For the record, via other posts and the ETM for a later model, I'm 99% convinced of:
Sensor (pointy) in left brake duct is for outside temps displayed in the OBC. This seems to be its only use.
Sensor (flat) in right brake duct is actually a 'thermal switch', used for heated windshield washer nozzles, and possibly other outside heated elements like rear view mirrors, door locks, etc.
Deleted all external lighting except for brake lights, deleted a few unneeded sensors. Down to about 14 fuses, and 5 relays. Still have the power windows! lol. And am using the OEM windshield wiper controller. I'll eventually get rid of those, but didn't have time to make window hangers to keep the car dry on my open trailer.
Cleaned up the wiring on the passenger side.
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Q: I think my car has an O2 sensor heater. 95 OBDI. What happens if the circuit that controls that (fuses/relays/wires) is deleted?
Love all the progress!
For the unused fuses, did you trace them fully back and remove the wire from the box or just cut the wires close to the fuses?
Thanks! Slow and steady. It's used for HPDE and instructing in between 'mod' sessions. lol. Next year, likely SCCA SBBR or such.
I traced nearly all the wires fully back to origin, removed the end point when possible (switches/relays/motors/etc), and continued removing wires until all dead ends met.
All except for about 4 wires that leave the fuse box and immediately go to the bowels of the engine compartment. Didn't feel like getting that adventurous. They're the wires, for example, for the heater hose controller thingy at the firewall, etc.
The 'ground' wires on this car are a mess from the factory. A symptom of many added systems after original design. There was one large ground wire that ran from one of the boxes under the glove box, across to the drivers side, through the firewall, into the fuse box, connected to an aggregator, returned back from the fuse box, and connected to ground on the drivers side wall. All that, and there's a ground attach point within a foot of the box that needed it. Many like that.
For the wires you removed directly from the fuse box, how did you get the crimp terminal out of the box? I've tried every tool and method I can find and can't get them to release from the fuse box. I've almost given up on trying to at this point and am thinking of clipping the wire as a pigtail and sealing the end.
Ahhh...funny you ask. I was trying to get those damn things out today. But, on THAT end, I've just cut them at the fuse block/terminal.
That said, if you look closely at the fuse block (say, for fuses 1-10), there's a white 'rod" (it's actually square) that runs through the fuse block, lengthwise. Push on the small end with a screwdriver, and then pull it out. It's obvious this has to be removed before the fuse terminals can be removed.
But...I couldn't get any of the out anyway. LOL.
Let me know if you figure this mystery out!
I'd love to, so I could rearrange and consolidate.
Hey BlackHawk, figure out the fuse terminal removal process?
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And, cooling system update...I need a fan. Temperatures stay between 200-210 on track and after a session....but I often pop over to the skid pad. 5000 rpm, 10mph, sideways, does not make for sufficient air flow over radiator. Guess I'll throw a low profile SPAL puller on.
Negative. I've given up on it for the time being. Spent several hours trying on both the fuse box and some relays I pulled out; this was back in March/April. Car has been on hold as I am closing on a house. Will start back at it once we are settled but I'm likely to just clip and cap the wire ends somewhere close to the fusebox... Figure it will give me a good crimping point when I actually redo the entire harness and move the box into the cabin at a later date.
I'll let you know if I figure it out. I'm almost to the point of 'destructive investigation'.
I'll probably move my fuse box over winter.
Ok...fuse terminals. Here's the deal.
Obviously, remove the little white square rod that runs lengthwise of the terminal block.
Here's what one of the fuse terminals looks like removed. There's a tab on Each F'ing Side.
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On the top side of the fuse block, I inserted a piece of safety wire into each slot shown below, to release the tabs:
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It was still like being a practicing lock smith...I got a few out...but still a huge PIA. I'm sure a thin piece of metal, or the special tool, used to release the tabs would be better. I may try something like that if I try moving more than a few fuses around.
11" pusher SPAL installed. Hoping I get enough cooling on the skid pad with this. A puller would have taken up a chunk of room, and I'd need to remove it to do things like leak-down tests, etc.
