Hey Bob... wanna buy my car for $100? My Guage Install.

[Kevlar]

Well... Here are the events I best remember them.

7am - Start trying to fish wire through firewall.
7:05am - Realization sets it... this isn't easy.
8am - Get screw driver to poke hole through gromment... hanger and all attempts at other devices and make shift option aren't working.
8:05am - Poked hole and pushed hanger through... dammit should have done that earlier.
8:30am - Finally figured out where the hanger ended up... should have moved the carpetting out of the way. DOH. Taped wires up to the hanger to fish them into the engine compartment.
10am - Finally got the wires into the engine compartment... damn german engineers have left no space to work with. BASTARDS!
10:15 - Tired of playing in the engine. I remove the OBC & sunglasses holder. As a thought, I figure I've had enough hard times... I remove the fuses for the cigarette lighter to prevent a massive meltdown.
10:30 - All guages are wired ... I turn on the parking lights... WOO HOO... we've got light, and it's dims on command.
10:31 - Turn key to accessory on position... UH OH. No volt reading. DAMN! Recheck all connections. All seem fine. Look for a voltmeter... DOH, no batteries! Proceed to try and figure out how to check voltage. VOILA! Circuit tester found. I check the circuit... nothing. I check the wiring for the lights... nothing. I check the battery in the trunk... nothing. DAMN, broken circuit tester. So I go over all connections again... tightening everything making sure everything is secure.
11:00am - Turn the key to the accessory position again... nothing.
11:15am - Screw it... I call up my friend and make a rapid departure for his shop.
11:45am - I arrive
11:48am - Diagnosis... bad 3M wire tap... replace and continue to run wires into the engine.
12noon - Remove all airbox fittings, and alternator ducting.
12:01 - Burn myself on radiator piping... #&!@#!
12:15 - Assemble JTD block...
12:20 - Puzzled by the lack of 'screws' on the VDO Oil pressure sender. Eh, must be a new design. I'll just put the factory idiot light and guage on the same screw. Bolt in the JTD block and close it back up. Man... what a long process.
12:45 - Turn the car on... voltmeter goes to 12.5 volts, oil pressure goes to maximum pressure reading, temperature does nothing, and the factory idiot light is staring dead in the face.
12:46 - PANIC and my friend start shaking his hands wildly. I shut the car off and look... DOH! Forgot to tighten the JTD block properly. 1+ quart of precious 0W-30 now lays on the ground beneath my car.
1pm - All pulled apart again removed JTD block... retighten pressure sender, drain plug and bango and start to try and diagnose why I'm getting a full reading on the pressure guage and idiot light.
3pm - Diagnosis... I was sent the wrong VDO pressure sender. Only one guage (either the factory idiot light or VDO guage) can be hooked up at a time. Taped off the idiot light for the time being until I can find the Eastern Motorwerks guy.
3:15 - Reassembled and running call is now running 10psi, 12.5volts and temperature is slowly, ever so slowly climbing.
3:30 - DAMN! Still leaking. Pull it all off again, retighten the temperature sender again... forget what the paper says... tighten it and then tighten it some more.
4:00 - Reassembled, running... no leaks. Thank GOD!
4:30 - Take break for lunch and write this post.
5:00(tentative) - Reasemble carpetting, glove box and speaker and zip tie everything down.

DAMN... what a day.

[Kevlar]

5:45pm ... Everything secured. Glove box underlining isn't fitting properly, but it's fitting all the same. Good enough for me. Updating this post.
5:47pm ... I just cracked open my RedStripe... I'm kicking back cause I'm not doing a thing for the next couple of hours to relax.

Added

6:50pm - I decided to go for a spin to enjoy the fruit of my labor. It's now dark out so I can enjoy the illumination of my gauges and see how super cool they look at night. UH OH... damn. Two of my guages are glowing red... the oil temperature guage is glowing white? WTF?!?!? You know... it doesn't seem to end with this project dammit!

[gschomi]

You have me worried now. I just got my gauge kit today (option 2) and will have it installed monday by my local mechanic who works on BMWs, P cars, Audis and VWs. He said he has never installed them before in a BMW but says it should not be a problem. I hope not.

You mentioned that you got sent a wrong part? What is it so i know if i got the right one or not.

Good luck getting ahold of Eastern Motorworks. The comunication is really poor.

If i had to do it over again i would look elsewhere to purchase a gauge kit. Customer service is important when something goes wrong.

