What day! LI installed, tested & hostile hit - all OK

**Tambourine-Man** · 07-27-2008, 02:51 PM

I finished troubleshooting my Laser Interceptor installation this morning (last night no power up due to bad wire tap) met up with PMoth and he tried his best but no cigar, and on the way back got my first actual hostile laser hit ever. I can't really say it was a save as I was only doing 75 on the MA pike but my V1 went off and then the L.I. announced Laser Atlanta. I even had the sense to turn it off when I got down to 65.

During the testing I was surprised at how much sooner the V1 alerted to laser than the jammer. If the jammer alert is an indication of when the gun would be able to get a reading (if I were jammerless, i think I would have enough time to dump a lot of speed.

I am basically following Calvino's installation method for an E90 here:

DIY: Laser Interceptor/ Laser Jammer install - Page 2 - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum - E90Post.com

(Except as it needs to be modified for a E92 and for a steptronic

Well I figured out how to remove the center console on a steptronic. Yes you do pull hard on the shifter knob to remove it so the leather boot can slip off the shaft.

I could not get the steptronic panel to come out by pulling on the leather boot. I used some plastic spatulas to pry under the edge of the panel. You do need to remove two electrical connectors on the bottom of the steptronic panel.

I could not get the center console panel to come out be pulling up on the hole created by removing the steptronic panel. I used a screw driver at various points around the circumference of the steptronic panel hole and also the outer edge of the wood trim to leverage the wood trim center console panel out.

The space in the E92 engine compartment near the firewall access is ver y sparse. I was able to cut a hole in the rubber protrusion through which you put the wires to go through the firewall. I pushed a long narrow dowel through the protrusion from the driver compartment and sawed the tip of the rubber off with a serrated knife against the dowel by working from the engine compartment.

So the good news is that I got my heads installed securely and leveled. I routed the wires through the firewall. The bad news is that the LI does not power up. It's the first time I used wire taps and I probably did not make a good connection - but I'm done for tonight.

Here are some pix:

The next two show the bracket I fabricated to attach the lower end of the head to the curved bottom of the grill (compared to the one that came in the box). I used a saber saw to cut a strip out of a cold air door sweep (the kind that has a rubber flap and attached to the bottom of a door.) Mine was made out of aluminum of about the same thickness as the OEM bracket and was very malleable, I made a cardboard template to figure out where and at what angle to bend it. I used a vice and a hammer to bend it. I painted them matte black but they got scratched during the installation so I need to touch them up.

Here's a view from the back of the grill:

Here's a closeup from the front:

Here an installed view - (my car is dirty but not that dirty)

The bubble is slightly recessed from the front edge of the grill slat but compared to a horizontal installation I think it should be much less obstructed. Plus the bubbles are close to the headlights. It is fairly stealthy and fairly secure compared to an installation using tape.

the CPU box is just temporarily velcro's to side of the console under the driver side dash and teh kill switch is just taped to my ProClip, and I still have to install my single rear head, but all in all a very good day indeed. Thanks
PMoth!

**RoadShrink** · 07-27-2008, 03:21 PM

Beautiful car. Beautiful install.

**hockey005** · 07-27-2008, 03:28 PM

Killed a laser atlanta huh! hah congrats and nice install..

**Tambourine-Man** · 07-27-2008, 04:59 PM

Well, I don't know about the statie's Laser Atlanta as I was in the middle lane with other cars around. But the V1 and LI lit up.

Anyway PMoth says I killed his.

**hockey005** · 07-27-2008, 05:08 PM

yea i killed that same laser atlanta like it was my job

**PMoth** · 07-27-2008, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Tambourine-Man

Well, I don't know about the statie's Laser Atlanta as I was in the middle lane with other cars around. But the V1 and LI lit up.

Anyway PMoth says I killed his.

Originally Posted by hockey005

yea i killed that same laser atlanta like it was my job

You guys better stop worrying about the Laser Atlanta and start worrying about the TruSpeed.

Any more talk of killing the LA and I'll fab up an attachment for both the transmitting and receiving lenses and PT on both your rides at 2800 ft.

Enjoy the spotlight for now. Drive safe. Till next time......

**interceptor** · 07-27-2008, 06:47 PM

Just a reminder... :-)

there may be a delay in ALERT since voice alerts take time to play, bt reaction from your jammer isprompt, probably BEFORE V1 since it is closer to laser beam and on a direct ht (no glass), othervise you would be toasted... LA needs quite short time to acuire a speed like instant...

**PMoth** · 07-27-2008, 07:05 PM

It was a pleasure meeting up with Tambourine-Man today. Another distinguished gentleman with class and style. I was on my way to return the lidar units to Suf Daddy and decided to test Tambourine-Man's LI equipped e92 335 on the way. I was concerned at first with the install because of how far back the heads were positioned in the grill. After throwing the PL3, LA2, UL LR, and Stalker v2 at it, all my concerns were extinguished. 2 all over panning runs for each the ProLaser 3 and Laser Atlanta, and 1 all over panning run for each the Ultralyte LR and Stalker v2 resulted in JTG every time. I was not able to replicate the results that RacerX obtained and reported earlier this year with a vertical install on a BMW. No dice. JTG all the way. Of course hockey055 had more runs during yesterday's testing so he is still unofficially Dr. JTG!!! And he drives an Evo so I'm slightly biased.

Below are pics of our test strip in MA today. Tripod, lidar guns, 1600 ft of straight road and unobstructed viewing, and no BULL!!! Tambourine-Man did an excellent job leveling his heads and ensuring that they were pointed straight ahead. Congratulations and a job well done. Drive safe and I hope to see you and your Ma comrades at the Ma jammer day.

**DougiesGoinDeep** · 07-27-2008, 07:18 PM

I wish I had known you guys were doing some testing in MA, I would have tried to jump in.

Great install T-man. And how lucky are you running into a laser on the highway on the first day.? I better find one next week, odds are that I will driving about 1000 miles. Never thought I would ever hope to run into one.

**focalcivic** · 07-27-2008, 07:37 PM

Tambourine why did you go through all that effort to remove the shifter and console, the other guy did that to tap power? and he didn't even drill a hole to mount the LI's power switch. At least go through that effort and mount the switch there.

I don't see the need to remove that panel unless you plan to add a switch in that area, you can draw power for the LI in other areas.