Fuse Box Wiring Question

[e364fun]

Hello,
I am doing a retrofit of heated/power seats into a 318i that had manual seats. I have taken the seats and all wiring from the donor car and now am trying to remove the wires from the fuse carrier. I want to do this so I can run everything to the proper fuses and relays. The problem is that I can't get the wire to release from the carrier. (see pictures) I have removed the white locking bar but it still won't come out. Has anyone done this? Is there a special technique?

Thanks for any advice.
Kevin


e36 fuse carrier 1 by Bimmer Fan, on Flickr


e36 fuse carrier 2 by Bimmer Fan, on Flickr

[johnf]

You need to squeeze in two, top side, retaining barbs and then slide the contact toward the rat's nest. BMW has a two prong, extraction tool for this with an inner spacing of something like 3.0-3.2 mm. Here's one to try. I haven't used it in the fuse box, just on relay sockets.

EDIT (15 December 2012): The above link broke. It was either to TGS's G105 or G110 tool, more likely G110 but I expect either should do.

EDIT (10 June 2015): I re-fixed the link.

EDIT (19 September 2018): It is broken again. I would go to TGS's website and search for G105 or G110.

[flyfishvt]

WOW...I didnt even know you could take those out. My suggestion is to forget all that and use one of the fin combs and a female spade connector. That's what all those fin combs are for so you can tap into the existing harness without splicing into the wires.

[johnf]

Like the OP, I would prefer to transfer the two fuse contacts. Which fused, comb terminal has 10–15A spare current?

[flyfishvt]

Like the OP, I would prefer to transfer the two, fuse F4 contacts. Which fused, comb terminal has 10–15A spare current?

That depends on your car model/year and the option list it came with. Obviously the best solution is to install a new fuse in one of the open slots. That can be done without taking all the fuseholders out. Just tip the whole top of the fusebox over on its side. There are certainly lots of open slots and they should even be labled on the cover for power seats and heated seats so you can just use the fusebox legend as it exists.

If you don't already have power seats or heated seats there won't be anything in those slots. All you need is some wire and two or three fuse holder inserts.

In a pinch you can use the fin comb instead of hacking into an existing wire. That's what they are for.

[johnf]

I like the idea of replicating the stock fuse(s) and wiring so that later someone can quickly find their way around. Like myself after I've forgotten what I did.

[flyfishvt]

I wish i could help you find where to get those fuse holders. If you find out let me know. I would love to do this for my angel eyes when I get around to installing them.

I may just end up taking a few off my parts car before I send it to the junker.

[e364fun]

Guys, thanks for the prompt replys. After seeing a picture of the extractor I tried using a couple of very small screwdrivers which didn't work. I actually wound up breaking one of them, but then I thought of something else. I remembered some of those little things the wife had for holding corn on the cob. It has two small prongs and they are made of some sort of mild steel that can be easily bent to the perfect dimension. It worked perfectly. It is the little yellow thing in the picture.


Terminal Extractor by Bimmer Fan, on Flickr

[johnf]

I was able to extract a score of wired fuse contacts with a couple jeweler's screwdrivers. I didn't mention that because they were out of an E34 fuse strip and I may have hoarked one or two.

Great thinking to use a corn-on-the-cob holder!

[cosmoapt]

Hey guys. I just bought a 94 325i vert. Previous owner son in law jacked with the fuse box and melted the purple wires (fuse #46 brake light) the gas gauge quit working. He had shoved a wire into the 46 slot almost causing fire. Question. Do you know where I can get The wiring diagram? Splicing the wires seems pretty straightforward. I just don't want to miss anything. Also how do you get the fuse box completely out to flip it over there's not much room to work in there. Currently I have it out and slipped as much as possible. Thanks for your help.

[Joylove]

I wish i could help you find where to get those fuse holders. If you find out let me know. I would love to do this for my angel eyes when I get around to installing them.

14 Fuse carrier 10X 1 61131387123 $2.42
14 Fuse carrier 16X 1 61131387124 $3.38
15 Slider 16X 1 61131387128 $0.77
15 Slider 10X 1 61131387129 $0.68

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...1&fg=20&hl=273



02 Double leaf spring contact 1,0 MM² ? 61130007439 $2.70
02 Double leaf spring contact 2,5 MM² ? 61130007440 $3.17
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...=61&fg=15&hl=3

Hey guys. I just bought a 94 325i vert. Previous owner son in law jacked with the fuse box and melted the purple wires (fuse #46 brake light) the gas gauge quit working. He had shoved a wire into the 46 slot almost causing fire. Question. Do you know where I can get The wiring diagram? Splicing the wires seems pretty straightforward. I just don't want to miss anything. Also how do you get the fuse box completely out to flip it over there's not much room to work in there. Currently I have it out and slipped as much as possible. Thanks for your help.

There's a link to the schematic in my signature.

[TipsyMcStagger]

BUMP:

I've not taken the fuse box apart yet but I'd like to add two fused 15 amp circuits to the fuse box. I'd like for them to be switched (start and run). I'm a little unclear as to how to go about doing this.

