Converting a 323i to 325i to 330i

cheerio · 05-28-2021, 04:27 AM

Hey all. I picked up a 323i a few months ago, knowing that its engine is nearly identical to the 325i's, except for it missing the 2nd intake DISA flap, and it being detuned. After reading a nice guide by EvaBmw, I decided to order the 2nd DISA and try the conversion for myself.

Things became more complicated when I could only find information on flashing the MSV70 DME (used on <2007 cars I believe), and not on the MSV80, which my 2008 car uses.

After doing some research and having a good poke through the Bimmerlabs website, I've got something mostly working for our MSV80 323i's. Technical details below:

Quote:

Downloaded tunes for the EUR 323i, EUR 325i, USA 328i and EUR 330i, all for MSV80 HW#7602220. Wrote a script to compare the files looking for a byte that could be the powerclass. I struggled for a while, as I thought EUR 325i was powerclass 1, but apparently it's powerclass 2.

Found what seems to be the powerclass byte at 0x2191; in 323i it's 0, 328i 1, and 325i/330i both 2. Edited the byte to 0 in the 325i bin, then uploaded to Bimmerlabs account to convert to 0da. Apparently, this corrects the signature at the end of the file, because it flashed ok.

The limp mode/2FA4 code from the tune's powerclass being mismatched is gone, and the car seems to make a little more power than before, even without installing the 2nd DISA.

There's still one code remaining - 2FA3 (coding missing).

There are a few threads on here talking about 2FA3, and the consensus seems to be that it's harmless and doesn't affect performance. I'd rather fix it, though.
I tried default coding the DME with NCS Expert, but this failed, with error "COAPI-2000: Fehler in EDIABAS oder in SG-Beschreibungsdatei API-0014: Ergebnis nicht vorhanden MSV80". Found a Russian forum thread which seems to suggest this is caused by some sort of region mismatch between the VO and the ECU firmware. This makes sense, as I've got an Australian vehicle, to which I've flashed the Bimmerlabs 328i RSA delete firmware (which presumably is for US vehicles). Is this mismatch going to cause any performance issues?

Seeing as the tune is working, I'll attach my powerclass-edited 325i tune here. To use it:

log into Bimmerlabs
make a project with a 328i VIN to get the RSA delete firmware
make another project for your Australian 323i
unzip then upload the attached bin using the "Upload New Custom File" dialog
download the generated custom 0da from the Custom Files section and flash it

Car is definitely making a little more power than before, especially around the middle of the RPM range. Can't wait to see the improvements once I get the 2nd DISA installed.
Hopefully this is useful to my fellow 323i-driving Aussies

As for clearing that 2FA3 code, I suspect we'll need an RSA delete firmware from Bimmerlabs for EUR/Australian vehicles. Please reply if you'd be able to help out with this!

cheerio · 05-29-2021, 09:08 AM

Due to the difference in redline between the 323i and 325i (6500 vs 7000RPM), I figured there'd also be a difference in transmission software between the two as well, as the 323i's transmission would always want to shift before 6500.

As far as I'm aware, in Australia the 325i was only ever offered with the ZF transmission, whereas my 323i had a GM - not sure if earlier 323i's used the ZF, but whatever. Due to this I'd assumed I wouldn't be able to fully convert the 323i to OEM 325i spec without swapping the transmission.

After checking RealOEM, turns out both have the GM transmission listed - and they both have the same part number!

Ended up using NCS Expert to edit the model code in the car's VO from *PG76 (323i) to *PH12 (325i), then running ISTA-P, which flashed the EGS to 325i spec. Unfortunately it complained about the KOMBI, FRM, and JBE needing replacement (I assume they're different across the two models), and it also overwrote my powerclass-edited 325i tune with the OEM 325i tune, but after some fiddling around, and reflashing the tune, it all worked out okay.

I might be imagining things, but I could swear the gearbox shifts a little faster now. Most importantly, it will let the engine rev past 6500rpm when accelerating - I saw it get to 6800+ rpm in 1st and 2nd gears, which I'd never witnessed before the 325i DME/EGS flashes.

Presumably there's some easier way to do this with WinKFP, but I couldn't be bothered figuring that out. Please reply if you have any ideas on this.

I'm pretty excited to have almost finished converting my 323i's drivetrain to 325i spec! Diff is done, transmission and engine software is done, just need the 2nd DISA, and we'll be all the way there!

cheerio · 06-05-2021, 11:25 AM

Got the 2nd DISA installed as per EvaBmw's thread. Cutting out the hole was a pain in the ass, especially because the intake runners get in the way of the hole, which prevents any large tools from being used.

