Need help ASAP

[nl328i]

Hi all,

I am trying to finish off this s50 swap and I have hit a snag.

The car starts and runs fine but the temp gauge was not moving at all. Upon research I found out that in order for the e30 temp gauge to work I needed to replace one of the temp sensors (replace blue top with a brown top).

I did some reading and ordered part number 12621710512. I just got a call from my mechanic who tells me that that sensor will not fit in the place they blue sensor was in in the head. He said its a totally different set up? Did I just order the wrong part? Can someone help me out ASAP? I only have ramp time for so long today and I don't know when I will get it again.

Thanks very much r3v!!!

[e34_spangler]

He's correct. You have a temp sensor for your ecu and one for the guage. It wouldn't hurt to try the new sensor they don't cost that much in the first place

[nl328i]

What? I don't understand your response. I did buy a new sensor. I quoted the part number as I thought that was the correct brown top sensor to use.

If that's not right what is?

[ClausE30]

Doesn't the brown top need to be rethreaded? I'm not sure the differences between a s50 setup and s52 as I had to rethread my brown top

[e30austin]

E36 coolant temp sensor for dme. E30 M20 coolant temp sensor for gauge. S50 should not require any rethreading.

[e34_spangler]

E36 coolant temp sensor for dme. E30 M20 coolant temp sensor for gauge. S50 should not require any rethreading.

:thumbup:

[nl328i]

My mechanic is telling me it does. Weird.

Do I have the right part number??

[Roysneon]

From a quick google search it looks right. Are you sure he's trying it in the right port? Cars and girls both get testy when probes go in the wrong bungs.

[Northern]

Middle port in the head? or am I thinking early M/S52's?

[nl328i]

Middle port? I thought there was only two? One for the black sensor (further back on the head) and the blue sensor (closer to the front) with the blue one being replaced with the brown top sensor.

I didn't see much about this throughout my early research on these swaps. Everything seems to be working fine except for the gd temp gauge!

He tells me that the sensor looks to be much longer as well. He said he might be able to get an adapter or something? I was hoping it would just be a simple sensor change So i could start driving the touring!

Does anyone have a diagram that shows exactly where this sensor is supposed to go?

[Varinn]

M/S50's have 3 ports, one DME sensor (m12x1.5), one gauge sensor (m14x1.5) and one TB heater port (m12x1.5)

Early M/S52's have 3 with one plugged (m14), one sensor (m12) and one TB heater port (m12)

Late M/S52's have 2 holes, one for sensor (m12) and one for TB heater (m12)

There appear to be a couple ways to do it if you dont have the early 3 hole head. delete the TB heater and drill/tap to m14x1.5, delete the TB heater and rethread the e30 temp sender to m12x1.5 or run an inline connection block on the TB heater hose. Two hose barbs inline with a hole drilled on the side to allow the temp sender to thread in and measure the coolant flowing to the heater.

Here's an example from my early model S52 with the plugged m14x1.5 center port. E30 sender threaded perfectly in the center hole.

[nl328i]

I have a s50. Does that make a difference?

Great info here guys!!

[328ijunkie]

You need to replace the BLACK sensor with the e30 one...