So you guys think the treehouse wiring adapter is clean?

[matt]

I'm sitting here wiring up ///Mpressive's square chassis to x20 adapter when it hits me... (I know, exciting friday night right? I have work tomorrow. :weak:)

The round e30 c101 and e36 x20 connectors use the same pins. Like exact same. Same part numbers. And yes, you can order them seperately.

Has anyone ever just taken apart the connectors and changed from one to the other? I am thinking of trying it on my swap. I think I'll put a 20 pin connector on my engine harness so it can sit in the e30 connector bracket.

This requires special BMW tools to release the pins from the connectors, so I'm sure it's not the easiest way for most people... but I happen to have access to the tools at work.

:pimp:

Is there some snag or reason I shouldn't try to pull this off? I guess the worst case would be that I have a PITA putting the e36 connector back on my engine harness and doing it the old fashoned way.

Matt

[BDSax]

im deffinatly going to do something like that, im not paying $400 for one stupid little connector

[EtaSport]

I almost did that on mike's car. It was a pain making an adaptor and checking that the original e30 body side was going to the correct e36 engine side cause the wires change so many colors.

If I did one, I'd try to do it that way.

[FredK]

can I touch ur PP?

Wires is wires. It makes common sense to me, anyway. It would make for a cleaner installation, rather than monkeying around with adapters, which just add clutter and more excess cable than you can shake a stick at. If you decide to swap an E30 motor back into the chassis (but why would you, really), it wouldn't be that difficult to restore the original positions of the connectors! DO EEEET! What the hell else do you have to do at work, besides sell $20 exhaust bolts and $90 water pumps tomorrow?

[matt]

LOL, that's about it.

[matt]

If you decide to swap an E30 motor back into the chassis (but why would you, really), it wouldn't be that difficult to restore the original positions of the connectors!

Actually, it would be even easier than that if I pull it off... I'd just have to unplug the old connector and install the new one. That's it.

I'll be taking the X20 connector off my wiring harness tomorrow at work. We'll see how it goes back together once I get my c101 connector from cahomey.

[FredK]

HO shit that's right, I guess I was initially confused about what was going on, but NOW I see what you're talking about.

[matt]

DOH!

It won't be as easy as I figured... I forgot to check the male/femaleness of the connectors. The e36 motor harness has female pins and the e30 motor harness has male pins.

So I'll actually have to change the pins on the motor harness to make it work. Oh well, should still work, just not all that easy.

[cahomey]

Actually, it would be even easier than that if I pull it off... I'd just have to unplug the old connector and install the new one. That's it.

I'll be taking the X20 connector off my wiring harness tomorrow at work. We'll see how it goes back together once I get my c101 connector from cahomey.

It is on it's way. ;-)

[Addissimo]

I'm planning on doing this for my current, re-swap.

Anybody know the size of the e30 pins? If nobody knows for sure I'm just going to order one of each of them and see what fits.

How about the part number for the pin tool?

-Addis

[Mike B.]

I built my own engine side connector. You can get the engine side C101 and the appropriate male pins from Pelican Parts. It ran around $40 for the connector and 20 pins.

You will need a good crimper to crimp the pins on to the E36 wires, something that will do 'weather-pak' connectors will work fine.

This really makes for a clean installation. You can even re-use the rubber boot from the E36 connector for a nice weather tight seal.

[BDSax]

awesome, SCREW YOU TREEHOUSE!

[matt]

awesome, SCREW YOU TREEHOUSE!

NO. That's not the point here at all. Treehouse Racing has great products and tech support by all accounts. (I have a set of their CABs) And it's not their fault you'd rather not pay what they ask for their services. I was || this close to ordering a wiring adapter from them, but doing Ben's has convinced me that I can do it myself cleaner and better, with the connections I have.

Out of respect for them, you guys are on your own for part numbers. But I will tell you that the tool set to get the pins out of the connectors is $867.50 and the tool set to crimp and install the pins onto the wires is $652.50.

Matt

[SchnellerVert]

awesome, SCREW YOU TREEHOUSE!

Why? They make a quality piece for those that deem they don't have the time or don't have the skill.

This has been beat to death and if people continue to beat shops up they are gonna say screw this market and go where the money is.

Grow Up. They have overhead, taxes, employees, and numerous other things. Don't bash them for marketing a product.

[Skafrog]

awesome, SCREW YOU TREEHOUSE!

Are you kidding? The most valuable part you get the whad is tech support. R&D cannot be undervalued here. Unless you have done 20+ swaps, you havent done enough. Over the years of e30's a lot of stuff has swtiched from the engine to chassis side of connectors and vice versa, and if you dont realize this, you are SOL when you start the car.
Just out of curiosity, why the animosity?