[minaret]

Been doing track days every three months and with +220,000 miles the engine and trans are feeling weak. What upgrades or other AT swaps are available for the GM 6L45 6AT? Not planning big jump in Hp, just want a 6AT that will survive frequent track days. Car is daily driver.

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by minaret

Been doing track days every three months and with +220,000 miles the engine and trans are feeling weak. What upgrades or other AT swaps are available for the GM 6L45 6AT? Not planning big jump in Hp, just want a 6AT that will survive frequent track days. Car is daily driver.

Same trans - do a compression check on the motor and go from there. Might want to consider nust a freshing up +Valve body upgrade more than anything.

[tlow98]

Have you been swapping the fluid/filter on it? Increased intervals would be recommended for tracking.

You're likely getting faster and pushing things harder on a trans that probably isn't made for that. Good to hear it's handled the thrashing tho!

[tlow98]

As far as replacement trans...our cars did use the ZF in the 325i. I'm sure it could be made to fit and is likely a more performance oriented unit. At that point, it'd be hard to stay AT tho and not just got the manual swap.

[tdavis42]

What do you think the average cost of a manual swap would be?

[e90dum]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

What do you think the average cost of a manual swap would be?

if you did it?

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by e90dum

if you did it?

If I had it done. I am not about to get that in over my head.

[hassmaschine]

probably $3-5k.

[justpete]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

probably $3-5k.

Curious if that's parts and labor less transmission cost or total cost for parts and labor assuming mostly used parts.

[hassmaschine]

Im assuming used parts and labor.

Youd be crazy to pay a shop to do it. You could DIY for under $1000, but labor is a killer.

One day, nobody will take these cars to the shop anymore because they will be so old. Nobody ever talks about taking their E30 or E36 in, and thats when more people will be doing interesting stuff instead of worrying about their warranty expiring or not being seen in the newest thing on the road.

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

Im assuming used parts and labor.

Youd be crazy to pay a shop to do it. You could DIY for under $1000, but labor is a killer.

One day, nobody will take these cars to the shop anymore because they will be so old. Nobody ever talks about taking their E30 or E36 in, and thats when more people will be doing interesting stuff instead of worrying about their warranty expiring or not being seen in the newest thing on the road.

My biggest problem would be getting access to the transmission. I think. I am not totally sure how to even start this job, I know I could do it with the right tools but I don't have or have access to a lift that I am pretty sure but not positive I would need.

[X-M]

Don't change this transmission. It can handle over 700whp. Check out the user Gretchensgotgrowl from the camaro5 forums and read up on his build.
The 6l45 is the bmw variant of the 6l50. Same transmissions just different number for our cars.
From what i read he only put a transmission cooler and better mounts for the transmission.

Edit:spelling

Heres a link to the build thread he did. (Its a long read)

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258249

[tdavis42]

Looks like I can get a MT with 50K for about a grand. How many labor hours would you guys think are involved in the swap?

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Looks like I can get a MT with 50K for about a grand. How many labor hours would you guys think are involved in the swap?

The same amount of hours to replace a transmission, install pedal boxes, shifted and then reprogram.

That's probably 15 hours at a shop for someone has don't it. 20+ hours for a professional that hasn't.

For someone at home on ramps...that varies widely. Could be 15, could be 45.

There is no 'book' time for transimission swaps involving non OE parts that I'm aware of.

[Matte90330]

You could get the n54 trans cheaper than the n52 one if you wanted to go that route. But I'm not sure what you would have to do to get it to mount up to the engine and then the drive shaft would be another issue.

[hassmaschine]

N54 trans isn't directly bolt on.

It can be done without a lift, but it's of course harder that way. If you have another car, you could do it over the course of a couple weekends. I've done more with nothing but jackstands on a gravel driveway. You can rent a transmission jack to lower the AT and raise the MT.

Coding isn't that big of a deal really - I believe you just need to remove the AT option from your VO and recode the modules. the DME will pick it up automatically.

Anyway, if you are serious about it do your research and have a plan. If you just buy a transmission and expect to get it done in an afternoon, you're going to be in trouble. But it's really not that difficult - it's just that half of men these days don't know how to use a screwdriver, so swapping a transmission would be like building a rocket engine to them..

[tdavis42]

Thanks Hass, I am serious about it as I love this car and plan on having it for plenty of miles to come. Just meet a guy with a lift that I am going to install his jb4 for him so he will owe me one when I find a decent manual to swap in. Probably not until next holiday as the wife is already yelling about how much $$$$ I've spent so far on maintenance and upgrades.

[E91 M Sport]

Originally Posted by minaret

Been doing track days every three months and with +220,000 miles the engine and trans are feeling weak. What upgrades or other AT swaps are available for the GM 6L45 6AT? Not planning big jump in Hp, just want a 6AT that will survive frequent track days. Car is daily driver.

Bringing this thread back.

I ran across this shift kit after reading these trannies can take some abuse.

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by E91 M Sport

Bringing this thread back.

I ran across this shift kit after reading these trannies can take some abuse.

Without software changes it can do little more than act like stock parts. The software will adapt to any hardware you install or throw a fault trying.

[E91 M Sport]

Originally Posted by rjahl

Without software changes it can do little more than act like stock parts. The software will adapt to any hardware you install or throw a fault trying.

I'm sure the software tune would be icing on the cake but we're talking physically firmer springs, and heavy duty clutch rings, neither of which software can mimic.

There's this kit too.

Question is how much does this raise the torque limit of this tranny? According to GM Authority it's sitting at 275ft lbs (321hp) stock.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-transmissions/mya/

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by E91 M Sport

I'm sure the software tune would be icing on the cake but we're talking physically firmer springs, and heavy duty clutch rings, neither of which software can mimic.

There's this kit too.

Question is how much does this raise the torque limit of this tranny? According to GM Authority it's sitting at 275ft lbs (321hp) stock.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-transmissions/mya/

Maybe I misunderstood what you meant by an upgrade. If somehow you are pushing the gearbox past it's abilities to achieve target values in shift times than some hardware changes might help. I don't see any N52s putting out that much power without FI. We know that FI will push the N52 well past the limit of this gearbox.

Hardware changes alone will not change shifting times, shift points, toque management or perceived shift firmness. The TCU will simply readapt to the hardware and achieve the calibrated shift values or will fault trying. It's how the software is programmed.

This has been a bit of a hobby for me as I've been learning to tune the ZF6HP on my own car. Torque management is huge. If the GM box is similar to the ZF power reduction during a shift can be as high as 40 percent .

[F22_Raptor]

https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-20.../dp/B004X63XVU

This is more of an improvement rather than an upgrade.

Or it could be snake oil.