[yahtzee]

How hard is it to get the USB cable through the firewall into the glove box? I have a 535i and would love to sit my laptop in my passenger seat to monitor PROcede....any suggestions?

[335iheLLraiseR]

Originally Posted by yahtzee

How hard is it to get the USB cable through the firewall into the glove box? I have a 535i and would love to sit my laptop in my passenger seat to monitor PROcede....any suggestions?

Not very. The hardest part is removing the ecu and brackets. I used a hanger to fish it through the whole, some people have said you can just feed it through. There are no obstructions not even the infamous "fan".

[Driver72]

You guys don't need to remove the ECU to do this.
Simply remove the ECU cover and lift up the whole ECU plastic encasing that holds the ECU and all the wire connectors and so forth.
Reach down behind there, feed the cable through the hole.

It will only go in about 3-5 inches at that point because it's up against the firewall at that point.

Then retrieve it from behind your glovebox area.

It take all of about 2-3 minutes once you have all the covers off.

But again, you DO NOT need to unplug and remove the ECU!!
Whomever started to tell people that, is doing it wrong and making it unnecessarily hard....and risky!

[yahtzee]

Originally Posted by Driver72

You guys don't need to remove the ECU to do this.
Simply remove the ECU cover and lift up the whole ECU plastic encasing that holds the ECU and all the wire connectors and so forth.
Reach down behind there, feed the cable through the hole.

It will only go in about 3-5 inches at that point because it's up against the firewall at that point.

Then retrieve it from behind your glovebox area.

It take all of about 2-3 minutes once you have all the covers off.

But again, you DO NOT need to unplug and remove the ECU!!
Whomever started to tell people that, is doing it wrong and making it unnecessarily hard....and risky!

Any confirmation that this method is the same for the 535i? (yes, I know this is an E90 forum but I had to ask)

Also, when you mention "behind there" do you mean behind the glovebox or in the inside back of the glovebox? Lastly, the hole that you refer to - what is it for and will it be obvious (1" vs 4")?

[cn555ic]

Look in the DIY for usb through firewall to glovebox

[deck]

Originally Posted by Driver72

You guys don't need to remove the ECU to do this.
Simply remove the ECU cover and lift up the whole ECU plastic encasing that holds the ECU and all the wire connectors and so forth.
Reach down behind there, feed the cable through the hole.

It will only go in about 3-5 inches at that point because it's up against the firewall at that point.

Then retrieve it from behind your glovebox area.

It take all of about 2-3 minutes once you have all the covers off.

But again, you DO NOT need to unplug and remove the ECU!!
Whomever started to tell people that, is doing it wrong and making it unnecessarily hard....and risky!

I definately vouch for this, it was my car that we learned this on
It turns out it is a very simple install. Thanks Driver72 again for your help.

[yahtzee]

Originally Posted by deck

I definately vouch for this, it was my car that we learned this on
It turns out it is a very simple install. Thanks Driver72 again for your help.

Man, I tried to get my USB cable through my firewall but couldnt find a hole. Looking through my glove box (after taking the back panel out) I see two triangular areas that consist of the firewall like padding. That said, I couldnt find that area behind the ECU. Do you physically have to take out the white tray (all the way out?)?

[cn555ic]

Look at the USB through firewall DIY to see if you see the same exact thing in the 535.

[Driver72]

Originally Posted by yahtzee

Man, I tried to get my USB cable through my firewall but couldnt find a hole. Looking through my glove box (after taking the back panel out) I see two triangular areas that consist of the firewall like padding. That said, I couldnt find that area behind the ECU. Do you physically have to take out the white tray (all the way out?)?

In the 335i their is a grid like plastic holder inside the white ECU compartment.
This white grid like plastic holds all the wires, connectors and so forth together inside the ECU's compartment.

At the 4 corners of this grid like holder is four pin like adapters that hold this grid like thing in place.
If you lift up on the white grid like it will pop up.

In the back side (closest to the firewall) lower section of the white ECU compartment there is a small hole about the size of a golf ball (you can get 2 fingers into it).
This is the hole in the 335i's ECU compartment that you feed the cable through. Again, it will only go in about 3-5 inches.

In the 335i then underneath the glovebox area you have to pull back the carpeting and so forth and you can retrieve the cable.
I actually haven't personally retrieved the cable from under the glovebox myself though, so I can't tell you exactly what you need to look for or do in that regard.

Hope that helps

[NM_BMW]

Are you guys using serial -> usb adapter then that is connected to a usb extension and then your feeding it through to the glove box or are you using a long serial to usb adapter like the one in the DIY? I know I saw the DIY for this, but I can't get specs on how long that cable is from here.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812149115

[Driver72]

I just used the serial to usb cable from radio shack. 6 ft long.
Gives you all the cable length you'd need to have the laptop, well on your lap if need be.