BMW E46 - Making it Standard, and Finding Faults

FInally starting work on the E46 325i, as we install a factory BMW Business CD and a set of cup holders, but struggle for radio reception.
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[@TwinCam]

We’ve already made some progress - and the video isn’t even up yet! Thanks to my lovely Patreon supporters, we’ve found a rather fundamental (and stupid) issue. The aerial isn’t plugged in. I’m used to Metro world, where the radio has four wires. In that jumble behind the BMW’s dash, I assumed the aerial must be within that connector, but I assumed wrong. Sounds silly when I think about it anyway, but the wiring must be tucked somewhere behind the dashboard. I must go and have a peruse.

[@GentilsGarage]

My kind of upgrade; putting it back to standard, especially on a car like this. Glad you got the aerial sorted afterwards.

[@benjaminlocksmith8932]

I told you to check the aerial connections! Also that radio installation is absolute gash. Can't believe they didn't fit it properly, install the aerial or even get a connects box for the steering wheel controls! Have a look at the dension gateway devices, I believe the BT lite is about £100 and will completely modernise your BMW system

[@MrTabbbs]

You will find out why the business radio was removed. Its rubbish I had one in my E46 320Ci Convertible and when I had the roof down you couldn't hear a thing. I would have just fitted the after market one properly or fitted a less bulky faced one. I uprated all the speakers plus a sub as well. Now I have decent tunes.

[@TwinCam]

Sounds a lot better than the aftermarket one, I will say. Audio is crisper with less distortion when turned up loud.

[@MrTabbbs]

@@TwinCam its probably a better match for the speakers. In the convertible it wasn't loud enough. Its probably ok in a saloon.

[@simonbanks3112]

"So I just....broke it more..." The classic phrase of the DIY car enthusiast! :D Factory look is always the best look!

[@MakerfieldConsort]

Don't worry, Ed - we saw the elastic bands when you were waving the cup holders around. A lovely shade of orange they are, too.

[@oliverstemp9132]

This is the most entertaining radio installation video ever

[@BRED510]

You haven't plugged the aerial into the back of the head unit. It plugs into the round connector on the opposite side from the loom plug. The aerial plug has probably fallen into the dash somewhere. You can buy adapters that give you Bluetooth etc, that plug into the back of the factory HU, usually via the CD changer plug.

[@Yorkshiremadmick]

Came here to say the same As it would have been surplus to requirements on the Nipponese radio. Factory looks ace 👍🏻

[@fhwolthuis]

Looking good, Ed. I think you might want to look for Bluetooth adapter that plugs into the CD changer port. I have one from Yatour, works great. Better than the fm transmitter crap 😉

[@shedworks3196]

Dig in the rear of the radio you will probably find the Ariel lead it’s a coax type

[@Steph-pn2kq]

It was one of the final wires you unplugged, saying "I have no idea what this is"

[@hondamonkeyboy]

I remember Tice of Dorchester. There was a branch at Wimborne too. Good to see you getting to grips with the E46 already.

[@nijasty]

Channel your inner M539 Restorations on that car!

[@chriswhite3378]

Brilliant Channel

[@scaleartsg]

i really enjoyed back to factory restorations! Hope to see more videos like this!

[@TwinCam]

Plenty more!

[@torresalex]

If it suits your requirements, and before you go for the full-blown android mod, there are kits that plug into the original radio that give you USB and Bluetooth functionalities. I did it on my old volvo S60, my mazda 6 and citroen c5, and was very happy with the results. I bought mine from gromaudio or xcarlink

[@foxsake_]

We need more UK e46 videos. Thanks for this

[@johnstephens6120]

Definitely will have a standard aerial cable. Just need to find it in there.

[@TwinCam]

Some digging required.

[@johnstephens6120]

@@TwinCam I also put similar cup holders in my E46 but ended up putting back in a new and good quality original with the sliding cover. Wasn't that expensive from Bimmerworld and much nicer.

[@martinb2553]

Trace the non standard wiring that’s left behind the dash and I’m sure you’ll find the aerial cable

[@peterhurst]

Let's hope it's not already buggered, peak Lancastrian Ed, good man

[@ianturner6954]

Good upgrade Edd!! Looks the part now... hope u can get the radio working now!

