VIDEO DIY: How to wire your 24V motor ultimate noob guide

[328ijunkie]

Most of the off the shelf adapters dont work 100%. When i rewire customers harnesses i require their BODY side C101 color/pin out before i make their harness to ensure everything works perfect.

[bernzpeed]

so if there are so many changes with the wires between model and year how do those ultra expensive premade adapters work ? the plug and play ones for 200-250 bucks ?

you pay for the "minus the guesswork and headache" which inevitably might not be the right wiring for the specific car.

i've heard of market motorworks takes your M5X/ S5X wiring harness and they retrofit it with the plug for the c101 with the right wiring but u will have to submit your vin to match up the exact wiring harness.

[singh336]

so if there are so many changes with the wires between model and year how do those ultra expensive premade adapters work ? the plug and play ones for 200-250 bucks ?

[Styleprojekt]

Right, Im sure a lot of charts actually in fact wrong/misleading/incorrectly documented I was not disagreeing with that, I just figured it would be safer to assume that the variables of each swap make it almost impossible to find a matching and accurate chart unless you can find your exact swap which matches all the way to each wire color.
You're better off researching/compiling your own chart and learning something in the process...especially for those who are doing it for the first time

[lolcantturn]

2 things:

1) It makes perfect sense to make an adapter because its not only easier to handle than to carry around the entire harness (i do mine during off time at work), but youre also able to fix errors easier by taking out the adapter if you must fix stuff on there..or replace the harness should it get fried/damaged for some reason and there will be no need to re-wire. You can also sell your uncut M20 harness and just get a pigtail at the junkyard etc etc. Just random thoughts

2) I am not sure its correct to say "a lot of charts are wrong". Every wiring situation is different, 318, 325e, 325i, E36/E34 etc. You cant just go off some random chart and hope for the best. Do lots of research and unless youre lucky and find the EXACT chart that matches your exact wiring swap by model AND year...you should create your own chart off wiring diagrams and/or verify various charts to create your own to make sure yours will match your exact swap. Just saying

True about the adapter, never really thought about it like that, but many charts are definitely wrong despite the model differences. Ive tried about 4 wiring diagrams and they all had a minor descrepency that i later figured out but nothing that prevented the car from starting.

[nrubenstein]

2 things:

1) It makes perfect sense to make an adapter because its not only easier to handle than to carry around the entire harness (i do mine during off time at work), but youre also able to fix errors easier by taking out the adapter if you must fix stuff on there..or replace the harness should it get fried/damaged for some reason and there will be no need to re-wire. You can also sell your uncut M20 harness and just get a pigtail at the junkyard etc etc. Just random thoughts

2) I am not sure its correct to say "a lot of charts are wrong". Every wiring situation is different, 318, 325e, 325i, E36/E34 etc. You cant just go off some random chart and hope for the best. Do lots of research and unless youre lucky and find the EXACT chart that matches your exact wiring swap by model AND year...you should create your own chart off wiring diagrams and/or verify various charts to create your own to make sure yours will match your exact swap. Just saying

Lots of charts are either wrong in content, or wrong in application. The big problem is that even if the chart is "right," the person making it often doesn't know the small model year differences. Also, there is often some subtle stuff that won't prevent the car from running ok, but is still wrong that creeps into charts.

I agree on the adapter, though. The other nice thing is that it makes it much easier to add things when you need them / want them.

[Styleprojekt]

2 things:

1) It makes perfect sense to make an adapter because its not only easier to handle than to carry around the entire harness (i do mine during off time at work), but youre also able to fix errors easier by taking out the adapter if you must fix stuff on there..or replace the harness should it get fried/damaged for some reason and there will be no need to re-wire. You can also sell your uncut M20 harness and just get a pigtail at the junkyard etc etc. Just random thoughts

2) I am not sure its correct to say "a lot of charts are wrong". Every wiring situation is different, 318, 325e, 325i, E36/E34 etc. You cant just go off some random chart and hope for the best. Do lots of research and unless youre lucky and find the EXACT chart that matches your exact wiring swap by model AND year...you should create your own chart off wiring diagrams and/or verify various charts to create your own to make sure yours will match your exact swap. Just saying

[328ijunkie]

Thanks! ;)

pin 20 needs switched power. I usually steal it from pin 6 on the C101.

[lolcantturn]

Yeah i sold him an 'unmodified' harness and a C101 pigtail on the cheapz cause he wanted to tackle it himself. Looks like he did a good job!
What year is your car btw? Whatd you do with pin 20?

And i hate to bump this thread as it may hurt my business ;) lol

My car is a 91 318is. I haven't figured out what to do with pin 20 for ABS power, I will look around and see where to feed it to. What do you usually do?

And I can't stress this enough, if you feel uncomfortable in any way doing this, don't! Wiring is one of those things that will get your head scratching for HOURS on end if you mess something up.Get all your wiring needs from 328ijunkie at Markert Motor Works, he'll do a much better job at this than this video will ever portray ;)

[328ijunkie]

Yeah i sold him an 'unmodified' harness and a C101 pigtail on the cheapz cause he wanted to tackle it himself. Looks like he did a good job!
What year is your car btw? Whatd you do with pin 20?

And i hate to bump this thread as it may hurt my business ;) lol

[lolcantturn]

Holy hell you sound like a condescending douche! no offense!

lucky I wasn't there with Chuck on my shoulder telling me to shove my fist down your throat and rip out your larynx.


So what's wrong with Daves harness? my car runs fine.

hmm really? I've never actually been told that. It was probably the fact that it was my 4th try making the video (messed up 4 times before and I dont have any video editing program looool) so I was probably just frustrated.

Nothing is wrong with Daves harness. I bought my complete uncut harness from him that's all.

[Mr.SWISS]

Holy hell you sound like a condescending douche! no offense!

lucky I wasn't there with Chuck on my shoulder telling me to shove my fist down your throat and rip out your larynx.


So what's wrong with Daves harness? my car runs fine.

[bernzpeed]

never mind i found it. i think.

[bernzpeed]

this is very helpful most definitely. but i've been trying to find bloodshote30's thread and it won't come up on the search function, can u please post the link. thanks!

[lolcantturn]

Thanks gentlemen.