climate controll conversion

[moto-menace]

hey guys, im going to be getting my climate controlls swapped for the digital version...i know most of you wont recomend this because its more prone to failure (and yes i noticed that thread) either way, i still wanna do the swap,what can i say, i like buttons(ill keep my original manual controls as backup)...so my questions are: how hard is the conversion, what should i make sure i get with the digital climate controll unit, and this one is probably stupid but i noticed in a car that had the digital climate controll, it also had a different radio...do i need 2 swap my radio as well? or can i keep my radio and just swap the climate controll unit ?
thanx guys, even though you probably dont approve of the conversion

[Justin e36]

The wiring is different for the digital climate control, and the analog climate control.
You will need an adapter wiring harness from the dealership to fit the digital climate control in replacement of the manual climate control.

The part number for the wiring harness kit (contains 4 harnesses) is 64509403977.

Or, you can get the 4 wiring harnesses individually, the part numbers are: 64519401994, 61129402715, 61129410406, 61129401695.

You do not need to change your stereo deck.

Justin

[325iSBimmer]

I've been considering this swap aswell since my dual analog climate control is not very controling...

but I was always told you have to swap out more than just the unit because the analog actually uses a cable to direct the air to the differents areas (defrost, vent, feet) and the digital version uses a small electric motor to do that.

Justin, do you know exactly what parts need to be swaped out in order to get it to work properly.

a good link on how to do it will suffice..

Thanks

Andre

[Justin e36]

The manual version uses gears to redirect the flow of air (not a cable)... you can actually feel the gears moving as you turn the knob, you can also visually see them moving if you remove your glovebox and turn the knob. It's direct-driven.

You are right that the digital climate control uses motors to turn these gears, the wiring harnesses include this. From the digital climate control itself there are only two plugs, a large blue one, a small black one. There is also a yellow one, but this plugs back into the climate control unit itself and does not need to be touched. The other two harnesses include the motors and mounts to the gears.

Everything you need is included in the kit I mentioned above, it also includes step by step illustrated instructions from BMW. The kit is designed for those who want to upgrade from the analog to digital climate controls. I don't believe anyone has attempted the swap without the kit, or actually wrote up a DIY since it's pretty self-explanatory with the kit.

[325iSBimmer]

Originally Posted by Justin e36

The manual version uses gears to redirect the flow of air (not a cable)... you can actually feel the gears moving as you turn the knob, you can also visually see them moving if you remove your glovebox and turn the knob. It's direct-driven.

You are right that the digital climate control uses motors to turn these gears, the wiring harnesses include this. From the digital climate control itself there are only two plugs, a large blue one, a small black one. There is also a yellow one, but this plugs back into the climate control unit itself and does not need to be touched. The other two harnesses include the motors and mounts to the gears.

Everything you need is included in the kit I mentioned above, it also includes step by step illustrated instructions from BMW. The kit is designed for those who want to upgrade from the analog to digital climate controls. I don't believe anyone has attempted the swap without the kit, or actually wrote up a DIY since it's pretty self-explanatory with the kit.

Ohhh I see. yeah i knew about that ring with the notches in it that turns with that dial which can be seen if you remove the unit. i though this needed to be replaced too but now i Know what you mean about the motor being included with the new unit. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Now my next question as im sure kawasaki kid is also wondering is how much does that conversion kit cost. and can it only be had from the dealer.

Im assuming you would just buy the actual HVAC unit used somewhere for about $100-150

Im thinking of doing this at the same time I do the 18 button OBC conversion.

Thanks for your never ending knowledge justin

[BennyL]

i retain my belief that Justin is either a spy of some sort, or an alien. his knowledge is simply too vast.

[325iSBimmer]

i think he just has too much time on his hands and not enough lotion...lol

jk justin.. you know we'd all be pretty useless without you to answer our questions

[mpower1226]

I always thought that the conversion would be very complicated but thanks to justin, it looks very simple.

so let me get this straight, you buy the conversion kit and you take out your old one, pop in new one and connect the wire? thats it?

[BennyL]

Hes An Alien, Damn It!

[moto-menace]

thanx justin..glad i can leave my stereo deck alone...so, if i buy this kit 64509403977 it will include instructions, the 4 harnesses, and the motors needed to do the conversion, so everything except the actual unit itself right? so then i just install the kit, get the digital climate controll unit from another car and plug in the large blue and small black plugs into the corresponding plugs on the kit and im set? thanx again youre the man...i too am planning to do this conversion along with an 18 button obc...thanx again justin, youre the man

[Justin e36]

Originally Posted by BennyL

i retain my belief that Justin is either a spy of some sort, or an alien. his knowledge is simply too vast.

Originally Posted by 325iSBimmer

i think he just has too much time on his hands and not enough lotion...lol

jk justin.. you know we'd all be pretty useless without you to answer our questions

lotion? how rich do I look?

Originally Posted by mpower1226

I always thought that the conversion would be very complicated but thanks to justin, it looks very simple.

so let me get this straight, you buy the conversion kit and you take out your old one, pop in new one and connect the wire? thats it?

you got it... there's a bit of mounting involved for the motors, but it's straightforward.

Originally Posted by kawasaki kid

thanx justin..glad i can leave my stereo deck alone...so, if i buy this kit 64509403977 it will include instructions, the 4 harnesses, and the motors needed to do the conversion, so everything except the actual unit itself right? so then i just install the kit, get the digital climate controll unit from another car and plug in the large blue and small black plugs into the corresponding plugs on the kit and im set? thanx again youre the man...i too am planning to do this conversion along with an 18 button obc...thanx again justin, youre the man

Actually, I think the kit might even come with the OBC. If it does you can order those 4 harnesses individually using the part numbers I provided above and save some money. Note that the conversion itself is not exactly inexpensive either.

[moto-menace]

Originally Posted by Justin e36

you got it... there's a bit of mounting involved for the motors, but it's straightforward.



Actually, I think the kit might even come with the OBC. If it does you can order those 4 harnesses individually using the part numbers I provided above and save some money. Note that the conversion itself is not exactly inexpensive either.

ok, do you mean that the kit may come with the climate controll cumputer?
i see earlier you said that everything is included in the kit to do the swap...any idea how much this kit will cost/ whats included, and how hard it is to do myself?...sorry im alittle confused now...

[Justin e36]

Originally Posted by kawasaki kid

ok, do you mean that the kit may come with the climate controll cumputer?
i see earlier you said that everything is included in the kit to do the swap...any idea how much this kit will cost/ whats included, and how hard it is to do myself?...sorry im alittle confused now...

... the kit I believe comes with the digital climate control HVAC unit itself too. But if you get the digital climate control used elsewhere, you can buy the 4 harnesses separately. Not sure about price. What's included has been discussed above, the four harnesses which includes the motors, and mounts.

J

[moto-menace]

oh ok, cool, thanx man...it was just when u referred to it as obc that kinda threw me off...cool, thanx alot man im looking forward to this...ill price out the kit and see if it includes the computer unit, and compare that to buying the 4 harnesses separetly and a used computer...thanx for clearing that up man...and if u read this and have a chance, can u reply to my question i posted on the 18 button OBC thread? if anyone, youll know the answere

[Justin e36]

oops.. k, yeah I see my mistake. ... yeah, I didn't mean to write OBC. I'll check the other thread...