wiring and hoses

[e30_325es]

s50 into 86 325es.

What hose combination do I use to run the late model overflow reservoir? What the engine came with was like an 8ft hose off of the center spider hose. Should I just cut this piece to length or what?

Heater core: How did everyone bend the piping, the top part is hitting the intake currently.

There is a black cable running from the back of the block on up towards the front (I can't see how far it goes up, I lose it behind everthing) with a larger square metal terminal and a hole in the center of it. Does this go to the starter? If so, where does it hook up? I assume the black is a ground, and I've already got 2 small grounds on the starter.

Do I need the evap canister? What should I do with the line opening on the car, just cap it off?

I think that's it for now, thanks for the help.

[gregslow318i]

I just used a e36 spider hoes and cut it to length to fit the coolant reservoir. I just used a piece of pipe that fit the heater hose fitting and bent it out of the way, nice and slowly...
as far as the starter goes their should not be any grounds that go to it, as it is grounded off the block. to 2 small wires are the starter signal from the key and the under load signal,
the black wire that you are talking about is more than likely the the power wire from the alt but I need to see some pics of it to confirm that.

[g22]

I'm having the same type of issues. Man I wish someone would do a pictorial and detail these small but important points out...

[jrdeamicis]

Use the e36 spider hose.

A mapp torch and an extension will help bend those pipes.

Us a late model resevoir. Trust me. It's a Lot easier to do the hoses.

Ok. From the battery terminal. One wire down to the starter. From there that wire you are looking at goes to the alternator. The extra wire coming out of the engine harness you can tie into the starter. Then then stock body p+ wire goes to the battery terminal.

[e30_325es]

Got it on the hose.

Got it on the bending.

The starter wire, duh, you are right, no grounds. So this black wire from engine AND red wire from battery go to the large bolt on the starter? Ok.

Oh, and I got the info i needed for the canister.

[g22]

Can you share the canister info?

[FredK]

I used a philips screwdriver surrounded by some 1/4" rubber hose to bend the heater core pipes, and I did not heat the pipes. That black cable coming from the front of the engine is probably the alternator as gregslow318i mentioned, and goes to the starter's large, always hot lug.

[e30_325es]

Now I have two large red wires (for a positive connection I'm sure) coming out of the driver's side of the harness. Do both of these go to the large bolt on the starter?

Also, if I could could get a pic of someones positive terminal on the firewall, that would help immensely.

Thanks for the help guys!

[FredK]

IMO the best way to hook power up in a swap is to retain the E30 starter cable and fusebox power wiring. In an E36, A goes to the starter and B supplies power to the fusebox. In an E30, there is a long captive cable that supplies power to the fusebox.



A and B branch off from the single large red cable on the passenger side inside the wiring harness box. If you want to retain it, you can hook both of them to the large bolt on the starter, just as you said. However, you must then find a way to hook the other end of the cable to the E30 battery cable. You can do this by using a battery terminal block that you can buy at an auto parts store.

Or, you can do as I did: Remove the E36 fusebox and starter power wire, use the E30 starter power wire (which has the proper lug to attach to the E30 B+ terminal on the passenger side of the car), and hook the E30 fusebox power leads to the E30 starter power lug (the one with that little screw with the lockwasher on it).

[AlarmedBread]

Heater core pipes, which way do the need to be bent? I assume down?
Thanks!

[e30_325es]

Fred, you are the man, thank you!

Alarmed, down and to the center of the car. More down then over though.

[MIKe30]

In an E36, A goes to the starter and B supplies power to the fusebox. In an E30, there is a long captive cable that supplies power to the fusebox.



A and B branch off from the single large red cable on the passenger side inside the wiring harness box. If you want to retain it, you can hook both of them to the large bolt on the starter, just as you said. However, you must then find a way to hook the other end of the cable to the E30 battery cable. You can do this by using a battery terminal block that you can buy at an auto parts store.

When retaining e36 components, A & B go to starter, other end on passenger side goes to big terminated lead from e30 battery... just cut/safety off e30 starter/fusebox power cable then? No longer needed right?

[FredK]

Yes, you still need fusebox power. This is a separate cable with two eyelets. Just remove the E30 starter cable ONLY.

[MIKe30]

Yes, you still need fusebox power. This is a separate cable with two eyelets. Just remove the E30 starter cable ONLY.

I must be missing that starter cable then. When removing the m20, I just unplugged the ecu and left the entire harness attached and dropped it into a 318is I had at the time. I'm assuming my starter cable is on that car, as my s52 swap car only has the long lead coming out of the fusebox across the firewall to the battery terminal. Just near the terminal it splits into two terminating ends. Those are the "two eyelets" you speak of right?

I don't see an "e30 starter cable" coming out of the fusebox. If it's there I didnt notice or recognize it.

I will land those two eyelets for FB power then. Please correct me if you see anything wrong. Thanks Fred, you da man.

[FredK]

Exactly. Just attach the fusebox power cable to the positive terminal on the firewall, and you should be all set.

The E30 starter cable must have been removed with the engine. It is just a fat cable that connects the battery terminal on the firewall to the hot lug on the starter.