Ended up taking several hours and a couple of trips to Bunnings - drilled holes around most of the perimeter, used a fine tooth jigsaw blade to cut a rough outline, then did a lot of filing to get the remainder flush with the outer part of the hole. Cleaned out the manifold with lots of degreaser and water, then dried with towels.

Hard work to get a tidy result... I wonder how it's done at the factory? Has anyone tried cutting theirs with a soldering iron or other heated tool?

Anyway, once the hole was cut, installing the new DISA and reassembling everything was a piece of cake. Initial impressions are that there's a bit more torque at lower RPM; driving in D seems smoother because of more linear torque delivery throughout the rev range. Very happy with the results!

All the drivetrain is converted to 325i spec now. Slightly tempted to upbadge the car, but that would be heresy

Now to fix my leaking oil pan...

Socket · 06-05-2021, 07:47 PM

Nice work Cheers

Not many people would be brave enough to take on something like this.... whats next on your mod list ??

cheerio · 06-06-2021, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Socket

Nice work Cheers

Not many people would be brave enough to take on something like this.... whats next on your mod list ??

I think I'd best stop here for powertrain mods.. otherwise things will start getting very expensive!

I've been contemplating retrofitting Top HiFi/Logic7 for a long time now, as the base stereo sounds like crap. Looks like a lot of work but probably worth it IMO. Any tips for sourcing parts for this? Seems very rare in Aus, as it was optional even on the 335i, and M3's don't come up for wrecking very often!! Easy to find in US but shipping on the rear door cards kills it.

F31B48 · 06-06-2021, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerio

Got the 2nd DISA installed as per EvaBmw's thread. Cutting out the hole was a pain in the ass, especially because the intake runners get in the way of the hole, which prevents any large tools from being used.

Ended up taking several hours and a couple of trips to Bunnings - drilled holes around most of the perimeter, used a fine tooth jigsaw blade to cut a rough outline, then did a lot of filing to get the remainder flush with the outer part of the hole. Cleaned out the manifold with lots of degreaser and water, then dried with towels.

Hard work to get a tidy result... I wonder how it's done at the factory? Has anyone tried cutting theirs with a soldering iron or other heated tool?

Anyway, once the hole was cut, installing the new DISA and reassembling everything was a piece of cake. Initial impressions are that there's a bit more torque at lower RPM; driving in D seems smoother because of more linear torque delivery throughout the rev range. Very happy with the results!

All the drivetrain is converted to 325i spec now. Slightly tempted to upbadge the car, but that would be heresy

Now to fix my leaking oil pan...

Nice work mate, especially sorting the 325i files for the msv80! When i did my 2nd Disa hole i used a Dremel with the flexi shaft which made it easy. You're right though it is a real ball ache trying to get those edges smooth!!

Socket · 06-06-2021, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerio

I think I'd best stop here for powertrain mods.. otherwise things will start getting very expensive!

I've been contemplating retrofitting Top HiFi/Logic7 for a long time now, as the base stereo sounds like crap. Looks like a lot of work but probably worth it IMO. Any tips for sourcing parts for this? Seems very rare in Aus, as it was optional even on the 335i, and M3's don't come up for wrecking very often!! Easy to find in US but shipping on the rear door cards kills it.

Wouldn't bother chasing HiFi/Logic 7. Much better to install a custom system if you want quality audio.. I did a bit of DIY work on my system in my E92 after wasting time and money on OEM style upgrades... link to my youtube vids below

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zuVPqUGtMoRuEW

cheerio · 06-07-2021, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvaBmw

Nice work mate, especially sorting the 325i files for the msv80! When i did my 2nd Disa hole i used a Dremel with the flexi shaft which made it easy. You're right though it is a real ball ache trying to get those edges smooth!!

Ah yeah, a Dremel would make things easier for sure. Don't have one right now... couldn't justify an extra $200 on top of the $450 DISA flap

I might have a play around with the cut-off manifold pieces to see if they cut well with heat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Socket

Wouldn't bother chasing HiFi/Logic 7. Much better to install a custom system if you want quality audio.. I did a bit of DIY work on my system in my E92 after wasting time and money on OEM style upgrades... link to my youtube vids below

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zuVPqUGtMoRuEW

Thanks Socket. I've heard that too, but I really am a sucker for OEM... and presumably the Logic7 DSP is perfectly tuned for the car out of the box, which would save a bunch of work. I don't doubt a custom system could sound much better, but the <$700 price point for a torn out US Logic7 system is very tempting. Presumably I can't get very far with $700 on new speakers/amp, no?

