[IlChengis]

Guys,
I just got a P3Cars.com Digital Vent Boost Gauge from a member on this Forum. He bought it from another member. The gauge kit is brand new, sealed, uninstalled. Can you please help me identify whether or not it came with the 2009+ mounting harness (no ashtray power)?



A couple more questions...

• The button on the actual hardware seemed very loose. Looks like it was held from one side of the square base. I spoke with Nivedh (a member here) and he said the button on his felt the same and once supported by the front plastic it worked fine. Does anybody have any idea on whether or not this is normal?
• I am about to study the install documentation today. Are there any gotchas or recommendations you guys would like to share? Nivedh told me the front plastic cover is very fragile, so I'll take extra precautions. Anything else?
• The paper that came with the gauge says July 2009 - Firmware 2.2. Does anyone know if there's a newer firmware out there?

Thanks!

-Walter

[scottp999]

That looks like the plug and play version to me. I've had both. He is right about the vent slots, don't push on them much or they will snap (ask how I know).

I think you are good to go. The directions are pretty good. I just used a metal coat hanger, cut and angled to push the boost line through the rubber boot into the engine bay. Then I grabed it in the engine bay with a pair of long handled pliers.

[redfox]

Yup, right kit. Only thing with cars that do not have ash trays is that you have to route the power wire through the base of the center console. The easiest way is to remove both panels above the foot well. You will then find a clear path just above the carpet covering the drive shaft tunnel and just before where the center console starts. Fish the line across with a coat hanger too.

I don't know where to plug in the green harness though...

[redfox]

Not sure if I am looking at it correctly, but it looks like your front cover is in two pieces? Mine came in one solid piece.

[IlChengis]

Scottp999 and redfox: Thanks for the replies.

Yes, it is PnP, but I wanted to make sure the power harness was the one for newer models without ashtray power.

I have cigarette-lighter style power in two spots: center console and near the glove box. I am still trying to understand where I will have to get power from.

Not sure if I am looking at it correctly, but it looks like your front cover is in two pieces? Mine came in one solid piece.

Yup... looks like mine might have come broken to begin with. What about your button guys? Was is very loose?

Thanks!

-Walter

[Willizm]

Read through the groupbuy section to find the gb that was occuring with Rixst3r/P3cars. You will get a better idea of others install procedures. Are you connecting to a proceed/jb3? If so let me know as I just did that and there are some caveats to that that are not discussed in documentation out there. If just the gauge, it should be straight forward. I'd contact the OP on that groupbuy thread i mentioned. He will be able to identify your version better than I. It's pretty straight forward if watching the video install. Be careful with the glass front and putting in the splitter for the boost line. Some have had issues where they snapped the Y boost line adapter so just handle it like it's your dick and you won't snap it.

Oh, the button was loose to me to and once installed with the glass front it still feels loose, but it's not going to fall off kinda loose.

[Willizm]

Originally Posted by redfox

Not sure if I am looking at it correctly, but it looks like your front cover is in two pieces? Mine came in one solid piece.

ditto, check and see if it broke right away. It should be one continuous piece. i'd imagine if it broke you may need a new one unless you want it to look jank.

[IlChengis]

Read through the groupbuy section to find the gb that was occuring with Rixst3r/P3cars. You will get a better idea of others install procedures.

Thanks, will do.

Are you connecting to a proceed/jb3? If so let me know as I just did that and there are some caveats to that that are not discussed in documentation out there. If just the gauge, it should be straight forward.

No tune yet, so just boost gauge.

I'd contact the OP on that groupbuy thread i mentioned. He will be able to identify your version better than I. It's pretty straight forward if watching the video install.

I did, emailed the guys over at P3Cars and included a link to this thread.

so just handle it like it's your dick and you won't snap it.

Ok, I'll use tiny tweezers then. Thanks for the heads up.

Oh, the button was loose to me to and once installed with the glass front it still feels loose, but it's not going to fall off kinda loose.

Relief.

-Walter

[Qmax03]

if you have the version with no ashtry, this thing is a bitch to install ... i know. Rixx tells you to follow the 135 directions but those are misleading since the lighter they want you to connect to is part of the center console.. so now you havto to remove it all.. They shoudl REALLY update their site and make a PNP kit..

Goodluck , btw i had to run the power wire to the fuse box for it to work. sucks.

[IlChengis]

Originally Posted by Qmax03

if you have the version with no ashtry, this thing is a bitch to install ... i know. Rixx tells you to follow the 135 directions but those are misleading since the lighter they want you to connect to is part of the center console.. so now you havto to remove it all.. They shoudl REALLY update their site and make a PNP kit..

Goodluck , btw i had to run the power wire to the fuse box for it to work. sucks.

This is what I feared after reading the instructions. I was confused because the 135i instructions say one thing, yet I have power in the two locations I mentioned above. Crap, this sounds like it's going to be more painful than I thought. I should probably do some more reading before even beginning the install. I hope Rick and/or Tim will chime in on this thread.

