Turn Signals + P46s?! Help!

Can someone tell me if the grey cylindrical nut (clamping item 9 in the illustration) is the only thing that holds the 02-05 sedan corners in place? If so, what is the function of item 7?

^ yes the nut is the only thing holding it in place. i honestly don't know that item 7 is. i'm guessing it goes on the car so that it hugs the corner

Thanks!

Originally Posted by sillieidiot

^ yes the nut is the only thing holding it in place. i honestly don't know that item 7 is. i'm guessing it goes on the car so that it hugs the corner

# 7 is the bracket that bolts into the fender. the molding under the headlight (painted body color) clips into that.

These corners will not fit any type of prefacelift at all. We're all waiting for a clarification from Umnitza as to how their P46s could require screw in types for 01's.

AFAIK and as far tas the ETK is concerned, 99-01 use the same push in corners and 02-05 use screw ins. I have an 01 sedan, and before I facelifted it, it was definitely a push in corner.

Thanks for the clarification on the plastic bracket.

If Umnitza has a factory p/n for pre-facelift sedan corners with the screw-on clip, I'll be impressed. Like you Sna&&, I can find them nowhere in the factory docs.

I have a set of Bi-Xenons I'd like to install which of course have the grey barrel clamp/screw-down fasteners. I just bought a pair of the metal clips (item 9) thinking I can mount them to my pre-facelift clip-in style corner lamps making them usable with the Bi-Xenon H/L's.

Originally Posted by Stealthwagen

Thanks for the clarification on the plastic bracket.

If Umnitza has a factory p/n for pre-facelift sedan corners with the screw-on clip, I'll be impressed. Like you Sna&&, I can find them nowhere in the factory docs.

I have a set of Bi-Xenons I'd like to install which of course have the grey barrel clamp/screw-down fasteners. I just bought a pair of the metal clips (item 9) thinking I can mount them to my pre-facelift clip-in style corner lamps making them usable with the Bi-Xenon H/L's.

BTW, how do you plan on hooking up the bi-xenon functionality? I've tried doing this, and was unsuccessful. I have an 01 sedan that I facelifted to 02-05 style. I'm using a new set of 02-05 bixenons, but they only function as single xenons. I tried doing retrofit for the bi-xenons using Scott's DIY from bimmerfest, but it turns out my ECU is too old to accecpt the programming for the bi-xenons...

Originally Posted by sna77

BTW, how do you plan on hooking up the bi-xenon functionality?

Nag, nag, nag. Damn Sna, you're worse than my wife.


j.k.

I've tried doing this, and was unsuccessful. I have an 01 sedan that I facelifted to 02-05 style. I'm using a new set of 02-05 bixenons, but they only function as single xenons. I tried doing retrofit for the bi-xenons using Scott's DIY from bimmerfest, but it turns out my ECU is too old to accecpt the programming for the bi-xenons...

Seriously, that's interesting information. And your facelift conversion looks great. I may be stuck like you. Except I'm having an '03 M3 ECU installed as we speak, so I'm hoping that will cover the bi-sexual xenons.

Originally Posted by Stealthwagen

Nag, nag, nag. Damn Sna, you're worse than my wife.


j.k.



Seriously, that's interesting information. And your facelift conversion looks great. I may be stuck like you. Except I'm having an '03 M3 ECU installed as we speak, so I'm hoping that will cover the bi-sexual xenons.

Ahhh... That was what I was thinking to get around the issue too! Did you get a used ECU? How much is that going to cost etc? Details, details, details! I'm dying to get my bi-xenons hooked up!

Yes, it's a used ECU. Cant really say how much it cost because it came with the engine. I haven't tried looking for one separately. I suppose the most straightforward approach would be to get a used ECU for your model car, but new enough to have had the bi-xenon capability. But whoever does the swap will need to know there way around the re-alignment process with the GT-1. I'd figure 250-300 for the ECU and 2-3 hrs of shop time to troubleshoot the re-alignment. Gets pretty expensive.

Originally Posted by Stealthwagen

Yes, it's a used ECU. Cant really say how much it cost because it came with the engine. I haven't tried looking for one separately. I suppose the most straightforward approach would be to get a used ECU for your model car, but new enough to have had the bi-xenon capability. But whoever does the swap will need to know there way around the re-alignment process with the GT-1. I'd figure 250-300 for the ECU and 2-3 hrs of shop time to troubleshoot the re-alignment. Gets pretty expensive.

would the stealership do something like this? I have a good indy shop too.. They should be able to do something (I think they have a GT-1).

Any other advantages of updating the ECU? I checked realoem.com and there were tons of ECU's listed on there... does it matter which one I get? I looked on ebay for some used ones, and all of them with different part #'s looked like they supported about 10 different car models (e39, x5, e46, etc).

I'm afraid I'm out of my league here. I don't know enough about the ECU & related systems to know how easily they can be interchanged between models. I do know that, for instance, a car with a Step trans will have an ECU that will be looking for sensor inputs that a 5-spd vehicle can't supply and vice-versa. I'm pretty certain that this sort of thing can be overcome by someone comfortable working through the issues with a GT-1 or equivalent. Certainly a competent dealer tech should be able to do it. My experience at dealers, though, tells me that most of the techs are there to process the easy "by-the-book" service fixes because they can make more $$ that way. Finding the guy who is willing to tackle something out of the ordinary is the real challenge we face. My work is being done by a BMW only independent shop. I would expect you would have better luck that way as well.

Getting back on topic, Im still trying to find part numbers for these screw in style prefacelift sedan corners, I emailed umnitza, if they have them then Ill post them here for future sedan P46 purchasers. However, so far Ive checked ebay, 2 online vendors, and my local stealership and no luck. Uniquedesign is checking for me, Im hoping they come through for me. Does Umnitza still carry any clip style P46s?

We will most likely received our push in style turn signal P46s later this week. If anything doesn't come up, we'll ship those to you.