bootmod3: Flex Fuel Tuning Integration

[MJ6]

Originally Posted by FriedPiston

I already have the Zeitronix ECA-2 with Continental ethanol sensor installed

I'll be installing Bend Calibrations flex fuel kit with Zeitronix ECA-2 this week. As far as the harness goes, do you know if we just need to tap into 12v/Ground and CAN High/CAN Low, or are other output connections needed for our platform?

[TacoJova]

Originally Posted by MJ6

I'll be installing Bend Calibrations flex fuel kit with Zeitronix ECA-2 this week. As far as the harness goes, do you know if we just need to tap into 12v/Ground and CAN High/CAN Low, or are other output connections needed for our platform?

Just those 4 is all you need

[Terrance41]

Any videos showing the e85 content on the dash?

[detroitm2]

Originally Posted by MJ6

I'll be installing Bend Calibrations flex fuel kit with Zeitronix ECA-2 this week. As far as the harness goes, do you know if we just need to tap into 12v/Ground and CAN High/CAN Low, or are other output connections needed for our platform?

I'm going to assume its pretty close to the same as the ECA-2.

BTW, if you need some help installing the Bend kit, check my youtube channel in my sig. I recently put together a terrible install video on my M2, most of which should be applicable for any F8X car.

I should have the ECA-2 install video up sometime either this weekend or early next week.

[MJ6]

Originally Posted by detroitm2

BTW, if you need some help installing the Bend kit, check my youtube channel in my sig. I recently put together a terrible install video on my M2, most of which should be applicable for any F8X car.

I'll definitely take you up on that man; I'm installing the kit today so I'm sure it'll be helpful.

I appreciate it!


*edit* I watched your video and it will definitely help; being able to visualize what you're up against prior to an install has always been beneficial in my book. I will be routing the sensor loom up into the cabin however, and was wondering if you found a good route. My plan was to use some fishing tape and see if I could bring it in through the drivers side firewall grommet, but I was interested to see which direction you took.

I also extended and modified my wiring harness to include MQS terminals and pin splitters (similar to how AWRON had their vent gauge harness hooked up). My thought was this way I could swap the pin-outs to avoid the need to tap into the stock wire loom, therefore making the entire process reversible.

[detroitm2]

Originally Posted by MJ6

I'll definitely take you up on that man; I'm installing the kit today so I'm sure it'll be helpful.

I appreciate it!


*edit* I watched your video and it will definitely help; being able to visualize what you're up against prior to an install has always been beneficial in my book. I will be routing the sensor loom up into the cabin however, and was wondering if you found a good route. My plan was to use some fishing tape and see if I could bring it in through the drivers side firewall grommet, but I was interested to see which direction you took.

I also extended and modified my wiring harness to include MQS terminals and pin splitters (similar to how AWRON had their vent gauge harness hooked up). My thought was this way I could swap the pin-outs to avoid the need to tap into the stock wire loom, therefore making the entire process reversible.

Attachment 2504228

I haven't done mine yet. Likely be doing it this weekend, and making another video. I think the driver-side grommet is only available on DCT cars, I have a 6MT. If you get to it before I do and find a good spot, let me know.

Couple things to note about my filter install video, the bend kit includes a fuel line removal tool, its a pain to do by hand. I realized this after spraying myself in the face with gas.

Also, theres some hose clips and a small screw for tidying things up down there. I did not do that step. Bend actually recommends removing that metal bracket completely.

EDIT: as for the wiring tapping. I'm going a slightly different approach. I already have an AIM Solo 2 DL that I use for trackdays, thats connected to my canbus wires in the FEM. However, I had to attach a small 2 channel relay box to it, because theres an issue with the AIM Solo that causes it to draw power from the canbus when its powered off. The relay actually disconnects the canbus wires when it loses 12v signal (when the car shuts off) so it cannot draw power from the canbus (and produce a nasty warning when you start the car again).

Since I already have this box, and already tapped the canbus wires, I figured it would be easier to just add another jack to the box to plug my ECA-2 into. It already is setup to use 4 pin aviation plugs to supply 12v, ground, can high, and can low signal. I went ahead and soldered a jack on the end of the ECA-2 wiring harness to plug right in. (see attached)

[MJ6]

detroitm2

Well I installed the flex-fuel kit this morning, and I can say with absolute certainty that your video definitely gave me a leg up on the process. My only faux pas was during the final tightening of the fittings after I discovered a slow drip and temporarily forgetting importance of 'lefty loosey, righty tighty', a situation which quickly jogged my memory as only a blast of 93 octane in the face will do (safety goggles FTW!)

Routing wise you were correct in the assumption that on the 6spd there's no drivers side grommet to speak of, so I ended up defaulting to the passenger side. What I did was route the wire-loom up the drivers side engine bay to underneath the intercooler reservoir, then then loop it back around the rubber strut brace cover in order to bring it up and around to the firewall side. Once there I used a fishing wire to pull it underneath the aluminum strut and out the other side near the passenger side fuse box.

