Wiring loom help please 318i to M30

[SPADGE]

Hi guys
Well my engine is almost ready to go back in and i would like to sort out the wiring now before i put it in.
The engine loom from the 318 has a bout 5 empty plug holes where as the 535 one is using every one so what do i need to do?
I have checked the colour coding and pin numbers between the 2 and about 5 of them are different as regards wire colour to pin so does anyone know exactly what i need to change please??
Cheers Spadge...

[Brianmoooore]

There was a thread on this a while ago, and, IIRC, the only thing that needed changing was a wire associated with the unloader relays.
Extra wires on the 535 loom are probably things like oil level sender and ABS feed.
BMW wiring colours do vary a bit. Several on an E30 C101 plug are different from those on the C101 socket.
Post up the colours and pin numbers of any you aren't sure about.

[SPADGE]

There was a thread on this a while ago, and, IIRC, the only thing that needed changing was a wire associated with the unloader relays.
Extra wires on the 535 loom are probably things like oil level sender and ABS feed.
BMW wiring colours do vary a bit. Several on an E30 C101 plug are different from those on the C101 socket.
Post up the colours and pin numbers of any you aren't sure about.

Ok Brian thanks for your help.

The left column shows the terminal numbers and the colour wires attached to them for the 318i loom and the right the same terminal number on the E34 loom and their colour of wire.

1.8i e34
8=black/white 8=black/pinkypurply
12=brown 12=grey
15=green/black 15=brown/black
16=black/white 16=yellow/white
20=red/yellow 20=brown/yellow

I'll list the blanks in the 1.8i loom and the colour of the wires in the same pin numbers in the e34 plug tomorrow.

Cheers Spadge..

[Brianmoooore]

What year and model was your M30 donor car?

[SPADGE]

What year and model was your M30 donor car?

1989 535i SE

Cheers..

[SPADGE]

Any news for me Brian?

[Brianmoooore]

I'll list the blanks in the 1.8i loom and the colour of the wires in the same pin numbers in the e34 plug tomorrow.

Cheers Spadge..

[SPADGE]

I'll list the blanks in the 1.8i loom and the colour of the wires in the same pin numbers in the e34 plug tomorrow.

Cheers Spadge..

Tomorrow never came Brian as the site died for half a week.
I'll have a look in the morning and list it here.
Cheers Spadge..

[gareth]

if the 318i loom (car side, not engine loom) is the same as the one on a 325i (i assume it will be?) then simply plugging it in will let the engine fire up!

the unloader relays and econometer will only take a short while to sort out and can be done once you're mobile
in the meantime you won't be able to wind the electric windows with the doors shut, no heater fan and you won't be able to see your new economy which may be a good thing!!!

i can't remember the exact details off the top of my head but if you don't work it out, i'll pull the rubber boot off mine and note what i did for you... though it's now dark and raining!

it was all covered on here but i can't find it on the search....

[Brianmoooore]

the 318i loom (car side, not engine loom) is the same as the one on a 325i

This is a M30 3.5 engine not a 2.5.
I'm waiting to see the full picture before I reply, because there's already an oddity on the 318 loom in the form of a brown wire on pin 12.

[SPADGE]

if the 318i loom (car side, not engine loom) is the same as the one on a 325i (i assume it will be?) then simply plugging it in will let the engine fire up!

the unloader relays and econometer will only take a short while to sort out and can be done once you're mobile
in the meantime you won't be able to wind the electric windows with the doors shut, no heater fan and you won't be able to see your new economy which may be a good thing!!!

i can't remember the exact details off the top of my head but if you don't work it out, i'll pull the rubber boot off mine and note what i did for you... though it's now dark and raining!

it was all covered on here but i can't find it on the search....

Gareth i already know all that mate but would rather do it properly 1st as i am in no rush to drive it and would rather drive it when everything functions as it should!
Cheers though mate
Spadge..

[gareth]

This is a M30 3.5 engine not a 2.5.

i know

i have fitted a M30 into my 325i tourer but have never played with a 318i loom so don't know if the connections are the same between my cars original loom and spadges 318i one.

[SPADGE]

There you go Gareth just for you a pic of a 93 318i Lux engine loom plug and wires which is making rather a cool desk ornament these days and much better than a Bonsai
Brian i'm going to go out to the garage now and see if my ageing eyes can see the pin numbers on the M30 loom.