Rewiring will certainly be a pain either way.

Socket · 06-07-2021, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerio

Ah yeah, a Dremel would make things easier for sure. Don't have one right now... couldn't justify an extra $200 on top of the $450 DISA flap

I might have a play around with the cut-off manifold pieces to see if they cut well with heat.

Thanks Socket. I've heard that too, but I really am a sucker for OEM... and presumably the Logic7 DSP is perfectly tuned for the car out of the box, which would save a bunch of work. I don't doubt a custom system could sound much better, but the <$700 price point for a torn out US Logic7 system is very tempting. Presumably I can't get very far with $700 on new speakers/amp, no?

Rewiring will certainly be a pain either way.

Ah no wont get much aftermarket for $700. If you go with the logic 7, It wont be perfectly tuned as each car is different (for example the physical distance between the speakers effects time alignment and sound quality). For this reason etc you will need to tune the audio system with the DSP otherwise it wont sound any better then your current set up. An audio tune will cost you around $500. Just trying to help you avoid the mistakes I made when I was upgrading the audio system. Spent $1000 on speakers etc and sounded terrible, after doing that 2 or 3 times, finally worked out that tuning the system and having all the speakers playing the range they are built for and playing together is the key to good sound.... Good luck bro

cheerio · 11-04-2021, 03:26 AM

Finally (mostly) finished the Logic 7 retrofit!
In summary, this was a massive pain in the ass. Would not recommend.

Bought the speakers, amp, wiring harness, and speaker grilles out of an E92 from a guy in the UK, plus E60 rear shelf speakers off eBay. Bought brand new trims for front door tweeters, and the centre channel speaker. I didn't realise quite how different the E90 and E92 systems were until I'd already bought parts, so that wasted a bit of money - parts came to a bit over $1k total.

Wiring harness needed a decent amount of surgery to fit the E90. I wanted it to be as OEM as possible, so I cut the speaker wires in the existing body harness, and crimped the L7 wiring into them. To get at the wiring and swap the speakers, heaps of trim needed to come out:

Left boot trim
Rear seats
C-pillar trims
Lower B-pillar trims
All door sill trims (well not the door sills, but the bits next to them, covering the carpet)
All passenger footwell trim, including the glovebox
The entire centre console
All the door cards
Parcel shelf

To achieve OEM-style power wiring (20A fuse in the JBE, run into connector X1716 in the passenger footwell, then run from there to the amp in the boot), I cut out the passenger side carpet, removed the JBE, then inserted a wire into fuse slot #15. Ran this wire down into the footwell X1716, taping it down along the way. The L7 harness' power wire then went right into the other side of X1716. I got all the needed wires and contacts from a local wrecker for cheap. Interestingly, the X1716 on the donor harness (2006 build) was 6-pin and had different contacts to the connector in my car (2008) and the one I found at the wrecker (2010). Not sure if it was changed at some point during production, or if South African produced cars used different wiring.

Amp ground terminal was pried off the donor harness' grounding point, then squished onto the same place on my car with some pliers. Pretty hard to remove without making a mess of the terminal, but it seems to be secure now.

Inserted the amp MOST terminals into the MOST loop, which was pretty easy.

As for speakers, this is already pretty well documented, but I just swapped the front door speakers, adding the tweeters. Underseat woofers are plug and play replacement. Parcel shelf needed tweeter holes cut, which was initially a bit difficult, but a sharper knife did the trick.

Rear door wiring was pretty easy; I pulled spares for both sides of the front door connectors at the wreckers, so could use the OEM connectors. On the chassis side, just needed to run the speaker wire up through the bulkhead, and there's a little connector that snaps into the original door connector. For the door side, I did essentially the same thing, just needed to pull the speaker wire through the boot and put the terminals into pins 33/34. For the driver's side, I ran the wire from the amp, up along the back of the parcel shelf, then down to the B-pillar bulkhead. Not sure if this is OEM, but it came out pretty neat.

Now, about the rear door speakers:
I didn't originally realise this, but the rear panel speakers in the E92 are different to the rear door speakers in the E90: the E92 uses the top-mount speakers (same as centre channel) and the E90 uses bottom-mount (same as front doors). Now I only had one pair of the bottom-mount speakers, which I used on the front doors, so I had to get creative here.

