Swap Geniuses, I need your help!

[PrimeTimeSlime]

My swap is almost done. Everything is back together but I can't get it to start.

Here are the details:
Swapped engine and manual transmission from a 99 e36 328is into my automatic 96 318ti.

The ignition barrel on my 318ti started spinning the day before the swap so I decided to replace it with the 328 barrel (ended up swapping the entire steering column) and used the 328 key, ews, and dme. Pretty straight forward.

When I turn the key, all the electronics light up, the fuel pump primes, but the starter does not crank. The starter is working, we tested it with a battery.

I think it is one of the following, and maybe I am doing something wrong.

I thought it may be the neutral safety switch from the old automatic transmission. We tried running the brown wire from pin 7 to the ignition wire as shown here with no luck. http://e36-tech.com/DIY/5speedswap.htm

Now I am thinking it may have to do with the switch under the clutch pedal that wont let the car start without the clutch pedal depressed (the switch is not there now). I would like to bypass this switch but I have no idea how to do it. How do I get around it?

I am fairly certain it is not the ews since we used a working ews, dme, key, and steering column from the donor car. I was able to start and run the donor before we began.


Any help you guys can give me will be much appreciated!

[slow_ti]

To start my 96, you don't have to depress the clutch and I have a s52 swap

[PrimeTimeSlime]

I'm not sure, I think some have the feature and some dont. On my room mates 98 323is, you have to push in the clutch to start it and I am pretty sure it was the same on the donor car.

[slow_ti]

I think after 96 they started doing that feature

[cooljess76]

There's two parts to this system that are coded and must match in order to work.

First, the ECU, EWS module(located behind the glovebox) and transponder chip inside of the key all have to match each other.

Second, and this is completely separate from the items mentioned above, the EWS antenna ring(located around the ignition barrel) must match the EWS antenna module (located in the driver's side legwell next to the center console). If you swapped the ignition cylinder, you need to use your original 318ti's antenna ring. It's clipped to the ignition barrel and slides off. Otherwise, if you want, you could swap the EWS antenna module located in the driver's side legwell.

As long as those two items match and the other three items match, the thing should start. That being said, the two things don't have to match the three things. Think of it as two separate sub systems.

[PrimeTimeSlime]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

There's two parts to this system that are coded and must match in order to work.

First, the ECU, EWS module(located behind the glovebox) and transponder chip inside of the key all have to match each other.

Second, and this is completely separate from the items mentioned above, the EWS antenna ring(located around the ignition barrel) must match the EWS antenna module (located in the driver's side legwell next to the center console). If you swapped the ignition cylinder, you need to use your original 318ti's antenna ring. It's clipped to the ignition barrel and slides off. Otherwise, if you want, you could swap the EWS antenna module located in the driver's side legwell.

As long as those two items match and the other three items match, the thing should start. That being said, the two things don't have to match the three things. Think of it as two separate sub systems.

Ok, this is good info.

I replaced the small black ews box that sits to the left of the steering column under the drivers side leg well that the ring plugs in to. I am assuming this is the ews antenna module you are talking about, I thought it was the EWS module. I will look behind the glove box for the EWS box.

Does the ring itself have to match up or just the antenna module? I can't remember which ring we used.

[cooljess76]

wait, you didn't swap the ews module behind the glovebox? Well that's one problem.

I can't really say things any clearer. The antenna ring is coded to the antenna module, NOT the thing that the antenna ring plugs into on the steering column(it's a different box in the driver's legwell). These two things HAVE TO COME FROM THE SAME CAR as they are coded as a matched set.

The ECU is coded to the ews module(located behind the glove compartment) and the transponder chip in the key. These three things HAVE TO COME FROM THE SAME CAR.

The antenna ring and the ews antenna module DO NOT have to match the ECU, transponder chip and EWS module. They're two separate sub systems.

It sounds like you need to swap the EWS module behind the glove compartment and the antenna ring around the ignition cylinder.

It's not that confusing, I don't understand why people always screw this up.

On another note, this is only part of the problem. I'm sure the missing clutch safety switch is also an issue. There's also something related to the car needing to be in park that prevents the car from starting. You did disconnect/remove the transmission controller in the ECU compartment right? Manual transmissions do not use a controller.

[cooljess76]

BTW, sorry if I sounded like a jerk or rude, I know this whole thing could be frustrating when you're so close. Hang in there man, you're almost there!

[PrimeTimeSlime]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

BTW, sorry if I sounded like a jerk or rude, I know this whole thing could be frustrating when you're so close. Hang in there man, you're almost there!

Hey don't even worry about it man! You have always been super helpful to me and everyone else on the board and we all appreciate it.

I have a friend helping me out who wasn't aware of the EWS behind the glovebox. I knew there was an ews box to swap but I mistakenly thought it was the black antenna module under the steering column.

So just to make sure I am crystal clear: There are three things in the drivers side legwell: the ring around the ignition, the black box the ring plugs into, and an antenna module?


We are replacing the EWS behind the glove box now.

Thanks for all your help Jess.

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by PrimeTimeSlime

So just to make sure I am crystal clear: There are three things in the drivers side legwell: the ring around the ignition, the black box the ring plugs into, and an antenna module?

I'm pretty sure that's correct

[PrimeTimeSlime]

So, I have looked everywhere and I cant find the antenna module you are talking about. You said it is in the right side of the drivers leg well? What does it look like? I did find a black box on the left side of the drivers legwell in the donor but there is not one on the 318ti?

Was this the one you were talking about?

[cooljess76]

No, that's not it. It's called the EWS "transmitter" part#61358379502 or 61358362337(ended) and it's located near the steering column. Item# 3 in this diagram:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...33&hg=61&fg=25


Marv17 had the same problem. He swapped his ews transmitter with the one from his donor car by mistake and his car wouldn't start. Then he noticed that when he layed the donor car's steering column on the floorboard in his ti, the ti would start. It's because the donor car's steering column still had the matching antenna ring installed, lol. I told him to either swap the antenna ring or put his old transmitter back in. His car started right up with no problems.

The transmitter and antenna ring typically don't need to be swapped. That's where the confusion happens. The only things that need to be swapped during an engine swap process are the ecu, key transponder chip and ews control module behind the glovebox. When people swap the antenna ring as in your case due to the spinning ignition barrel, they also need to swap the ews TRANSMITTER or reuse their old antenna ring.

[PrimeTimeSlime]

Ah, ok, I swapped that part.

We swapped the EWS behind the glove box too.

I am thinking it has to be the clutch switch or the old neutral safety switch from the old automatic transmission then.

I am thinking about taking the dme up to TRM and having them delete the ews and the clutch sensor all together unless there is an easy way to get around it.

[cooljess76]

Just for kicks, try laying the donor car's steering column(with the antenna ring attached) on the driver's side floorboard of your ti and see if the car will start

[PrimeTimeSlime]

Ok, I'll try that tomorrow. Thanks dude.

You wouldn't know anything about the wiring for the auto to manual swap by any chance?