I'll be up front and say that I have yet to unscrew one bolt on my e60, although I plan on doing a trim and LCI taillight upgrade in the near future. However, if you look at their Install PDF, pictures on Page#1 and Page#8 literally look like they were edited with MS Paint and it's as if somebody went out of their way to ensure that the circles on those pictures were not visible; in both color and size. What I find really inexcusable is the lack of a wiring diagram, especially when messing with the ECU. Perhaps I may be holding them up to high rigor due to my EE background, but what they presented does not give me the warm fuzzies in the slightest.

 

It has been the best mod ever. And cheap in terms of hp vs dollar. That's for me, I'm sure someone else has their own experience as well. It also retains the resale value vs the software flash....

 

Your EE and your afraid to install this? The instructions are easy to follow even without pictuers

The subconnectors are numbered, if you can count and read you should be able to pull out correct wire. It makes more sense when you see it in person.

 

From experience (non-car related) I know that the little details tend to be glossed over with an install with this many steps. It's the 20% of the little details that will cause me to spend 80% of my time installing this thing. I'll also be the first to say that an EE does not a car mechanic make.

Although the pins are numbered there really should be a wiring diagram, then there would be no possibility for ambiguity. For example, on page 20 they say "Slide the PGX white wire with female pin in the #29 slot until it clicks into place. Insert the yellow wire you just removed into the PBX white female wire." As you can see, they used the word 'female' twice when they clearly must have meant 'male' for the 2nd one; unless connectors have gone lesbo on me without my knowledge.

To be honest, my biggest concern is putting everything back in place correctly, especially for somebody who has never messed with his engine compartment before. I think these are legitimate concerns, EE or not.

 

I think you're just overly scared/nervous.

I opened up the PDF, and noted the pages where you pointed out the MS Paint edit job. And quite honestly, it's not really a big deal. It gets the point across very clearly, and though it wasn't edited in Photoshop, it hardly matters because even if it was done in PS, it makes no difference.

 

I'm guessing an ECU mod like this would void your warranty if you were to take it to the dealer and get serviced?

 

No doubt you are right, I'm sure its a very straight forward mod but say what you will, I'd like to have somebody standing over my shoulder for some guidance while I do it, at least for the very first time. Also, I take back what I said about no video, there actually *is* a video that shows how to get into the ECU under the Juicebox product page, problem is I have a 525 and thus that video is totally irrelevant to me. In fact, I just noticed the PDF I linked to says to skip to 3b for a 528i, I'll assume that the 528i and the 525i that I have have identical engine compartments?

 

Haha, don't get me wrong bud. I opened it up, and while it looks easy, I think I would be more comfortable if I had a more electrically inclined buddy next to me as well.

Then again, I am sure that it's something that just looks scary. I am thinking that if you follow the directions exactly, it should be fairly smooth.

After all, if they were that difficult, we would hear about it in the forum

 

The 525 is the same as the 528, same location

 

the jb3 is for the n54 motor and has been proven to be "invisible" numerous times,due to the fact that the kb3 plugs into the ecu and fuel pressures and timing is controlled so parameters are not exceeded that could poentially trip a tuner/manip code....

luckily since you have a 535i, you have a lot more options for engine tunes (flashes and piggybacks)