Hi guys
I have a 325i with a manual sunroof, I have purchased an electric motor, the switch and headliner to convert to electric, is it a simple bolt in and plug in job, or are there other things I need, has anyone done this to there e30??
Manual to electric sunroof
Moderator: martauto
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Kristian0123
- E30 Zone Newbie
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:00 pm
Do you know if I need any extra loom, or will the wiring already be there ??
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
- Posts: 49358
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Wiring won't be there, but it's just a single wire that clips behind the LH 'A' pillar trim. The wire should be green/blue, and, on UK cars, connects to pin 30 of the blue relay to the left of the glovebox. This pin will probably already have the green/blue to the electric window switches connected to it, and the genuine sunroof wire will have a male and female connector on the bottom end of it, separated by an inch or so of wire, so that the window wire can be disconnected, the roof wire connected into its place, and then the windows wire reconnected to the other connector.
At first sight it looks like an electric motor will bolt up to the original manual base plate, but in spite of there being three previously unused threaded holes, on the one I tried, they are each about half a bolt diameter out.
At first sight it looks like an electric motor will bolt up to the original manual base plate, but in spite of there being three previously unused threaded holes, on the one I tried, they are each about half a bolt diameter out.
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
- Posts: 49358
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Wiring won't be there, but it's just a single wire that clips behind the LH 'A' pillar trim. The wire should be green/blue, and, on UK cars, connects to pin 30 of the blue relay to the left of the glovebox. This pin will probably already have the green/blue to the electric window switches connected to it, and the genuine sunroof wire will have a male and female connector on the bottom end of it, separated by an inch or so of wire, so that the window wire can be disconnected, the roof wire connected into its place, and then the windows wire reconnected to the other connector.
At first sight it looks like an electric motor will bolt up to the original manual base plate, but in spite of there being three previously unused threaded holes, on the one I tried, they are each about half a bolt diameter out.
At first sight it looks like an electric motor will bolt up to the original manual base plate, but in spite of there being three previously unused threaded holes, on the one I tried, they are each about half a bolt diameter out.
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Kristian0123
- E30 Zone Newbie
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:00 pm
Hi Brian
Many thanks for your info. So any ideas how to bolt the motor up into place
??
Many thanks for your info. So any ideas how to bolt the motor up into place
??
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
- Posts: 49358
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
I got the whole thing to work eventually by enlarging the mounting holes in the motor, but IIRC (it was a while ago), I then found further problems with the backplate, requiring some chopping and remodelling.
The best solution is to use the complete mounting plate from an electric roof.
Sounds like you already have the correct headlining, but an alternative is to use the black plastic roof console that was fitted to some E30s. I used one of these in my conversion on a touring, and that turned out to present a few problems that weren't immediately obvious.
The best solution is to use the complete mounting plate from an electric roof.
Sounds like you already have the correct headlining, but an alternative is to use the black plastic roof console that was fitted to some E30s. I used one of these in my conversion on a touring, and that turned out to present a few problems that weren't immediately obvious.
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Kristian0123
- E30 Zone Newbie
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:00 pm
Hi Brian
It’s the black padded centre counsel headliner I have to fit. Any ideas where I would ding a bracket and do they bolt in place of the manual one?
It’s the black padded centre counsel headliner I have to fit. Any ideas where I would ding a bracket and do they bolt in place of the manual one?