1994 bmw 525i help!!!!

[707bayarea]

can some one take a picture of there ecm/ecu compartment under the hood i think im missing something but im not sure any picture will be more than appriciated thanks

[e34armour]

What makes you think this?

[707bayarea]

I actually swapped a 92 motor-Harness-ECU into my 94. There is 1 extra Black 12 pin connector next to the ECM and the 3 relay's. It looks as it was going to the Auto ECU in the pass side kick panel. The 94 is a 5spd manual, So Im stuck not knowing what this black connector is for is for the AUTO and maybe a Neutral safety ????? The car runs FINE when I spray Starting fluid in it ........ Thanx so much for tryn to understand. Anything esle Im missing just ask. I appreciate anyting guys Im so Neewb on BMW's This is my first , I had it at a shop originaly and they had it for 2 months lol

[NapaBavarian]

I actually swapped a 92 motor-Harness-ECU into my 94. There is 1 extra Black 12 pin connector next to the ECM and the 3 relay's. It looks as it was going to the Auto ECU in the pass side kick panel. The 94 is a 5spd manual, So Im stuck not knowing what this black connector is for is for the AUTO and maybe a Neutral safety ????? The car runs FINE when I spray Starting fluid in it ........ Thanx so much for tryn to understand. Anything esle Im missing just ask. I appreciate anyting guys Im so Neewb on BMW's This is my first , I had it at a shop originaly and they had it for 2 months lol


Are you missing the fuel pump relay?

[707bayarea]

i got the fuel pump relay in.. are the engine harness off of a auto/5 speed the same?? cause i have an extra plug that came off the auto that runs to the ecm behind the speaker on the front passenger side but now my car doesnt have that computer and thats were the extra plug goes???

[NapaBavarian]

Is your fuel pump not coming on?

[707bayarea]

its not i have to jump it but even then it still doesnt fire

i think my auto engine harness isnt going to work in my 5 speed.... do u know anyone that has a 5 speed engine harness? im willin to trade my auto harness for it!!!!

[Mark185]

I have an auto harness in my converted 525i Touring and the engine runs fine. That is not your problem. I noticed you say you swapped a 92 harness into a 94. That may be the problem. If the 92 engine was an M20 or M50 without VANOS, the 92 harness is not compatible with a 94 M50 engine with VANOS. I don't remember which year began the start of VANOS engine production but this is the first thing I would check. What engine was in the donor car?

[mottati]

I have an auto harness in my converted 525i Touring and the engine runs fine. That is not your problem. I noticed you say you swapped a 92 harness into a 94. That may be the problem. If the 92 engine was an M20 or M50 without VANOS, the 92 harness is not compatible with a 94 M50 engine with VANOS. I don't remember which year began the start of VANOS engine production but this is the first thing I would check. What engine was in the donor car?

92 e34 was non-vanos, i was thinking along the same lines.

[merikgvr4]

Can you swap back in the harness and ecu for the 94 motor? There are threads for the knock sensors in the block and maybe just leave the connector to the vanos out?

[707bayarea]

i sold the motor and harness and ecu from the 94 and i bought a 92 525 automatic running car.. everything i put in the 94 5 speed is everything that came out of the 92.. engine with harness and ecu.. is there a forum or thread to were it shows wat i have to do to the auto harness to make it work with the 94 5 speed chassis???

both the motors look exactly the same everything excep the that plug that runs from by the ecu down threw the firewall and it plugs in again into the harness that runs into the passenger side kick panel to another ecu.. this car is one big headache lol

[Mark185]

I don't think there is any difference between auto and manual harness. I am running a 5 speed manual with a 525i auto harness with no problems. The connector for the auto transmission computer is on all cars. The way the engine ECU knows whether or not an auto transmission is present is from the voltage on a specific pin at the engine ECU. IIRC, the voltage is 12 volts if the car is a manual trans and it is a variable voltage if it is an auto trans. The variable voltage comes from the gear selector in the center console. I had to jumper a wire in the harness in the center console to provide a constant voltage instead of a variable voltage. It has been a long time and I don't remember what pins I jumpered. I am hoping someone following this thread has done this and remembers. Even if you have not jumpered this connection, the engine should start and run well.

Now that we know you swapped in a complete package from the 92 that included the 92 ECU, we can rule out an incompatibility between the harness and the ECU.

You need to be more specific about the problems you are having before any of us can give you better suggestions. It sounds like you can't get it to start and idle properly. When you shoot ether into the intake, will it idle after starting? If not, the first thing I would check and replace is the idle air control valve that is underneath the intake manifold. These typically fail in an open position and that would cause hard starting and idle problems. It is basically, a big vacuum leak when it fails open.

[StealthBimmer]

Found your other thread. That black plug has nothing to do with anything. When I did my swap, I had the same problem, nowhere for it to go. Mine is not plugged in to anything, and I have had no problems.

What problems are you having with the car? Will it not start?

Edit: reading owns me

So, you have fuel and spark? Are you positive that you have spark? It could be the crank sensor.

Wait, was the car automatic to begin with? If so then it is your relay. You have to build a jumper.