-Walter

[scottp999]

Don't fret. The center console is not that bad to get into. Also, if you want to tap a fuse in the fusebox, that's not to bad either and you will learn a little more about the car be doing either one.

Rick is a great guy, shoot him a pm for advice!

[Qmax03]

^ i shoot Rixx a email like 3 weeks ago when i did the install and never got a respond back. Has to figure it out the hard way.

Great product just not great customer service.

[RiXst3r]

Sorry guys, been a bit busy... my wife and I had a baby boy 2 weeks ago and my wife has been in and out of the hospital with some complications.

I notice a few things about this kit, and will clear up the comments that I see are invalid.

being that you purchase this unit SECOND HAND, you are at the mercy of the person you bought it from, which, from the look of the papers and parts, they were pretty rough on it.

1. Your faceplate is broken in half.

2. The PNP harness in your pack is for pre 2009.5 cars, we have a NEW pnp harness for cars without an ashtray (http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...t=2009.5+power)
Regardless of what people say, the new harness is super easy if you read the part on the support site about running it to the new power socket in the passenger FOOTWELL (next to the glovebox), NOT the center console... some people must have missed that... other than that change, the power harness installs like the 135i...

3. It is the newest, latest version... no updates since.

4. If you see all 4 black dots in place around the base of the button stem, and it has not been broken, then you are fine. If you are the 3rd person to get this unit after it was re-packaged twice by people that were not as careful as we are, then the button could have been broken.

4. E-mail me direct at rschilg@gmail.com for faster response since I am stuck at home on baby duty

[RiXst3r]

Originally Posted by Qmax03

if you have the version with no ashtry, this thing is a bitch to install ... i know. Rixx tells you to follow the 135 directions but those are misleading since the lighter they want you to connect to is part of the center console.. so now you havto to remove it all.. They shoudl REALLY update their site and make a PNP kit..

Goodluck , btw i had to run the power wire to the fuse box for it to work. sucks.

Hmmm... no need to get into the center console! We want you to use the new one in the passenger footwell on 335i's!

The website has always said:

*for install on cars with NO ASHTRAY, please follow 135i instructions for power/dimmer, 335i uses the new power socket in the passenger footwell.

[RiXst3r]

Originally Posted by Qmax03

^ i shoot Rixx a email like 3 weeks ago when i did the install and never got a respond back. Has to figure it out the hard way.

Great product just not great customer service.

Unfortunately I did not receive that e-mail... so I cannot comment

I think anyone here would attest to our outstanding level of customer service! We really put that at top priority!

[IlChengis]

Rick,
I appreciate your timely and thorough reply. Congratulations on the baby and best wishes for all complications to be resolved quickly and painlessly.

I read your response carefully and everything makes sense. I will email you right now with inquiries about the new harness and a replacement cover.

Thanks!

-Walter

[IlChengis]

Hey Rick... while I wait for the correct harness and new faceplate, I started taking apart what I could and get everything ready to go.

the new harness is super easy if you read the part on the support site about running it to the new power socket in the passenger FOOTWELL (next to the glovebox), NOT the center console...

I can't find any explanation/document on this page that explains the recommended way to route the power harness to the passenger footwell. The 135i PDF shows center console routing and I don't see any addendum that addresses the new power location. Either that or I am going blind...

Please let me know so I can start taking apart the panels and look around for the cleanest possible route to run the harness.

Thanks!

-Walter

[BOOSTED4DR]

How can i get this to work with my tune JB3

[RiXst3r]

It's just like the normal 335i wiring route, only you have to go a bit further and remove the couple screws holding up the passanger footwell cover to get to the back of the socket and tuck the wires down there... and then of course the 135i install shows you how to hook up the green(dimmer) line.

Obviously this is not ideal, we are going to update the instructions when I get some time, out of the hundreds and hundreds of gauges sold, only 5-6 have needed this alternate harness... but I definitely plan to document it better, soon, as it will only increase in the number of people that need this.

-Rick

Originally Posted by Treppiede

Hey Rick... while I wait for the correct harness and new faceplate, I started taking apart what I could and get everything ready to go.

I can't find any explanation/document on this page that explains the recommended way to route the power harness to the passenger footwell. The 135i PDF shows center console routing and I don't see any addendum that addresses the new power location. Either that or I am going blind...

Please let me know so I can start taking apart the panels and look around for the cleanest possible route to run the harness.

Thanks!


-Walter

[RiXst3r]

Originally Posted by BOOSTED4DR

How can i get this to work with my tune JB3

Depends what version... if you have jb3 2.0, then it just plugs right in to 2 empty slots on the db25 connector of the jb3, and then you use the jb3 2.0 software to activate it.

[E60orBust]

So we can mail back the old harness and you will mail out a new harness?

If we (2010) use the old harness, will everything work except for the dimmer?