Installed a Tremec Magnum XL in my S550

[ponie1992]

I'm getting close to finishing this swap with my slow progress working an hour here and there a few days a week.
Does anyone have any pictures of how to clean up the wiring? I went in there with some zip ties and couldn't find many spots to attach to.
Also not sure what to do with the way the harness runs around the bellhousing.

Here's a possible solution to the reverse lockout clearance that I'm going to try...

I bought this reverse lockout delete on ebay. It comes with a very stiff spring by default, and the seller includes a softer spring as an option if the stiff spring is too strong. I'm going to try the stiff spring to start.

Before

After

I also keep running into problems with the JPC racing driveshaft loop. I had to burr grind the holes to make it fit since they weren't drilled properly for my car. Had to bend it a bit to get the loop to clear the transmission tunnel. Finally figured that all out and installed it and now it is contacting the stock passenger side exhaust right at the flex joint. Still trying to figure out what to do about it. Tempted to throw in the towel and get some long tubes, but for one I have strict emissions in Colorado and two: I'm getting impatient to drive this thing!

Here's the driveshaft loop mount holes under the crossmember to show how they don't line up the same. I matched the crossmember to make it fit, but it was a shame to grind a nice new piece and then repaint it.

Hard to tell from the pictures but that flex coupling is pressing hard into the the driveshaft loop mount.

My JPC loop contacts the top of the tunnel. I believe the instructions even say it will. Other than that, no issues with mine that I've noticed. I have Pypes longtubes.

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[Ruiner46]

My JPC loop contacts the top of the tunnel. I believe the instructions even say it will. Other than that, no issues with mine that I've noticed. I have Pypes longtubes.

I couldn't even get the loop part on without bending the long part to the loop a little bit. I don't mind that it makes contact, but it was too tight at first. The interference with the stock exhaust wasn't great, so I removed the loop until my headers arrive.

Happy to report that the reverse lockout delete works great. I'm using the stronger spring and I wouldn't want it any lighter. It doesn't take that much effort.

Also happy to report that my car is on the ground and finally running. Now to make the tune changes and check that the speed sensor is working correctly. I am attempting to only change the tune and not use the Bowler harness, so I'll report back if that works.

 

[Ruiner46]

Tune changed with HPTuners, and I got the speed sensor working without a conversion box or Bowler harness. Cruise control works, and it seems to drive great.

Question for everyone who has done this swap... What are you using for a lower dust boot under the shift boot to seal the hole where the shifter comes through? I don't have anything and there is a ton of heat coming from under the console.

I saw that db252 has the boot from the MT82 MGW shifter. Does anyone sell a boot without buying a shifter?

 

[ponie1992]

I couldn't even get the loop part on without bending the long part to the loop a little bit. I don't mind that it makes contact, but it was too tight at first. The interference with the stock exhaust wasn't great, so I removed the loop until my headers arrive.

Happy to report that the reverse lockout delete works great. I'm using the stronger spring and I wouldn't want it any lighter. It doesn't take that much effort.

Also happy to report that my car is on the ground and finally running. Now to make the tune changes and check that the speed sensor is working correctly. I am attempting to only change the tune and not use the Bowler harness, so I'll report back if that works.

Hell, I even installed my loop with the full exhaust in place lol. Wasn't the most fun I've ever had.

 

[ponie1992]

Tune changed with HPTuners, and I got the speed sensor working without a conversion box or Bowler harness. Cruise control works, and it seems to drive great.

Question for everyone who has done this swap... What are you using for a lower dust boot under the shift boot to seal the hole where the shifter comes through? I don't have anything and there is a ton of heat coming from under the console.

I saw that db252 has the boot from the MT82 MGW shifter. Does anyone sell a boot without buying a shifter?

I've heard MGW will sell the boot separately. I was lucky and found someone that had one laying around.