[@davidpring9108]

Connects 2 should do a module to handle the bluetooth on your bmw factory radio, plug and play usually

[@Hound87]

That is soooo much better!

[@Richard-Bullock]

I much prefer the factory look myself. But necessary upgrades should be done in a way that looks as close to factory spec as possible. I'm glad you have done this.

[@CubeCyclone]

They were built those E46s... Proper hench! 👌 In the days before so many recycled materials were required. My battery was 12 years old before it needed replacing. Original BMW one and it wasn't completely shot either.

[@kiernanoneill8165]

Depending on the year of the CD player, it might also be able to play MP3 discs, so whist you don't have a CD changer, you won't really miss one if you can load say 10 CD's onto a single disc. I think they were introduced around 2004/2005. Worth a try if nothing else.

[@robertneill3057]

Nowadays there are 2 main different types of aerial connectors. The normal DIN socket type is flush with the back of the radio usually taking the appearance of a hole. The more modern type of IEC connector projects out slightly of the back of the radio with a small hole in the centre. There are right angle adaptors or cable adaptors that do allow connection between the 2 main types of connector in use today. Domestic DAB radio's might use an F connector that is usually found on satellite systems and aerial distribution amplifiers. Looking into the end of the F connector you'll might see the central core of the coaxial cable. Just wondering whether this would be robust enough for automotive applications. Another threaded type of coaxial connector is the SMA type usually found on wireless Internet routers/antennae. Assume that BMW would use one of these types of connector mentioned.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

As James May would say - “standard”!

[@johnwarr7552]

On our 46 it was pretty trivial to put an Aux input into that head unit.

[@jwatkins5155]

You need to plug the aerial in... It's not in the main harness it's a round plug

[@zaneclone]

I think if you dig behind the radio (in the dash) you'll find an aerial lead... which plugs into the opposite side of the rear of the radio...

[@PhD63]

The bit that you’re holding at 5:30 is the female connector for the antenna. I’m guessing that the antenna cable has dropped down inside the dash with the rest of the wiring. Maybe it wasn’t being used with the after market unit and only the DAB radio being used.

[@damiantaylor7993]

The Ariel will be in the dash hiding, but the module is on the N/S C piller and runs along the side of the cill

[@pauldavies6037]

Should be a thick cable and plug underneath the other you are very lucky the last guy used the proper adapter cables so you could put the BMW one back on a lot of bodge jobs just splice wires and tape up then it's a nightmare to sort all the connections out

[@TwinCam]

I don't think many people really bodge them nowadays. With the internet, adaptors are so readily available and cheap that it's slower and riskier to bodge!

[@pauldavies6037]

Thats good but I've seen lots of bodges on earlier cars that didn't the later standard plugs and fitted modern head units to them

[@kevinbarry71]

German thinking: nobody gets a cup holder but everybody gets an ashtray

[@davidmbell]

The BMW connection is known as Fakra, I think.

[@plutomotorsblackpool]

I put cupholders in my E46 coupe as it just had a long tray with no lid but bought the gen BMW items as I'd heard bad things about the aftermarket ones😦. I also fitted a cd changer emulator so I can play music on sd cards and usb sticks but mine has a tape deck stereo so not sure if you can get one for the cd stereo? May be worth having a look.

[@andrewbarnes1295]

The aerial is usually a chunky cable with a round connector, think it's visible at 12:58. Maybe the cable is tucked way back into the dashboard? But then again I know nothing about BMWs!

[@TwinCam]

Like a TV RF connector?

[@andrewbarnes1295]

@@TwinCam Similar in that it has an inner male/female connector down the centre and an outer sheath connector. I think I could see the round socket on the back of the BMW stereo at 12:58 but was difficult to tell! But as I said never worked on BMWs so it could be completely different for all I know! At 5:37 that could be the FM aerial connector for the JVC or whatever it is.

[@tricialyn4645]

TY for sharing. Youre very brave doing all that urself!!

[@Simon-ui6db]

Same plug as on rover 75 ( and use the rover 75 android units in the 346)

[@dalecaldwell]

If I remember correctly, M-B scorned cup holders about the time your Bimmer was entering the competition, so perhaps it was a we're as proper as Stuttgart sort of thing.

