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Thread: Transmission software update successful and ZB number

  1. #1
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    Transmission software update successful and ZB number

    I think I successfully updated my transmission software. Do a google search for "Mike's Easy BMW Tools Package" and install it. It installs all the BMW software including INPA and WinKFP. The most recent sp daten files I could find were from 2016 using this link: https://mega.nz/#F!4pQjXRYb!YmZcD6u1taTxzmiCbn5TDA (just download the e38 folder)

    This video explains very well everything you need to do in WinKFP to update the transmission software in an e60 (exact same process as e38) as well as adding the 2016 sp daten files to WinKFP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=2ObkfsNfq2s

    The hardest part is finding the right ZB number because there seems to be no UIF option in INPA for the older BMW models (does anyone know how to find them??). I used 7509369 as the ZB number to enter in "ZUSB" in WinKFP. I got that number from a post regarding flashing to Alpina transmission software (https://www.tuningdb.info/alpina_b8s_flashes), which indicates it the ZB for the Japanese version, so I have no idea if that's the correct ZB number but it worked for me!

    After following the directions on that youtube video, I successfully updated it. It took about 15 minutes. It cycled through the update process several times probably because my transmission software was never updated before. It updated me from 7505506 to 7509370. After the update completes, shut the car off, lock it, let it sit for a few minutes, and then come back to it...some people get transmission failsafe mode error and CEL if they don't let the car power off for a few minutes after the update.

    Shifting surprisingly felt smoother in all gears at low speeds and steptronic mode felt quicker. I haven't had a chance to take it on the highway yet.

    My questions: If that was the wrong ZB number, would WinKFP not have allowed it to update? On INPA, my part number changed from 1423953 to 7508972 (when I search for 7508972 on realoem, it's for the european e39 m62 transmission control unit). Is that a problem?

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by catalyst989 View Post
    My questions: If that was the wrong ZB number, would WinKFP not have allowed it to update? On INPA, my part number changed from 1423953 to 7508972 (when I search for 7508972 on realoem, it's for the european e39 m62 transmission control unit). Is that a problem?
    Quick update: I found the correct ZB number: 7508398 (use this if you have the shorter final drive ratio - ie sport package e38; use 7508396 if you have the transmission without shorter final drive ratio). The transmission is working very well and shifting very smoothly!

  3. #3
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    Great info! But I'd be anxious to update any module unless there's a list of "fixes" to see if it is needed. These modules are pushing 16-21 years old. Also, would updating one module affect another.

    What's interesting is even though updated it with the "wrong" ZB Number and didn't see any ill-effects, I wonder how much of it was a placebo?

    Was your transmission not working well or not shifting smoothly before the update? My 01's transmission feels better than my F01 (in fact, I hated it on the F01), so I'd be scared to mess anything up since they are so fickle to begin with.

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  4. #4
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    Yeah it's possible there was some placebo effect, can't reliably rule that out, but from what I could find, that wrong ZB number was for the international edition for the short wheelbase TCU anyway, which is why it worked fine without any error messages (apparently the TCU would have thrown an error message in that event).

    Previously, I was having an issue where whenever I provided between 50-75% throttle within 10 minutes of a cold start (eg while entering on a highway), the car would lurch pretty hard while shifting from 4th to 5th. It hasn't done that at all since updating with correct ZB, 7508398 (I never tested it on the highway with the prior update using the wrong ZB number).

    In terms of updating those old modules, there shouldn't be a problem as long as your battery is good and you're hooked up to a proper battery charger. I didn't use any sort of charger for the TCU update since there are used ones on eBay for pretty cheap in the event that I bricked it. I've heard of people having the car hooked up to another running car via jumpers while updating the modules instead of buying those expensive chargers.
    Last edited by catalyst989; 09-18-2017 at 10:12 PM.

  5. #5
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    Alpine 7even is offline The King Of E38 Custom BMW CCA Member
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  6. #6
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    I was reading that with the Alpina trans flash you will also need a DME tune to compensate the higher revs? Also turns regular mode into sport mode...

    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...x-CU-EGS-Flash
    Last edited by purplecty; 09-19-2017 at 11:45 AM.

  7. #7
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    Yeah, you would need the alpina DME tune for the TCU to not have a rev conflict. The Alpina ZB DME numbers are 6550220 and 8025162. I'm not sure what the difference is between the two though. You apparently will lose some power though because the Alpina is a 4.8L engine. And yeah you pretty much get sport mode out of regular mode, which seems entirely useless in my opinion.
    Last edited by catalyst989; 09-19-2017 at 09:12 PM.

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