Dash Fire and now need main/dash wiring harness

[festerpig]

It has been a while. My E34 has been treating me fine mechanically and now a sad story. My 1990 E34 525i caught fire in the dash last month. Basically everything under and inside the dash and steering, instrument cluster are almost cabon now. Lucky thing is that only the center dash and driver side burnt. Engine bay is fine. I now managed to find a donor car to replace all the items under the dash - dashboard, blower unit, blower motor, a/c plastic vents and pipings. But now my problem is the wiring harness. The problem is that the donor is a 1991 520i - entry model with no check control, LKM system. My 525i got all that. So I cannot directly re-use the wiring harness from the donor car - unless I go through the very painful exercise to study the wiring diagrams of the 520i and 525i side by side and see how to modify it. So I am thinking of the easier route - get hold of a complete harness from the scrappies. Problem is I am working in Singapore and they definitely have almost no E34 parts here as most are sent over to Johor. Even then most of them are 520i without the check control system. Most of the E34 here in Singapore are German CBU. Does Malaysia have a lot Japan spec/version of the E34 either 525i? My understanding is that the Japan spec 520i also have the check control computer - at least from realOEM it seem to say that. If got Japan spec E34 525i, then maybe got a chance of finding the harness.In short I basically need the wiring harness for a 1990 525i with check control system.Do you guys think it will be easy to source the harness? if yes, how should I approach that? Many many thanks.

 

[zib]

It has been a while. My E34 has been treating me fine mechanically and now a sad story. My 1990 E34 525i caught fire in the dash last month. Basically everything under and inside the dash and steering, instrument cluster are almost cabon now. Lucky thing is that only the center dash and driver side burnt. Engine bay is fine. I now managed to find a donor car to replace all the items under the dash - dashboard, blower unit, blower motor, a/c plastic vents and pipings. But now my problem is the wiring harness.

The problem is that the donor is a 1991 520i - entry model with no check control, LKM system. My 525i got all that. So I cannot directly re-use the wiring harness from the donor car - unless I go through the very painful exercise to study the wiring diagrams of the 520i and 525i side by side and see how to modify it.

So I am thinking of the easier route - get hold of a complete harness from the scrappies. Problem is I am working in Singapore and they definitely have almost no E34 parts here as most are sent over to Johor. Even then most of them are 520i without the check control system.

Most of the E34 here in Singapore are German CBU. Does Malaysia have a lot Japan spec/version of the E34 either 525i? My understanding is that the Japan spec 520i also have the check control computer - at least from realOEM it seem to say that. If got Japan spec E34 525i, then maybe got a chance of finding the harness.

In short I basically need the wiring harness for a 1990 525i with check control system.

Do you guys think it will be easy to source the harness? if yes, how should I approach that?

Many many thanks.

Sorry to hear about your mishaps.

I am sure there will be other forummers here who can advise later as most are on Raya leave.

Yes there are a few chop shops in KL where you can source some decent E34 parts.

 

[morpheus5039]

It has been a while. My E34 has been treating me fine mechanically and now a sad story. My 1990 E34 525i caught fire in the dash last month. Basically everything under and inside the dash and steering, instrument cluster are almost cabon now. Lucky thing is that only the center dash and driver side burnt. Engine bay is fine. I now managed to find a donor car to replace all the items under the dash - dashboard, blower unit, blower motor, a/c plastic vents and pipings. But now my problem is the wiring harness.

The problem is that the donor is a 1991 520i - entry model with no check control, LKM system. My 525i got all that. So I cannot directly re-use the wiring harness from the donor car - unless I go through the very painful exercise to study the wiring diagrams of the 520i and 525i side by side and see how to modify it.

So I am thinking of the easier route - get hold of a complete harness from the scrappies. Problem is I am working in Singapore and they definitely have almost no E34 parts here as most are sent over to Johor. Even then most of them are 520i without the check control system.

Most of the E34 here in Singapore are German CBU. Does Malaysia have a lot Japan spec/version of the E34 either 525i? My understanding is that the Japan spec 520i also have the check control computer - at least from realOEM it seem to say that. If got Japan spec E34 525i, then maybe got a chance of finding the harness.

In short I basically need the wiring harness for a 1990 525i with check control system.

Do you guys think it will be easy to source the harness? if yes, how should I approach that?

Many many thanks.

Your engine 12V or 24V? I have a set of wire harness for 24V non-vanos 525i from an accident unit if compatible.

 

[festerpig]

Your engine 12V or 24V? I have a set of wire harness for 24V non-vanos 525i from an accident unit if compatible.

My engine is a 24V M50B25 non-vanos. It sounds like it can match. I want to be sure we are talking about the same harness. This is the centre harness that runs a whole bunch of wires to the interior dashboard electrics. Not the engine harness in the engine bay.

Does the accident unit have the check control system and LKM? Do you know which manufacture year is your unit? Are you still able to find the sticker on the harness that has the part number? If so will easy for me to check the EPC to try to see if they match up. It is item 2 on reealoem.


View attachment 26018

 

[morpheus5039]

My engine is a 24V M50B25 non-vanos. It sounds like it can match. I want to be sure we are talking about the same harness. This is the centre harness that runs a whole bunch of wires to the interior dashboard electrics. Not the engine harness in the engine bay.

Does the accident unit have the check control system and LKM? Do you know which manufacture year is your unit? Are you still able to find the sticker on the harness that has the part number? If so will easy for me to check the EPC to try to see if they match up. It is item 2 on reealoem.




View attachment 26018

The whole car totalled so I am parting out the parts, of course I have the complete vehicle harness. I am not sure the part number as it's currently left as wreckage in a paint shop in Johor. Yes it does come with CCM and LKM, I've already taken out and kept in my house in case damaged by water / stolen. Mine is a 1990 525i unit converted from 12V to 24V non-VANOS with 5-speed automatic gearbox, by previous owner.

 

[festerpig]

The whole car totalled so I am parting out the parts, of course I have the complete vehicle harness. I am not sure the part number as it's currently left as wreckage in a paint shop in Johor. Yes it does come with CCM and LKM, I've already taken out and kept in my house in case damaged by water / stolen. Mine is a 1990 525i unit converted from 12V to 24V non-VANOS with 5-speed automatic gearbox, by previous owner.

Thanks for clarifying. I understand now.

When the conversion of 12 to 24V, the major things that needs to be touched at in the engine bay and that include the engine harness. The dash harness should still be "original" that came with the car. Do you have the VIN number handy? If so can PM me? I will run it through the EPC to double check.

 

[festerpig]

BTW, what color is your interior of the accident car?