Bringing it inside the cabin and through the firewall however was a matter of trial and error. The first "grommet" you see after peeling back the passenger side cover in the engine bay is this gargantuan black mass, complete with what can only be described as a phallic extrusion of wire and unforgiving rubber. When BWM decided to make sure that the cabin was cut off from the harsh elements of the engine bay, I can only assume that the designer was compensating for something which involved both girth and uncompromising rigidity as any attempts to break through this barrier proved utterly futile. That was until I noticed a small rubber seal tucked up just above the Ron Jeremyesce grommet. I was able to force a small 12" crowbar with an inexplicably straight milled edge at the tip through this rubber plug, and through the firewall into the cabin.





For the step of actually getting the wire loom through and into that tiny space in the passenger side footwell, if you're lucky enough to have a small child or even the capacity to rent one for an hour or so, it would help immensely and assist you in avoiding the need for chiropractic intervention the next day. In a nut shell though, once you have the rubber plug impaled on your crowbar/giant screwdriver, its a matter of using the fishing wire to bring the end of the wire loom back through. This way of routing doesn't give much wiggle room in terms of the amount of remaining cable you'll have to play with when it comes to mounting the Zeitronix, but it's definitely doable.

[detroitm2]

Originally Posted by MJ6

detroitm2

Well I installed the flex-fuel kit this morning, and I can say with absolute certainty that your video definitely gave me a leg up on the process. My only faux pas was during the final tightening of the fittings after I discovered a slow drip and temporarily forgetting importance of 'lefty loosey, righty tighty', a situation which quickly jogged my memory as only a blast of 93 octane in the face will do (safety goggles FTW!)

Routing wise you were correct in the assumption that on the 6spd there's no drivers side grommet to speak of, so I ended up defaulting to the passenger side. What I did was route the wire-loom up the drivers side engine bay to underneath the intercooler reservoir, then then loop it back around the rubber strut brace cover in order to bring it up and around to the firewall side. Once there I used a fishing wire to pull it underneath the aluminum strut and out the other side near the passenger side fuse box.

Bringing it inside the cabin and through the firewall however was a matter of trial and error. The first "grommet" you see after peeling back the passenger side cover in the engine bay is this gargantuan black mass, complete with what can only be described as a phallic extrusion of wire and unforgiving rubber. When BWM decided to make sure that the cabin was cut off from the harsh elements of the engine bay, I can only assume that the designer was compensating for something which involved both girth and uncompromising rigidity as any attempts to break through this barrier proved utterly futile. That was until I noticed a small rubber seal tucked up just above the Ron Jeremyesce grommet. I was able to force a small 12" crowbar with an inexplicably straight milled edge at the tip through this rubber plug, and through the firewall into the cabin.

Attachment 2505314

Attachment 2505313

For the step of actually getting the wire loom through and into that tiny space in the passenger side footwell, if you're lucky enough to have a small child or even the capacity to rent one for an hour or so, it would help immensely and assist you in avoiding the need for chiropractic intervention the next day. In a nut shell though, once you have the rubber plug impaled on your crowbar/giant screwdriver, its a matter of using the fishing wire to bring the end of the wire loom back through. This way of routing doesn't give much wiggle room in terms of the amount of remaining cable you'll have to play with when it comes to mounting the Zeitronix, but it's definitely doable.

Hah. You had me rolling with your description of the wires!

I'm glad my video helped a bit, and I certainly appreciate you taking the time to figure out a good ingress point into the cabin. I had actually planned on mounting the ECA-2 to the firewall right near where that mass of wires go into the engine bay, so it sounds like the length of the flex-fuel cable should be just long enough. Worst case, I'll wire some extensions on there to make it a bit longer.

I'll be throwing a video up and be sure to give ya a shoutout for your detective work.

[detroitm2]

MJ6

[chewbakam4]

Zeitronix all wired up ready to FLEX!

[sly1types]

I just got my bend kit, i think there is grommet to the left of the brake pedal i think i can go through since i have a DCT. Then run inside under the dash to the passenger foot well.

[burnrbr]

Originally Posted by MJ6

I also extended and modified my wiring harness to include MQS terminals and pin splitters (similar to how AWRON had their vent gauge harness hooked up). My thought was this way I could swap the pin-outs to avoid the need to tap into the stock wire loom, therefore making the entire process reversible.
Attachment 2504228

I’d like to create the same harness as yours. Where did you source the MQS terminals, wires, and connectors? What are the part numbers?

[stondM3]

Originally Posted by Terrance41

Any videos showing the e85 content on the dash?

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by burnrbr

I’d like to create the same harness as yours. Where did you source the MQS terminals, wires, and connectors? What are the part numbers?

Another user posted this… ready made

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ICB-WEFLX40-48

[burnrbr]

Originally Posted by hellokitty

Another user posted this… ready made

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ICB-WEFLX40-48

Thanks for the link. I see that harness makes extending the flex fuel sensor wires easy. I’m interested in a harness that allows the CAN bus connection to be reversible with no damage to the factory wires. Something like the Awron harness.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16392477&postcount=4

I’m going to call EAS to see if they can order a replacement Awron harness.