Replacement of OEM Sat Nav with Garmin, retaining ‘pop-up’ functionality

[Z4Mariner]

Mojito, I'm posting for a little help. Here's where I am in 'cloning' your cool mod:

> Garmin DriveSmart 66 ready; back-up camera arriving tomorrow
> Wiring extensions are finished and ready for fitting into project box
> All old "soft touch" finish has been carefully removed, and re-paint is underway
> BT adapter is in hand
> New Business CD Headunit arrived in good shape from UK

BUT I have a couple of hurdles left and am looking for help.

1) I foolishly paid little attention to preserving the rotational position of the stepper motor when I took apart the screen assembly. Do I need to precisely re-set the motor pinion-to-rack orientation ? I'm seeking confirmation that I don't need to worry. I hope the screen operates only upon motor steps from a zero point, with perhaps a slip clutch (or two ?) and needs no special orientation in re-assembly

2) My North American Garmin DriveSmart 66 came with a Garmin 12V power adapter and a cable that has an in-line "box" near the USB A connector end. The cable box is a receiver and/or antenna for HD and FM traffic information in NA. Further, the cable is supposed to connect into the Garmin-specific 12V adapter - it's not compatible with standard USB ports (which will force attempted PC sync). To use this cable I will need to cut-and-splice it to get it through the screen housing bushing. Did you have any USB cable issue ? Did you have to wire in a Garmin power adapter ?

Thanks for the inspiration . . . and thanks in advance for your help !

 

[Mojito]

Mojito, I'm posting for a little help. Here's where I am in 'cloning' your cool mod:

Looking good Z4Mariner and pleased to see you went for the full package with the reversing camera, really worth it.

rotational position of the stepper motor

Ah you've got me here - I didn't mark it either when I took it apart and can remember now puzzling the same question :? A couple of photos attached from when I was disassembling screen to help others see what we are talking about. I just lined the 'circular cut out stop' on the gear quadrant with the 'stop post' - one of photos shows this clearly. The quadrant only moves in one direction from here - can't remember whether screen is in closed or open position at this point - that worked perfectly on mine on switch on. I know I opened/closed screen by hand on reassembly to make sure it meshed over full travel. Think you're right motor works on steps from a zero point. Hope this helps.

Garmin 12V power adapter and a cable that has an in-line "box" near the USB A connector end. The cable box is a receiver and/or antenna for HD and FM traffic information in NA.

Interesting - UK version doesnt have the 'inline box' in cable. I ran a 'piggy back connector' from an ignition switched fuse, terminated that in a standard car 12v socket and plugged the Garmin power adapter into that to avoid any potential issues with forced pc sync attempt. Conveniently that gave me a spare usb power outlet for my dash cam - the Garmin power adapter has 2 x USB outlets on it I'll post a detail on which fuse I piggy baked onto.

Keep me updated, great progress
Mojito

 

[Mojito]

I'll post a detail on which fuse I piggy baked onto.

Can't find a note of which particular fuse I piggy backed onto, but installed the ignition switched supply when i first got my Z based on this link: https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1530361&hilit=piggyback+fuse#p1530361

 

[Z4Mariner]

Progress Report on my clone of your project:

- Finished assembly of Project Box & wiring
- Garmin rests between ABS guides to locate it laterally & vertically in bezel
- Added final paint (black with matte clear) to Nav display parts & reassembled
- Cut & spliced Garmin USB power cable to pass through display module bushing (9 wires + shielding/ground). US Garmin DriveSmart 66 has a 'brick' in the cable, the Garmin cables aren't standard USB, and the right angle USB-C connector will not fit through the bushing.
- Tested cable in another vehicle; the Garmin functioned properly
- Side trip - I decided to replace my 12V ashtray power socket with a USB-A/-C power port
- Re-purposed 12V socket GROUND (earth) to use for new port and the Garmin power port. Since the original 12V circuit is 15A, two ports with 5A and 7.5A fuses should be able to share this ground on the conservative side. Removed 15A fuse in F5 and de-pinned power pin in ashtray connector for safety.
- Powered USB-A/-C port using 5A fused piggy-back tap on F8 (switched, ashtray LED).
- Powered Garmin adapter with 7.5A fused tap in F2 (switched, spare slot).
- Completed in-car connection of Nav display, project box, power cable, Business CD headunit, and even my MagSafe phone mount for a test before final installation.
- First power-up . . . . momentary “Uh-Oh !” . . . . I connected all except the project box with the SatNav circuit board ! :?
- Second test . . . . Success !!