[@neilwalsh4058]

If it didn't have them in new , they shouldn't be in. Today's obsession with cup holders drives me mad.

[@TwinCam]

They were an optional extra - but why do cup holders drive you mad? Sounds a very weird thing to get upset over 🤣

[@neilwalsh4058]

@@TwinCam not the actual cup holders, but people's obsession with having them. When I was your age , we were more bothered how big the carb jets were, was the engine a twin cam (Fiat did that standard while Ford thought OHV was advanced🤣) , how plush were the seats , did it have headrests in the back , better to be a 5 speed. We'd easily find somewhere to stuff our can of coke or carton of ribena , when we'd dealt with the important things , like how it looked, what it sounded like and was it quicker than your mates cars. Centre console was a nice touch tho, somewhere to put your Benson & Hedges gold. Now a days , Bluetooth and somewhere to put their overpriced bottled water seems to be all that matters to some people.

[@X-Typewoes]

That radio suggests that him from Furious Driving was the previous owner

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

As an owner of 5 old BMWs I think the E46 is a great choice. They drive very well and parts are very available. However why did you not go for a KV6 Rover 75 or a MG ZT?

[@danb3888]

Hi Ed. If you haven't already discovered him, check out Sreten's videos at M539 Restorations. Lots of great BMW content.

[@craigacooper]

You can take the original radio the one you just in to someone who will make it do today stuff but look original

[@Sorted7]

Pretty sure the aerial is a little white plug on the e46. Think u had it in the bundle at the start

[@TwinCam]

That’s nothing that was plugged into anything. Just an empty extension on the back of the aftermarket unit.

[@TwinCam]

However, thinking back that does look like it could be an aerial connector, but it was empty so I thought little of it.

[@neilwalsh4058]

You don't need to do any research on why the radio didn't work , it's as simple as plugging the aerial lead in which I didn't see you doing? IMHO you should leave it standard. The factory headsets are excellent quality. My son's 52 plate E46 has the BMW Business headset complete with tape player and a 6 disc CD changer in boot. Works perfectly and sounds great. Why mess a nice original car up with a period incorrect big numb screen? How is it even legal to fit and use essentially a small tablet whilst driving , when it's against the law to hold a mobile phone?

[@TwinCam]

I wouldn’t if it wasn’t designed to look as though it fits the dash. Either way, the E46 was available with a screen from new. Just this one doesn’t have it.

[@neilwalsh4058]

​@@TwinCam in 2002?

[@TwinCam]

Yes. It featured satellite navigation and is why there are relocation panels for the heater controls available from BMW. cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1882/7779/articles/DSCF0021_1024x1024.JPG?v=1491107715

[@neilwalsh4058]

@@TwinCam pretty impressive that. Fair play if you source one of those then, factory option standard upgrades are nice. Wouldn't be trusting the Sat Nav' though 🤣

[@campingramen1841]

Does the BMW have a name yet? If so, I haven’t noticed

[@jetsons101]

Most after marked steros don't look as good as a factory installed one. When you say "Chinese Rubbish" at 3:27 you are talking about the CCP ??? Thanks for posting.....

[@interdec]

I believe we should not call stuff Chinese Crap. After all, they manufacture goods to the specifications we set, either with the design or by what we are willing to pay. My iphone is a Chinese product, built exactly to the specifications requested. They only produce other shit products because there’s demand for it!!!!

[@jetsons101]

@@interdec You sound like part of the "great global socialist reset?" The CCP is the scourge of the earth, they allow no personal freedoms and imprison their own people for not staying in "lockstep" with the CCP.

[@TwinCam]

That is very true. Totally unfair generalisation. Majority of the items we use daily are manufactured in China. There are humanitarian concerns, but if any of us found strength in our convictions, we’d stop buying, but we don’t!

[@jetsons101]

@@TwinCam I always try to buy American made first then Canada or Mexico next, then after that anywhere but china. It's easer that people think. I really like the Beamer....

[@VeyronBD]

@@TwinCam Good luck not buying chinese, the alternative is not buying full stop..