Designed a 3D printed bracket to bottom-mount the top-mount speaker. The speaker has a raised rubber ring which rests on the bracket, and is held in by M5 screws. The bracket leaves enough clearance for the smaller E92 speaker grille, and has a baffle to produce (somewhat of) a seal between the speaker and the door card. I don't think it's perfect - the OEM design with the correct speaker has a better seal between the speaker and the door card, and puts the speaker closer to the grille. I didn't want to spend money on more speakers though, lol. Bracket was printed in PETG and superglued to the door card.

I've got everything nearly finished now. Have got one of the rear door speakers mounted; it definitely seems to add some more width to the soundstage, but will have to listen again with the other door done to be sure. I plan on adding the E92 tweeters to the rear doors; seeing as there's already tweeters in the front doors and in the parcel shelf, they should fill things out nicely. Couldn't cut the bloody door card with my knife; the fibreboard material is just too hard. Just bought a Dremel today, which should make light work of it.

So far, I'm not blown away by the sound quality, but it's wayyyyy better than the base audio system, and I'm fairly satisfied with it. Biggest gripe is probably that although there's a good amount of bass, it's a bit muddy/boomy. Could probably be improved with EQ.

Will update soon when I get around to finishing the rear doors.

cheerio · 11-05-2021, 01:53 AM

Got both the rear doors installed, with tweeters - was pretty easy to cut the door cards with the Dremel.

The tweeters definitely add some detail when listening from the rear seat, but it's less noticeable from up front. With Logic 7 processing enabled, they seem to improve imaging a little and fill out the sides of the soundstage; however, they seem to move the soundstage back a little bit. I just moved the front/rear fader up a couple of notches towards the front. With it disabled, the sound feels a bit rear-heavy, and the imaging is all messed up in the rear seat. I do like how it sounds with the processing, so will keep it this way.

Turns out the muddy bass I was hearing wasn't from the Logic7 system itself, it was from playing audio from my CarPlay box over AUX input. Playing the same track directly from the CIC hard drive sounded noticeably better; I guess the difference just wasn't noticeable with the base audio system.

Do I think the end result was worth the money? Yes.
Do I think it was worth the time? No, lol

cheerio · 11-22-2021, 06:50 AM

A couple of weeks ago I picked up the steering wheel from a wrecked DCT 335i for just $20. Unfortunately one of its paddles was broken, so I managed to get hold of some used SSG paddles, courtesy of a kind forum user.

I basically followed the existing DIY for wiring in the paddles, and just spliced them into the +/- lines at the shifter. However I was confused when the paddles didn't work at all, even after triple checking my wiring.
Turns out the DCT cars take a different type of paddle input, and in this case, the multifunction buttons were converting the inputs from the paddles. After some surgery, problem was fixed.

View post on imgur.com

They look and feel pretty good IMO. I was originally wanting an M-Tech wheel, but I actually really like the absence of thumb rests on this one.
With the GM box, shifts are a bit delayed and not the quickest to complete, but it's still good fun driving with the paddles. I want to ZF swap it at some point, assuming I can actually find one that fits...

My next retrofit will be a bit more exciting. Am looking forward to sharing it with you guys.
On a side note, please let me know if you find any Tasman Green (A81) E9x's being wrecked. I'd like to add front PDC, but it's a rare colour to find the sensors in.

jzx_andy · 11-24-2021, 08:34 PM

Good progress dude.

Don't quote me on this, but I think all Aussie ZF6 equipped N52 and N54 E9x's used the same boxes throughout production. Eg a 2006 335i ZF6 box is the same as one from a 2006 325i. Might make it easier to track one down.

cheerio · 11-24-2021, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzx_andy

Good progress dude.

Don't quote me on this, but I think all Aussie ZF6 equipped N52 and N54 E9x's used the same boxes throughout production. Eg a 2006 335i ZF6 box is the same as one from a 2006 325i. Might make it easier to track one down.

Big if true. The part number on RealOEM is different for 323/325i, 320d, and 335i, but that could be down to different torque converters. Wouldn’t the bell housings be different for N52 and N54 though? Would be good to hear from someone who’s taken apart a few different E9X’s.

jzx_andy · 11-25-2021, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerio

Big if true. The part number on RealOEM is different for 323/325i, 320d, and 335i, but that could be down to different torque converters. Wouldn’t the bell housings be different for N52 and N54 though? Would be good to hear from someone who’s taken apart a few different E9X’s.

