*For Those Who Venture to ECU Box Often*

Mr. 5 · 06-28-2009, 07:14 PM

I've seriously been contemplating getting the M3 Cowling lately since it seems to be easier to get into the ECU Box. The reason being is due to 2 reasons:

1. The wires that go across the top of the engine get rewired and tied to the firewall.
2. The Cowling splits into 2 and you only have to take off the passenger's side cowling to get to the ecu box.

I hit 50k miles a little while back so figured that the microfilter should get replaced, and I don't want to replace the 3 series microfilter when I'm just going to get the M3 stuff.

I was getting close with placing the order for all of the M3 parts when I just figured...Why can't I just reposition the wires to the back of the firewall with the current setup now?
Doing this will make it much easier to get into the ecu box and there's no worry with breaking any of the plastic clips. So, that's what I did.
More reasons why I don't like the idea of the M3 items is because the weather stripping won't sit fluch with the hood of the car and the microfilters are double the cost of the 3 series microfilters.

Currently, none of the 4 screws (holding down the microfilter) are installed, and the 2 screws that hold down the cowling aren't installed either. Since I go into the ECU box a lot, I find that the 6 screws don't really do that much to keep everything in place and it saves myself some time.

So since the screws aren't installed, and now the wires are repostioned, getting into the ECU box is much easier.
Just thought I would let you guys know.

TheTwinz · 06-28-2009, 07:20 PM

awesome.. so how many screws are holding the air filter to the car? are u using 4? the 4 that attach directly to the vent area?

Mr. 5 · 06-28-2009, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTwinz

awesome.. so how many screws are holding the air filter to the car? are u using 4? the 4 that attach directly to the vent area?

4 screws would hold the filter on but I'm not using them.
The filter doesn't need any screws for it to be held on.
I'm only using the 2 screws to hold the microfilter to the cowling.
I am not using the 2 screws that hold on the cowling to the body of the car.

2wheelsrbetter · 06-28-2009, 09:39 PM

off topic - what's the cylinder behind your power steering fluid reservior?

ThorsHammer · 06-28-2009, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2wheelsrbetter

off topic - what's the cylinder behind your power steering fluid reservior?

Oil Catch Can.

hsleiman · 06-28-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2wheelsrbetter

off topic - what's the cylinder behind your power steering fluid reservior?

Oil catch can? can't really tell

hsleiman · 06-28-2009, 09:44 PM

ha beat me to it

1clean335i · 06-28-2009, 10:41 PM

I still love the clean look of my m3 set-up.......

TwinTurboXI · 06-28-2009, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1clean335i

I still love the clean look of my m3 set-up.......

Looks great.

ThorsHammer · 06-28-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1clean335i

I still love the clean look of my m3 set-up.......

Part list, please and thank you!

OGBimmerGuy · 06-28-2009, 10:56 PM

How often are you accessing your ECU? Wouldn't you have to replace it all when bringing your car to the dealer for warranty work anyway?
I also noticed you oil catch can - how do you have that mounted over there?

Mr. 5 · 06-28-2009, 11:03 PM

Yah, that looks good but what about it sealing with the hood?
Do you have any issues with hot engine air going through your vent?

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1clean335i

I still love the clean look of my m3 set-up.......

Mr. 5 · 06-28-2009, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThorsHammer

Part list, please and thank you!

Here are the parts that you need:
64-31-6-958-817
64-31-6-958-818
64-31-6-958-815
64-31-6-958-816
64-31-9-159-606
51-71-8-045-623

Here is the thread that he posted when he first did it.
I was thinking of doing it because of the easy access but the cost didn't make sense to me. It was just under 200 for everything and that doesn't include shipping.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228781

Quote:

Originally Posted by OGBimmerGuy

How often are you accessing your ECU? Wouldn't you have to replace it all when bringing your car to the dealer for warranty work anyway?
I also noticed you oil catch can - how do you have that mounted over there?

I'm accessing it about once a week trying different maps and testing different things.
Catch can is mounted with twist tie.

M_M · 06-29-2009, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OGBimmerGuy

How often are you accessing your ECU? Wouldn't you have to replace it all when bringing your car to the dealer for warranty work anyway?
I also noticed you oil catch can - how do you have that mounted over there?

quite often if you have a jb3 and a burner...

luca335i · 06-29-2009, 12:33 AM

What can is that mr. 5?

lawdude · 06-29-2009, 06:02 AM

Mr. 5:

While cleaning under my hood this weekend I leaned on the bottom item in the second picture and broke two of the clips. Do you know the part number and the cost of that item?

1clean335i · 06-29-2009, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

Yah, that looks good but what about it sealing with the hood?
Do you have any issues with hot engine air going through your vent?

Which vent are your referring to? The fresh air vent for the a/c?

Mr. 5 · 06-29-2009, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luca335i

What can is that mr. 5?

Mr.5's catch can.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawdude

Mr. 5:

While cleaning under my hood this weekend I leaned on the bottom item in the second picture and broke two of the clips. Do you know the part number and the cost of that item?

I just take the part numbers and put them in Tischer's site:
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...72&catalogid=0
Hopefully you didn't break the clips off of number 2 in this picture because that is more expensive than the other parts.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...28&hg=64&fg=10

The other parts are #12 in the first link and I think it's 2 in the second link.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...40&hg=12&fg=31

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1clean335i

Which vent are your referring to? The fresh air vent for the a/c?