I should share that indeed the stepper motor and logic seem to self-index as I had hoped, so rotation of the stepper motor while out of the car was not an issue. I'll post again when I've completed the whole project.

Things left to do:

Securely install the project box / circuit board, re-install Nav display and Business CD Headunit, renew foam on vents and install, install the BlueBus BT I just received, and install the back-up camera.

Thanks for your pioneering and assistance, Mojito !

 

[Mojito]

Second test . . . . Success !!

Hi Z4Mariner and well done, some very neat work there Great to hear all working properly. Lovely finish on the Nav display repaint - as good as new

Thanks for sharing how you did things, really helpful for anyone else considering going down the same route. The abs guides to locate the screen are really neat. Also how you had to cut and splice the US spec Garmin 66 USB cable - fortunately for me, not necessary on UK spec USB cable.

Look forward to hearing all complete and seeing some photos of finished installation. Any comments/observations that might help others on Garmin 66 operation in this install appreciated

 

[AndyJ1]

Fantastic project Mojito!
I’ve also started cloning your project. Machined down my pcb enclosure to 32mm today on the milling machine and turned 4 nylon standoffs for mounting the pcb.
Hopefully extending the wiring tomorrow.

 

[Z4Mariner]

AndyJ1, Looking good ! Please post more as you go.

Mojito, look what you’ve started ! Thanks for encouragement.

AND the 32mm height is just about perfect ! Thinner risks being too tight to the circuit board, and much thicker can give some issues installing the project box (PB) in the available dash space.

- TIP on installing / securing the PB:

After I took the picture of my 'completed' PB, I realized that access to the connectors for the climate controls needed more room, and I re-cut the apertures for the wire bundles coming out of the PB. Unlike my photo, the new aperture centers are offset 2.7 cm from the center of the box - closer to the interior. I installed an M5 X 15mm flat head countersunk screw in the box bottom (from the inside) and epoxied it. The screw is centered laterally, but it is about 3.7cm from the center of my box, again toward the interior – allowing the box to be pushed further forward under the radio. These numbers are approximate, especially since the boxes may differ a bit..

To secure the PB, I repurposed the mount that originally located the white electrical connector for the display module. I added reinforcements along the horizontal beam that supports this mount, epoxying them to the beam and to the dash side frames at a height to match the mount itself. Viewed from above, the PB sits on a very wide "T", with the reinforced beam capping the "T". I extended the rectangular cut-out all the way to the edge facing into the interior. I put a washer on the M5 screw in the PB bottom, and I loosely started an M5 wing nut. As I installed the box, I guided the washer under the slotted mount, and I tightened the wing nut using a right angle pick to pull/push the ears.

What you see in this out-of-focus photo is the bottom-half interior edge of my PB, oak reinforcements epoxied in place, and the M5 screw and the wing nut.

 

[Mojito]

I’ve also started cloning your project

Hi AndyJ1 ... and welcome onboard. Impressive work milling down the pcb box to size Wish I had ready access to that kind of kit.
The great joy of these kind of projects is that they develop with more details and photos added to help others. Keep us updated, looking very good.

 

[Mojito]

TIP on installing / securing the PB:

Hi Z4Mariner. Well done, some really useful details there on the pcb and how to fit it under the radio

I arrived at the 32mm box thickness by trial and error with a series of carboard box mockups. Took a while and I was relieved when it slotted in neatly. Very nice work... a better fixing than my cable tie pcb box fixing under the radio, but that works too ... if not so nicely engineered

You're going to be up and running very soon

 

[Nuts]

Fascinated by this. Eagerly awaiting more images. Feel like somebody with access to a 3D printer could really take this to the next level. Would be great to have another solution than the Garmin that gives Apple Play functionality and potentially a wider screen.

