Help with tuning/manual swap 1999 V70R

chaosrob · Post by **chaosrob** » 07 Mar 2026, 07:34

Looking to get back to working on the 99 field rescue. I got everything together but the transmission no worky and I really don't want to put a slush box back in it if I am going to go through the trouble of replacing it.

I have a full swap kit here for it, all the parts and components to do it but the hang up is tuning it for the manual conversion. I have hit a roadblock with finding anyone who can do the necessary alterations to the ecu for the conversion from auto to manual. 98 back no problem, 2000+ no problem, 99 is a bastard stepchild apparently.

Can anyone pointe in the right direction? Anyone out there tuning the 99 ECU's? can you just leave the auto selector in there set in neutral? Not well versed on these so sorry for the stupid questions. TIA

Post by **abscate** » 07 Mar 2026, 10:15

reach out to Bdub (Ill ping him) here who has done a 1999. I think Hilton is the guy who does the ECU change to eliminate TCU chatter and perhaps integrate the clutch switch and reverse light in too.

(reverse light might go through CDM , not ECU but those guys will know)

chaosrob · Post by **chaosrob** » 10 Mar 2026, 13:39

I'm not familiar with who that is and I looked in the user list and couldn't find anyone matching that name

abscate wrote: 07 Mar 2026, 10:15 reach out to Bdub (Ill ping him) here who has done a 1999. I think Hilton is the guy who does the ECU change to eliminate TCU chatter and perhaps integrate the clutch switch and reverse light in too.

(reverse light might go through CDM , not ECU but those guys will know)

Post by **abscate** » 10 Mar 2026, 18:09

I texted him. Hilton did his m56 ECU tune so that’s who you want.

I’ve forgotten bdub username here, but if you search the forum for Miata you wind us exchanging barbs over my Beetle and his Miata

Post by **Chuck W** » 10 Mar 2026, 18:22

bmdubya1198

Post by **abscate** » 12 Mar 2026, 04:03

Found Hilton here

https://hiltontuning.com/product/volvo-tuning/

Rob you will need an M58 transmission to keep AWD R capability but then you will have the coveted awd manual combo that is a EU and Canada only option

On edit M66 works too, see below

V50M66 · Post by **V50M66** » 16 Mar 2026, 22:32

P1 M66 AWD works also Abscate - it’s a pretty straightforward and bolt-in swap by us US folks that were deprived of availability of the good gearbox with AWD on this side of the pond.

Hilton can do the tuning, but I’d be wary using him - he’s legendary for horrific response times, questionable tunes when he does get back to you, and ghosting you when his mediocre tune blows up your car.

yanga001 · Post by **yanga001** » 20 Mar 2026, 12:13

chaosrob wrote: 07 Mar 2026, 07:34 Looking to get back to working on the 99 field rescue. I got everything together but the transmission no worky and I really don't want to put a slush box back in it if I am going to go through the trouble of replacing it.

I have a full swap kit here for it, all the parts and components to do it but the hang up is tuning it for the manual conversion. I have hit a roadblock with finding anyone who can do the necessary alterations to the ecu for the conversion from auto to manual. 98 back no problem, 2000+ no problem, 99 is a bastard stepchild apparently.

Can anyone pointe in the right direction? Anyone out there tuning the 99 ECU's? can you just leave the auto selector in there set in neutral? Not well versed on these so sorry for the stupid questions. TIA

If you have access to the original donor and it matched up with trans and tune then you can fully swap locks, dash module, lock assembly, ECu, and it should work if I recall from long ago.

Other option is if we can crowdsource enough bin files then we could use some tools to examine the binaries and see if it could identify the maps for where the manual bits are set. This is far from what should be done, but is in the realm of what could be done if that makes sense.