I'm not too sure hey. I doubt the bell housings would be different between N5x. I know that N54, N55 and S55 boxes are interchangeable in that they will bolt on. Definitely worth some research though, as 335i 6AT boxes are dime a dozen and fairly affordable in Aus.

cheerio · 11-25-2021, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzx_andy

I'm not too sure hey. I doubt the bell housings would be different between N5x. I know that N54, N55 and S55 boxes are interchangeable in that they will bolt on. Definitely worth some research though, as 335i 6AT boxes are dime a dozen and fairly affordable in Aus.

According to this post on <forum that is illegal to mention here>, the 325i and 335i have the same gear ratios.

And according to this thread, the N54 6MT is not-quite bolt on replacement for the N52 6MT; apparently the holes in the block are in slightly different locations.

RealOEM lists the 325i trans as GA6HP19Z - W2R, and the 335i trans as GA6HP19Z - W1Q.
My current guess is that it's not a direct bolt up swap, but maybe the 335i trans could be modified to fit...? I'd prefer something that fit cleanly though.

cheerio · 11-25-2021, 08:21 AM

Good news - seems like the N52 525i's ZF trans is identical to the 325i's (OEM code UO). Seeing as the E60 never got the GM trans, this might be a good source for a swap

Edit: just realised a lot of the E60's have an electronic shift knob... wonder if this is a problem.
Edit 2: seems like this document is out of date and refers to the 1st-gen 6HP that can't be tuned.

cheerio · 11-30-2021, 11:59 PM

Final (for now) update on the ZF transmission hunting:
Seems that a compatible 6HP19TU with the correct mechatronics was used in the E92 and E93 from 03/2007 to 09/2007. I'll be keeping an eye out for these; fingers crossed it wasn't replaced by the GM in Australia during that time period.

The only other matching option seems to be from an LCI 525i, and that uses an electronic shifter, so would not be plug-and-play.

I'm finally ready for the next retrofit: active cruise control!
Was super lucky to find a wrecked E92 335i with it, and managed to grab both the radar and steering column controls for $440. Schmiedmann order for the E90 mounting brackets, bumper trim, and some wiring bits just arrived today. Also nabbed a 2005 LDM from the local self-serve wrecker for $18. Connector is a little mangled, so hopefully it still works, lol.

Super excited to see how it turns out.

YorkFieldX · 12-08-2021, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerio

Final (for now) update on the ZF transmission hunting:
Seems that a compatible 6HP19TU with the correct mechatronics was used in the E92 and E93 from 03/2007 to 09/2007. I'll be keeping an eye out for these; fingers crossed it wasn't replaced by the GM in Australia during that time period.

The only other matching option seems to be from an LCI 525i, and that uses an electronic shifter, so would not be plug-and-play.

I'm finally ready for the next retrofit: active cruise control!
Was super lucky to find a wrecked E92 335i with it, and managed to grab both the radar and steering column controls for $440. Schmiedmann order for the E90 mounting brackets, bumper trim, and some wiring bits just arrived today. Also nabbed a 2005 LDM from the local self-serve wrecker for $18. Connector is a little mangled, so hopefully it still works, lol.

Super excited to see how it turns out.

Wow! I was absolutely HUNTING after those. Mind PM'ing the name of a generous wrecker who let this wonderful kit go at this price?

If for any reason you decide not to go forward with the retrofit, I'd happily buy it from you even at a marked up price

cheerio · 12-08-2021, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YorkFieldX

Wow! I was absolutely HUNTING after those. Mind PM'ing the name of a generous wrecker who let this wonderful kit go at this price?

If for any reason you decide not to go forward with the retrofit, I'd happily buy it from you even at a marked up price

It was this car from German Auto Parts in Coolaroo. They post a lot of their vehicles on FB Marketplace so I found it that way - I actually didn't buy the stuff until a few weeks after it was posted, so I was a little surprised that it was still available!

Presumably their pricing is standard across all vehicles and they weren't aware that the ACC parts for E9x are so sought after.

I'll be starting the retrofit literally right after I finish writing this post, so unfortunately these parts are not for sale

Good luck hunting for the parts! Just be patient and eventually an ACC car will pop up for wrecking. I've been driving around Melbourne a fair bit and have noticed several ACC-equipped E90's on the road over the last few months - it's only a matter of time before someone crashes one, lol.

cheerio · 12-23-2021, 10:56 PM

On a whim, I decided to pull my large DISA and test it with ISTA to make sure it’s working properly. Lo and behold, it’s broken… only moving back and forth by about 10 degrees.