 

[B21]

Great work chaps..come over to the (semi) dark side on E89s and start a whole new ball game! :rofl: :tumbleweed:

 

[Z4Mariner]

Funny thing, but before I bought my E86 I was "supposed to" buy an E89 from a friend-of-a- friend. The negotiation began in the Fall, was interrupted by the seller's Arizona wintering, resumed the next Spring, and then the seller found out his wife really liked the car . . . and there was no sale.

Another friend thought I should buy an E85 like his, though I'm more a fixed-top person. I searched specifically for LCI, manual transmission E85's here in the States - and behold, my search included a "hatchback" selling from a Hyundai dealer, which now lives at our house

 

[B21]

Funny thing, but before I bought my E86 I was "supposed to" buy an E89 from a friend-of-a- friend. The negotiation began in the Fall, was interrupted by the seller's Arizona wintering, resumed the next Spring, and then the seller found out his wife really liked the car . . . and there was no sale.

Another friend thought I should buy an E85 like his, though I'm more a fixed-top person. I searched specifically for LCI, manual transmission E85's here in the States - and behold, my search included a "hatchback" selling from a Hyundai dealer, which now lives at our house

:rofl: :tumbleweed: :driving:

 

[Mojito]

come over to the (semi) dark side on E89s and start a whole new ball game!

Ah... been there and had a lot of fun - I had an E89 directly before the E85. Loved it... but ran out of upgrades I was 'happy' to take on :lol: With a lot of support from AnubisZed I did an OEM Sat Nav retrofit. Not in the same ball park as your amazing Digital Cluster install though which is mind blowing and well outside my comfort zone. Really enjoying your thread

 

[B21]

come over to the (semi) dark side on E89s and start a whole new ball game!

Ah... been there and had a lot of fun - I had an E89 directly before the E85. Loved it... but ran out of upgrades I was 'happy' to take on :lol: With a lot of support from AnubisZed I did an OEM Sat Nav retrofit. Not in the same ball park as your amazing Digital Cluster install though which is mind blowing and well outside my comfort zone. Really enjoying your thread

Yup that ID4cluster was a bridge too far... :tumbleweed: :headbang: :thumbsdown: :rofl:

 

[AndyJ1]

Z4Mariner, thanks for the very detailed heads up on the PB and thanks of your words of encouragement Mojito

I have completed the milling of the PB with the overall height coming out at 31mm, must have been a slight error in marking out! However, I have machined pockets into the base for added clearance for the components on the bottom of the pcb. The pcb sits just right with 5mm nylon standoffs.

Machined cooling slots in the top of the PB. Lucky I haven’t yet positioned the wire holes, so will position them as per your recommendation Z4Mariner.


Despite being careful dismantling the original screen I have managed to scratch the soft touch coating on the housing . Going to have to remove it all and spray with Matt black and Matt clearcote as you did Z4 Mariner. Lucky I have paint left over from refurbing my MF steering wheel!

 

[Mojito]

Really helpful refinements Z4Mariner & AndyJ1 Not my area of expertise, but sure someone could 3D print a box ... but that would take away the fun bit of cutting an off the shelf one down :lol:
Very useful info to take care not to scratch the soft coating on the housing. Irritating, but at least sortable.

 

[Z4Mariner]

Project Complete !

Summary of major features added:

a) Garmin® DriveSmart® 66 in OE enclosure
b) Garmin® BC50 Wireless Back-up Camera
c) BMW Business CD Headunit (CD53, line display w. CD controls)
d) BlueBus® Bluetooth module for handsfree phone & music streaming
e) Beüler (Crutchfield) Flush-mount USB-C / USB 3.0 charging port

Steps for (a) through (c) follow Mojito's mod closely. Parts (d) and (e) are a bit different, but in the same spirit.

