M43b19 to m52b28 swap

JAMZILLA321

JAMZILLA321

Regular Member
British Zeds
Joined
Mar 17, 2023
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Location
Manchester, wythenshawe
I have a 1999 rhd BMW z3 m43b19, I have been asking around and no one seems to be able to figure it out, to my knowledge I don’t have an x20 plug which means I can’t just throw an m52b28 engine in and plug and play, can anyone assist me with this, only thing I really don’t get is why the loom is so different on this specific model I have
 
Not sure if this helps but it shows the locations of most of the plugs and items. I have found some issues between left and right hand drive cars but it gives you a good idea.
 

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Oh dear thanks mate but I don’t think I’m at the level to understand what I’m looking at or what to do with it hahah, was hoping someone had done this swap before and could just tell me what to do
 
When I've done these swaps pretty sure I don't even touch that plug, I Only change the engine loom to main ECU harness.
 
I don't have any threads as I normally wing the electrical stuff with logic.

You have three plugs there, X20 X69 (engine harness) & X6031, Small plug does auto box and the other ASC/DSC and ABS stuff. If my memory serves me well you'll get the engine in and working with the X69 plug but will need some wiring on the EWS & ABS bits.

Sorry it's a bit vague its not really my thing, I'm a Mechanical man. Do some research using those plug numbers above. I'm sure the Americans have done quite a few of these swaps.
 
JAMZILLA321 said:
I have a 1999 rhd BMW z3 m43b19, I have been asking around and no one seems to be able to figure it out, to my knowledge I don’t have an x20 plug which means I can’t just throw an m52b28 engine in and plug and play, can anyone assist me with this, only thing I really don’t get is why the loom is so different on this specific model I have
Click to expand...

Have a look on YouTube, there’s lots of swaps into e36 on there, which is what a Z3 is.
Some are more informative than others, the American ones can be quite poor. There’s a Scottish bloke from Livingston who’s very clued up on the wiring side of it. Sorry, I don’t have any links, quite some time since my lad and I looked into that route for one of his Touring.
 
JAMZILLA321 said:
I have a 1999 rhd BMW z3 m43b19, I have been asking around and no one seems to be able to figure it out, to my knowledge I don’t have an x20 plug which means I can’t just throw an m52b28 engine in and plug and play, can anyone assist me with this, only thing I really don’t get is why the loom is so different on this specific model I have
Click to expand...
Why dont you have a X20 plug?
what year is it?
 
IainP said:
Have a look on YouTube, there’s lots of swaps into e36 on there, which is what a Z3 is.
Some are more informative than others, the American ones can be quite poor. There’s a Scottish bloke from Livingston who’s very clued up on the wiring side of it. Sorry, I don’t have any links, quite some time since my lad and I looked into that route for one of his Touring.
Click to expand...
E36 has different wiring it has x20 plug near fuse box, which mine doesn’t which makes swap much harder
 
I would contact one of these blokes
IMG_6518.webpIMG_6520.webp
 
There is definitely a gap in the electrical trouble shooting manuals, my specific model doesn’t seem to exist @Lee mentioned the x20 and x69 plugs I’m supposed to have near fusebox, and on the ETM they are there on the picture on an m43 z3, but mine doesn’t have this, only thing I can think of is the ETM says BMW NA on them, North America I’m guessing which might have different wiring to the UK models, also I the manual goes up to march 1999, my car was made in August. If I go on the next ETM up one year newer, it only has information about 6cylinders
 
Was thinking about getting this

edit - never mind it would just show the same stuff as the ETMs I have seen on internet, therefore being useless
 

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