95 318Ti swap into a 97 318i. UPDATED*
 

First of all, 'Im new to the site. I'm actually new to the BMW world but I'm somewhat knowledgeable with it. My name is MJ.

I bought a 97 318i automatic for a steal, had a blown head gasket but it was too clean to pass it up. So I bought a 95 325i whole full swap, transmission, harness, computer. It was a obd1 with 5 speed harness. I was planning on doing a 5 speed conversion. However, I am going through a different route. I got rid of the m50 motor and wanted a 318 back in there. So I went and bought a 95 318Ti longblock with 84k miles. Car was totaled and motor was running.


I have most of it installed in the car. I need help with a few things regarding the harness and sensors being different. The 318Ti I bought didn't include the top part of the intake manifold. However, I have it from my 97 obd2 with the sensors intact. Would that work?

Im using my 97 318i automatic harness, 2 computers from 97 318i.

-Crank and cam sensors?
-2 sensors on the block under the intake manifold ports

Nobody here can help me out?

-I have the cam and crank sensor from the obd2 but they are short and its a tight fit for both. Can I or is it okay to cut and extend them?

-2 sensors that plug into the block. Do they connect to another wire/plug to plug into the harness plug? Like 2 in 1? Because I have only one plug left on the harness, its a maile 4 wire round plug looks like one of the oxygen sensors but i have my oygen sensors outta the way.


Thats it for the harness. Thats really all I need to start my car up.

64 views but nobody knows what the sensors are just above the knock sensors. one is hte coolant temperature? I thought this site is 318ti. Nobody knows the motor sensors??

Coolant temp sensor is in the head right behind the oil filter housing. Did you look on realoem?

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...58&hg=11&fg=10

Wow. I love this guy Spidertri. One post is all it took. Reason why I havent used the realoem because Ive never heard of it. Thanks man, your the coolest.

Im looking to find out:

What 2 sensors do I have to change from the OBD1 318Ti to OBD2 318i harness. On the harness, I have only 1 plug left which is the Male 4 pin round plug connector. On the motor itself, I have 2 sensors/plugs left; the two I am trying to describe located right under the intake (Not the oil temperature with 1 pin AND not the two knock sensors or the crank.)

Some of the 96 motors were a transition model where they used M42 parts on the M44 engine. One of the changes from M42 to M44 was that there were two separate coolant sensors on the M42 and they were merged into 1 on the M44. IIRC, one went to the cluster and the other to the DME. Both are right under the intake manifold. Pretty sure the M44 version is 4 pin.

Here's the early (M42) diagram showing the sensors, http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...05&hg=11&fg=15

Right, so the coolant temperature on my harness is a 4 pin round plug. The only plug left on my harness is a male 4 pin which goes to the coolant sensor. The older models used 2 sensors? Because I dont see another sensor beign used on M44 obd2. On 95 318ti I see two sensors right under the intake manifold.

Would it be fine just to leave that sensor plugged in and not use/plug it? Im getting a 4 pin coolant sensor today and should be my last sensor.

However, Im working on the crank and cam sensor. I need to extend them due to a tight ass fight.

Shielded wires? I heard they were some sort of a ground? What does that mean.

Everything is good now besides the crank and cam sensors. I have a cam sensor from the OBD2 that fit and is good. As far as the crank sensor, do I need a obd2 or any 318 crank sensor? Not sure on cutting, or what anymore. I dont wanna mess it up.

Do I need 318Ti OBD2 sensors for my OBD2 318Ti in OBD2 318I setup?

Other 318 OBD2 sensors wont work for me? I need someone to confirm about 318Ti parts..

I'd imagine the only difference between 318ti o2 sensors and 318i sensors is the length of the wire. Get the sensors for the car that you have.

Thats not specific enough for me spidertri.

If you honestly didnt wanna make me understand, dont bother posting on my thread. Sorry to be a ass but im sick of ppl writing half notes and expecting me to reask questions so i can feel stupid. Now "Get the sensors for the car you have"

Are you referring to the 97 318i Chassis or 95 318Ti sensors???


I have both cam and crank sensor from a OBD1 318iC.

what does Fantastic 420 stand for?

No need to jump on Dave. I'm pretty sure he was trying to help you out. No one tries to make anyone feel stupid around here unless they are being an ass. It's pretty unusual around here.

I wouldn't cut anything to extend, but that's just me. You should be looking at OBD2 parts either for the Ti or the i, not ODB1. If you knew the build date of the Ti motor it would tell you for certain. I would imagine the pin connections should be the same for all M44's (OBD2) no matter what the chassis.

Dave was saying to match according to the chassis you are putting the motor into. Some things are going to be slightly different. I myself have no idea for sure what is. One way to verify differences is to compare the p/n's between the 318ti to the 318i...build dates tell you for a fact what parts were used. You will have to do that on your own, though.