I'm talking about the weather stripping. It doesn't follow the curvature of the hood. The hood is made specificaly for the 3 series cowling.

lawdude · 06-29-2009, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

Mr.5's catch can.

Hopefully you didn't break the clips off of number 2 in this picture because that is more expensive than the other parts.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...28&hg=64&fg=10

Damn. I assumed it was the part in your picture. After you mentioned it I went out and checked - it is the more expensive part.

Mr. 5 · 06-29-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawdude

Damn. I assumed it was the part in your picture. After you mentioned it I went out and checked - it is the more expensive part.

I broke mine too. It doesn't take that much pressure to break the clips.
This is one of the reasons why I did what I did.

Moc247 · 06-29-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

I broke mine too. It doesn't take that much pressure to break the clips.
This is one of the reasons why I did what I did.

That's funny, I broke two clips as well. I think the clips are part of the cowl (more expensive part). I am debating whether or not to replace. I am leaning towards not for now since the one clip is enough to hold it in place.

lawdude · 06-29-2009, 04:59 PM

I've been cleaning under my hood since I bought the thing in Oct 06. Don't know why I got careless this time. That was an expensive cleaning job.

06-28-2009, 07:14 PM	#1
Mr. 5 Modder Raider 753 Rep 8,633 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Surf City, HB iTrader: (31) Garage List 2007 e90 335i [8.00]	*For Those Who Venture to ECU Box Often* I've seriously been contemplating getting the M3 Cowling lately since it seems to be easier to get into the ECU Box. The reason being is due to 2 reasons: 1. The wires that go across the top of the engine get rewired and tied to the firewall. 2. The Cowling splits into 2 and you only have to take off the passenger's side cowling to get to the ecu box. I hit 50k miles a little while back so figured that the microfilter should get replaced, and I don't want to replace the 3 series microfilter when I'm just going to get the M3 stuff. I was getting close with placing the order for all of the M3 parts when I just figured...Why can't I just reposition the wires to the back of the firewall with the current setup now? Doing this will make it much easier to get into the ecu box and there's no worry with breaking any of the plastic clips. So, that's what I did. More reasons why I don't like the idea of the M3 items is because the weather stripping won't sit fluch with the hood of the car and the microfilters are double the cost of the 3 series microfilters. Currently, none of the 4 screws (holding down the microfilter) are installed, and the 2 screws that hold down the cowling aren't installed either. Since I go into the ECU box a lot, I find that the 6 screws don't really do that much to keep everything in place and it saves myself some time. So since the screws aren't installed, and now the wires are repostioned, getting into the ECU box is much easier. Just thought I would let you guys know. Attached Images __________________ e36 M3 Coupe, e36 325i Sedan e90 335i--SOLD Best 60-130-------------9.15 Seconds------------------WWW.MR5RACING.COM
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06-28-2009, 07:20 PM	#2
TheTwinz Second Lieutenant 11 Rep 273 Posts Drives: 300Z Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: 911 iTrader: (0)	awesome.. so how many screws are holding the air filter to the car? are u using 4? the 4 that attach directly to the vent area?
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06-28-2009, 09:39 PM	#4
2wheelsrbetter Lieutenant 30 Rep 516 Posts Drives: hot rod Join Date: May 2009 Location: at the beach iTrader: (10)	off topic - what's the cylinder behind your power steering fluid reservior?
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06-28-2009, 09:44 PM	#7
hsleiman First Lieutenant 12 Rep 304 Posts Drives: 11 e90 335xi PPK 6MT Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Morgantown, WV iTrader: (1)	ha beat me to it
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06-28-2009, 10:41 PM	#8
1clean335i Perf BMW mag issue 147, 159 414 Rep 6,803 Posts Drives: Project Estoril Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Miami, FL iTrader: (31) Garage List 2013 335i M-sport [0.00] 2011 X5 xdrive35i M ... [0.00] 2009 335i M-sport [0.00] 07' 335i Sedan [0.00]	I still love the clean look of my m3 set-up....... __________________ '13 Estoril Blue 335i M-sport *Don't PM me!* Message me here- http://www.facebook.com/ProjectEstoril
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06-28-2009, 10:56 PM	#11
OGBimmerGuy New Member 0 Rep 14 Posts Drives: Black E36 Sedan & E92 Coupe Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	How often are you accessing your ECU? Wouldn't you have to replace it all when bringing your car to the dealer for warranty work anyway? I also noticed you oil catch can - how do you have that mounted over there?
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06-29-2009, 12:33 AM	#15
luca335i Major 57 Rep 1,193 Posts Drives: 335I Sedan Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Unknown iTrader: (3)	What can is that mr. 5? __________________
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06-29-2009, 06:02 AM	#16
lawdude Colonel 93 Rep 2,339 Posts Drives: 335i ZPP ZSP TiAg MT Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgia iTrader: (1)	Mr. 5: While cleaning under my hood this weekend I leaned on the bottom item in the second picture and broke two of the clips. Do you know the part number and the cost of that item? __________________ What do I know? I'm insane.
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06-29-2009, 04:59 PM	#22
lawdude Colonel 93 Rep 2,339 Posts Drives: 335i ZPP ZSP TiAg MT Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgia iTrader: (1)	I've been cleaning under my hood since I bought the thing in Oct 06. Don't know why I got careless this time. That was an expensive cleaning job. __________________ What do I know? I'm insane.
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