The Official OBD1 vs OBD2 argument thread.

[Wanganstyle]

In California if you wanted to get a OBD 2 swap car to pass the BAR you would need the Air pump all 4 02 sensors and a way to install the fuel tank leakage module. A lot more work then it's worth.

Unless you tell them your OBD 2 swap is OBD 1

the cats and 02 sensors just move over with the entire exhaust (tucked to e30 body)

air pump is connecting one harness plug and a tube. using it looses 0 power and allows you to breathe in better air. How bad is that?
Also allows using the S52 OE exhaust manifolds with no modification and risk to fail smog visual. Also cheaper; comes in the e36M3 at no extra cost; nobody is fighting over buying those items lol

Running losses valve is attached to the fuel filter and fuel pressure regulator under the e36M. run it. a fully pressurized rail system is more efficient and better for your engine than the OBD1 style FPR at end of rail. Why bother even separating the fuel rail and lines??

Downgrading your obd1 s52 is a great thing for those in a pinch that have a obd1 e36 already and just fragged the motor. Not an upgrade.

I'd rather run a S52 with the airflow meter unplugged and kept in place + stock DME in stupid mode with OBD1 intake manifold than an OBD1 converted s52 chipped and setup the same way.

rear spare tire well mounted tank sensor is easily bought and installed. Done.

being in the bay area is the easiest place to complete a full cali BAR LEGAL obd2 conversion+swap.

costs LESS money than trying to find a full set of good/used obd1 sensors and fuel rail and lines etc.

s52 everything > s50. Even the OBD2 intake manifold is not bad.

Brains = POWAR.

[surebimmer]

Since I am in CA do you think I will run into any issues with smog?

In California if you wanted to get a OBD 2 swap car to pass the BAR you would need the Air pump all 4 02 sensors and a way to install the fuel tank leakage module. A lot more work then it's worth.

Unless you tell them your OBD 2 swap is OBD 1

[luckysnafu]

I thought if you had all the parts (ECU, ignition, and harness from the same car you didnt have to flash your ECU? How do you like those s52 cams?

You are correct, no flashing necessary with all the EWS components. I got my ECU flashed for the s52 cams. They really open the car up in the high rpms but I feel like I lost some torque down low. I have to get another dyno to confirm.

[nando]

OBD II FTW

also, flashing the OBD II ecus, especially for the E36, is going to get easier and easier. OBD I is a dead end..

[RobertK]

Can you flash out the post cat O2 sensors or just use a simulator instead?

[328ijunkie]

Thx thomas ;)

[325e10]

My OBD2 swap is running fine, and made more sense cause I had most of the sensors already. ECU flash was a breeze thanks to Dave and Technica. You don't have to keep the Vac pump or related controls. Just gets flashed out with the ecu.

[328ijunkie]

lol well look what I started. Sorry I didn't get a chance to call you today Dave, i am the Brett you have been trading emails with. The s52 arrived today though! I am all about not purchasing OBDI parts and modifyting the engine etc if you can wire this puppy up right. I do need to get my hands on a OBDII wire harness as all i got was the engine and a few bolted on sensors with my purchase, most everything was cut off when they pulled it.

May as well ask a few newb questions here.

Do I need an OBDII M3 DME (12141406594) or will a custom tune overwrite any OBDII DME?
Since I am in CA do you think I will run into any issues with smog?
Do I need to keep the Air pump vacuum control and emission control air pump?
Will my factory keyless entry still work?

that's all I can think of at the moment. Thanks!

Your Keyless entry should work just the same. If you plan on running an S52 then yes ide get an S52 ECU (i have extra ones in stock at the moment btw)

As far as smog goes, im unsure as to how it works over there but all said and done everything will run cleaner out the tailpipe than an M20 would assuming everything is running good and you can also pass an OBD2 plug in test if you needed to. SAP can be flashed out of the ECU :D

I thought if you had all the parts (ECU, ignition, and harness from the same car you didnt have to flash your ECU? How do you like those s52 cams?

I had the same thing you did, sourced a full m3 for everything and planned on staying obd2, but then i had my ECU and MAF stolen right out of my driveway, so that screwed that plan. Glad i went obd1 though, FI is a lot easier to tune with obd1.

FI is just as easy to tune with OBD2 if not easier... ;)

Where do you get all these OBD II tunes?

I have the ability to flash OBD2 ECUs with Technica Motorsports Tunes at my shop here in lawrenceville.

[Leo_328i]

I can ;)

PM Sent.

[mammoth_e30]

lol well look what I started. Sorry I didn't get a chance to call you today Dave, i am the Brett you have been trading emails with. The s52 arrived today though! I am all about not purchasing OBDI parts and modifyting the engine etc if you can wire this puppy up right. I do need to get my hands on a OBDII wire harness as all i got was the engine and a few bolted on sensors with my purchase, most everything was cut off when they pulled it.

May as well ask a few newb questions here.

Do I need an OBDII M3 DME (12141406594) or will a custom tune overwrite any OBDII DME?
Since I am in CA do you think I will run into any issues with smog?
Do I need to keep the Air pump vacuum control and emission control air pump?
Will my factory keyless entry still work?

that's all I can think of at the moment. Thanks!

[328ijunkie]

I can ;)

[Leo_328i]

I'm doing an M52 2.5l swap early next year and already have all the OBD2 sensors ready to go.

Problem in Australia is that flashing the EWS out seems to be an unknown act... eventually I will find someone that can do it though!

If no one in Australia, and no one in the USA is happy to have a go on a Euro spec ECU, then I may have to just give up and go OBD1.... :(

Who does these EWS delete flashes for OBD2?

[SwiftE30]

I'm in the OBD2 camp. Swapped an OBD2 M52 with S52 cams in my e30. I went OBD2 since I bought an engine that came with the rest of the parts car it was in so I had all the sensors/EWS components/etc.

If you can get a car/engine with the EWS components I don't know why you wouldn't keep OBD2. It's very simple to hook up the EWS system with all the components.

I'm surprised how many go OBD1 considering the extra parts/sensors you need to buy.

I get my ECU flashed at TRM and they are great to work with.

I thought if you had all the parts (ECU, ignition, and harness from the same car you didnt have to flash your ECU? How do you like those s52 cams?

I had the same thing you did, sourced a full m3 for everything and planned on staying obd2, but then i had my ECU and MAF stolen right out of my driveway, so that screwed that plan. Glad i went obd1 though, FI is a lot easier to tune with obd1.

[luckysnafu]

I'm in the OBD2 camp. Swapped an OBD2 M52 with S52 cams in my e30. I went OBD2 since I bought an engine that came with the rest of the parts car it was in so I had all the sensors/EWS components/etc.

If you can get a car/engine with the EWS components I don't know why you wouldn't keep OBD2. It's very simple to hook up the EWS system with all the components.

I'm surprised how many go OBD1 considering the extra parts/sensors you need to buy.

I get my ECU flashed at TRM and they are great to work with.

[scottinAZ]

biggest downfall to OBDII is the added cost of the system, in that you need to flash the ECU and also the additional sensors, if they did not come with the engine. R3v, being a bunch of cheap bastards that would try to negotiate a discount on a free engine, doesnt see the value added in the better system over 1980's technology.