throttle). So that meant when I changed the throttle map to be more like "oem" where the curve is more exponential, I needed to change the map in the transmission. Totally forgot and the car wouldn't shift LOL then I remembered and honestly it made the car feel HEAVY.. kind of like a modern truck more than anything.

Switched it back to completely linear and the car was just roasting the tires. Before it was a mixture of the two... changed it up a little more and now it's a pretty easy driving car, without laying rubber at the slightest touch of the throttle. This could also be brought on by the fact I did engage 1st gear now. It helps get off the line, shifts short into second and is already in the power as it hits second so it works out perfectly. No dead spots in how it shifts which is awesome.
If I had the money/time to throw this transmission into my 2500hd silverado.. I would in a heartbeat
 

76z28

Veteran Member
Jun 29, 2009
3,260
bakersfield
I'd like to see what gains you actually see in the 1/4 mile v.s. a traditional 3 or 4 speed od with no other changes but this transmission.
I think that really depends on the car. IF you have enough power to overcome the spread in gears, lower gearing, and a stall, the 8 speed starts losing it's advantage. That's the point of the 8 speed though, to have your cake and eat it too. I get the lower gearing so no need in the stall(with my car). I get highway gears too! The 8 speed is a sweet spot for a well-mannered street car that you might race.

I will say between this and a 4l80, my car would easily gain 0.5 second based on the data logs(looking at speed over time @wot)

Also cruising a few people with no changes to the engine itself and just doing the rear/8 speed, I can barely be in it where it sounds like they are much harder on the throttle than I am--that's all perceived based on sound. No data to prove it. Only data point I might have is a buddy's camaro versus mine. Before, with the 4l80, I would stay ahead of him maybe pulling a tiny bit. Now? It's like I'm spraying a 200 shot of nitrous.

I do wish I could have a before and after 3/4 speed to 8 speed comparison.
 

biker

Veteran Member
Dec 7, 2014
8,165
Canada
It only makes sense that the 8 speed would be that good compared to 3/4 speed. Shorter gaps, ability to stay in the torque with every shift. Quick, firm shift quality is the icing on the cake.
CVT would be the next level if they could work as well in a car as they do in a snowmobile. It's perfect for a peaky 2 stroke. Allows my sled to hit power peak at 8100 and stay there til fully shifted out.
I find them painful in a car though.
 

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