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Old 10-20-2019, 06:53 PM   #2
LanOsb133
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Location: Mission Viejo, CA
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Modified 328i Harness Details

Now this part is my solution to the 328i harness not working with the Z3 alternator. It may not be "right", but its what I did while I try to figure out a better alternative. The Z3 Alternator takes a three prong plug containing two wires. A blue exciter wire, and a second wire that is a power wire when the ignition is in start and run position with a 10a fuse. So you will want to either cut the 3prong connector off the z3 harness, or find the connector on the body of the Z3. There is ONE 3 prong connector near the fuse box that is on the Z3 body. It has a white with brown stripe, white with blue strip and white with red stripe wires in it. You can use this so the Z3 engine harness is not molested. So take your blue exciter wire from the 328i harness and chop off the end bit and solder that wire to the MIDDLE wire (Aka #2, or White wire with blue stripe if you pulled the connector off the body.) of the three prong connector.

Nows the fun part. Because we no longer have any of the Auto Transmission stuff in the center console you will be left with an 8 pin connector next to the gear selector. This 8pin connector we will need to put a wire into slot #5, it has the green and grey striped wire. Add a LONG wire into that connector and run the wire through the rubber shift boot to underneath the car. From here I ran the wire from the back of the transmission all the way to the Alternator. I put that wire next to all the transmission wiring on the wiring harness and followed it back up to the alternator. This single wire is than soldered into the 3 pin connector on slot number 1 or the white wire with the red stripe. Refer to the Z3 harness for which slots to use. After this, replace Fuse #28 with a red 10a fuse. And its that easy, this will give the Z3 alternator the power cable it is looking for to be used on your 318ti.

If you plan on running the clutch switch it will come off the Green/Grey wire also. So simply add two wires off the green/grey wire. 1 for the alternator 1 for the clutch switch. The clutch switch wire, you will add an inline 5amp fuse and than just hook it up like it should be.


Q&A Section:

Why the 97-98 Z3 2.8 and not a Sedan E36 2.8?
Because the 97-98 is an M52b28-0. It is the ONLY aluminum block single vanos M52b28 in the US market. It is somewhere around 60lbs lighter than the Iron block. Or somewhere around half the weight gain of a typical M52 swap. This IMO is a huge advantage for the cars handling characteristics since the car is being turned from an FMR (Front Mid Engine, Rear Wheel Drive) car to an FR (Front engine, Rear Wheel Drive).

Would you do this swap again?
Absolutely

Was this swap hard?
No. It is very easy all things considered. Its more labor intensive than an E36>E36/5 swap and it has more parts your need to source, but its worth the extra bit of work.

Why did you use the M50manifold.com kit?
Not only is this kit the cheapest and easiest option available. Besides those two things its one of the only kits that retains all the features of the M52 manifold meaning I can still BAR certify my car and my car wont throw up any check engine lights because everything is still there!

Last edited by LanOsb133; 10-20-2019 at 09:03 PM.
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