Can the avg. guy install a chip w/o any problem?

[Unregistered]

I just got Mark's chip and I have visited Bruno's site and I am just wondering can I do this without messing up the coputer. I just check with my mechanic(both of them) and they can't do it until weekend. That's an eternity to wait after hearing all the news surrounding this chip. How long will it take a novice and would you recommend me to just go ahead and do it? I have a 535IM- just tuned up and running great. What scare me the most at the end of Bruno's site he said if the car doesn't start you could have fried the computer-ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gary M]

It's pretty easy. If the car don't start maybe you put the chip in the wrong way or you got the wrong chip or static electric shorted out the chip. Make sure you ground yourself before pulling and replacing the chip. Touch a water pipe or something else that is grounded immediately before you pull out the old chip.


I just got Mark's chip and I have visited Bruno's site and I am just wondering can I do this without messing up the coputer. I just check with my mechanic(both of them) and they can't do it until weekend. That's an eternity to wait after hearing all the news surrounding this chip. How long will it take a novice and would you recommend me to just go ahead and do it? I have a 535IM- just tuned up and running great. What scare me the most at the end of Bruno's site he said if the car doesn't start you could have fried the computer-ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joe6pack]

piece of cake ... just make sure your battery is disconnected. i just installed a Dinan chip in my 535 about 15 minutes ago ...

just took it on the freeway for a quick spin .... goes like snot now... ;-)

[KenB]

I am waiting for a chip from Mark and asked him about the installation, this is what he told me.


You don't need to disconnect the battery, just make sure the ignition is off.

Almost 95% of the purchasers install this themslves. You need a #20 torx driver. (only remove screws on the top of the case, and no other ones)
There is one screw to remove inside also.

You can do it yourself from start to finsih in 45 minutes the first time and 15 minutes the second time.

[gordon]

Did mine in 10 minutes... there were two nuts holding the actual case into the car ('89 535i)... but they came off easily... Haven't checked Bruno's site, but if there are not photos i can take a few.

[Dick Schneiders]

Just be certain that nobody can turn the ignition on while the DME is out of the car.

The cars with the single circuit board DME's are very easy to do, but I had a significant problem getting the dual circuit boards separated in my 1991 525i. Once I knew what I needed to do, it was very easy after that.

Dick Schneiders


piece of cake ... just make sure your battery is disconnected. i just installed a Dinan chip in my 535 about 15 minutes ago ...

just took it on the freeway for a quick spin .... goes like snot now... ;-)

[MarkD]

I am waiting for a chip from Mark and asked him about the installation, this is what he told me.


You don't need to disconnect the battery, just make sure the ignition is off.

Almost 95% of the purchasers install this themslves. You need a #20 torx driver. (only remove screws on the top of the case, and no other ones)
There is one screw to remove inside also.

You can do it yourself from start to finsih in 45 minutes the first time and 15 minutes the second time.


Hi Ken,
your chip didn't arrive yet? I don't know what's happenned to the last batch I mailed out. Many have not arrived after 10 days. The #20 Torx is used on the DME's ending in 4xx (M50 and M60) but not on the M30 ones.

Mark

[ryan roopnarine]

FYI, i found that in real life, turning the car over with no dme doesn't result in much :^) i drove it from orlando fl to ft lauderdale florida (about 225 miles) on four cylinders by disconnecting the fuel injector wires from cyl 1 and 6. when i got to unkle's shop, i took the dme out to get the number off of it, and my uncle marked some of the pins on it with a sharpie marker, resulting in the thing being left disconnected.....go to turn over the engine so that we can see if cyl 1 is producing a spark .. fiddle with a pair of pliers for 10 mins to see if the spark plug is getting a decent ground...until we realise that the dme was unhooked. food for thought as to how hardy the dme and its subsystems are.


Just be certain that nobody can turn the ignition on while the DME is out of the car.

The cars with the single circuit board DME's are very easy to do, but I had a significant problem getting the dual circuit boards separated in my 1991 525i. Once I knew what I needed to do, it was very easy after that.

Dick Schneiders

[Dick Schneiders]

under the belief that this could fry some of the electronics in the car if it happened. I really didn't know under what circumstance it could ever occur, but I always made certain I had all the keys to the car whenever I had the DME out. I read it somewhere that you didn't want to let it happen.

I think I will still be careful about this, but I appreciate your letting us know that it caused you no problems.

Dick Schneiders


FYI, i found that in real life, turning the car over with no dme doesn't result in much :^) i drove it from orlando fl to ft lauderdale florida (about 225 miles) on four cylinders by disconnecting the fuel injector wires from cyl 1 and 6. when i got to unkle's shop, i took the dme out to get the number off of it, and my uncle marked some of the pins on it with a sharpie marker, resulting in the thing being left disconnected.....go to turn over the engine so that we can see if cyl 1 is producing a spark .. fiddle with a pair of pliers for 10 mins to see if the spark plug is getting a decent ground...until we realise that the dme was unhooked. food for thought as to how hardy the dme and its subsystems are.

[NoSpeedLimits]

I agree w/ Mark D, it'll take about 45 minutes to an hour for the first time. Thereafter, about 15 minutes. I did mine and was nervous until I turned the key and she started. Just take your time and if your stuck don't be afraid to ask questions.

Here's a couple pointers that stick out in my mind and may help:

1. Don't be afraid to pull hard on the clips that hold the DME in place, they can be stubborn the first time you try to remove them. I used an old screw driver with the tip of it bent at a 90 degree angle to help get a good positive hold on the clips.

2. After you've removed the DME, remove the screws that hold it together. I also had to pry up on these little tabs to separate the casing, unfortunately the casing is made out of aluminum and when you try to press the tabs back in place they brake off. Fortunately the screws help keep thing together.

3. Watch for a plastic thing located in the middle, it holds the board in place. You'll need to pick the "stem" out of it in order to remove the board -- pick at it from the outside face of the DME case.

4. You'll need to stick something small in the plug end in order to release the tabs and pull the board out. I used two small screw drivers -- one on each end.

5. Finally, without the proper tool, be careful when pulling the original chip out of the board because it's very easy to bend the prongs. The only time I could see it becoming a problem would be if you needed to straighten the prongs to reinstall the original, then those prongs may brake off.

I apologize if my information is not one hundred percent correct, but I am attempting to explain this from memory and it has been about six month since I had her apart. In addition, I am not sure if your DME will be the same as the one found in my '94 540IA. Anyway, hope this information helps and good luck with the upgrade.