[SkyJawa]

Well, I’ve finally done mine this morning, got a 50 round trip to Reading so will be run in by today.

I used the XHP WiFi adapter and used iOS on iPhone. I’d already connected and done the offline map pack download part, selected Stage 3 v1.5 and it installed in less than 3 mins!

Also selected the same custom shift points as Watsey as I also have the 30d.

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Well, I’ve finally done mine this morning, got a 50 round trip to Reading so will be run in by today.

I used the XHP WiFi adapter and used iOS on iPhone. I’d already connected and done the offline map pack download part, selected Stage 3 v1.5 and it installed in less than 3 mins!

Also selected the same custom shift points as Watsey as I also have the 30d.

Write an update about it all once you've done the miles etc... intersted to hear how you get on as this is a job I've got lined up for the end of this month

[SkyJawa]

Done the 50 miles now so can start to see what the difference is like. Shifts are smooth and it does seem to respond more urgently, only been in comfort today, downshifts a bit more eagerly too, so far it seems quite nice.

one thing I have found very quickly with stage 3 map is that in comfort and cruising even at 80, it hangs on to 7th too long, it takes aggggggggges to change from 7th to 8th…. This is exactly what Watsey found, so I think I’ll be doing the same as him and moving the shift point.

Watsey what did you set yours to?

Will see how it goes and play about a bit and report back.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Done the 50 miles now so can start to see what the difference is like. Shifts are smooth and it does seem to respond more urgently, only been in comfort today, downshifts a bit more eagerly too, so far it seems quite nice.

one thing I have found very quickly with stage 3 map is that in comfort and cruising even at 80, it hangs on to 7th too long, it takes aggggggggges to change from 7th to 8th…. This is exactly what Watsey found, so I think I’ll be doing the same as him and moving the shift point.

Watsey what did you set yours to?

Will see how it goes and play about a bit and report back.

I adjusted the 7th-8th shift point by -10% and may increase this to -15-20% as a tuned 30d has oodles of torque and is happy at ~1500rpm on a 60-70mph cruise.

All the other shift points are XHP standard.

[SkyJawa]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Will see how it goes and play about a bit and report back.

I adjusted the 7th-8th shift point by -10% and may increase this to -15-20% as a tuned 30d has oodles of torque and is happy at ~1500rpm on a 60-70mph cruise.

All the other shift points are XHP standard.

Thanks, I was thinking around 10% but may go straight to 15 then and see how it goes, also want to apply the torque limits for 3rd and 6th so will do them together then hopefully all good

Initial impressions driving around today (awful roads so only really tested comfort for any length of time) is that it just feels like it has a much sharper sense of urgency than before, wakes up much quicker

[TurboWeasel]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Thanks, I was thinking around 10% but may go straight to 15 then and see how it goes, also want to apply the torque limits for 3rd and 6th so will do them together then hopefully all good

Initial impressions driving around today (awful roads so only really tested comfort for any length of time) is that it just feels like it has a much sharper sense of urgency than before, wakes up much quicker

Thanks for the feedback

I wonder why there is torque limiting just for 3rd and 6th? ZF rate the box at 700nm (30Ds dish out <600), so could just be a BMW thing? I don't believe the Dodge Hellcat uses torque limiting in its 8HP90, but then again, I think that is a Chrysler box made under license, so might have beefier internals? Just curious.

I'll carry on mulling it over as I don't think the specific areas for improvement I'm looking for is possible with just software.....but the other benefits certainly sound appealing!

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by TurboWeasel

Thanks for the feedback

I wonder why there is torque limiting just for 3rd and 6th? ZF rate the box at 700nm (30Ds dish out <600), so could just be a BMW thing? I don't believe the Dodge Hellcat uses torque limiting in its 8HP90, but then again, I think that is a Chrysler box made under license, so might have beefier internals? Just curious.

I'll carry on mulling it over as I don't think the specific areas for improvement I'm looking for is possible with just software.....but the other benefits certainly sound appealing!

From my research it seems that 3rd and 6th use clutches which have a lower torque rating.

I set torque limits using XHP, with a lower value for those gear ratios.

The other factor to consider is whether the engine is capable of producing a level of torque which exceeds the rating of the 'box. The ECU map is one factor, but the flow rate of the turbo is another limitation.

[moppity]

Originally Posted by moppity

Flashed mine today

Did the 50 mile run in, seemed fine, so stuck Stage 2 on.

Proper test next week to see if it was 245 quid wasted

Reet, I've been running xHP stage 2 for, what, 6 weeks or so now? And coming back to what I said here…

It was definitely not money wasted. I'm pleased to say, quite the opposite. I love it! I more or less always drive in Comfort (I've got other toys to drive like a hooligan 😂 All I want from this is a decent driving daily with some poke) but used to hate the lag on the throttle. I'd frequently switch to Sport if I was anticipating some overtaking, or if I wanted a slight less docile drive 😀 Now Comfort seems to suffice for all things.

