pdubq

I'm wondering if any of you 535i owners with a PROcede or JB3 can share how you routed the USB cable from the ECU box up to the glove box?

Any details on this 535i install? I've searched and searched, and can only find 335/135 info.

I removed the ECU quickly just to have a peek, and underneath... nothing. there's a "perfect" looking ovular hole in the passenger-side-most back panel of the ECU box, but I tried routing the USB cable back there, even a wire coat hanger... and I can't find it poking through anywhere behind the glovebox.

One issue though, I'm not sure if I need to remove the panel below the glove box, (I reached up behind it, with what I could feel... and couldn't feel the coat hanger poking through anyways.) On the 535i the rear of the glove box can be removed, to expose a bunch of fuses and little holes in the plastic covered by the firewall. Do you actually need to remove the panel below the glovebox on the 535i?

I tried to... I got at 4 screws, but there is a AC power outlet down there (who would have thought????) and that (at least, maybe more points as well) seem to be preventing me from removing the panel to have a better look.

Anyone with 535i experience routing the Serial->USB cable from the ECU box to the Glovebox?

nonford

[quote name='pdubq' timestamp='1285571805' post='1244512']
I'm wondering if any of you 535i owners with a PROcede or JB3 can share how you routed the USB%

nonford

I dont know what happened to my post above???

But, on my 335, I had to remove the ECU out and make room to get to the opening that is underneath the one you were trying to route the cable to. I believe the one opening you see from the top has a fan or something in there and you will not be able to go that route. If the ECU casing are the same setup for both 335 and 535, you will need to use the the other opening that is below the one you see. Once I removed the ECU, the cable went in just fine through the other opening....

pdubq

Thanks nonford...

I removed the ECU and had a look. I didn't see any opening in the actual ECU bay itself, nor behind it. Maybe I need to remove the entire white tray. But underneath the ECU, I only saw solid plastic (but if I remember correctly both black and white.

The hole I was trying to go through did look too good to be true, so maybe I was hitting the fan.

There is a hole immediately underneath the large ovular hole that has a lot of cabling routed through it already, but I couldn't see this at all behind the glovebox, so I doubt thats the right way to go either...

Anyone done this on a 535i? I imagine SOMEONE has done it themselves?

nonford

The way all those pieces are there, if I recall, you did have to remove like the framing parts that are in the box,specifically the back piece facing the fire wall ...then you see everything..

pdubq

I'll have another go at it, getting the ECU out wasn't so bad. But if I can't find it, I may just go the slacker route i saw some folks doing on the N54tech forum... squeeze the usb cable under the passenger-side grommet out of the ECU box, find a decent place under the hood to store the cable when not in use (cap the cable with a USB cap and secure in some somewhat protected area), route through the hood and in the passenger window when wanting to update or datalog.

But through the glovebox is so much cleaner and cooler... I hope theres a hole in there, I don't have the confidence to start random drilling.

pdubq

So I had another look yesterday afternoon... there is no hole. Just the obvious ventilation hole leading to a deadly fan.

I took out the ECU, the small clipped on board with a few cables behind the ECU. It appears on the 535 that the entire inner ECU box is one piece, and attached via screws. But underneath is a black piece of hardrubber or plastic, maybe there is a hole somewhere underneath that or something, but not on the back wall anywhere. Even had my 335-procede-installed friend have a look in the box and he was dumbfounded as well.

Sooooo..... new plan.

I'm going to try a Serial-to-Bluetooth adapter. Get it powered by the 10A Fuse behind the ECU, and have a wireless solution.

I'll update with where I wire it up, pics, (if it works), and of course, results whether it does or does not...

nonford

I have not lifted the lid off mine so I cant make any comaprisons. But this is how it looked for me when I did it on the 335:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65147

pdubq

Yeah, I've definitely gone through that post, many times great photos for a 335 (or a 135, I hear).

but there is no hole like that on the 535 box that I can find. Admittedly, I didn't completely remove the inner ECU box. There is a couple screws holding it in, and one of them seems a little difficult to access, i dont want to lose it.

But my friend said, even without removing the inner ECU box on the 335, you can see the hole.

gmakishima

pdubq,

Don't mean to hijack your thread, but how do you like your Procede V4? Does it improve throttle response, or do you think you'd still want to add a Sprint Booster?

Is the install pretty simple (besides routing the USB through the firewall)? I've only seen install vids covering 335's and 135's so is it pretty much the same? Did you run into any "gotchas" where the 335 install vid differed from the 535 actual install? Also, have you tested out the new boost gauge and AFR gauges in V4? I'm not too keen on having the boost gauge replace my fuel level indicator, but it'd be nice to have the boost gauge replace the MPG gauge since I don't use the MPG gauge at all.

Thanks!
G