E34 harness VS E36 harness?

[nando]

What's the main difference in mounting it on an E30? Isn't the E34 harness connector to the ECU shorter? will it reach the stock E30 ECU location?

[BenM]

The E34 DME sits at the far passenger side of the engine bay just in front of the firewall. I think the E36 DME sits in the glovebox, or right behind the firewall. If thats the case than you're probably right that the DME connector is longer on the E36 harness.

Edit - The E34 harness also has the oil level wiring built in.

[JGood]

My e34 harness reaches. you have to tug on it a bit to mount it with the 318 DME brackets. I've been lazy with that and just left it laying in my glovebox for now.

The oil level wiring is nice.

I'm not sure about relay location on the e36 harness, but on the e34 harness they can be put in the glovebox with the DME. IMO that's a good thing.

The harness plastic covering that goes up against the firewall is most likely different between e34/e36, but I'm not positive. The e34 setup kinda fits in there somewhat cleanly IMO.

[nando]

some conflicing reports..

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=114199&highlight=E34+M50+harness

some of those guys make it sound like a pain in the ass, but others have no problem?

[Dave]

Chris,

Listen to JGood. ;)

[nando]

OK :p

JGood's harness looks pretty clean to me.

[StereoInstaller1]

So what about adding the oil level sender to the E36 harness?

I have the stock E36 harness on my S50, I want the oil level sender to work.

[nando]

I was going to cut mine off a 325ix harness, and wire it to the C101 connector. Dunno how the RWD E30s are wired.

[lifeiskaos]

I've done swaps with both harnesses. There was no way in hell I could have gotten the ECU in stock location with an e34 harness. I had to stretch the crap out of it and ghettoly mount the ECU upside down and backwards in the glovebox, so the plug was in the back.

I have the e36 harness in my car and it fits so beautifully.

[herlsy]

So what about adding the oil level sender to the E36 harness?

I have the stock E36 harness on my S50, I want the oil level sender to work.

Cut an oil level sender plug off an e34 harness, run two of the wires to c101, run the other to ground.

I think the two that go to c101 are blue/white and blue/yellow. You'll have to look up and see which one is dynamic and which one is static.

Ground should be Brown/Orange.

[R&D man]

harness

I just finnished my m5o swap.I used a e34 harness.I opened the hole up on the firewall allow for the large rubber grommet to fit(I trimmed the rubber of a bit).I also fabbed up a sheet metal tray that allowed the ecu to sit at the back of the glove box.I used the existing holes from the old ecu .The relys are tyrapped to the tray as well.I cant use the upper glove box panel any more.

You could make a nice sheetmal box and place the box on the outside of the firewall

[blackhawkimpact]

I have the e36 harness in my car and it fits so beautifully.

+1

You could make a nice sheetmal box and place the box on the outside of the firewall

Or just use the 318/M3 one

Here's mine..

[lifeiskaos]

Yep, and here is mine. I simplified what I didn't need, shortened the relay wires a little bit, etc. Couldn't ask for a better fit, and nothing is stretched at all.

[herlsy]

Off topic, but what air box did you use there blackhawk?

[StereoInstaller1]

Off topic, but what air box did you use there blackhawk?

No shit! Looks great.

Dirty, but great.