Author Topic: Definitive Cruise control Thread (Read 108454 times)

Ron_Burgundy · « **Reply #60 on:** February 07, 2007, 03:31:42 AM »

This write up is what encouraged me to do this retrofit. Basically I have completed it although there is one thing which I am not sure about. How exactly do you remove the actuator cable from the unit. I have had a good look and I was unable to work out how to swap the e30 cable with the e36 one. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks for the work you guys have put in, it has helped me immeasurably!
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Lincoln MKR picture

gazellebeigem3 · « **Reply #61 on:** February 26, 2007, 09:24:19 PM »

Quote from: Ron_Burgundy;18980

This write up is what encouraged me to do this retrofit. Basically I have completed it although there is one thing which I am not sure about. How exactly do you remove the actuator cable from the unit. I have had a good look and I was unable to work out how to swap the e30 cable with the e36 one. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks for the work you guys have put in, it has helped me immeasurably!

Quote from: jakeb

Where the cable attaches there is a clip, push the clip in and the cable will then pull out. With the cable pulled out a little bit there is a rubber band looking thing and a brass clip, you can disconnect the two and then switch the cable. Once you get it apart it will make more sence. I hope that helps.

I just finished my retrofit thanks for the good info! One thing i would like to add is that i used the clutch switch and bracket from an 89i and i didnt have to modify it in any way.

Royalratch · « **Reply #62 on:** September 17, 2007, 09:50:42 AM »

Hello all.

I've installed full cruise into my 318iS but I have just 2 minor problems.

1) The actuator body does not bolt to my AFM - I need the bracket in some of these pix.

2) The Cruise throttle cable I have does not fit in the M42/M44 throttle butterfly - it's a square head in a round hole situation.

I guess what I need is a part number for the clamp / adapter for the actuator body and the correct throttle cable? Part numbers anyone?

Any help would be great.

Royalratch · « **Reply #63 on:** September 18, 2007, 09:36:58 AM »

Anyone?

e9nine · « **Reply #64 on:** September 18, 2007, 04:32:35 PM »

What car did your cruise unit come from?
Look up P/Ns from http://www.realoem.com under the e30m3.
The cruise actuator mounting bracket simply "attaches" on the front end of where the AFM is bolted in the engine bay.

Hope this helps.

monko141 · « **Reply #65 on:** September 18, 2007, 11:31:42 PM »

Wish I would have seen this write up before I did mine. Just a couple of things to mention, the bracket that holds the computer module bolts in first and then the module snaps into it. Its really a PITA but it does fit. The purple/white wire on the connects to the accessory circuit which is where it picks up power. The green/red goes to the load side of the brake switch to drop out the CC when the brake is pressed. I drilled out the threads on the stalk I believe and used the longer screw and the stalk mounted to the steering column much tighter. I ended up just screwing the engine compartment module to the fender. I used some rubber grommets and some short sheet metal screws. I did encounter a problem with the clutch switch being to far from the clutch pedal. A simple adjustment and I was good to go.

Royalratch · « **Reply #66 on:** October 26, 2007, 10:58:30 AM »

I've got mine sorted.

All you need is the E36 Actuator bracket mount for any 4-cylinder E36 (M42/M43/M44).

The rest of the stuff is straight E30.

Our cars never had Cruise,possibly not even as an option which explains why there
is no provision for it at the equipment panel behind the glovebox.

A useful mod I looked at was to plug the Cruise into the heated seat socket, as the heated
seat is an even easier splice, needing just a single 12V feed.

Simon S · « **Reply #67 on:** October 22, 2009, 06:21:50 PM »

re: routing cruise control actuator wiring from engine bay to cabin

From foot well (inside the car), I see the area where it passes through � but I�m having trouble accessing that area from the engine side.

It looks like removing or pulling aside fuse/relay box would provide access. I�ve removed some screws and fasteners � and it�s loose, but doesn�t come up very far. Wiring from the [passenger] side of the box interferes with the diagnostic plug hosing.

Anyone have tips on how to get that actuator wiring into the foot well?

DesktopDave · « **Reply #68 on:** October 22, 2009, 07:47:37 PM »

That's quite the write up... I'll have to get an e36 actuator & finish mine up.

