Liam821's e46 324i k24/dct/turbo build

[liam821]

I have had almost no time this week, so many things going on. But I still snuck out into the garage for a few hours here and there.

Clean black carpet going in. Amazing how much better it looks - even without the dash


Dash support bar back in.


Replacing the center console buttons with one from an M3. This gets me the TPMS and Sport button.


For those wondering about wiring, there is a great DIY on zhpmafia about wiring in the TPMS. It's a single wire (pin 2 of the control buttons) into the MK60 ABS pump and then some coding. Easy peasy. The sport button has two pins (17 and 18), one is the switch that goes into the DME in an input, and the other is just a low-side ground that lights up the sport LED. Since the stock BMW DME is getting the boot, the sport button is going to be wired into a Canchecked MCE18 input/output canbus expansion module and then will talk over canbus to the Maxxecu - since my Maxxecu race inputs and outputs are at a premium. I'll have the sport button configured to turn the car to max effort (full boost, exhaust cutout open, transmission in drivemode 5 etc) with a single click - "M" mode? haha

A few other goodies I wired in as well were the e39 windshield washer button, which will flip through a preset list of boost/power settings. And the most exciting button, the MDM ZCP steering wheel button, is now launch control (if stopped) and the rolling anti-lag (if moving).

[liam821]

Small update. I've had no time the last few weeks, too much stuff going on. But I did finish a small project.

I needed to get the e46 M3 SMG paddle shifters working with the DCT. The SMG cars had a specific clockspring aka "Switch steering column slip ring" which passes all the steering wheel buttons but adds two more pins for the up and down paddles. Some of the newer BMWs use a single wire but add two difference resistance when pulling up or down so it's a bit more involved. Thankfully, the e46 M3 SMG is simple, each paddle has its own pin that grounds to the steering wheel (chassis) ground. Keep in mind that manual cars (non-m/M3 manuals are the same) clocksprings are different than SMG cars, which adds two more pins for each paddle. So you need to source a SMG clockspring. I thankfully had a spare.

Now the E92M3 DCT TCU paddles work the same way as the e46, connecting ground triggers an up or down shift. However, it requires the up and down paddle to use it's OWN TCU ground and not chassis ground. So I have two options: I can route the TCU ground through the steering wheel clockspring, or I can use some sort of relay that will connect it's own ground on request.

I decided not to mess with all the steering wheel wires and use a relay instead. Now I don't want to hear a "click click" of a relay every time I pull a paddle so instead let's use a mosfet instead. A mosfet, or Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor, is a type of semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals. It's essentially a voltage-controlled switch, where the voltage applied to the "gate" terminal controls the current flow between the "source" and "drain" terminals. It's basically just a fancy relay. And since it uses transistors, it offers fast switching speed and a longer life then your traditional relay.

So I went on a search for a mosfet to fit my needs and found that the Panasonic AQY212S will fit the bill. They cost $2/each from digikey.com. You can get them in both DIP (pin mount) AQY212EH or SMD (surface mount) AQY212S style chips. I chose the SMD style chip and use a SMD proto board to mount everything. The wiring is very simple.

[12V Switched] ----[1kΩ Resistor]-----> Pin 1 (Anode)
[Paddle Switch] ---------------------------> Pin 2 (Cathode) (to GND_CHASSIS when pressed)

Shift up/down to TCU --------------------> Pin 3 (Drain)
TCU_GND ----------------------------------> Pin 4 (Source)

The resistor on pin 1 limits the current going into the mosfet.

This is by far some of my best micro soldering I've ever done. This is not my profession, I'm a software engineer, not an electrical engineer.


Close up using my desk microscope, came in clutch doing the soldering.


Here are all the wires soldered on and wired into the car harness. I was able to test to verify that it works perfectly. I wired them into ACC 12v power, plugged in the battery, and pulled a paddle to get that satisfying beep of my multimeter! wooo


I also finished all the wiring I need. Here are the things I've added:

Center console TPMS & sport buttons. TPMS goes into the MK60 ABS module, sport button is routed into the Maxxecu.
E39 wiper stalk button is routed into the Maxxecu.
Paddle shifts which we just talked about
E92M3 dct shifter 12v ACC power is using the old automatic wiring harness, but with a Deutsch connector
DCT gear display wired into gauge cluster power/canbus (also using a Deutsch connector)

And I think that's about it. I didn't have to add/change much of the wiring in the cabin. Everything was Tesa taped together and routed just like factory. Everything looks factory, except for the Deutsch connectors. I thought about sourcing OEM-style TE/AMP connectors but it's a bit of a pain in the ass and nobody is going to see it.

The last update I have is BMW of NorthWest in Tacoma, WA FINALLY got the slicktop roof panel I ordered. Took 6 weeks to get here from Germany. It was only supposed to take two weeks, I'm assuming all the tariffs and shipping delays caused this delay as well. But I was able to grab it! One of the last left new in the world.

It came in a huge box which said "glass" with lots of padding inside, uhh is that going to fit in my X5?


Yep, no problem


Next steps is getting the dash in and starting the Maxxecu wiring engine bay side. I also need to pull the stock M54 and get the K in the engine bay. Future Liam.

