Differences between wiring in different e34 platforms

[4dri4n]

Hi everyone!

Does anyone know if the wiring of any e34 is different between models? For instance: Is there any big difference with the wiring from a 525i m50 and a 530i m60 being both manual transmision cars? Could you swap the wiring between different frames?
The reason I am asking is because there are plenty of m50 e34 around however there are not so many manual V8. Aand, if they were the same I could get a regular e34 for almost nothing and just swap the wiring between both.

[ross1]

Wiring for what?
Of course there are differences. The body harnesses are all similar, the engines not so.
what are you trying to accomplish?
If you are talking about the body harness it is a fabulous amount of work, almost times two if you are thinking of taking one from a donor.
Unless a fire repair you are better off repairing what you have.

[moroza]

The engine harnesses are different, and furthermore the plug between the body and engine harness is backwards between M50 and M60 cars (I'm not sure what others have). In another thread we're discussing differences related to memory seats. Otherwise the body harnesses are very similar, at least for US models. Removing one intact is a lot of work, while installing one... forget it. Most of it is just plain tedious, but around the fusebox you'll be fighting rubber, small sharp plastic, cramped access, and a rat's nest of wires, many of them the same colors. Even in case of a fire, I wouldn't bother replacing whole, just solder in the sections you need.
Picture 222.jpgIMG_6109.jpgIMG_6108.jpgPicture 326.jpgPicture 220.jpg

[4dri4n]

Ok, that really looks like a nightmare hahaha

Fuck xP

I was considering maybe picking a 520i and swaping whatever is needed so my car has a full manual wiring.

Problem is that I just collected parts but I have not really started to work on it but I am about to put my hands on it.

I got a manual v8 DME, and I have a manual V8 cluster. I would like to get rid of all the wiring of the automatic module and dont have to deal with splicing cables and stuff but I think this will be imposible.

I will start to disassemble everything tomorrow and we will see.

I have searched a lot about ayto to manual conversion, and most seem to do it by keeping the auto DME and cluster and just replacing some relay and swaping the reverse switch cables.

I hate to ignore what I am about to face when starting a work. I like to plan first and know exactly what is what I am going to find. But in this case, I dont know until I am on it.

With the electric mirrors and so, I think I will have to swap the mirrors wiring. It is crazy how many cables are there with the memory stuff. They are totally different.

[4dri4n]

Hey Moroza, do you have any diagram or img where it is shown what every cable on a X20 conector from an m60 and m50 corresponds with?
Thank you guys!

- - - Updated - - -

If this thing ends up being a nightmare I am gonna end up buying a manual 540i and call it a day.
The only reason I bought an auto was because I wanted solar roof on it. That was essential. And the only one I found had an auto trans. All the other manuals had no sunroof and were more expensive.

The thing is that a member on the spanish forum bought a touring 520i and he had a scrapped 540i manual and he converted his 520i into a 540i manual. I wonder what did he do with the wiring stuff. I am gonna try and get in touch with him.

[moroza]

I don't, but these (US-spec) wiring diagrams might: http://www.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e34/

M60 in an M50 car will involve modifying the X20 plug, and I'm 80% sure that's it as far as electrics. Converting an auto to a manual is as simple as you think: change the starter relay, modify the reverse lights, ground one wire to turn off the TRANS PROGRAM error, and throw away the trans computer. A manual chip will run better but auto chip will work ok. No cluster modifications at all.

[petebob]

Hi 4dri4n. I swapped my '95 525it from the M50 to an M60/5HP30 and more recently from the auto to manual. As I recall, the pins in X20 were all the same. However, the body side and the engine side were the same gender so I had to splice in a mating plug on the body side, as well. The positive battery cable is quite a bit different in length and routing.
There is a jump point next to the ebox that wasn't there originally. Everything in the engine bay has to move. I used the H31 brake setup from an E32 because the factory V8 brake setup is goofy. You'll have to move the abs pump and power steering reservoir. The steering gearbox and front sway bars are different, as well. The wiper reservoir and air box mount differently. I used the chip from my donor car in my original cluster. Good luck!

[demetk]

I went from M60 to M30 and came up with this after studying the ETMs for both engines,

[4dri4n]

I went from M60 to M30 and came up with this after studying the ETMs for both engines,

Hi! You mean you went from m30 to m60, right?

This is very valuable information, thank you.

[4dri4n]

I don't, but these (US-spec) wiring diagrams might: http://www.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e34/

M60 in an M50 car will involve modifying the X20 plug, and I'm 80% sure that's it as far as electrics. Converting an auto to a manual is as simple as you think: change the starter relay, modify the reverse lights, ground one wire to turn off the TRANS PROGRAM error, and throw away the trans computer. A manual chip will run better but auto chip will work ok. No cluster modifications at all.