After I organize a few more pictures, I'll add DIY comments for specific refinements. These include:

- How to unplug the Nav Computer but retain the Pop-Up feature of the Display Module (and why one might want to)
- How to fish wire through the rear bumper efficiently (don't waste as much time as I did)
- Options for wiring extra ignition-on, switched circuits
- How to mount the BC50 backup camera neatly on a car with bulky US/Canadian number plates.

I removed the console-mounted ashtray module for better access. The open space, together with the removable panel under the HVAC controls, gives more room to move wire harnesses and run new ones properly. While the ashtray and 12V power socket were accessible, I replaced the socket with a USB3/USB-C power port. The one from Crutchfield was not the cheapest, but it seems of very good quality. Grinding out the original power socket mount to exactly the outline in the module, it just fit. The new power port allows me to shut the ashtray when it is not in use, it displays battery voltage as well, and it turns on/off with the ignition.

I added Bluetooth by installing a BlueBus® - It’s more costly than some other options, but it’s been designed (by a BMW enthusiast, Ted) explicitly to modernize certain BMW platforms and integrate BT calling and music streaming with steering wheel and headunit controls in a manner that feels OE. Installation is straight-forward, and an E86 Z4 How-To can be found online. When BlueBus® is installed in supported and unmodified vehicles, it polls the I-bus and adjusts to the user interface it finds. It offers both streaming content and telephone connectivity - you can configure either or both. Ted's support is superb - he's experienced with BMW's, and with Z4 owners who have removed their Sat Nav systems. But he commented that Mojito's (and now my) mod of removing the display but leaving the PCB active was a new one. He was able to direct me to unplug the Nav computer to keep BlueBus® from thinking it had a GUI display instead of the CD53 headunit with its one-line UI.

The Garmin BC-50 camera works great, turns on in reverse, and the guide lines are adjustable to one's taste - or they can be turned off.

Thanks, Mojito !

 

[Mojito]

Project Complete !

Well done Z4Mariner... and thank you for all your input. It's always a leap of faith following someone else's mod and I'm pleased it's complete and working well

You've added some really useful information for anyone else considering this. I was particulary interested to hear you had gone for the BlueBus Module - a very nice piece of kit. Looking forward to seeing more on your specific installation and how you mounted the camera - never cossed my mind about different styles of number plates

 

[Z4Mariner]

Added comments in parts -

Shut off the Nav Computer but retain Display Module (CID) ‘pop-up’ feature. The Nav Computer uses the I-bus to send video signals to the Nav CID. Power for this comes from Fuse 49, and if you want (need) the Nav Computer off the I-bus, you could pull Fuse 49. But Fuse 49 also powers the PCB that we moved to its own project box, and the CID will no longer ‘pop-up’ or adjust for angle. Why can’t the Nav Computer be on the I-bus? I installed a BlueBus® Bluetooth module, which looks to see what hardware is on the I-bus, and adjusts to whichever of the BMW UI’s (user interfaces) it finds. In my case, the swap is partial – the Nav Computer is present, but there’s no GUI screen for configuring and using BlueBus®, so I need the Nav Computer off. I did this by removing the powder-blue connector on the back of the Nav Computer. Why not pull the computer? That requires removing the upper rear console, a complicated task with old, possibly brittle plastic parts. The back of the Nav Computer is slightly above and in front of the pass-through in the passenger compartment bulkhead, where the CDC (CD Changer) connectors are found. Fortunately, the blue connector I needed to remove is the lower one, and accessible (barely) via the pass-through. Once I knew what the connector looked like, which direction to move the latch lever, and how to press the button to release the lever, I managed it by feel. A mirror and good light are necessary, to train your brain for the blind manipulation – and it took me a few tries. Sorry the photos aren’t better, but they give an idea of what and where.


Where . . . .

What . . . It's the blue one on the left in the picture

Done . . .

The connector latch lever swings from left to right (and forward) to release. I leaned on a rolled-up towel in the boot, with a hex key to press the release button, so that my left thumbnail could push the lever and release the connector. With the Nav Computer off the I-bus, the BlueBus® immediately found the CD53 headunit and its single-line UI. It connects whenever the ignition switch is in P1 or greater, and it functions well with the multifunction steering wheel controls.