[liam821]

Been a minute since I've updated this, so here are the last few months...

Finished all the wiring on the inside of the car, mainly wiring in the MaxxECU GT150 12-pin DCT "female side" plug so the MaxxECU DCT harness plugs right in. It's not super difficult to wire in. The only thing that is actually wired into the car is the power and ground.

CAN-H and CAN-L (which gets plugged into the CAN on the Maxx MS43 plug-n-play harness)
Paddle up/down (see above)
Ground (wired into the factory ground location next to the passenger seat on the tunnel)
12v+ (Added the correct fuse (20amp) and wired the power right into the factory fuse box where normally the SMG gets its power, fuse location 22, so dct powers on at the same time the Maxx does)


Modified the MaxxECU MS43 plug-n-play harness to add two CAN plugs using Deutsch connectors. One for the DCT, one for the CANChecked MCE18 can-bus extension (adds 9 analog inputs, 6 digital inputs, and 3 digital outputs).


I finally got myself some high-quality Deutsch/AMP/Delphi pin-extration tools. LIFE CHANGING! Depinning and modifying all the BMW connectors is a massive pain, but this tool makes it easy.


Still a mess in here, but it's looking more and more like a car again


E92M3 DCT shifter bolts right in! All the wiring is finished in the interior. Will probably leave a lot of the interior as-is until I can fully test everything.


Pretty cool that everything is plug-n-play.


On to pulling the boat anchor M54B30. The first time I've ever really looked under the car. I know the previous owner "hit a curb" and it looks like the front wheel took a pretty big hit. Bummer. I wasn't going to run the ZHP wheels, I was planning on selling them, but they're generally worth more when they're round.


Exhaust was nearly impossible to get off. 20 years and it's probably never been off. With a lot of liquid wrench, I was able to get the bolts off. Thankfully, I don't see any other damage under the car.


Ugh It's so big (that's what she said).


Working on a 4-post lift is a bit of a pain, but I made it work. With the car on jackstands on the ramps, and raised up just enough to slide my cherry picker under and was able to pull it out.


Prying that ratchet strap doesn't break...yikes! (GT World Challenge on in the background there)


It's free!


What a mess...


Sadly, BMW did not win. Engine bay is super dirty


That badge


Lucked out and found a 99 323i in fantastic condition in Orient Blue with under 100k miles locally that was being parted out...


Grabbed the doors to replace mine that have a huge dent, and grabbed another slicktop headliner, so now I have two


Pulled the car out of the garage and went to town on cleaning the engine bay. Of course I forgot to take a after picture lol


My daughter and I drove up to Tacoma to pickup a new front windshield for the ZHP. Grab 'em while you can, they all went NLA. JUST barely fit in my iX.


Started work on the Honda k24a RBB3. The first step was replacing the intake cam sprocket with an RBC 50-degree version.


I had to pull off the oil pump, we won't be needing that where we're going, and tilted the motor on its side and pulled the pan only to find the motor was full of JDM land oil. What a huge mess! I should have checked to see if it had oil first, I guess. On the plus side, the oil (while dirty) had zero flakes and the pan was super clean. Good sign.


New RBC sprocket on, timing chain back on and set. You all WISH your S54s were as easy to do a timing chain like the Honda. The bottom sprocket is what the crank angle sensor uses. The intake/exhaust cam angle sensors are on the other side of the motor.


Okay, I jumped ahead a bit. I just HAD to see what it looks like with the 4Piston billet timing cover, intake manifold, and turbo bits.


It's a really good-looking engine


TracTuff billet oil filter relocation/oil cooler plate. Artec RWD K turbo manifold.


@charlie.moua.doryoku on Instagram did this valve cover for me. Rear PCV port delete, -10an top ORB PCV with baffle, removable baffle plate, finished in Type-R wrinkle red. Hit him up for all your valve cover needs, he does fantastic work.


BorgWarner EFFR 8374 62mm turbo looks massive!


Honda glory, B18C5 and the e46's k24a in the same picture?!


Okay okay, enough gawking, let's get back to work.

Adamat bellhousing adapter on, torqued, thread locked


Adamat flywheel torqued and thread locked


Sprung hub torque harmonic damper to protect the DCT clutch basket. Again, torqued and thread locked. DCT in the background on the right.


Stupid transmission went on and off like 10 times. I had to grind down part of the bellhousing to clear the Honda k24 starter.


I knew the engine/trans would fit into the car - we test fit everything in the previous chassis. So I yeeted it back into the car and immediately test-fit the intake and turbo manifold.


Like a glove


Plenty of clearance for the hood


Test fit my 3d printed left-side engine mount. Fits perfect! I do need to modify the plate a little bit, I guessed on the hole placement and I'm about 5mm high - easy fix.


Pretty cool how well the engine mount fit on the first try. I'll be using factory e46 non-m fluid-filled engine mounts


Next up, working on the engine harness. I need to swap all the LCA/subframes/arms front and rear over to M3 bits. Design the right side engine mount... it's a long list. More to come!