Eddie's E21 316

[e21-Mark]

Some wire wool will work wonders on the brake lines too.

[Eddie.]

So, over the weekend much was done.

I got the servos painted up:



Then it was time to get the M20 in.

Clutch on:



Gearbox fitted and the engine going in:



After not long at all, it was in:



Now need to plumb it in, and wire it up and it'll be ready for its first start

[Peter V.]

Nice work!

[Jeroen]

[uwbuurman]

Cool!

[Eddie.]

Got some wiring done today.

Some people keep the C101 plug from the E30, but I wasn't too keen on that, I much preferred the setup of having the E30 engine loom wired straight into the E21 fuesbox plug.

So, the existing C101 plug on the E30 engine loom:



E21 fusebox plug:



I followed a guide that listed what needed splicing with what, and got it done. I still need to sort a line out for the tachometer and another for the fuel pump.



I also got an E36 battery distribution box, which collects the power from the battery in the boot and distributes it accordingly to the starter motor, alternator etc.

Made a couple of 'L' brackets up and got the box in the correct place. The battery cable is a really thick gauge, and it required a hole drilling in the boot bulkhead and the loom grommet needed a small slice in it, but it's in now. The box will have the appropriate covers on when it's all done.

Looks OEM enough.

[drjim]

That's how I did mine. Check on the plug you have cut off, there's a big green wire you have connected up to the green from the e21 end. On the pin in the c101 you may find another smaller green wire connected there. That's the one that powers the ECU and took me a day to figure out! Murrans wiring diagram didn't have it as he went from the other side of the c101. I think it can be different in different years of e30 as well.

Jim

[Eddie.]

So skinny solid green wire is ECU power?

[drjim]

Should be. Can't remember which pin it goes to in the ecu plug but easy to trace/test if you have the wiring diagram. If it's there in the c101 you can safely connect it up.

[Eddie.]

What's best to wire it to?

[drjim]

Same green it was wired with originally. Open up your splice, solder it on and re-heatshrink it.

[Eddie.]

So two wires into one? (Apologies for the confusion, wiring isn't my strong point)

I presume the ECU needs to be on a permanent live?

[drjim]

Yep, check the cut off plug, there should be two wores going to the pin in the c101 so you need to connect them both together.

Jim

[nas80]

the green wire is switched live dude, there is a big power wire coming off the loom for the permanent which goes on your distro terminal.

as your looking at your distribution block.

you have the main power wire at the top, below it to the left on the big terminal you want your main power wire from the starter.

You have a skinny wire attached to the big wire on your main feed, that goes on the right hand terminal, and then your power wire to the fuse box goes to the bottom terminal on the right.

Hope this makes sense.

[Eddie.]

More wiring done today.

Battery terminal all connected up:



Tidied up the wires, they'll be wrapped in proper loom tape once I know everything is running.



The spliced loom plugged in too. I fear I've made the new bit too long, as there's a fair bit of wire hanging down when it's plugged in.



Got the fuel pump wired in on a spare fuse in the fuse box, so it's all proper and correct. Need to wire it to the actual pump still though.

Left to do:

Reverse light switch.
Tachometer.
Ignition coil fitted and wired up.
Oil Pressure Switch.
Few plugs left to sort etc.
ECU mounted and plugged in.

Then anything that's left outstanding.