There are a few things that they will not post as they get damaged in transit. My new sills were an example but the saving was worth the trip to collect them. They posted the interface without any query. I have bought a lot of parts from them and they nearly always post, no charge.
Wanted Cruise control bits for Z3
- Thread starter Bentley
- Start date
I can't seem to find Brians thread, could someone please paste the link for me, thanks
Hi Sean try this
https://zroadster.org/articles/bmw-z3-m54-cruise-control-retrofit.25/
Thought I better correct it, got it wrong the first time
https://zroadster.org/articles/bmw-z3-m54-cruise-control-retrofit.25/
Thought I better correct it, got it wrong the first time
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2016
- Points
- 77
- Model of Z
- 2.8 Individual Fiji Green
If you had one fitted to a 97 E36 would that also work on a Z3?I might recall wrong, but when I had cruise (speed hold!) retrofitted to my 2001 MC , perhaps 10 years ago now, it just required the column switch which had the wires to plug into the loom. The bit of cowling to be removed was clearly marked. The "brain" bit is already there.
It's a very different proposition if the car is not "fly by wire". I also had cruise retrofitted to a 1997 E36 last year (not plug and play), sourced parts from EBay and had the seller fit it, about £150 all up. About 2 hours work for someone who has done it before. Well worth doing.
Can't see why not, its a M52 six pot.
The Z3 cruise control module is common with the Z8. Not likely to get one from a Z8 at the wreckers.
Wish I had fly by wire as finding all those small parts for the CC Is a PITA!! Have most of the major parts but the small ones are evasive. Then I need to figure out how it all fits in the car, JIM
For my E36 323i installation, all the parts came from a doner car. This may be possible for a Z3 also.
That is the easy way to do it @ Ianmc but what if one, as I do, lives where there are few z3's let alone donor cars? Then I''m stuck with eBay etc to supply my needs or hopefully one of our breakers could supply a complete system (every nut bolt wire bracket etc) at a very reasonable price! Then I still have to figure out where everything goes to make it work properly if they will ship to Canada!! JIM
Emigrate.. they sell houses in England.....
And in North Korea......Emigrate.. they sell houses in England.....
The Z3's cruise control column switch is common with the E36 and E31 models.For my E36 323i installation, all the parts came from a doner car. This may be possible for a Z3 also.
For the cruise control module, there are two types:
- Z3's with a M44 or M52 engine use the actuator style Cruise control, with a separate cable to control the throttle body. The module part number is 65718375498. The E36 used the same module as the Z3.
- If you have a M52TU or M54 powered Z3, then you need a Drive By Wire (I-bus converter) cruise control module part number 65718380054. This is where you start having problems finding an alternative source. Around the late 90's (E46 onwards) BMW started shifting the cruise control switch from the steering column and having a separate control module, to having the switches on the multi-function steering wheel. The I-bus converter became a couple of small modules behind the switches on each side of the steering wheel.
Some people have successfully fitted multi-function steering wheels to their Z3's. The slip ring is short one wire, later model BMW's have the slip ring mounted on the column and not the steering wheel like the Z3, and there is the matter of single and duel stage airbags to content with. Not an easy job plus you will have to check with your local transport rules or laws about modifying airbag wiring etc. It may have to be certified or checked by the dealer as its a critical safety system. It sounds all to complex and risky to me.
Thus the easy path is to search and search for a Z3 cruise control module.
Useful discussion, with the S50 MC (E36 mechanicals) it's cable control, the S54 (last year of production/E46 mechanicals) it's fly by wire.
Guess life in the Wilderness is healthy Jim. I bought my E36 parts from eBay, guess many sellers would post to you at cost. Likely to be a bit heavy for a pigeon post though!
Guess life in the Wilderness is healthy Jim. I bought my E36 parts from eBay, guess many sellers would post to you at cost. Likely to be a bit heavy for a pigeon post though!
Dependant on cost, for the M52TU and M54 powered Z3's, you could always buy a suitable multi-function steering wheel, remove the two I- bus modules and package them in a small plastic box with connectors. Thus reverse build what you need without having to deal with air bags and slip rings.
Hi @Murray Wall, I have a 99 M52TU20 I checked today and the throttle is cable driven, how involved is it to fit CC.
Mines same year and though the thottle is controlled by a cable from the pedal it's also electronically controlled by the automatic stability control unit so all you need is an E36 column switch and the interface unit as mentioned and plug and play. The switches are quite common on US eBay but getting few and far between in the UK now.
@Seand my 2.0L Z3 (4/99 production date) has the same engine and all that was needed was the M54 module and column switch. These were sourced from the USA where most Z3's have cruise control.
There is a wrinkle for the 1999 Z3's. If made after 4/99, then it's an easy job as above. If made before 4/99 then a bit of care is needed:
There is a wrinkle for the 1999 Z3's. If made after 4/99, then it's an easy job as above. If made before 4/99 then a bit of care is needed:
- The car may have a 2 wire clutch switch, if so this will need to be changed to a three wire clutch switch, sorry don't have the part numbers with me at the moment. I understand it's a straight forward mod with includes adding a wire from a near by source. Check the wiring diagrams and it becomes clear.
- Some very early M52TU DME's need a recode to fix a rev hanging on disengagement issue.
Last edited:
Great advice, thanks guys, @Murray Wall @Devon Z