Hilarious that I bothered to do the 3 stage intake conversion with the original DISA not working. The original part is the latest revision, so I’m a bit surprised it’s failed. New part is on order from Schmiedmann for an eye-watering $360 + shipping.

cheerio · 01-14-2022, 09:28 PM

Here's a comparison of the old and new valve.
Hilariously, the intermittent high pitched whistling sound that was annoying the hell out of me seems to have gone away now

The old valve seems mechanically solid; the flap doesn't budge when pushed. The motor just doesn't seem to be moving as much as it should. Can this be caused by oil ingress? I previously had a torn PCV which seemed to cause quite an oily intake manifold.

In other news, my AC compressor has shit itself. There goes the budget I wanted to spend on a sports seat retrofit

Any recommended mechanics in Melbourne east?

05-29-2021, 09:08 AM	#2
cheerio Private First Class 144 Rep 149 Posts Drives: E61 + E36 + E90 scrapheap Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0)	GM transmission flash Due to the difference in redline between the 323i and 325i (6500 vs 7000RPM), I figured there'd also be a difference in transmission software between the two as well, as the 323i's transmission would always want to shift before 6500. As far as I'm aware, in Australia the 325i was only ever offered with the ZF transmission, whereas my 323i had a GM - not sure if earlier 323i's used the ZF, but whatever. Due to this I'd assumed I wouldn't be able to fully convert the 323i to OEM 325i spec without swapping the transmission. After checking RealOEM, turns out both have the GM transmission listed - and they both have the same part number! Ended up using NCS Expert to edit the model code in the car's VO from PG76 (323i) to PH12 (325i), then running ISTA-P, which flashed the EGS to 325i spec. Unfortunately it complained about the KOMBI, FRM, and JBE needing replacement (I assume they're different across the two models), and it also overwrote my powerclass-edited 325i tune with the OEM 325i tune, but after some fiddling around, and reflashing the tune, it all worked out okay. I might be imagining things, but I could swear the gearbox shifts a little faster now. Most importantly, it will let the engine rev past 6500rpm when accelerating - I saw it get to 6800+ rpm in 1st and 2nd gears, which I'd never witnessed before the 325i DME/EGS flashes. Presumably there's some easier way to do this with WinKFP, but I couldn't be bothered figuring that out. Please reply if you have any ideas on this. I'm pretty excited to have almost finished converting my 323i's drivetrain to 325i spec! Diff is done, transmission and engine software is done, just need the 2nd DISA, and we'll be all the way there!
	Appreciate 1 shannon1636.50 Quote

06-05-2021, 11:25 AM	#3
cheerio Private First Class 144 Rep 149 Posts Drives: E61 + E36 + E90 scrapheap Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0)	Got the 2nd DISA installed as per EvaBmw's thread. Cutting out the hole was a pain in the ass, especially because the intake runners get in the way of the hole, which prevents any large tools from being used. Ended up taking several hours and a couple of trips to Bunnings - drilled holes around most of the perimeter, used a fine tooth jigsaw blade to cut a rough outline, then did a lot of filing to get the remainder flush with the outer part of the hole. Cleaned out the manifold with lots of degreaser and water, then dried with towels. Hard work to get a tidy result... I wonder how it's done at the factory? Has anyone tried cutting theirs with a soldering iron or other heated tool? Anyway, once the hole was cut, installing the new DISA and reassembling everything was a piece of cake. Initial impressions are that there's a bit more torque at lower RPM; driving in D seems smoother because of more linear torque delivery throughout the rev range. Very happy with the results! All the drivetrain is converted to 325i spec now. Slightly tempted to upbadge the car, but that would be heresy Now to fix my leaking oil pan...
	Appreciate 2 shannon1636.50 dli28610.50 Quote