I hope it all works out for you. Keep us updated.

[Kevlar]

Originally posted by gschomi


You mentioned that you got sent a wrong part? What is it so i know if i got the right one or not.

I think I got the wrong part... The Pressure sender I got only had one screw on it. (All the other ones I saw on the web have two screws -- one for the dash oil light, and one for the vdo oil pressure guage). I tried to get both to work off the one screw... it doesn't work, trust me.

Also, before you secure all your guages make sure they illuminate amber. I quickly switched mine on to see if they illuminated... they did. However, I tried again when it got dark out (after I secured all the guages and tucked them in nice and neat) and it turns out ... my oil pressure and voltmeter illuminate amber and my oil pressure illuminates white. I was really pissed at that cause I know it's a pain to get it out once it's already tucked away.

[gschomi]

I just checked and i have only one sender terminal also to connect to. I just emailed EMW (jamie) and asked about this. If im lucky he will get back with me in a few weeks.....

This really sucks!!!

[C.Yang]

Hey, how bout sharing your hard work with the rest of us. Im anxious too see what these look like, and if they are worth a full day of cursing

[gschomi]

You can go to EMW site and they have some pics of them installed.

http://easternmotorwerks.com/

[corwyn]

There's a little red cap that goes over the lightbulb to make your gauge glow red. One of them fell off when I was doing my install. Maybe the same happened to you? Or maybe it was missing entirely...

Sucks that they sent you the wrong block, though. Eastern Motorwerks completely forgot to send me directions on how to install the JTD. I emailed them that Saturday and heard back either Monday or Tuesday, but Bob ///M3 had already walked me through that part of the install. I'm undecided as to whether or not to ever buy anything from them again. Not the greatest customer service, and not even a phone number you can call.

So, how *does* one get the OBC/gauge kit out once it's all installed? Just in case I ever have to get back there again...

Originally posted by Kevlar
6:50pm - I decided to go for a spin to enjoy the fruit of my labor. It's now dark out so I can enjoy the illumination of my gauges and see how super cool they look at night. UH OH... damn. Two of my guages are glowing red... the oil temperature guage is glowing white? WTF?!?!? You know... it doesn't seem to end with this project dammit! [/B]

[Kevlar]

Pictures will be a little delayed. I'm going to have to use the old method of take pictures, develop and scan. Somebody dropped my previous digi camera. So it's officially dead. I'm waiting to get another one from work.

I managed to the entire setup out last night... You need to find something really really thing, but strong. You have to wedge it between the OBC and guages. Then use the thin/strong piece or pieces (you may need two get get an even grip on the OBC). It'll pop it out just enough to barely get a grip on the OBC. I had to stick a thin flat head screwdriver (with cloth) to catch the edges of the OBC on each side and then 'pop' it out with the screwdriver.

After all that work, I checked the guage... no orange cover over the bulb or in the guage. I'll have to send another email off to EMW again.

[Bob ///M3]

Sorry to hear you had so much trouble installing the gauge kit.

You most likely had one of the little orange "socks" (condoms) fall off one of the light bulbs.

If you want to remove the OBC, use a .030" feeler gauge (for adjusting valves) to stick under the OBC. It is thin but strong enough to push up on the button flap so you can remove it without damaging the plastic.

I just looked at my Pressure Sensor and it only has <font color="red">ONE</font> terminal. The pictures I've seen shows two terminals I believe but you only need one. The "ground" or negative (-) of the pressure sensor is the shell of the sensor. It's return path is thru the car's chassis ground. How is your pressure gauge's negative terminal wire hooked up?

Did you use the "crush washers" on both sides of the banjo (hollow) bolt? I'm assuming that is where your leak is. Tell me more about that!

Bob ///M3

[Kevlar]

I checked all the guages... two of them have the orange socks (condoms) one does not. I looked around inside the guage... no orange thing. I'm guessing it wasn't included on that one guage... why I don't know.

As for the pressure sender. I screwed one end into the JTD block and left the side with the screw up in the vertical position.

I tried attaching both the factory idiot light and the oil pressure guage to the one screw on the pressure sender. When I start the car, the dash light stays on and the pressure guage goes to the maximum right hand position.

I took off the oil pressure guage wire and left the dash light. I started the car and the dash light went bright red, then dimmed red... and stays on.

I took off the dash oil wire and put on the oil pressure wire. BINGO. The oil pressure guage reads about 12psi. However, there is no dash light.