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Cracked front subframe (at engine mount). Event this weekend. Ug.
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Removing subframe, had to use a pickle to release the outer ball joints, and of course tore the boots. Can't get quality replacements in time. I'll squeeze most of the grease out of them, and run them for the weekend.
Pulled the subframe in 1 hour (the enablers; a lift and a battery powered impact wrench). I already have the reinforcements. This'll get my butt off the seat, and I'll put in metal or hard poly engine and trans mounts, and get an RTD shifter.
It's always something.
Last edited by aeronaut; 12-15-2021 at 04:48 PM.
5 hours work time to do front sub-frame reinforcements. Not bad at all. No tricks, no oh shits. Other than the 'ears' where the engine mounts bolt, were (are still) obviously a bit deformed. Still, overall not a horrendous job.
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RTD shifter ordered. Now, shopping for hard or metal engine/trans mounts.
No mods / work update. But....
AKG 75D poly engine/trans mounts received. I'll install when I get my shifter.
No word from RTD when/if shifter will ship. Hoping it's not months.
Damn instrument cluster is flaking out. DME needs 'vehicle speed' signal from IC, or else E36 goes into limp mode...didn't know there was such a thing. Considering seeing if speed sensor output from differential fed straight into DME will work. Should probably just buy a cheap non-M used IC from ebay, but who knows how long it'd be before another used one goes flaky?!
Oh...and for the record...a 11" pusher fan basically does nothing for cooling. Ug.
Last edited by aeronaut; 07-12-2019 at 08:56 AM.
Man. I don't know if I'll ever get around to pulling the dash but nice work!
I think I'm going to get rid of my Windshield Wiper Module (WWM), and just install an on/off switch for low speed.
Anyone have a simple on/off for low speed only for their wipers? I'm seeing something a bit odd when I measure voltage on the 2 wires to the wiper motor.
On those 2 inputs to the wiper motor when on low speed I see 13v and ~8v.
I'm thinking the 8v is just 'back EMF' generated by the 2nd set of coils that are used for high speed in the motor .
Duh...easy enough to hook up a car battery to the motor inputs and see what happens. For the record:
X285 (big blue connector on the WWM); Pin3 (BLK/RED/YLW) is 12v input to low speed wiper. Pin2 (BLK/WHITE/YLW) is input to high speed wiper.
Low speed wipe draws a peak of about 6Amps
High speed wipe draws a peak of about 9Amps.
My version of lightweight door handle and release.
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Removed switches and wiring for outside mirror adjustment.
Removed the 'door is closed or open' wiring. Only one wire on each side, but now wiring running from back of cabin to front is minimal; ABS, fuel sensor & pumps, and brake lights. Now, my windows always think the door is closed, so I just need to be careful when closing and opening the door with windows all the way up (cause coupe). Eventually, I'm going to get rid of the power windows (and then I can get rid of the 'body control module'), but I can't decide on the best waterproof solution.
Installed AKG hard poly engine and trans mounts. Waiting to install my new RTD shifter before I snug up trans mounts, but so far everything looks nice and even without any shims.
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A few things.
I'd think that most folks installing these have also installed front subframe reinforcements. To that end, it'd be nice if AKG delivered flanged nuts rather than standard nut/washer pair. A washer is a PIA to get up in the recessed area. Also, when welding in those reinforcements, it'd be smart to insure a socket fits up in that area. It's snug.
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RTD received and installed. Thanks to OCrentapopo for the idea of installing the OEM boot, up side down and trimed. Good stuff.
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Thanks! I know all these have been done a hundred times before, but I enjoy it.
3 track days on RTD shifter and poly mounts.
I like the shifter. I'd do it again. But it's not a religious experience. Next weekend I'll be on the track I use 2nd a few times (Summit Shenandoah). So I'll find out if I wish I'd paid for reverse lock-out.
The poly mounts add tons of NVH, of course, and completely change the engine noise inside the car. But, I now know where a 'clunk' that I've had for over year is coming from. lol.
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