Stand Alone e30 Harness Adapter Kit?

[winstontj]

I'm on the fence as to whether or not to go full standalone and one major factor will be whether or not there is an adapter kit that I can plug directly into the factory ECU harness. So does someone make an adapter? Can I simply buy a dead ECU motronic unit and chop/solder my own up?I'll run MegaSquirt IIv3 if I can't get it to run well enough with the Piggyback setup I have now......

[Turf1600]

Quit wasting time and MS it.

[JGood]

what piggyback are you using now? What are your mods?

[NC325iC]

i know someone on here put ms in a stock ecu and made it plug and play. was it tj? i cant remember look in the fs section

[winstontj]

I'm building 2.8L (86mm bore x 81mm stroke), 9.8:1cr, 288 cam, +1mm valves, head ported, BavAuto header, BBTB, extrude honed intake, 24# injectorsI currently own (came with my 325i): BBTB, extrude honed intake, heated wire MAF, Split Second piggyback, BavAuto chip, 24# injectors, BavAuto headers, etc...

what piggyback are you using now? What are your mods?

I'm running split second with a Ford heated wire MAF conversion, 24# injectors, BavAuto chip, etc. everything you see above. I'm worried that when I build the new motor I'll need to run standalone. I don't want to hack up the wire harness so I want to just plug MS into the stock harness....

Quit wasting time and MS it.

You're one funny SOB.... Where's your turbo???I own the MS - I'm just not sure if I'll need it. I wanted to use it for my m10 motor and I really don't want to drop another $1,000 for a second standalone....Thoughts? Is there such a thing as what I'm looking for???

[Turf1600]

You're one funny SOB.... Where's your turbo???

Well, As you know im buying a house so my project is back into extreme parts gathering mode and is otherwise on hold. I nearly have a complete interior and just about everything i need for my turbo motor. I need a FMIC, piping, BOV and a couple of adapter plates and im golden. I have something like 2 2002 longblocks, 1 318i longblock, 4 sets of pistons (1 turbo), 3 318i heads and the manifold and turbo. Plus 2 complete sets of injection bits from e30 318is. I've also got turbo flares and an airdam coming soon. I'm going to experiment on 1 of the longblocks and build a nice motor while im driving the shit out of\tuning the older motor. I'd hate to blow up a fresh motor due to inexperience. I just bought all my MSII shit - just need to build it.

[der affe]

wolf sells a plug and play stand alone and harness that is bmw e-30 specific. here's the link....

http://wolfems.cart.net.au/cat/32992.html

it will let you go to speed/density too. then you can ditch the maf completely!
i have the split second ARC-2A also, not too thrilled with it also.
what issues are you having with yours?

[winstontj]

wolf sells a plug and play stand alone and harness that is bmw e-30 specific. here's the link....

http://wolfems.cart.net.au/cat/32992.html

it will let you go to speed/density too. then you can ditch the maf completely!
i have the split second ARC-2A also, not too thrilled with it also.
what issues are you having with yours?

It's just running like sh*t. It vibrates, studders, idles rough, misfires, etc... runs like crap at idle and I can't figure it out. Ive done everything including hand trace every wire to inspect for cracks, shorts, kinks, etc. So I have no idea what is going on I just think I don't know how to tune it or there is something internal with the motor that is wrong that I'm missing. I have the ARM2 and something else. the box with 4 knobs and the little LED box that goes from red to blue... To me I just leave it alone and it's eye candy to others.... Would love to figure it out tho because I'd like to avoid a standalone on the next go around. HAha... that thing is $2,000!!!




Pat there is a guy (new2bmw) on e30tech under the m10 section that is in need of a set of flat top pistons for a 2002... if you have an extra set he will probably bite but he sounds pretty strapped for $$$$

[rs4pro3]

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=91602

You can plug a ms2 chip right in. FYI from what I've seen the split second kit is complete crap, I met a guy with an m3 who had there kit and he'd been working on it for around 6 months trying to get the car to run correct.

[Rigmaster]

You can make anything.


Sounds to me like you just need a dead ECU so you can use the plug + wiring pigtails to interface with whatever system you choose to use.


OR, you can pay someone $$$$$$$$ to make one for you.

[winstontj]

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=91602

You can plug a ms2 chip right in. FYI from what I've seen the split second kit is complete crap, I met a guy with an m3 who had there kit and he'd been working on it for around 6 months trying to get the car to run correct.

For $600 I'm VERY TEMPTED... but I already own the MSII v3 so I don't really need another yet... Split Second came with the car - I know nothing about it other than if you touch something you are screwed because the car runs like crap (if it runs at all)... I do like the MAF that is used and I'd love to be able to put in a MS kit like you built.

I know a guy that has a few parts cars. Can I just simply plug ANY e30 year's ECU box into my 7/88 prod car? I can grab one today and start screwing around with it but I need to know if it'll fit into my car. Do you know?
Thanks!

[rs4pro3]

Is your engine wiring harness from an 325e? or a 325i? If it's a 325i as long as the ecu has 3-rows on a total of 55 pins you are fine. Certain version 325i ecu's are easier to hack apart then others.
I have taken other's MS assembled kits and moded them to fit inside and wire up to the stock engine harness.

[winstontj]

Is your engine wiring harness from an 325e? or a 325i? If it's a 325i as long as the ecu has 3-rows on a total of 55 pins you are fine. Certain version 325i ecu's are easier to hack apart then others.
I have taken other's MS assembled kits and moded them to fit inside and wire up to the stock engine harness.

It's an 89 and I have no idea about two or three rows. I'll look in the morning. I may end up PM'ing you about putting MS into my ECU or a spare ECU but let me see how badly I can screw it up first...

Is there a key to the pins & wires or do I need to guess? I suppose this is why one would pay you all that cash to know these things... Will the Bentley get me what I need or is there something else I should know? I'll look to see the plug configuration and get a spare one. Once I have the spare then I'll see about the MS fittment.

BTW if I unload that split second how much do you think I could get for it? I'd go to the junkyard and grab another MAF from a Thunderbird so it would be a complete kit....

Also if I do the MS will I want the Innovative WBo2 or should I just stick with the stock e30 stuff??

This is a very helpful thread - THANKS

[rs4pro3]

if your car is an 89 then it will be the 3 row 55 pin plug. I use the factory BMW electrical troubleshooting manuals for developing pin charts for the various cars I build units for. Bently has some info but not as detailed as the factory diagrams

[der affe]

if you have the direction sthat came with the kit (S/S) there are fuel maps and very vauge instructions! if you read them 5x in a row they start to make a little sense. i have itb's also so my adjustments are a little different. one thing you need to make sure is that the "mid" knob is around 6'clock or one click less. then i usually run the low at around 3 o'clock +/-1 click, same on the high. you just have to play with the accel knob until you are happy.
one BIG draw back with the system is that it doesn't do anything with the timing curve so you are just giving it more gas w/o more timing advance. you may??? be able to get better results with a custom or performance chip, since the piggyback only lets you readjust the fueling maybe it wouldn't see the extra timing in the chip and you would get more performance out of it. i was thinking of trying this to get me by for now, but i haven't had the time to screw with it.

also check your wiring!!! i am still having intermittent wiring problems from the PO's shitty install job, i need to just pull it all out and redo it but haven't had the time.
maybe this will help you out a little.
greg