I'm 25 pages into it (and about 5 hours)...it should make it much easier for people to get answers for everything that has been discussed in that thread. I think I'll also include as many other threads as I can stomach into it. Here' s sample of how it will be formatted...still a work in progress, so they should all hopefull have more answers for each question...thoughts? I included the user that answered each post so people could PM them with any additional questions (or ignore responses from known idiots, I don't know people that well yet).
Electrical
“I thought i was being all clever by buying an e34 engine, but i just came to realize, are the wiring harnesses the same?”
Brew: Actually, I'm pretty sure that you need the e36 harness. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong though. You also need the e36 engine mount brackets.
Addissimo: Why are you thinking that? Just curious what you're basing it off.
Bryson: you can use an e34 wiring harness although it is not 100% the same (pins), and it's shorter. It's long enough to get to the glove compartment though. I prefer using it in my swaps, as you can put the diagnostic connector into a stock e30 placement.
“Would it be ok to put a 10 guage from the ground point for the coils straight to the megative post? I think I am gonna come up witha good ground block to clean it all up.”
Superduper: I used a foot long piece of 4 gauge that goes from the drivers side engine mount to the grounding point on the frame/unibody rail. I doubt this has anything to do with your battery going dead. If the ground between the motor and the chassis isnt good enough, you will have issues with the starter.
“A 1993 car, has it the famous anti theft system (DWS or EWS )”
Panamae30: if i'm not mistaken, EWS became an issue with '96+ engines, which had that and OBDII... 318ti guys dumping sixes in their cars usually had this issue with later engines. Basically you'd have to take your car to a stealer to get something with the computer reset. Intake side VANOS only. Still a nice engine.
Jason89i: some 95 obd1 m50 engines had the ews. i got my m50 offf a 95 (automatic with traction control) and had to eliminate alot of wiring stuff. The ecu was the silver label 413.....littlel did i know. i spent 4 weeks chasing down wires with a no spark condition. last ditch effort, i plugged in a burgandy label 413 ecu....fired right up. in summary the silver label 413 ecu has ews.....no workie.....the burgandy label 413 ecu does not have ews....it works w/o coded key. check with turner, i heard he developed a chip for the e30m50 guys that eliminates ews AND the need for a speed reference signal.....but dont quote me on that.
Ryan Stewart: In fact every 95-on has EWS. The silver 413 is the S50 DME while the burgundy is the 92-94 325i DME. They work since the US s50 is basically a M50B30 with cams. Being said dont run from an EWS DME, almost everyone makes a chip that doesnt include EWS now. Im running the 413 EWS S50 DME with a turner chip -EWS. Id much rather have to battle the EWS issue with a post 10/95 S50 than I would the valve retainer issue that plagues the earlier models.
“Is the intake temp sensor required? Can I just bypass it? Is it an electrical sensor?”
Kylebes1: Why do you ask? The m50, as I found out relies on most all the sensors on the harness. Other than the o2 sensor, it will probably run like shit. You know the two coolant temps sensors in the front part of the head? Well I switched those plugs when I swapped the rear of the two for the m20 one. Ran like shit when cold, and crap when it was to running temp.
Tranceguy: So leave the coolant temp sensor on the M50 alone? I read somewhere that you were supposed to swap the m20 one in. I assume it was just to have the temp gauge read correctly? How far off is it if I leave it stock?
Kylebes1: There are two sensors right next to each other, swap the rear of the two with one from an m20 to get the correct reading. They are on the head, under the intake manifold, behidn the oil canister.
Electrical
“I thought i was being all clever by buying an e34 engine, but i just came to realize, are the wiring harnesses the same?”
Brew: Actually, I'm pretty sure that you need the e36 harness. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong though. You also need the e36 engine mount brackets.
Addissimo: Why are you thinking that? Just curious what you're basing it off.
Bryson: you can use an e34 wiring harness although it is not 100% the same (pins), and it's shorter. It's long enough to get to the glove compartment though. I prefer using it in my swaps, as you can put the diagnostic connector into a stock e30 placement.
“Would it be ok to put a 10 guage from the ground point for the coils straight to the megative post? I think I am gonna come up witha good ground block to clean it all up.”
Superduper: I used a foot long piece of 4 gauge that goes from the drivers side engine mount to the grounding point on the frame/unibody rail. I doubt this has anything to do with your battery going dead. If the ground between the motor and the chassis isnt good enough, you will have issues with the starter.
“A 1993 car, has it the famous anti theft system (DWS or EWS )”
Panamae30: if i'm not mistaken, EWS became an issue with '96+ engines, which had that and OBDII... 318ti guys dumping sixes in their cars usually had this issue with later engines. Basically you'd have to take your car to a stealer to get something with the computer reset. Intake side VANOS only. Still a nice engine.
Jason89i: some 95 obd1 m50 engines had the ews. i got my m50 offf a 95 (automatic with traction control) and had to eliminate alot of wiring stuff. The ecu was the silver label 413.....littlel did i know. i spent 4 weeks chasing down wires with a no spark condition. last ditch effort, i plugged in a burgandy label 413 ecu....fired right up. in summary the silver label 413 ecu has ews.....no workie.....the burgandy label 413 ecu does not have ews....it works w/o coded key. check with turner, i heard he developed a chip for the e30m50 guys that eliminates ews AND the need for a speed reference signal.....but dont quote me on that.
Ryan Stewart: In fact every 95-on has EWS. The silver 413 is the S50 DME while the burgundy is the 92-94 325i DME. They work since the US s50 is basically a M50B30 with cams. Being said dont run from an EWS DME, almost everyone makes a chip that doesnt include EWS now. Im running the 413 EWS S50 DME with a turner chip -EWS. Id much rather have to battle the EWS issue with a post 10/95 S50 than I would the valve retainer issue that plagues the earlier models.
“Is the intake temp sensor required? Can I just bypass it? Is it an electrical sensor?”
Kylebes1: Why do you ask? The m50, as I found out relies on most all the sensors on the harness. Other than the o2 sensor, it will probably run like shit. You know the two coolant temps sensors in the front part of the head? Well I switched those plugs when I swapped the rear of the two for the m20 one. Ran like shit when cold, and crap when it was to running temp.
Tranceguy: So leave the coolant temp sensor on the M50 alone? I read somewhere that you were supposed to swap the m20 one in. I assume it was just to have the temp gauge read correctly? How far off is it if I leave it stock?
Kylebes1: There are two sensors right next to each other, swap the rear of the two with one from an m20 to get the correct reading. They are on the head, under the intake manifold, behidn the oil canister.
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