If you pressure sender only has one screw, where did you put the idiot light wire? Please tell me it is somewhere easy so I don't have to disassembly everything again.

As for the oil leak. I found out that it was from the temperature sender (figures the hardest one to get to). I did not tighten it enough. After having to take it out, I made sure I tightened it well and proper. I used the crush washers on everything... I just forgot to tighten the drain plug and the temperature sender... DOH.

[Bob ///M3]

The original idiot light sensor screws into the JTD block and the original BMW wiring harness plugs into the sensor. All you have done is moved the original idiot light to a port on the block and used the hole where the original idiot light senosor was in order to mount the JTD block.

I don't understand why you were re-wiring the original idiot light's sensor. You said; "I tried attaching both the factory idiot light and the oil pressure guage to the one screw on the pressure sender." You do not have to do any re-wiring for the idiot light. Just re-plug the harness back into the sensor.

Bob ///M3

[Kevlar]

Originally posted by Bob ///M3
The original idiot light sensor screws into the JTD block and the original BMW wiring harness plugs into the sensor. All you have done is moved the original idiot light to a port on the block and used the hole where the original idiot light senosor was in order to mount the JTD block

EWWW... not good. I don't know why I got the idea that I had to cut the original wire and attach it to the pressure sender... not good. I hope I can find the original sender and splice it back into the original sender. I think I got confused by the instructions...

Anybody know how much the stock sender costs? I hope they are cheap.

[Bob ///M3]

If you didn't cut the wires real close to the harness plug you should be able to splice it back...that is if you still have the plug.

I doubt the sensor is very expensive if you need to bauy a new one. I'd be more concerned about the plug you may be missing!

Bob ///M3

[Kevlar]

Originally posted by Bob ///M3
If you didn't cut the wires real close to the harness plug you should be able to splice it back...that is if you still have the plug.

I doubt the sensor is very expensive if you need to bauy a new one. I'd be more concerned about the plug you may be missing!

Bob ///M3

Good news is I know I left plenty of wire when we cut the original sender. If I am able to find the original sender and plug I'll be good to go, and it should be easy to reinstall since it's facing forward in the engine.

If not... looks like I'm going to have to find a junkyard and get the sender and plug from there... ugh. Such problems.

[Bob ///M3]

What do you "think" you did with the plug and sensor? Is it at a friends house or did you throw it away somewhere?

You can solder the two wires back using shrink wrap and then tape them up. That's no problem. Finding that particular plug however may be. I would check your local dealer to see if they have any ideas or can get one. You only need one that has short pigtails (6" or so) so you can splice it back.

Good luck.

Bob <font color="1E90FF">/</font><font color="7D26CD">/</font><font color="red">/</font><b><font color="gray">M3</font></b>

[Kevlar]

Phew! I found the pigtail connector and the sendor. I soldered the wires back together... i'm gonna put some of that shrink wrap stuff around the wires as soon as I figure out how to do it.

I reinstalled the sendor onto the JTD block and connected the pigtail...

VOILA...

dash light is back.

[SMSilver97]

Kevlar

The shrink wrap is supposed to go on before the wires are soldered together, then slid over the joint and heated with an heat gun(hair dryer). I have also seen someplace liquid shrink wrap. Just brus it on and it dry's like the other. Hopefully you at least used some electrical tape for now. Don't want the wires shorting out.

borrowed this from a Ron Stygar article on Unofficial E36 site:

"I seal the junction using Star brite liquid electrical tape. This is available from NAPA in a 4 ounce can # 765-2950 for $5.99."

SM

[BAADDOG]

Originally posted by Kevlar
Phew! I found the pigtail connector and the sendor. I soldered the wires back together... i'm gonna put some of that shrink wrap stuff around the wires as soon as I figure out how to do it.

I reinstalled the sendor onto the JTD block and connected the pigtail...

VOILA...

dash light is back.

Hey Kevlar,

Congrats on the self install. You did tackle one of the meanest install jobs any one can do to a BMW.

I'm happy for you and your little car that everything is finally coming together.

Hoooooooray!

I'm all worn out jus following your installation and all the side bars with everyone pitchin in to help out.

BTW, Puleeze don't give up your day job. -

[Josh///M3]

If i get some gauges i think i'll have the install done professionally and possibly not get the eastern kit. I think i'll save my time for somethin like a supercharger kit...... that'd be worth the hassle. Thanx Kevlar for posting your trials and tribulations of installing the gauges.

Just my $.02,
Josh