There's none of that daft throttle lag, and it seems to know what I want to do — adjusting its style as I develop a lead foot. I used to have a Porker with PDK, which was atonishing at learning how you wanted to drive in the moment — and xHP, even this stage 2 I'm running, seems to behave similarly. It'll hang on to gears and become more 'sporty' if I'm pressing on, and the shift speed is just fine, sufficiently so that I don't reach for Sport mode any more.

Yeah, I'm impressed. And most pleased with the outlay. Well worth it.

[TurboWeasel]

Originally Posted by moppity

Reet, I've been running xHP stage 2 for, what, 6 weeks or so now? And coming back to what I said here…

It was definitely not money wasted. I'm pleased to say, quite the opposite. I love it! I more or less always drive in Comfort (I've got other toys to drive like a hooligan 😂 All I want from this is a decent driving daily with some poke) but used to hate the lag on the throttle. I'd frequently switch to Sport if I was anticipating some overtaking, or if I wanted a slight less docile drive 😀 Now Comfort seems to suffice for all things.

There's none of that daft throttle lag, and it seems to know what I want to do — adjusting its style as I develop a lead foot. I used to have a Porker with PDK, which was atonishing at learning how you wanted to drive in the moment — and xHP, even this stage 2 I'm running, seems to behave similarly. It'll hang on to gears and become more 'sporty' if I'm pressing on, and the shift speed is just fine, sufficiently so that I don't reach for Sport mode any more.

Yeah, I'm impressed. And most pleased with the outlay. Well worth it.

Just what I wanted to hear

My driving style is exactly the same. I just want the car to drive how I want it to in one driving mode. It's like Clarkson used to say when questioning the point of 'Sport' buttons. Why not just make the car like that as standard? Why have a 'Worse' mode? Gotta love his simplistic view on things, but he's not wrong.

Anyway, comfort mode always was my main complaint of the ZF8, and it seems like Stage 2 is the perfect gap filler between being too relaxed, and too sporty.

I'll get it bought.

Can you flash it back to stock? I.e. remove the gear number from D? Just in case it has to go in for warranty work.

Cheers!

[moppity]

Yes TurboWeasel you can put it back to the stock “map” easily. It’s kinda like a two part sauce - you flash the firmware in the gearbox with their software, then apply a “map” for how you want the gearbox to behave. And at any point you can simply put the “stock map” on if you want.

It’s soooo much better than stock - and I’m totally with you on the daft driving mode switches 🙄 I just want a car to drive in a particular way, I’m not bothered about it being multiple characters 😂

[TurboWeasel]

Flashed it to Stage 2 last night.

I used my laptop and ENET cable, so saved £50+ on a dongle

Initial flash takes <1 minute with a laptop, which is another plus.

Got to agree with you on stage 2 comfort mode - it feels spot on (for the most part) under normal driving

What I wasn't expecting is buttery smooth downshifts, with a pint of Cornish clotted cream on top. They are so smooth, I have to look at the dash to check it actually is changing gear

The only negative so far is 8th gear lag as SkyJawa mentioned. It's worse than stock. I think it must be a diesel thing as I haven't noticed any petrol boys and girls mentioning it.

I might end up with some kind of Stage "2.5" version with customised settings, but so far so good. Definitely worth the cash

[SkyJawa]

Yeah, I’ve now tweaked my stage 3 map with 650nm torque limits in 3rd and 6th as Watsey did, and I’ve amended the shift map for 7th to 8th by -15%. So far seems much better but haven’t had much cause to really play yet to confirm it’s totally fixed.

[TurboWeasel]

Thanks for that.

I had everything default initially, but last night I switched the shift map to 'Relaxed' and tweaked 7>8 by -6%.

For the torque limits I selected the RWD preset, which already has crazy high torque limits. 1200nm for 7>8 Obviously my engine can't make that torque, but is it worth pulling the numbers down to something sensible like 600nm?

1>7 behaviour with gentle, medium and firm throttle inputs is perfect now. All of my complaints of the stock map have been addressed. No one wants to hear an over revving diesel around town. It sounds shite and like I can't drive. Super early and crisp changes are my preference for quiet and smooth progress.

It now also holds onto gears for longer when cruising as well, rather than ratio rowing, which is another bonus.

7>8 remains an issue though, so that needs more work. In some conditions, it's almost like the TCU forgets it has an 8th gear. I might email xHP about it as it's more inconsistent than stock ever was.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by TurboWeasel

Thanks for that.

I had everything default initially, but last night I switched the shift map to 'Relaxed' and tweaked 7>8 by -6%.