06-05-2021, 07:47 PM	#4
Socket Lieutenant General 4542 Rep 11,903 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Australia iTrader: (4) Garage List 2008 BMW E92 [0.00]	Nice work Cheers Not many people would be brave enough to take on something like this.... whats next on your mod list ??
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-04-2021, 03:26 AM	#10
cheerio Private First Class 144 Rep 149 Posts Drives: E61 + E36 + E90 scrapheap Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0)	Finally (mostly) finished the Logic 7 retrofit! In summary, this was a massive pain in the ass. Would not recommend. Bought the speakers, amp, wiring harness, and speaker grilles out of an E92 from a guy in the UK, plus E60 rear shelf speakers off eBay. Bought brand new trims for front door tweeters, and the centre channel speaker. I didn't realise quite how different the E90 and E92 systems were until I'd already bought parts, so that wasted a bit of money - parts came to a bit over $1k total. Wiring harness needed a decent amount of surgery to fit the E90. I wanted it to be as OEM as possible, so I cut the speaker wires in the existing body harness, and crimped the L7 wiring into them. To get at the wiring and swap the speakers, heaps of trim needed to come out: Left boot trim Rear seats C-pillar trims Lower B-pillar trims All door sill trims (well not the door sills, but the bits next to them, covering the carpet) All passenger footwell trim, including the glovebox The entire centre console All the door cards Parcel shelf To achieve OEM-style power wiring (20A fuse in the JBE, run into connector X1716 in the passenger footwell, then run from there to the amp in the boot), I cut out the passenger side carpet, removed the JBE, then inserted a wire into fuse slot #15. Ran this wire down into the footwell X1716, taping it down along the way. The L7 harness' power wire then went right into the other side of X1716. I got all the needed wires and contacts from a local wrecker for cheap. Interestingly, the X1716 on the donor harness (2006 build) was 6-pin and had different contacts to the connector in my car (2008) and the one I found at the wrecker (2010). Not sure if it was changed at some point during production, or if South African produced cars used different wiring. Amp ground terminal was pried off the donor harness' grounding point, then squished onto the same place on my car with some pliers. Pretty hard to remove without making a mess of the terminal, but it seems to be secure now. Inserted the amp MOST terminals into the MOST loop, which was pretty easy. As for speakers, this is already pretty well documented, but I just swapped the front door speakers, adding the tweeters. Underseat woofers are plug and play replacement. Parcel shelf needed tweeter holes cut, which was initially a bit difficult, but a sharper knife did the trick. Rear door wiring was pretty easy; I pulled spares for both sides of the front door connectors at the wreckers, so could use the OEM connectors. On the chassis side, just needed to run the speaker wire up through the bulkhead, and there's a little connector that snaps into the original door connector. For the door side, I did essentially the same thing, just needed to pull the speaker wire through the boot and put the terminals into pins 33/34. For the driver's side, I ran the wire from the amp, up along the back of the parcel shelf, then down to the B-pillar bulkhead. Not sure if this is OEM, but it came out pretty neat. Now, about the rear door speakers: I didn't originally realise this, but the rear panel speakers in the E92 are different to the rear door speakers in the E90: the E92 uses the top-mount speakers (same as centre channel) and the E90 uses bottom-mount (same as front doors). Now I only had one pair of the bottom-mount speakers, which I used on the front doors, so I had to get creative here. Designed a 3D printed bracket to bottom-mount the top-mount speaker. The speaker has a raised rubber ring which rests on the bracket, and is held in by M5 screws. The bracket leaves enough clearance for the smaller E92 speaker grille, and has a baffle to produce (somewhat of) a seal between the speaker and the door card. I don't think it's perfect - the OEM design with the correct speaker has a better seal between the speaker and the door card, and puts the speaker closer to the grille. I didn't want to spend money on more speakers though, lol. Bracket was printed in PETG and superglued to the door card. I've got everything nearly finished now. Have got one of the rear door speakers mounted; it definitely seems to add some more width to the soundstage, but will have to listen again with the other door done to be sure. I plan on adding the E92 tweeters to the rear doors; seeing as there's already tweeters in the front doors and in the parcel shelf, they should fill things out nicely. Couldn't cut the bloody door card with my knife; the fibreboard material is just too hard. Just bought a Dremel today, which should make light work of it. So far, I'm not blown away by the sound quality, but it's wayyyyy better than the base audio system, and I'm fairly satisfied with it. Biggest gripe is probably that although there's a good amount of bass, it's a bit muddy/boomy. Could probably be improved with EQ. Will update soon when I get around to finishing the rear doors. Last edited by cheerio; 11-04-2021 at 03:27 AM.. Reason: fix list formatting
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11-05-2021, 01:53 AM	#11