If the four screws retaining the top of the fuse box are removed and the top of the box moved out of the way, are there vacant terminals on a comb connector available from which to draw switched power?

Just trying to conceptualize how best to accomplish this.

Thanks.

Tipsy

[johnf]

I am pretty sure you will want to add an unloader relay that switches constant, 12V power which you can conveniently take from a prominent stud in the fuse box. 30A is beyond what the ignition switch can switch, and about the limit for a relay; I expect the existing relays' switching capacities are already committed.

You can buy all the parts from BMW to add to the relays in the fuse box. I believe a '98 US model will have at least one empty relay position created when the high beam relay/DRL module migrated to behind the dash.

[flyfishvt]

I retrofitted heTed seats into my m3. I went to the junk yard and grabbed some fuse box parts and pigtails from a e36 that had a smashed fuse box. Then I soldered wires onto the pigtails and inserted the connectors into the correct fuse slot for heated seats. The result was a factory look alike install.

There are a dozen fin combs inside the fuse box. Some of them might be switched power. I fed wires through the firewall from
Inside the fuse box. Then I connected them to a switched power fin comb behind the glove box.

An unloader relay? Maybe but the only thing a unloader relay does is it disconnects power to the circuit when you turn the key from run to start. Not 100% necessary unless the thing you're installing is a huge amp hog.

[flyfishvt]

Tipsy

Good to see you back. It's been a while

[TipsyMcStagger]

I am pretty sure you will want to add an unloader relay that switches constant, 12V power which you can conveniently take from a prominent stud in the fuse box. 30A is beyond what the ignition switch can switch, and about the limit for a relay; I expect the existing relays switching capacities are already committed.

You can buy all the parts from BMW to add to the relays in the fuse box. I believe a '98 US model will have at least one empty relay position created when the high beam relay/DRL module migrated to behind the dash.

Yes, there is a vacant relay position in the box. My situation is a bit unique in that I'm swapping in an LS2. Most swappers use a a secondary fuse box as part of their stand alone engine harness. But I'm trying to integrate my harness fully with the BMW's fuse box.

The LS2 donor car had a each injector and coil bank (four cylinders each) on a separate 15a fuse. I've poured through the ETK and while the BMW's injectors and coils are wired though the main relay, I don't see any fuse for them at all. The only fuses in the box designated as engine are auxiliary fan and fuel pump (and auto trans). This is why I want to add two 15a fused circuits.

So I if I understand correctly you're saying any switched power under the fuse box is routed through the ignition switch?

Thanks.

Tipsy

[johnf]

... An unloader relay? Maybe but the only thing a unloader relay does is it disconnects power to the circuit when you turn the key from run to start. Not 100% necessary unless the thing you're installing is a huge amp hog.

Well, Tipsy is adding a 15A fused circuit which generally means the current involved is not exactly small. If his load isn't an amp-hog, he could use a lower current fuse (and consequently, lighter wiring).

So I if I understand correctly you're saying any switched power under the fuse box is routed through the ignition switch?

The scheme I have in mind is that you get switched power from the ignition switch, and suppose it won't be enough to power your 15A circuit. Instead, you have the power from the ignition switch trip a relay installed in the fuse box. The relay contacts then take power from a stud in the fuse box and send it to your load.

I like to wire the stud to the fuse and then the fuse to the relay: to protect it and more of the wiring. But BMW often puts the relay contacts upstream of the fuse.

[TipsyMcStagger]

Tipsy

Good to see you back. It's been a while

Thanks. I'm always lurking but I usually post in the Conversions section.

An unloader relay? Maybe but the only thing a unloader relay does is it disconnects power to the circuit when you turn the key from run to start. Not 100% necessary unless the thing you're installing is a huge amp hog.

Coils and injectors definitely need power with the key in "start."

The scheme I have in mind is that you get switched power from the ignition switch, and suppose it won't be enough to power your 15A circuit. Instead, you have the power from the ignition switch trip a relay installed in the fuse box. The relay contacts then take power from a stud in the fuse box and send it to your load.

I like to wire the stud to the fuse and then the fuse to the relay: to protect it and more of the wiring. But BMW often puts the relay contacts upstream of the fuse.

So I guess there must me an available terminal on a comb connector under the box that's battery hot (vs. actually tying into the X0 stud on the fuse box). I should be able to take power for the two fused circuits from a hot comb terminal (or two hot comb terminals) and run them through a switched relay.

Tipsy

[TipsyMcStagger]

I opened the fuse box today. I could only find one comb connector with red wires and it only had one vacant slot. I think I'm going to just tap off of the bottom of the main power "post" (the lug that brings battery power into the fuse box) with a ring terminal to power the two new 15amp circuits. I'll run them both through a relay which I'll control with switched power.

I still need order the double leaf spring contact to create the new fuse locations.

Tipsy

[johnf]

That is pretty much what I would do, and use heavy (at least 2.5 mm^2) wire between the fuse box B+ stud (X0) and the fuses.

[amancuso]

How do you remove the fuse assemblies from the top of the lid? I found the push tab on one side but it can't remove it from the other.