[SPADGE]

Brian so far

On the 318i engine loom the following pin numbers have no pins/wires

2
3
10
17
19

Going to go and see what colour wires are on the M30 one for those numbers now

[SPADGE]

Ok
God that was a struggle i need to get to spec-savers

On the M30 loom the pins that are blanks on the 318i one have the following coloured wires

2 white/blue

3 white/black

10 white/yellow

17 pinky red/white

19 green/blue

[SPADGE]

This is one of only 3 jobs i need to do before i can get the engine in so a speedy response would be appreciated if poss Brian

[Brianmoooore]

Right - first a list of the E30 plug colours and functions:
1/ blue, from alternator small terminal to ignition light.
2/ green/yellow, oil level sensor (NC on 318 loom)
3/ NC
4/ brown/purple, water temp to cluster
5/ brown/green, oil pressure to cluster
6/ green/white, fused ignition, feed to lambda sensor heater and Rx pin of engine ECU only.
7/ green, ignition 12V+ from ignition switch
8/ white/black, fuel rate from ECU to cluster
9/ black, engine speed (revs) from ECU to cluster
10/ blue, oil level sensor (NC on 318 loom)
11/ white/green, service light reset from diag.socket to cluster
12/ grey, engine ECU fault light. Not normally fitted on UK cars
13/ green/purple, fuel pump, from ECU to pump relay
14/ black/white, speed signal from cluster to ECU
15/ black/green, from unloader relays to starter motor
16/ white/black, unknown function. Usually fitted, but goes to a NC in the body socket
17/ NC
18/ black/yellow, starter, from start position of ignition switch to starter
19/ NC
20/ red/yellow, ABS feed. This is 12V+ to the ABS unit from the main ECU relay

The E30 body socket may have some different colours for the same pins:
2/ blue/black
5/ black/brown
6/ green/yellow
8/ yellow/white
10/ purple/green
11/ white/blue
12/ green/white or brown/black (not usually present on UK cars).
13/ purple/red
14/ blue/yellow


I've got three different wiring diagrams for the engine control of 535i s around '87- '88, but I can't really relate any of these to your mystery pins, 8,12,15,16 and 20.

There was a major change between '88 and 89'. The '88 ECU has 35 pins. The '89 has 65. How many does yours have?


Note that the only wires you have to connect to make the engine run are (on the E30 C101):

7, (ignition), 13, (fuel pump), and 18, (starter)

[SPADGE]

Brian
My engine loom ecu plug has 55 holes for pins but only 39 are being used. The ECU number if it helps is 0 261 200 179.
Cheers for your efforts to date!
Spadge..

[SPADGE]

Brian before you go to anymore trouble i've had a change of plan now!
I'm going to put my M30 into a 325 i have here now and the 325 into the 318
Any help as regards the above and the wiring would be great

[DRIFTBOY]

I can't keep up with you Spadge!!!

How many BMWs have you got!

For a swap into a 1988 325i, using a 1988 535i donor, I only had to change 2 wires in the c101 plug and they were for the heater and econmy(!) swingometer guessy, useless, silly guage thing!

I can have look a mine tomorrow and tell you exactly what was needed if you like, it was very simple.

[SPADGE]

I can't keep up with you Spadge!!!

How many BMWs have you got!

For a swap into a 1988 325i, using a 1988 535i donor, I only had to change 2 wires in the c101 plug and they were for the heater and econmy(!) swingometer guessy, useless, silly guage thing!

I can have look a mine tomorrow and tell you exactly what was needed if you like, it was very simple.

Currently i own 3 tourers + 1 coupe + 1 5 series mate
It was a hard decision to make especialy as i had already stripped the engine and box from the Silver 318i ready for the M30. In the end i had to go for the one i liked the look of the most and this was the Lazer Blue 2.5 .
If you wouldn't mind checking the wiring that would be cool mate cheers!

[Brianmoooore]

Losing me as well! A M20B25 from an E30 will fit straight into a E30 318 shell with no electrical mods whatsoever.
Similarly, M30 into 325 shell is exactly the same as M30 into 318 shell, except fot the oil level senders may now work.

[DRIFTBOY]

No probs, I'll do it tomorrow as it's very cold, dark and I'm a bit (well, it is my birthday!)

325 has already got rear discs too!

[SPADGE]

No probs, I'll do it tomorrow as it's very cold, dark and I'm a bit (well, it is my birthday!)

325 has already got rear discs too!