I'd put that wire through with the main harness. There is a single bolt that holds the fuse box. Loosening it will give you maybe only 1/2" wiggle room though.

Simon S · « **Reply #69 on:** October 23, 2009, 03:51:08 AM »

well, that was fun..

Examined main wiring harness firewall grommet and noted pre-notched circles for wiring cables.

Pulled that main harness grommet out and removed dime-size circle for the actuator wiring. I removed it by poking the tip of an exact-o knife at different spots in the notched circle. With enough 'pokes through', the thin rubber closing could be pulled away with fingers.

Fed a feeder wire up into the engine compartment.

Tied up the end of the actuator wiring cable and puller her through.

Once it was in the cabin, there's enough maneuverability to get the wiring through the designated hole - and the grommet on the actuator cable fit perfectly.

Yay! Almost done..

DesktopDave · « **Reply #70 on:** October 30, 2009, 05:16:08 PM »

I've nearly put mine together, just waiting on a M42 cable & then a good test. It all plugged in without too much drama. I did have to splice the actuator cable because mine was cut from the JY.

You were right, Simon, that firewall hole is a pig to get to from the outside. I fished it from inside like you did, thanks for the tip.

I also installed a COP kit while I was in there. Just bought new sunroof cables, that'll be tomorrow's project.

longtallsally · « **Reply #71 on:** November 14, 2009, 03:53:08 PM »

Mine is just about done as well.

Of note: Getting the cable from the actuator of the E36 to that of the E30 is a bit tricky. You have to "carefully" push in a plastic tab and then pull the whole thing out. The cable itself is attached to a ribbon that is coiled on a spring inside the body of the actuator. I learned the total inner workings by playing with one in a yard recently when getting all the parts together to do the install. It really is a cool design and how the actuator works is pretty neat too.

I gotta say, I have no clue how you guys have done it with your dash installed as mine hasn't been too easy even with the whole dash out.

Since I have the dash out, I'm going to see if I can find out how to plug into the power source at the brake switch as I have the whole harness. I'm sure it's there as I also just converted to the premium speakers as well as a power sunroof and I have yet to splice.

I'm now deciding on pulling the carpet and painting it black before I put the new dash and stereo and such in as well as put in Dynamat. Bummer (well not really) is that I'm on a pretty strict time line as my wife got a job in Stuttgart and we're moving in a couple months and based on insurance and fuel costs, we decided to sell her very nice E46 and take the little 318.

longtallsally · « **Reply #72 on:** November 16, 2009, 12:38:28 PM »

After I posted yesterday, I found out some more and re-read some things.

So as mentioned (and I missed the first time) the place on the junction block for power is empty- thus why the writeup here just has you tap the brake switch. However, if you have the whole harness, there should be 2 posts open with the plug literally right next to where it "should" go in the junction block with the same plug.

I hooked the battery back up, and tested, and sure enough, one of those posts gets switched power- and it is the correct colored one too. In order to make the plug fit, though, you must shave off the tab on the plug.

There is a rather ingenious yet simple way that they made all of those plugs going into the junction block correctly. In addition to various bevels on corners of the plugs, there are tabs that are either on the top, middle, or bottom of one side thus making it very hard to plug into the wrong place.

In this instance, it doesn't matter as I'm installing a feature that was never there, but still, it's pretty cool. I've also found the same thing for the OBC as I'm trying to get the CODE feature to work there.

longtallsally · « **Reply #73 on:** November 16, 2009, 01:54:34 PM »

Here are some quick pics I took to give an idea of what I was talking about:

This shows both places where the plug can go.

Trimmed plug.

Plug installed.

As I type this I am realizing something that I totally forgot. What is the purpose of connecting to the brake switch? To cancel the system when the brakes are pressed.

I might have to rethink my logic here as it could become a safety concern. Still I hope this is helpful info for someone...

DesktopDave · « **Reply #74 on:** November 16, 2009, 03:02:58 PM »

Didn't someone figure out that the cruise power came off the brake light circuit?

I installed mine & am having issues too. Two functions work...accel & cancel. Decel & resume aren't working at all. I'll have to test the switch when I get an hour or two of play time.