E36 manual to electric sunnroof.. is it possible ?

[Knightsy]

Hi,

I have just purchased a replacement sunroof cassette for my broken manual E36 sunroof, only to find that the seller has sent me an electric cassette complete with motor !!!

I would br very grateful if someone could let me know if I can use the replacement electric one in leiu of the original mechanical sunroof, and if so, what I need to do/get.

Im guessing I need the control panel and that it cant be connected directly to the existing winding mechanism, by removing the motor ?

If it is possible, and I can keep it as electric, where do I obtain the power supply from ??? Is it local to the winding mechanism ???

Any advise would be much appreciated !!!!

Cheers,

Tim

[Kevin325i]

Well you've got power from that overhead light, you could just use that, or tap it for power and cut a little hole for the switch. Hope your'e handy with wiring

[bitcore]

beef up the fuse, you'l definately pop the fuse if you run that kind of motor on that circuit.
I have no personal experience but I bet there is a wiring harness for the switch & power wires and all that.

[Knightsy]

Cheers for the swift replies !!!

Im guessing by those responses BMW dont fit a standard wiring loom to connect the sunroof to on all models, somewhere in the roofspace maybe ???

Just out of interest, where are the controls usually situated ??? (are the not directly below the motor, where my manual winder is ?)

[Kevin325i]

What car is this going to be in? There's might be wiring up there for it, but it might not. Just tap and fuse the fire for the driver's map light or something up there. Next time I'm taking something apart I'll see how many wires are running to that switch and where they go.

Kevin

[Knightsy]

Its in a 318i, 1991, E36. Ive just checked the fuse box and theres a space for a sunroof fuse, but im guessing thats standard. I had the roof panel containing the winding mechanism off too but could not see any evidence of a wiring loom for the sun roof... not happy ;-)

Teach me to pay attention to detail next time im doing a bit of parts buying !

[amancuso]

Are you sure you don't have an E30??? I have never seen an E36 with a manual sunroof.

-Al.

[vwk]

I have one, two

European models have that. Also the european models were build from '91-'93 (1st model). The '91 E36's have al the cables, wires etc. installed.
For example:
I've installed foglights, whom weren't standard. The cables were already installed, they normaly cost 90 euro's....

Spare parts are gladly not that expensive

[bitcore]

I think you mis-interpreted my post
I said I bet there IS a wiring harness (loom) for the power sunroof already there.

I think for the ease of the consumer\dealership and factory, they go ahead and run wires all over the car for all of the options avalable, even if the car dosn't with those options. Reasning behind that is probably so the consumer can buy the accessory and the dealership dosn't have to fish wires allover the frame of the car. After all, wires are fairly cheep to begin with.

Hmm, I assumed all 3-series had automatic sunroofs. Interesting.

[vwk]

Originally posted by bitcore@Jul 28 2004, 02:10 PM
I think you mis-interpreted my post
I said I bet there IS a wiring harness (loom) for the power sunroof already there.

I think for the ease of the consumer\dealership and factory, they go ahead and run wires all over the car for all of the options avalable, even if the car dosn't with those options. Reasning behind that is probably so the consumer can buy the accessory and the dealership dosn't have to fish wires allover the frame of the car. After all, wires are fairly cheep to begin with.

Hmm, I assumed all 3-series had automatic sunroofs. Interesting.

What I'm telling you is that, in europe, only the '91 E36 model (first year) has all the wires over the car, the later models don't.

So it isn't that presumably you "standard" have al the wires available.

[vwk]

Maybe this will help:

http://members.home.nl/vincentkoeter/BMW.pdf