Hi Moroza!

I finally decided to start working on my car. I started to disasemble the engine to get a little bit more of room and clean the engine bay a little bit. But before going on with this task I thought I could simulate that I already have a manual.
First off I disconnected the auto trans module, and the original DME that came with the car. To my surprise it has the same reference number than that I bought from a manual 730i e32 (I bought the manual gearbox and the DME module) and for some reason I was convinced they had different references!
I dont know why. Both are 0 261 200 404. However 1 of them comes from a manual. I thought they were different and had different references.
So, if I plug the (supossed) manual DME module, and replace the starter relay, and leave the shifter in neutral, the car should start as if it was a manual, right?
I think I have a starter relay from a manual somewhere...

This is a few weeks before I started with all this:

Screenshot-20200216-193012-Whats-App.jpg

Right now:

2020-02-16-19-39-54.jpg

I am excited :P

[moroza]

So, if I plug the (supossed) manual DME module, and replace the starter relay, and leave the shifter in neutral, the car should start as if it was a manual, right?

I just woke up, but yeah, that sounds correct. The starter relay replacement is nothing more than a jumper inside a relay casing, in case you need to make one.

Manual and auto DME are often the same thing, only the (removable) chip inside is different.

That's your garage?! My fridge doesn't look that clean!

[demetk]

Hi! You mean you went from m30 to m60, right?

This is very valuable information, thank you.

Nope, went from M60 to M30 turbo.

[4dri4n]

I just woke up, but yeah, that sounds correct. The starter relay replacement is nothing more than a jumper inside a relay casing, in case you need to make one.

Manual and auto DME are often the same thing, only the (removable) chip inside is different.

That's your garage?! My fridge doesn't look that clean!

It doesnt looks that clean right now hahahaha

Hey, where the heck is the starter relay in this car?
I checked on the kick side and it isnt there. There are just 2 ABS relays there and an empty connector for a third relay which isnt there. In the fusebox there are a few relays but I am not sure how it looks like. I also removed the glovebox but there is no evidence of relays there neither.

Regarding the jumper inside the relay case, would it be the same procedure as described in this post for a 525i m50?

This is what I found:

20200223-192733.jpg

Thank you!

[moroza]

Depends on the production date of the car. I'm not sure what the exact cutoff is, but an "early" 1994 with no EWS has its starter relay in the fusebox. My 1/94 car with EWS has a starter immobilization relay in the kickpanel.

[4dri4n]

Ok, it started without the relay and without the jumper. In fact, it started so quick it scared the shit out of me. I thought it would take more time to achieve it LOL.
I used the manual transmission DME and disconnected the automatic transmission module.
To my surprise there is no fault code. It seems it started as a manual and that's it!

Will keep you posted! Thank you guys!

[4dri4n]

Hi everyone!

As some of you may know, I am in the process of converting my e34 530iA into a manual. The next step is to go bigger and add a 6 speed gearbox instead of the 5 speed I've got. I regret not spending a little bit more on the 6 speed but I already had the medium case LSD and wanted to keep it. They are a little bit expensive over here (800 / 1000€) and they are a little bit more expensive than the large ones. However I was told that the 188 is lighter and well... thats it.
The thing is that I have always been a big fan of the LS platform and that engine would probably be my choice if I lived in america. Here in europe there arent many of them. In fact, it is pretty hard to find this engine platform. An LS1 engine is something like 5K €.
I can have a donor car with an m60b40, an m62b44 as spare parts engine, a 420g and propshaft and LSD for 5500€.
Ooor, I could go and try to find an LSX engine there. Maybe an LQ4 or LM4 engine. What prices are these engines over there?
It could be a good business to import engines from junkyards here to europe. Although they are not apreciated the way they should, I think it is because people dont really know them. People over here tends to think they are trash and crap because its technology is obsolete. I think here in europe we over complicate things too much. I love the simplicity of those engines.

How much money can I expect to spend on an iron block LS engines? Or maybe LS1 engines?

There is a guy in poland that makes adaptor plates to match LS engines into any kind of BMW gearbox. Usually a 6 speed manual coming from m57 diesel engines; they hold up great high torque figures...

[Hofmeister]

Depends on the production date of the car. I'm not sure what the exact cutoff is, but an "early" 1994 with no EWS has its starter relay in the fusebox. My 1/94 car with EWS has a starter immobilization relay in the kickpanel.

my 6/94 was in the kickpanel, but remember ewsII wasnt until 1/95 production