dual vanos engine into 318ti

[Hakentt-MS41.1]

Dual vanos engine into 318ti

I am able to program MS42 and MS43 engine computers from E46 so that M52TU and M54 engines can be swapped into other chassis with minimal wiring effort.

These dual vanos engines are getting cheaper and gaining popularity in getting them swapped into E30 , E36 or some other BMW. In my case I did the swap to E36,
Assuming you bought some good 99-04 dual vanos engine with complete harness and ecu with relay tray, and want to do a swap into your E30, you will also need X60004 harness plug that goes from the DME to chassis of donor car, the rest of the wiring is pretty much integrated with the engine. You will also need electronic gas pedal with electrical plug from donor car if you have MS43 dme engine. And that’s about it. The rest of the components is pretty much the same as doing M50 swap. This thread will focus on wiring and engine management system only.

Your engine harness will have few connectors that plug into chassis and those are:



4 pin connector:
1: empty
2: switched 12+ from ignition switch (red/white wire) this turns on DME relay
3: reverse light switch on transmission (yellow/blue wire)
4: reverse light switch on transmission (white/green wire)

8 pin connector:
1: starter run wire from ignition switch (black wire)
2: oil level sensor switched 12+ from ignition switch (brown/green wire)
3 4 5 6 7 8 are all empty

The dual 2 pin connectors with red wires are all 12+ constant battery
You will have to wire fuel pump relay the same way it is on E36, it is just basic 5 pin light green relay. The DME and Injectors relay is already integrated into MS42/MS43 harness.

40 pin X60004 plug wiring:
1: alternator charge indicator signal, [run this wire to instrument cluster battery light]
7: ground wire for electronic pedal to pin 1 [MS43 only]
8: electronic pedal signal to pin 4 [MS43]
9: voltage supply for pedal pin 5 [MS43]
10: fuel pump relay activation ground wire [wire this to fuel pump relay, sends ground signal to activate fuel pump relay coil]
11: oil pressure warning light [wire to instrument cluster oil pressure light]
12: ground pedal sensor to pin 2 [MS43]
13: signal pedal sensor to pin 6 [MS43]
14: voltage supply for pedal to pin 3 [MS43]
17: RPM signal to instrument cluster
26: switched +12 from ignition switch
32: K-line to pin 7 of OBD2 diagnostic plug

That is it for X60004 connector, no need to connect any other wires
Engine temperature sensor will have to be wired independently and installed somewhere on the cooling system.
There will also be a ground wire brown color that you must bolt to the chassis ground. Also fat wire from starter needs to go to battery 12+, also don’t forget to run one power wire from battery + outlet to the fuse box.
DME location can be left there to sit on top of the fuse box but it does not look pretty. 99-00 MS42 engines will work with E34 throttle cable but the end of it needs to be shaped into a ball to fit the throttle linkage. It is still electronic throttle, cable only operates two wish sensors inside the body. So MS42 and MS43 and almost the same, and M52TU and M54 is basically the same engine. You will need exhaust manifolds from 96-99 E36 6cyl as well as the engine mounting brackets, E46 stuff does not fit, it is too big. There is a fuel tank vent hose that plugs in the back of the manifold, that needs to be plugged, then you just run the fuel tank vent line to recirculating valve that is located behind oil filter housing
I am not running heater lines on my engine, but if you have to, the rear one will plug in just fine, you have the install a T on the front outlet then run it back to the heater and the other side of the T to the radiator bottle. AC compressor will have to be triggered manually the same way it is with M50 swaps. Thermostat outlet lines, just cut the clamps and remove quick connects from the E46 hoses and plug them on the thermostat housing then cut to fit E36 radiator hoses, hoses must be Gates brand. Remote fuel pressure regulator must be installed, 96+ E36 3.5bar one also works and that’s what I am using.
That’s about it, the rest is the same as if you were doing M50/s52 swap.

Donor E46:

I am also using E46 power steering lines without cooler. As you can see in the photo dual vanos engine package installed, and you see the plastic DME holder with relays, that’s how you should get your engine, if you get it with harness all cut up then it may be a problem getting the right harness.



You can see here the S52/M52 exhaust manifolds with 02 sensors installed, then the lines wired to the block so that they don’t touch the manifolds. Rear 02 sensors are not required with my programming.



Testing and experimenting:


Video of engine running smooth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pec3tbiQp_g

List of components removed with my programming:
EWS system
Rear oxygen sensors
Catalytic converter monitoring
Secondary air pump system, pump relay and monitoring
Fuel tank pressure monitoring and module
DSC ASC EGS CAN bus communications
Vehicle speed sensor
Radiator temperature sensor, and fan module
Clutch switch, brake switch, cruise control MFL steering wheel
Steering angle sensor
And few more that I can’t remember now, but it all runs great and there are no codes. You won’t be able to have check engine light feature with MS42/MS43 because it requires the whole CAN BUS cluster and because E36 does not have that, you can't pass emissions test.