The Official Auto-to-Manual Transmission Swap Thread

[casperlynn]

Are you sure about that? I never heard that

Positive

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If you have a combination that works now, why not just keep doing it that way? Maybe I don't understand what the problem is.

If you have an E36 DMFW, you could use an E36 pressure plate and an E46 M3 friction plate. That is what I did.

You grasped the situation. Thanks for confirming the configuration requirements.

[jrsmitchell]

@casperlynn, I'm glad you posted this. I've been trying to collect info on the 330/530/Z4 trans swap in this thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...0-6-speed-swap

If you have anything you think you can add I'd appreciate it.

I was planning to use the complete 530 clutch setup (flywheel, disc, pressure plate) but now I'm second guessing that. Is the dual mass flywheel currently in the car you original M3 flywheel or one that came with the 530 trans?

[casperlynn]

Jeff, it was an e36 flywheel, e46 tranny and clutch. UUC talked me out of retaining the dual mass and went with a Fidanza light weight.

[Inflame]

Small issue, maybe one of you guys had it before... Car is a 1995 S50 btw.

Finished my auto-manual swap on my track car, went to go start it for the first time since November last night and it wouldn't idle, at all. It would sound loopy like 3 cylinders are firing, for a loop or two then die. If I hold the gas, it'll rev up then sound like it's misfiring then rev up, sound like a misfire then shut off.

Any one ever experience this?

[channing93]

In swapping a 97 m3 manual tranny into a 93 325i automatic, are the mounting bolts that gold the tranny to the motor the same? Theyre too short idk if i have the bolts mixed or something but they wont fit

[Inflame]

Fixed that issue. Now my issue is that none of the cluster items are working. It lights up but fuel gauge, tach, coolant are not moving.

The turn signal indicators work, CEL is lit up, etc. Just none of the needs are moving.

[spngr311]

t makes the car run like a 5 speed car but it doesn't get rid of the Warning Light. Most people just remove the bulb but I wanted a better solution.

I stole part of these instructions from an earlier post in the E36 Auto/Manual Tranny Swap thread. I changed it slightly to reflect my personal way of doing this.

I found that all of your cars information including what tranny you have and what options you have are stored in 3 codes. The GM code has basic info like body style, engine etc. The SA code has all your options like Fully Auto Top, Cruise Control, Heated Seats etc, The VN code has more info that isn't important here. These codes are stored in several modules but its initially stored in the Instrument Cluster (KOMBI). From there BMW copies it to the other modules that use it. This is important because you can change the codes in individual modules and the others remain unaffected or you can change it in the cluster and all the other modules will be recoded with the same info. Its stored in 2 places in the cluster...an EEPROM chip and the Coding Plug. BMW stored it in two places as a safety measure so you always have a backup. Its very unlikely your cluster and coding plug will both die at the same time. In E36's... Auto or Manual tranny is part of the GM code. In other cars its part of the SA code. It's important to note that OBDI cars do NOT have a coding plug in the cluster. I haven't done enough research to know where else these codes are initially stored in OBDI cars.

After doing some research I found if you change the GM code in the cluster it will turn off the warning light and recode all the other modules.

To fix this, you need to change the GM code stored in KOMBI; this is done through comparing a value from the E36ZST.000 file in NCS Expert’s Daten Folder with your current GM code. This is simpler than it sounds.

Steps:
1) Find your current GM code from DIS; this is located in programming under ZCS/FA Coding – Choose Print Current Values. Answer the questions provided and note down all three codes when you get them. (GM, SA & VM will be displayed).

Since DIS takes a while to boot up you can find the same info in INPA. Open INPA and choose your model. Then under the BODY heading choose Electronic Vehicle Imobilization (EWS). Open that and fromthe sub headings choose CODING. You'll see your VIN followed by 3 numbers. C1=GM code, C2=SA code,C3=VN code.

2) Open the following file in notepad C:\NCSEXPER\DATEN\E36\E36ZST.000

3) Find the line with your model, engine, old transmission and US/Euro information. You will see a 8
character value on the left of the large number of 0’s that will look something like mine 14F30000.
(The non-0 parts of this number should match the start of your GM code.)

4) Locate the same car but in manual, you will see the value above is slightly different, for an e36
328-cabrio manual the value is 14E30000. Note this down; this will be the base for your new GM code.

5) Now match your new GM code found in the last step with your current GM code provided by DIS but
ignoring the last digit, which is only a checksum value. For example:
Old GM code from DIS: 14F30000K
I found the manual GM base code to be 14E30000. My new GM code will be 14E30000 (and we will work out the last digit in the next step).

6) Open NCS Expert. (My version is in English)
Click File > Load Profil
Choose Expertmode
Press the first button – FG/ZCS/FA
Press the first button again – ZCS eingeben
Choose your model (e36)
Insert your VIN, Tick checksum and Press OK
Enter your new GM (without the last digit) (Eg: 14F30000)
Enter your current SA (without the last digit) (Eg: 0000482001228491)
Enter your current VN (without the last digit) (Eg: 0004BFA936)
Tick checksum and press OK.

