Oh hey guys.

[Danny]

I connected my heater pipes on the firewall the wrong way, is that a huge deal?

[Danny]

M3 stuff. Only the 260 pilot bearing.

[gregslow318i]

I'm using an e36 starter if matters.

are you using a m20 clutch/flywheel? and a g260?

[SamE30e]

Noob.. A big red wire comes from the junction to the starter, then the starter to the alternator. There is 1 ground for the relays (the block of 3 of them) and 1 is power. You need to pull back the black shit to see the colour.

[Danny]

I'm using an e36 starter if matters.

[gregslow318i]

post a wtb add for a m20 starter cable as it really is the best fit....

or buy a new m20 starter cable as it is the best fit

if you make something its going to have to accommodate the the battery post terminal on the pass side junction box along with other power wires

[jackbenny]

I'm in the same boat Danny. I don't want to use my M42 harness because I'd like to keep it intact for the swap into my E21. So I have the E36 starter cable in right now. I wanted to clip off the end and put the same termination the M20 has to go on the power lug, but I haven't found any I like.

The M20 starter cable is around 60 bucks from a place like pelicanparts. I didn't check with Blunt but I have a feeling it will still be more than I want to spend, especially since all the parts are essentially there.

[Danny]

The problem is, these pictures don't show where the wires are coming from.

1st picture, MR 325 is right, if they're coming from the fusebox, they are power wires. Make life easy. Use an M20 starter cable and attach these fusebox power leads to the starter cable lug.

Lets say I don't have an m20 starter cable, what other options do I have?

2nd picture most likely shows the diagnostic connector, 2 power wires, and a ground. Matt-B is mostly right. There are two wires paired with the diagnostic connector. One is power. One is ground. There's another fatter power wire that's pictured there, that's probably the E36 starter / fusebox power cable. Use the E30 cable. Remove the E36 starter cable.

Everything aside ffrom the first picture is coming off the e36 harness. This is coming off the passenger side of the harness. Where does the power that ISN'T the starter cable connect to? The distribution block on the firewall?

3rd picture shows the positive power block. There's a thin wire paired with the main battery cable (fused power) that goes to the trunk. This attaches to the very top post and is sandwiched together with the small power wire on the diagnostic connector branch. There are NO GROUNDS here. The bottom two posts are there SOLELY to secure the cable to the firewall, and should NOT be used for any other purpose. As Matt-B said, if you're looking for a ground, use the M6 body nut that's at the front edge of the battery tray.

10-4, so nothing else gets connected there aside from the wire in the picture.

4th picture shows the E36 starter cable and E36 fusebox power. The E36 powers the fusebox in a different fashion than the E30. In an E36, there's a fat power lug that splits into two cables inside the wiring harness box. Just remove the E36 power cable and use an E30 one. Seriously.

And the e30 power cables are the two pictured in the first picture correct?

And the 5th picture, as lifeiskaos said, is the backup sensor plug. Ignore it.

Okay dokay.

You probably already know this, but don't forget to attach the engine ground strap from the passenger engine mount arm directly to the ground post on the passenger frame rail.

Right on, thanks for the reminder.

1st pic main pwr feed for the fuse box both wires go to the +12v junction box on the pas side

And so they both get attached to the top bolt for power yes?

2nd 1 is main motor ground (pull back heat shrink should be brown and a brown w/orng trace (2 wires total)
other is main +12v for the motor harness, and the other is a +12v for the e36 fuse box (remove this)

The thinner one is for the fuse box? As you said two quotes down?

3rd no this is the main +12v junction box and is not a ground location, the wire with the ring term is +12v for the cabin accessory

Okay sounds good.

4th once again small red lead is the other end from the e36 fuse box feed (see pic 2) the other big wire is the main starter motor +12v feed (remove it and use the m20 feed in place of it, as it works better and fits the junction box (see pic 3)

And again, lets say I don't have an M20 stater cable, any alternatives?

5th that is the e36 reverse light plug (don't need it)

Awesome.

[Wh33lhop]

Got my shifter arm from Wh33lhop.

I really think I outdid myself here.

[gregslow318i]

1st pic main pwr feed for the fuse box both wires go to the +12v junction box on the pas side

2nd 1 is main motor ground (pull back heat shrink should be brown and a brown w/orng trace (2 wires total)
other is main +12v for the motor harness, and the other is a +12v for the e36 fuse box (remove this)

3rd no this is the main +12v junction box and is not a ground location, the wire with the ring term is +12v for the cabin accessory

4th once again small red lead is the other end from the e36 fuse box feed (see pic 2) the other big wire is the main starter motor +12v feed (remove it and use the m20 feed in place of it, as it works better and fits the junction box (see pic 3)

5th that is the e36 reverse light plug (don't need it)

[FredK]

The problem is, these pictures don't show where the wires are coming from.

1st picture, MR 325 is right, if they're coming from the fusebox, they are power wires. Make life easy. Use an M20 starter cable and attach these fusebox power leads to the starter cable lug.

2nd picture most likely shows the diagnostic connector, 2 power wires, and a ground. Matt-B is mostly right. There are two wires paired with the diagnostic connector. One is power. One is ground. There's another fatter power wire that's pictured there, that's probably the E36 starter / fusebox power cable. Use the E30 cable. Remove the E36 starter cable.

3rd picture shows the positive power block. There's a thin wire paired with the main battery cable (fused power) that goes to the trunk. This attaches to the very top post and is sandwiched together with the small power wire on the diagnostic connector branch. There are NO GROUNDS here. The bottom two posts are there SOLELY to secure the cable to the firewall, and should NOT be used for any other purpose. As Matt-B said, if you're looking for a ground, use the M6 body nut that's at the front edge of the battery tray.

4th picture shows the E36 starter cable and E36 fusebox power. The E36 powers the fusebox in a different fashion than the E30. In an E36, there's a fat power lug that splits into two cables inside the wiring harness box. Just remove the E36 power cable and use an E30 one. Seriously.

And the 5th picture, as lifeiskaos said, is the backup sensor plug. Ignore it.

You probably already know this, but don't forget to attach the engine ground strap from the passenger engine mount arm directly to the ground post on the passenger frame rail.

[Danny]

10-4, any more insight Matt?

[MR 325]

One fusebox wire goes on the a 10mm head bolt on the terminal, one goes to a 8mm head bolt on the terminal.

[MR 325]

The two wires in the first picture are from the fusebox, not the harness, grounds still you think?

Those 2 wires go to the positive battery terminal on the firewall. You need to steal it from your E30 shit most likely. That positive terminal they connect to goes to the starter.

[Matt-B]

yea sorry Im not more helpful.