M3 KOMBI Virginizing (DIY!!)

dyezak

Major
May 4, 2017
1,768
1,518
0
Plano TX
Ride
335is
Anyone interested in a full guide on this? The hardware has gotten cheap and the firmware that runs it allows for full on-board reprogramming now (no soldering iron).

cd45becb-fd13-4373-af89-ca22cea9a029-jpeg.jpg
 

NoQuarter

Major
Nov 24, 2017
1,662
1,066
0
Indiana, USA
Ride
Z4 35is, 535xi, X5 35i
Mine is supposed to support on-board programming but I still had to remove the chip before it would work. I suppose it is chip specific and/or programmer specific but I would not advise a rookie doing this unless they have a backup plan to remove the chip if it doesn't work out as planned.
 

R.G.

Lieutenant
Nov 17, 2016
668
326
0
Henderson, NV
Ride
E92 335, F10 M5
Just for the cluster? Or am I missing something?
There's a fairly easy way to swap clusters without any coding
 

dyezak

Major
May 4, 2017
1,768
1,518
0
Plano TX
Ride
335is
Mine is supposed to support on-board programming but I still had to remove the chip before it would work. I suppose it is chip specific and/or programmer specific but I would not advise a rookie doing this unless they have a backup plan to remove the chip if it doesn't work out as planned.

I'll cover the off board component too. I have a few extra chips to shoot the pics. They are only $1/ea if you buy 10+ from mouser.

As a matter of fact if you need to recode the chip and you have to remove the thing, it's better to just buy a new chip for $1, read your stock ROM while on the board (that's never a problem), modify the ROM, then write it to your new blank chip. Once you have verified the new chip is good then you can unsolder the factory one and resolder the new one so you always have your roll-back plan in place.
 

R.G.

Lieutenant
Nov 17, 2016
668
326
0
Henderson, NV
Ride
E92 335, F10 M5
I'll cover the off board component too. I have a few extra chips to shoot the pics. They are only $1/ea if you buy 10+ from mouser.

As a matter of fact if you need to recode the chip and you have to remove the thing, it's better to just buy a new chip for $1, read your stock ROM while on the board (that's never a problem), modify the ROM, then write it to your new blank chip. Once you have verified the new chip is good then you can unsolder the factory one and resolder the new one so you always have your roll-back plan in place.


Just take the parts that you want, replace a couple of orange led's with white and be done with it.

IMG_1619.JPG
 

dyezak

Major
May 4, 2017
1,768
1,518
0
Plano TX
Ride
335is
Just take the parts that you want, replace a couple of orange led's with white and be done with it.

View attachment 10127

Some people don't just do this for looks :) The KOMBI is a gateway module and it does *send* certain PT_CAN messages to the rest of the car to be used. Those messages are different between the M3 and the Non-M KOMBI. Changing LED's (while pretty) doesn't do much for you.
 

dyezak

Major
May 4, 2017
1,768
1,518
0
Plano TX
Ride
335is
What am I missing?

The fact that you're way off topic and forcing the conversation into a different direction (i.e. derailing the conversation). If you want to start a "why should i put an m3 KOMBI in my car thread" sounds like you have an ax to grind with that topic.