How easy is this to fit? Are there any videos I can look at?
Loom of doom
- Thread starter Dalek
- Start date
How easy is this to fit? Are there any videos I can look at?
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2012
- Points
- 178
- Location
- Newport, South Wales,UK
- Model of Z
- Z3 M43 1.8 (1999) and Z4 E85 2.0i (2007)
Should be easy to do, strip back old loom and cut out bad bit and fit new loom between to two cut ends. I see these are crimp connectors, personally I would have gone for soldering the joints and shrink wrapping each individual wire.
I repaired another members loom and managed to just cut out the bad part, there was enough slack to rejoin by soldering the joints, rewrapped the loom when completed with some plastic split wiring conduit secured with cable ties.
I repaired another members loom and managed to just cut out the bad part, there was enough slack to rejoin by soldering the joints, rewrapped the loom when completed with some plastic split wiring conduit secured with cable ties.
Thanks for the advice. I will solder them as you suggest as it sounds like a more secure join.
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2012
- Points
- 178
- Location
- Newport, South Wales,UK
- Model of Z
- Z3 M43 1.8 (1999) and Z4 E85 2.0i (2007)
Cut the old wires back so you find bright copper, where these wires break they get corroded and green which is bad to try soldering. If I was doing a repair again I would give these solder joints a go https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heat-Shr...=183478420863c9220af6a35d4cb29af7ccb46cf5f90b
Thanks again..... I will order some of those.
I love this forum!!!
Is that the genuine BMW repair part or a 3rd party one? Mind me asking how much?
I repaired my LoD recently with solder, shrink tubes, and TESA tape. The broken wires kept blowing the central locking fuse. Full functionality now restored (unsurprisingly)
I repaired my LoD recently with solder, shrink tubes, and TESA tape. The broken wires kept blowing the central locking fuse. Full functionality now restored (unsurprisingly)
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2012
- Points
- 178
- Location
- Newport, South Wales,UK
- Model of Z
- Z3 M43 1.8 (1999) and Z4 E85 2.0i (2007)
Looks like third party replacement loom to me, your breaks looked preety clean and bright copper, the one I repaired was quite bad with green gunge on the wires and dull copper strands, had to cut back to find clean copper so the solder would stick. This is a classic fault for our Z's. Over time the loom fatigues hence the breaks. Most common symptom is the central locking playing up when the breaks happen causing wires to short out with each other. Replacement loom should last a fair amount of time before it breaks down again due to fatigue.
It is a 3rd party one by Vemo. Found it on eBay for £32.99 plus £5 postage. Posted from Latvia.
A bit expensive, but looks to be good quality.
When I did my repair I modded the grommet where the wires go into the boot. Now I haven't got such a tight bend when I close the boot lid.
That's the loom that I recommended and the one I was going to fit to mine but I ended up repairing mine with extra cables, I agree with the recommendation to solder the joints - the only thing you need to be aware of is that (if I remember correctly) the sensor for the boot light switch and another lock sensor share the same wire colors, please make sure you don't get them confused - I think you get two cables for the 3rd brake light, two thicker cables for the power lock actuator - another thin pair for the boot lock position sensor and one last pair for the boot light switch
The bit I repaired on mine is now stiffer and thicker (ooo-err) at the critical point where it passes through the clip due to the extra solder and shrink wrap there. I daresay it's now stronger and should last longer than the original as the loom now hardly moves when opening the boot. The bit where it passes through the clip is now in a sort of semi-permanent kink, i.e. there seems to be less rubbing/contact with the clip compared to before
If the loom ends up thicker and stiffer you'll likely just have moved the "bend point" of the wires and it could end up breaking again in less time than the original one.
By fitting a longer repair section and moving the joints further apart will give the loom it's original flexibility and lessen the likelihood of breakage. (This advice given by a very experienced Auto Electrician I might add.)
Tony.
By fitting a longer repair section and moving the joints further apart will give the loom it's original flexibility and lessen the likelihood of breakage. (This advice given by a very experienced Auto Electrician I might add.)
Tony.
I can see that, good point Tony. Although if the 'bend point' has indeed moved somewhere else, it wouldn't be rubbing against the plastic clip which was the original cause of failure.?
Time will tell, although if/when it goes again I'll just chop in a replacement section.
Time will tell, although if/when it goes again I'll just chop in a replacement section.