Just a quick note on entering these numbers. You may see your vin listed with an extra digit at the end. Mine was listed with a Y at the end. Disregard that extra digit and tick "check sum" when you enter the vin.
You may get an error saying Vin Invalid or SA invalid or VN invalid..If you do you may have to leave the last 2 digits off when you enter it. I had to leave the last two off of either my SA or my VN. I cant remember which one.

7) Now in the top part of the display you will be provided with your new GM including your last character, which is the checksum value (mine was 14E30000H).

8) Back in DIS choose Coding/Programming
Choose ZCS/FA Coding
Choose Recoding
Select your series
Select Recoding
Select KOMBI
KOMBI Selected? choose YES
Continue pressing the green arrow till you get to CHASSIS #
Change? NO
The next screen will ask if you want to change your GM,SA,VN
Choose YES
Use the buttons on the right to enter your new GM Code including the zeros at the beginning and the new Checksum Digit at the end.
When SA and VN are displayed just choose YES and it will leave them the same.
Now all three will be displayed.
Indication Correct? choose YES if they are correct.
Start Auto Coding? Choose YES
DIS will now auto program every module that uses those three codes. When its done the Auto TrannyWarning Light will be gone and your DME will now be programed and act as if it was from a car that was originally a 5 speed.

When its done turn off the ignition for 10 seconds then enjoy your new manual tranny.

This was an excellent post and very helpful. I was able to use this procedure and get the tranny light to go off on my dash. However, the CEL still comes up for CAN Bus time out. When I ran NCS, it spit out two updated numbers. The GM code, which I updated, and a new SA code with a new checksum digit. Would changing that number cause the CEL to go out? Any help would be appreciated. Is there somewhere else I need to code to get the DME to recognize that it is a manual?

[flyfishvt]

Did you clear the code then clear engine adaptations then clear tranny adaptations then pull the chip from the tranny computer?

[spngr311]

I pulled the chip, then cleared the code then cleared the engine adaptations. Should I put the chip back do the computer stuff then take it back out?

[flyfishvt]

Insert the chip
Clear dme codes
Clear dme adaptations
Clear tranny computer adaptations
Turn off ignition
Remove chip
Run the car to insure CEL doesn't return
If it returns try again (took me 3 tries to get it)
Save that chip. Do not throw it out in case you need it down the road

[spngr311]

Where do I clear the tranny adaptations?

[flyfishvt]

What are you using to clear the engine adaptations?

[spngr311]

INPA. I can also use DIS if I need to.

[flyfishvt]

Use INPA and connect to the tranny computer

[spngr311]

Okay, thanks. I'll give that a shot tonight!

[spngr311]

I gave it a shot last night. This is the sequence I did:

-Removed the battery
-Put the chip back in
-Put the car back on the battery
-Cleared the DME Codes
-Cleared the DME adaptations
-Cleared the transmission adaptations
-Removed the battery
-Removed the chip
-Connected the battery
-Started the car (No CEL)
-Restarted the car (CEL returned)
-Repeated this process 4 times, same results.

Did I screw something up there? It's the same CAN bus error. I notice that it is always present in INPA when the chip is removed from the computer.

[flyfishvt]

Don't remove the battery. I never said remove the battery. Try clearing adaptations then codes. It took a couple times for me

[spngr311]

Ah, that is probably where I screwed up. Just so used to taking that precaution when removing the ecu or similar hardware.

[Stephen Max]

Ah, that is probably where I screwed up. Just so used to taking that precaution when removing the ecu or similar hardware.

Which is not a bad idea, actually.

[blacknite]

I have done a 5 speed conversion, supercharger and had the DME remapped with a MANUAL map. The DME is still an AUTO I have it where the car thinks its in neutral all the time. I want to do it the right way and flash it to a MANUAL. My question is, when I flash it will it erase me supercharger tune?

[flyfishvt]

There is a very good chance that will happen. Someone who knows what they are doing could make sure it doesn't happen. I wouldn't take that chance. You spent lots of cash for that tune. There is no benefit to what you want to do. The rest of the car is still an auto tranny car. All the wiring is still for an auto tranny.

Did you wire up a clutch pedal switch?

[blacknite]

I did not, but I installed a hidden switch instead. If the switch is not active the car doesn't trigger the neutral light and will not start. All I did was figured out what wires to squeeze together on the auto transmission gear selector box.

So when flashing the manual DME number it will also flash all the parameters from the daten files and reset the DME to OEM state?

[flyfishvt]

Are you talking about flashing or recoding? You can safely recode it so it thinks its from a 5 speed car. Flashing the DME is totally different. Flashing replaces the entire original software. You don't want to do that. I outlined a procedure to recode it. Look back through the last 2 or 3 pages. I just have to repeat that there is no real benefit to doing this unless your auto tranny warning light is on and you want to turn it off.

[blacknite]

Yes my Trans/ASC light is on, I thought I would have to flash the DME with the manual # first then recode following your instructions. But from my understanding I only have to recode per your instructions and then the Auto DME chip removal sequence like you suggested above then. Thanks for your help!!

[Inflame]

Any ideas about my cluster issue? Can someone snap a picture of the wiring behind their cluster?