For the torque limits I selected the RWD preset, which already has crazy high torque limits. 1200nm for 7>8 Obviously my engine can't make that torque, but is it worth pulling the numbers down to something sensible like 600nm?

1>7 behaviour with gentle, medium and firm throttle inputs is perfect now. All of my complaints of the stock map have been addressed. No one wants to hear an over revving diesel around town. It sounds shite and like I can't drive. Super early and crisp changes are my preference for quiet and smooth progress.

It now also holds onto gears for longer when cruising as well, rather than ratio rowing, which is another bonus.

7>8 remains an issue though, so that needs more work. In some conditions, it's almost like the TCU forgets it has an 8th gear. I might email xHP about it as it's more inconsistent than stock ever was.

If you adjust the 7-8 shift point by -10% to -15% (i.e. in that range) you should notice a big reduction in the transmission holding on to 7th.

[TurboWeasel]

Originally Posted by Watsey

If you adjust the 7-8 shift point by -10% to -15% (i.e. in that range) you should notice a big reduction in the transmission holding on to 7th.

Thanks for that. I have the laptop in the car so will test it out on the journey home after work

Do you use the 'decoupling' function when stationary? It's currently set to off on mine, but in the software it also says "On (stock)". I can't say I ever noticed it decoupling?

Or is that what the slight lag/jolt was all about when pulling away?

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by TurboWeasel

Thanks for that. I have the laptop in the car so will test it out on the journey home after work

Do you use the 'decoupling' function when stationary? It's currently set to off on mine, but in the software it also says "On (stock)". I can't say I ever noticed it decoupling?

Or is that what the slight lag/jolt was all about when pulling away?

No I don't use decoupling. I tried it but it didn't seem to make any difference at all compared to OEM. I just select N if I'm stopped at lights, in traffic, etc. It might be that the ZF8 in my 2012 F31 doesn't support it.

[TurboWeasel]

Originally Posted by Watsey

No I don't use decoupling. I tried it but it didn't seem to make any difference at all compared to OEM. I just select N if I'm stopped at lights, in traffic, etc. It might be that the ZF8 in my 2012 F31 doesn't support it.

Ah possibly. G series uses Gen 3 8HP, so perhaps LCI F3x uses Gen 2.

I used to use N and the handbrake but have been lazy of late and just use the handbrake in D. Perhaps I should use decoupling then to minimise clutch wear.

[SkyJawa]

I got plenty of chance to test 7 > 8 today and I have to say at -15% it was working perfectly, exactly how I’d want it

[TurboWeasel]

Good stuff. Mine is currently at -12% and seems OK so far.

What shift map are you using? I'm using 'Relaxed' and it labours the engine. Sometimes it waits until 900ish rpm to downshift, which labours the engine. Stock never used to go any lower than 1100. Yet another thing to tune out

[SkyJawa]

I’m stage 3 and haven’t touched the shift map settings only the shift point, so mine is what the shift map is out of the box with stage 3….

[TurboWeasel]

I've reverted back to the 'Neutral' shift map in Stage 2, and edited the shift points.

'Relaxed' labours the engine too much for my liking. The intention of Relaxed is to reduce the box's eagerness to down shift on slight inclines or slight load increases on level roads, but it's gone too far the other way.

I've reported it to xHP to see if there's a way to set a minimum downshift rpm of 1100, as per stock, but keep the same relaxed nature.

It's probably fine for a lot of people, but some of us have particular circumstances that troubles the gearbox, which is the great thing about xHP, you can tune it out

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by TurboWeasel

I've reverted back to the 'Neutral' shift map in Stage 2, and edited the shift points.

'Relaxed' labours the engine too much for my liking. The intention of Relaxed is to reduce the box's eagerness to down shift on slight inclines or slight load increases on level roads, but it's gone too far the other way.

I've reported it to xHP to see if there's a way to set a minimum downshift rpm of 1100, as per stock, but keep the same relaxed nature.

It's probably fine for a lot of people, but some of us have particular circumstances that troubles the gearbox, which is the great thing about xHP, you can tune it out

From experience I think the XHP developer (RBT Tuning) will respond to say 'that's how it is'.

I contacted them a few times regarding the DSC programme. For my car, running XHP Stage 3 (although I think the characteristic is the same for the other Stage maps) activating DSC now drops two gear ratios and increases the rpm way above where I'd like it to be.

Diesels, especially with remaps, develop very healthy torque outputs and there's simply no need to drop the gear ratios. DSC behaviour 'should' be as per OEM => a relaxing of the stability control programme to allow a bit more 'slip'n'slide' at the rear. It's very easy to adjust the cornering angle using the throttle pedal and torque - the engine doesn't need to be doing 2500-3000rpm.

RBT's stance is that DSC is for 'maximum fun at the track' and that it won't be even giving the option to have DSC characteristics as a toggle setting in the App.