Wiring & different modules under the dash

[Stormy_be]

Hi,

How can I find out what all the computer modules under the dash are for?
Anybody got any doc on that?

For people who don't know, I'm preparing my 1999 2.8 z3 roadster as a trackday only car.
The complete interior is now out. And I'm trying to figure out what I can ditch from the wiring loom.
I would like to keep the abs, and be able to have the option of asc (when driving in completly wet conditions - at least for the moment).
For the rest: lights, wipers, dashboard and of course engine ecu are needed... that's about it I guess....

Thanks, Koen

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[Robert T]

Almost all BMW parts have a part number on them - you can enter this into either realoem.com or bmwfans.info and get a description of the part.

I take it that you have already got yourself a wiring diagram - this has all the wiring colours on it, and a number or part locations diagrams, which may also help. Details of where to get it are in the knowledgebase.

Cheers R.

[Stormy_be]

Don't have the correct wiring diagrams yet.

[Stormy_be]

Got the electrical schema's now.
But don't see a part location diagram in that. Am I looking over it?

[Stormy_be]

To give you an idea, this is the actual status now:

[Brian H]

In the BMW ETM there is a section at the end which shows all the locations of the various sensors, relays, modules etc. what year is your car?

[gookah]

Not as easy as you may think. There is a wiper module , and an alarm module and the ZKE unit which on newer cars incorporates the alarm. The ZKE module would be the best as it controls things like the electric windows and central door locking, but it also links to the DME and immobiliser circuits as it receives signals from the armed and disarmed status of the alarm to enable or disable the immobiliser.
To get rid of this you would also have to bypass the immobiliser relay

[Stormy_be]

This fabrication date is October 1998.

I want to get ride of things I don't need/want: airbag module, immobilizer module, electrical goodies that I don't need (seats, door/bonnet/boot-switches & locking, windows, aircon, radio, ....)
That will be some job....not something you want to do wrong.
Some things will be cut, some need to be grounded, some will need to get 12V or 5V :-s :-s (that's the part I will hate...not knowing what to do with wires that have to go)

Not much will be refitted.
Maybe part of the dashboard (or I might make something myself).
The dashboard cluster will be installed.
2 racing seats.
Still looking for a good (& not to expensive) roll cage.
maybe the demister (certainly not the airco)
will need to fit/create something for a couple of switches (want to keep the ASC-option & therefore the ASC-switch + light switch, hazard lights and maybe one or 2 others)
Can't think of anything else for the moment.

[BladeRunner919]

I assume this is a weight saving exercise, but I wonder how much weight you are going to save with these few bits and pieces and whether the percentage saving is worth the aggravation of working out what pins need to be grounded or have various voltages supplied? I can't imagine you're talking about even close to 1% of the car's weight, and unless you're in some sort of Formula 1 style race series or have the ability to drive the car right up to 100% of its capabilities, that seems pretty inconsequential.

[Stormy_be]

You are completely right.
But it's not really a weight saving thing.
It started with removing some of the "hardware": the radio/speakers, the seats, the softtop, the aircon, steering wheel (so no airbag anymore), central locking, windows regulators (still to do - windows will be fixed - maybe plexi).
As I had removed those, I thought: why keeping the wiring for those things.

Then there is the fact that I have one 1 key with immobilizer. So I thought about removing that too.

You kind of end up with this.
So the idea didn't come from the weight saving of the loom, but more from the weight of the real heavy stuff.

Now it's more like "can I do this"