Help on ZF to Jatco 5 speed auto conversion

[alidoggz]

Hey guys, I'm considering doing a conversion from a ZF 5HP18 auto transmission to (what I presume is) a Jatco 5 speed auto. I can't see any codes on the Jatco box but the trans ecu is a JECS model. My car is a 1991 525i and the donor car sitting on my back lawn is a 1992 525i. Both are of Japanese origin.My main question relates to interfacing the electronics. Has anyone done this before successfully? Is it just a case of replacing the trans ecu by cutting off the existing connector and soldering the Jatco connector onto the wires. The connectors look very different so I'm hoping the wiring is common between the two cars (ie colour coded the same way).Thanks for any help anyone has!Alistair.

 

[teejay]

ally,

its not so easy to just transfer electronic codes/wiring system over from one manufacturer's system to another.

easy way out is to take out your whole ecu wirngs and replace it with the donor jatco ecu wirings, you will have to swap just the wirings not not sensors

then swap the gearbox from the zf to the jatco , together with the longshaft

cheers

 

[pussy]

you have totally swap everything, including the shift sensor,the meters,the gear lever selector module, even the check control.. inclusive of the engine wiring and ABS loom.. they are all together.. also the wiring below the dashboard and ecu's..

not a easy task.. you will have mark every single connector to ensure your ecu dun fry..

just a question, why want to use the Jacto box ? they are hopeless..

 

[snchin]

i always thought that ZF autoboxes are the best and Jatco's are lousy. Why go backwards?

 

[alidoggz]

Thanks guys, you have clarified that for me. It seems like it will be too much hassle. I was going to do the swap as I have one good Jatco and one bad ZF. I'll probably end up doing a manual conversion now.

 

[pussy]

manual conversion ? do you have all the parts ?

 

[alidoggz]

For about 50 - 70% $$ extra than doing it the usual way a place in Auckland New Zealand does the conversions on tap, no sourcing of parts required (the parts aren't easy to find here). Might go that way.

 

[ski]

i always thought that ZF autoboxes are the best and Jatco's are lousy.

......btw how to tell a bimmer is using ZF or Jatco?

 

[alidoggz]

My ZF is clearly labeled on the gearbox label. The jatco has a label but the text has gone due to ageing. I located the Jatco ecu (driver side door behind the speaker) - this was a JECS box. The ZF I think has a GS 7.10 ecu (a much bigger ecu box than the JECS one).