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DISCUSSION => Engine management => Topic started by: HaNasich on July 30, 2012, 06:09:56 PM

Title: Can i swap E30 ECU with an E36 ECU?
Post by: HaNasich on July 30, 2012, 06:09:56 PM

Im running M42 with 1990 E30 ECU,
i got a chance to get E36 1993 ECU
are the ECU's swappable?


basically i want to add ping sensors to the engine, would the stock E30 harness will do and all i'll need to add are sensors wires, or should i rebuild the whole harness?
E36 harness is not available for me at this stage.

Title: Can i swap E30 ECU with an E36 ECU?
Post by: DesktopDave on August 05, 2012, 12:57:22 PM

I'd bet it'll work, though you'd get a lot of errors from the missing knock sensors & DISA manifold depending on the motor's production date.  Some later e36's also had EWS, but that's a single wire mod.  Since you'd have to leave a few sensors disconnected, I'd be wondering if it's possible to flash a performance chip to make it work perfectly.

Title: Can i swap E30 ECU with an E36 ECU?
Post by: bmwconnect on August 06, 2012, 09:17:26 AM

No it won't work unless you swap to the newer whole harness. The newer DME uses wasted spark