All tourers have rear discs mate which is what the 318 is

[SPADGE]

Losing me as well! A M20B25 from an E30 will fit straight into a E30 318 shell with no electrical mods whatsoever.
Similarly, M30 into 325 shell is exactly the same as M30 into 318 shell, except fot the oil level senders may now work.

No reason to be lost Brian!
Its simple. Instead of putting the M30 into the 318i as planned i'm now putting it into a 325 and putting the 325 into the 318

[Brianmoooore]

With the engines and gearboxes removed there's very little difference between a 318 touring and a 325 touring.
Front springs, diff and possibly the "check" light system and that's about it. The 325 originally had aluminium front arms, but they're probably long gone.

[SPADGE]

With the engines and gearboxes removed there's very little difference between a 318 touring and a 325 touring.
Front springs, diff and possibly the "check" light system and that's about it. The 325 originally had aluminium front arms, but they're probably long gone.

I know Brian the decision to change was based purely on the colour of the cars as i prefer the darker colour of the Lazer blue one

[DRIFTBOY]

I just had a look at my c101 plugs to see wahat I did.

On my 1988 M30 engine loom I cut the wires from pins 3 (black and white) and 8 (black and purple) ans swapped them around.
That sorted out the enonomyswingyguagethingy!

On my 1988 E30 body loom I just cut the wire from pin 15 (black and green) and instead of it going through the plug I wired it straight to the smallest terminal on the starter motor.
That sorts out the heater motor and I think electric windows but I have wind-ups. This also keeps the unloader relay working so when the engine is cranking the heater and windows will stop.

Hope that helps Spadge!

[SPADGE]

I just had a look at my c101 plugs to see wahat I did.

On my 1988 M30 engine loom I cut the wires from pins 3 (black and white) and 8 (black and purple) ans swapped them around.
That sorted out the enonomyswingyguagethingy!

On my 1988 E30 body loom I just cut the wire from pin 15 (black and green) and instead of it going through the plug I wired it straight to the smallest terminal on the starter motor.
That sorts out the heater motor and I think electric windows but I have wind-ups. This also keeps the unloader relay working so when the engine is cranking the heater and windows will stop.

Hope that helps Spadge!

Cheers mate thats a great help!

I put the engine in today but guess in which car

Got a fair bit to do but its sitting in there and might be running this time tomorrow all being well

[Brianmoooore]

The 179 ECU was used on 535i s from '89 - '92, using Motronic 1.3. Also on 735s from '89 - '94.
White/black is the BMW colour for fuel rate signal, which is on 8 on the E30, but appears to be on 3 on the M30, so that fits with Driftboy swapping 3 and 8. Doesn't matter what you connect to 3 on the E30, as there's no pin on 3 in the C101.

[Brianmoooore]

Found a wiring diagram for a 535i with a 55 pin ECU.
Shows a black/green from the starter motor going back to various things in the car, so presumably it goes through the 535i equivalent of the C101.
Isn't there a black/green in the plug on your M30 engine loom?

[SPADGE]

Brian
I'm going to be having a good look at the wiring tomorrow as soon as i have fitted the gearbox.
I'm getting a tad confused now but thats probably as i've had a long and cold day!
I'll have a look for the black/green wire and get back to you.
Cheers again
Spadge..

ps. The starter motor has 2 small wire going to it but both are covered with black so hard to tell what colour they are underneath. There is also a big wire on there as well. All of these 3 are plugged into the loom which then go into the main plug.I'll be running a thick cable straight from the battery to the starter as it was in the E34 as well.
There was also a white plug adjacent to the ecu which seemed to plug into the abs wiring on the E34 and i'm not sure where this should now go?

[Brianmoooore]

M20s have a small socket hanging off the loom near the ECU as well. Only time I've seen it used is for switchable auto boxes and for cars with aircon (aircon shorts one pin to earth to raise idle speed a little). Just ignore the socket.
The smallest wire on the starter should be the black/green, and the next smallest black/yellow. Seems like it's present at the starter, so it must be in the C101. May be worth just trimming back the outer sheath a little at the starter to check the colour, although I've never seen anything other than black/green on any model.
It must go to the C101, and should be moved, if necessary, to pin 15.

[SPADGE]

Perhaps i ought to mention at this point that i put the engine in the Silver 318i
I made a decision this morning to fit it to that and once finished sell it on and straight away convert the Lazer blue car also and keep that

[gareth]

musical engine bays: if the music stops, do you suddenly pull the engine out and stick it in the next car?!!!!

i reckon the best plans is to have 3 335i tourings. one for saturday, one for sunday and one for bank holidays!!