cheerio Private First Class 144 Rep 149 Posts Drives: E61 + E36 + E90 scrapheap Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0)	Got both the rear doors installed, with tweeters - was pretty easy to cut the door cards with the Dremel. The tweeters definitely add some detail when listening from the rear seat, but it's less noticeable from up front. With Logic 7 processing enabled, they seem to improve imaging a little and fill out the sides of the soundstage; however, they seem to move the soundstage back a little bit. I just moved the front/rear fader up a couple of notches towards the front. With it disabled, the sound feels a bit rear-heavy, and the imaging is all messed up in the rear seat. I do like how it sounds with the processing, so will keep it this way. Turns out the muddy bass I was hearing wasn't from the Logic7 system itself, it was from playing audio from my CarPlay box over AUX input. Playing the same track directly from the CIC hard drive sounded noticeably better; I guess the difference just wasn't noticeable with the base audio system. Do I think the end result was worth the money? Yes. Do I think it was worth the time? No, lol
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11-22-2021, 06:50 AM	#12
cheerio Private First Class 144 Rep 149 Posts Drives: E61 + E36 + E90 scrapheap Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0)	A couple of weeks ago I picked up the steering wheel from a wrecked DCT 335i for just $20. Unfortunately one of its paddles was broken, so I managed to get hold of some used SSG paddles, courtesy of a kind forum user. I basically followed the existing DIY for wiring in the paddles, and just spliced them into the +/- lines at the shifter. However I was confused when the paddles didn't work at all, even after triple checking my wiring. Turns out the DCT cars take a different type of paddle input, and in this case, the multifunction buttons were converting the inputs from the paddles. After some surgery, problem was fixed. View post on imgur.com They look and feel pretty good IMO. I was originally wanting an M-Tech wheel, but I actually really like the absence of thumb rests on this one. With the GM box, shifts are a bit delayed and not the quickest to complete, but it's still good fun driving with the paddles. I want to ZF swap it at some point, assuming I can actually find one that fits... My next retrofit will be a bit more exciting. Am looking forward to sharing it with you guys. On a side note, please let me know if you find any Tasman Green (A81) E9x's being wrecked. I'd like to add front PDC, but it's a rare colour to find the sensors in. Last edited by cheerio; 11-22-2021 at 07:50 AM..
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11-24-2021, 08:34 PM	#13
jzx_andy Slowpoke 245 Rep 291 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 335i N54 Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Perth, Australia iTrader: (0)	Good progress dude. Don't quote me on this, but I think all Aussie ZF6 equipped N52 and N54 E9x's used the same boxes throughout production. Eg a 2006 335i ZF6 box is the same as one from a 2006 325i. Might make it easier to track one down. __________________ build thread - OEM+ WIDEBODY \| Factory Individual Audio, Active Steering, Comfort Access & M-Sport optioned 6MT swapped \| Xtreme twin disk & SMF \| Advan RSII \| ST XTA \| F82 M4 heated front seats \| BMW Individual interior trims \| CIC/Combox retrofits \| Custom headlights \| 1M/M3 mirrors \| 335is auxiliary radiator \| LCI tails
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11-30-2021, 11:59 PM	#18
cheerio Private First Class 144 Rep 149 Posts Drives: E61 + E36 + E90 scrapheap Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0)	Final (for now) update on the ZF transmission hunting: Seems that a compatible 6HP19TU with the correct mechatronics was used in the E92 and E93 from 03/2007 to 09/2007. I'll be keeping an eye out for these; fingers crossed it wasn't replaced by the GM in Australia during that time period. The only other matching option seems to be from an LCI 525i, and that uses an electronic shifter, so would not be plug-and-play. I'm finally ready for the next retrofit: active cruise control! Was super lucky to find a wrecked E92 335i with it, and managed to grab both the radar and steering column controls for $440. Schmiedmann order for the E90 mounting brackets, bumper trim, and some wiring bits just arrived today. Also nabbed a 2005 LDM from the local self-serve wrecker for $18. Connector is a little mangled, so hopefully it still works, lol. Super excited to see how it turns out.
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12-23-2021, 10:56 PM	#21
cheerio Private First Class 144 Rep 149 Posts Drives: E61 + E36 + E90 scrapheap Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0)	On a whim, I decided to pull my large DISA and test it with ISTA to make sure it’s working properly. Lo and behold, it’s broken… only moving back and forth by about 10 degrees. Hilarious that I bothered to do the 3 stage intake conversion with the original DISA not working. The original part is the latest revision, so I’m a bit surprised it’s failed. New part is on order from Schmiedmann for an eye-watering $360 + shipping.
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01-14-2022, 09:28 PM	#22
cheerio Private First Class 144 Rep 149 Posts Drives: E61 + E36 + E90 scrapheap Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Melbourne iTrader: (0)	Here's a comparison of the old and new valve. Hilariously, the intermittent high pitched whistling sound that was annoying the hell out of me seems to have gone away now The old valve seems mechanically solid; the flap doesn't budge when pushed. The motor just doesn't seem to be moving as much as it should. Can this be caused by oil ingress? I previously had a torn PCV which seemed to cause quite an oily intake manifold. In other news, my AC compressor has shit itself. There goes the budget I wanted to spend on a sports seat retrofit Any recommended mechanics in Melbourne east?
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