ZF8 8-Speed Transmission

[adams355]

Hey I didn't want to say trannys 👨👩🌈 Dirty things.

[adams355]

I am putting this on hold for a while as Dominator Australia are bringing out a hardware and software conversion in the future, I don't know when but its still happening. The software will be the big bonus as its a large outlay for the HTU gear which isn't a plug n play

[adams355]

Some of the zf8 conversion parts already available outside dominator

 

https://pmcmotorsport-shop.com/product-eng-3433-Adapter-Kit-Ford-Barra-BMW-N57N-N57-ZF-8HP70.html

 

https://htg-tuning.com/product-category/electronics/

 

https://htg-tuning.com/shop/zf-8hp-complete-wiring-service/

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/185467045046?epid=21018902702&hash=item2b2eb284b6:g:JN8AAOSwieJiq1c7&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoNy9AmsjXspTD2zgZo1NbGYhwBgt4pBCUesn0c7HHVWUFjvx%2Bm4NsUQJpvD5jARoSwMTgNMQfuoEFI6D7OnsVJjKMLXeD0TFekk9%2FSILORNB2ZG9a5kTsJGBwEKXPvrbyaeBMVcLnS5k61hvkVEn79WSm1Pc7rU0uKfUwKVMqLGKNe8vt%2F8ljrtvx5kBm6YwsmsIMQN4uwUo1n4SK0%2FySiE%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8Sjgrq9YA

 

The 70 has been shown to be very strong 1000HP. The 75 is a step up again and has a better gear set for the falcon I think.

 

https://www.facebook.com/HTGtuning/

[Puffwagon]

Not too bad when you consider what a built zf 6 speed goes for. I wonder if the territory transfer case fits on the back? The BMW transfer case has the output shafts in the right locations however and seems to have an electronic lock incorporated.

[biddie_fiddler]

👀👀
https://pmcmotorsport-shop.com/product-eng-3433-Adapter-Kit-Ford-Barra-BMW-ZF-8HP-8HP75-8HP70-8HP50.html

 

[biddie_fiddler]

 Edit: I pressed post too early bit mistake! 

 

 

Looks like there is pathway using a bunch of after sh*t to get a zf 8hp into a falcon now. Listed below is everything you'd need to get it to work and look completely factory. Plus a new dash because I don't see an easy way of telling the factory dash what gear you're in over 6th gear. I'll explain more below.

 

• Adapter plate linked above
• HTG tuning GCU (gearbox control unit)
• Haltech PnP ECU, required to talk to the GCU
• Haltech Dash
• Mako dash insert - make it look like factory
• Custom trans mount, probably
• Some sort of custom tailshaft, probably
• The transmission itself

 

 

Start pricing all that and it gets real expensive. Not worth it tbh but at least there is a pathway! I wish I had the money to do this just because.

 

 

As for the dash. The way LCD coding works, the microcontroller has something called a "lookup table". Basically, when you want to display a "1", it goes to this table so it knows what pixel pattern is required to display said "1". Now, we know the dash can display "P, R, D, 1, 2....6". These will all be in a lookup table. Unfortunately, there is now way of knowing if they've implemented an entire lookup table (ASCII for basic numbers and letters) or whether they were memory constrained and only implemented what they needed.

IF the code supports all ASCII inputs, it means that you can display numbers 7 & 8, no dash required. I have worked with an LCD before on a work project, and the code to look in to the table isn't character dependant. Hoping it'll be the same for the dash. Here is what a font table looks like, this one is 5x7 pixels. It would be pretty cool if this just worked when you tell the dash its in 8th gear 

 

// standard ascii 5x7 font
// defines ascii characters 0x20-0x7F (32-127)

static const char font5x7[] = {
	0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,// (space)
	0x00, 0x00, 0x5F, 0x00, 0x00,// !
	0x00, 0x07, 0x00, 0x07, 0x00,// "
	0x14, 0x7F, 0x14, 0x7F, 0x14,// #
	0x24, 0x2A, 0x7F, 0x2A, 0x12,// $
	0x23, 0x13, 0x08, 0x64, 0x62,// %
	0x36, 0x49, 0x55, 0x22, 0x50,// &
	0x00, 0x05, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00,// '
	0x00, 0x1C, 0x22, 0x41, 0x00,// (
	0x00, 0x41, 0x22, 0x1C, 0x00,// )
	0x08, 0x2A, 0x1C, 0x2A, 0x08,// *
	0x08, 0x08, 0x3E, 0x08, 0x08,// +
	0x00, 0x50, 0x30, 0x00, 0x00,// ,
	0x08, 0x08, 0x08, 0x08, 0x08,// -
	0x00, 0x60, 0x60, 0x00, 0x00,// .
	0x20, 0x10, 0x08, 0x04, 0x02,// /
	0x3E, 0x51, 0x49, 0x45, 0x3E,// 0
	0x00, 0x42, 0x7F, 0x40, 0x00,// 1
	0x42, 0x61, 0x51, 0x49, 0x46,// 2
	0x21, 0x41, 0x45, 0x4B, 0x31,// 3
	0x18, 0x14, 0x12, 0x7F, 0x10,// 4
	0x27, 0x45, 0x45, 0x45, 0x39,// 5
  };

 

[Puffwagon]

Looks like you don't need a Haltech to run it. Still could be a worthwhile thing for those wanting a stronger trans instead of forking out 10k for a built 6 speed.

 

ECU integration. How can GCU get data ?

GCU is capable of reading any data required to run the setup from CAN bus or analog inputs. This means, that if you have a PPS, MAP sensor, Engine RPM on CAN bus, you can read them, and use them in GCU tune, or just connect analog signals directly.

Also there are options to use different user input devices starting from OEM CAN bus selectors, analog selectors, paddle and sequential shifters finishing on analog mode knob or other generic sensors.

[biddie_fiddler]

Oh yea, I forgot to mention that it can be set up to mimic a haltech IO expander hence why I mentioned using the haltech. It also comes back to the factory cluster integration. If the cluster can't display gear 7 and 8, its kinda pointless. At lease that's my opinion. I'm a fan of keeping everything neat and looking factory. Sticking an external gear indication display somewhere is not factory 😂

[Puffwagon]

Each to his own, my priorities lie with function, I cgf about a minor cosmetic issue 

 

Also how are you willing to remove the factory dash for a haltech screen yet not willing to have a gear indicator? Ain't nothing factory about an aftermarket dash lol

[Romulus]

There's no comparison between the ZF 6 speed to the 8 speed. The 8 speed in my 550i is sensational, the 2-3 and 3-4 gearshifts are violent, almost like a SMG or robotised manual.

 

If you're going down the path of fitting a 8 speed, go all out and do a AWD conversion. It can be done, I'd adapt the SZ AWD diff to the engine sump, with a fair bit of rework/engineering.

 

Then figure out how to get a launch control program working. My car on a full tank of fuel runs 11.52 @ 122mph completely stock standard. I think a Falcon with 450-500rwkw should run low 10's easily set up correctly with AWD and a good launch program.

 

It'd make an interesting $50-100k project.