Cruise control is in the tune and your speedometer reads off a wheel sensor. I think the bowler harness is more for the pcm to know what's going on. I'm sure someone in here will be able to elaborate.

 

[Ruiner46]

I've heard MGW will sell the boot separately. I was lucky and found someone that had one laying around.

Cruise control is in the tune and your speedometer reads off a wheel sensor. I think the bowler harness is more for the pcm to know what's going on. I'm sure someone in here will be able to elaborate.

Thanks for the info, I'll try contacting MGW.

The bowler harness changes the number of pulses per revolution of the transmission output shaft sensor. The PCM needs this information for a lot of things, probably mostly for its torque based engine management. Cruise control just happens to be one of those things, so if cruise control works, then you know you've set it up properly.

I also datalogged the transmission output shaft speed and compared it to engine RPM. If you multiply the output shaft speed by the current gear's ratio, then you should get the RPM.

 

[ponie1992]

Thanks for the info, I'll try contacting MGW.

The bowler harness changes the number of pulses per revolution of the transmission output shaft sensor. The PCM needs this information for a lot of things, probably mostly for its torque based engine management. Cruise control just happens to be one of those things, so if cruise control works, then you know you've set it up properly.

I also datalogged the transmission output shaft speed and compared it to engine RPM. If you multiply the output shaft speed by the current gear's ratio, then you should get the RPM.

I'm not up on what all the Bowler harness is there for, PCM wise. But, my cruise control didn't work until PBD made some changes in the tune. I wish I knew what they had to do to get it working.

 

[Ruiner46]

I'm not up on what all the Bowler harness is there for, PCM wise. But, my cruise control didn't work until PBD made some changes in the tune. I wish I knew what they had to do to get it working.

It was probably telling the PCM what the transmission's gear ratios are. Correcting the speed sensor is one thing, whether it is done the way I did (in the tune) or with the Bowler harness.

The only other thing I changed in the tune is the min/max ranges of the transmission gear ratios. I removed the MT82 numbers and put in the ratios for the T56 version that I got (2.66 1st, etc)

By the way, because of you and your YouTube content, it looks like I'll be getting a diff bolt upgrade next I subscribed to your channel, and I hope you're planning an install video for the brace and through-bolt kit.

 

[ponie1992]

It was probably telling the PCM what the transmission's gear ratios are. Correcting the speed sensor is one thing, whether it is done the way I did (in the tune) or with the Bowler harness.

The only other thing I changed in the tune is the min/max ranges of the transmission gear ratios. I removed the MT82 numbers and put in the ratios for the T56 version that I got (2.66 1st, etc)

By the way, because of you and your YouTube content, it looks like I'll be getting a diff bolt upgrade next I subscribed to your channel, and I hope you're planning an install video for the brace and through-bolt kit.

Yeah, I'm not sure what PBD had to do. They had the ratios from the beginning and took a couple revisions. Oh well, it works so no complaints.

Right on man! Glad I can help some people avoid my costly mistake. Thank you for subbing! And yes, I'll definitely film all the fixes for the rear.

 

[Alex.Envy]

@db252 where did you get the QA1 drive shaft from?

 

[db252]

@db252 where did you get the QA1 drive shaft from?

The only place that was able to get it and still may be was Modern Driveline. They had proprietary rights to it somehow. Even QA1 wouldn’t build it for me. That may have changed since then but that was the main reason I bought my kit through them.

 

[Alex.Envy]

Thanks. I talked to QA1 and they told me to talk to MDL as well.

 

[db252]

Yup. Still proprietary but don’t know why. It’s not like MDL doesn’t get them all completed by QA1.

 

[Plimmer]

I ordered a QA1 through Summit Racing. The Magnum XL shafts all seem to be custom, so you have to complete their order form and submit it via one of their authorized distributors.

Haven’t received my shaft yet, but I have paid for it, expecting to receive it middle August.

 

[Alex.Envy]

Yeah,

I have an aluminum one now but would like to switch to CF.

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