E39 Touring LSx project

**LSxDreamer** · 05-05-2016, 06:55 PM

Hot damn.

**RVAE34** · 05-13-2016, 07:50 PM

Getting there. Hope to wrap it up tomorrow morning.

**auaq** · 05-13-2016, 08:36 PM

One pic isn't good B. Gotta have more car pr0n!

**RVAE34** · 05-13-2016, 09:07 PM

Only one more for now.

**auaq** · 05-13-2016, 09:21 PM

That thing looks tiny. You sure that's a V8 and not a V6.

**RVAE34** · 05-15-2016, 11:00 AM

Car runs great but ran into a problem. The clutch will not work. It took forever to bleed but I finally got solid fluid coming out of each attempt. Yet the pedal will not engage the clutch. Feels like decent pressure and it comes up each time but doesn't feel quite like it used to and it's not working at all. When I removed my leaking unit, I took it to the local dealer to try and find the exact one. No luck. So I found this on Hawks site while at the parts counter and the guy at Chevy told me to order it. It's identical to my old one.

http://www.hawksmotorsports.com/98-0...-new-ac-delco/

But they sent me this. Which is also what the dealer had. The main difference is the profile of the throwout bearing edge and the gold anodized fitting. Yet my clutch line works with either fitting.

http://www.hawksmotorsports.com/98-0...earing-new-gm/

I called them to straighten it out but they assured me that the first one is NLA and now everyone uses the second. The ID and OD are all the same as well as the height so not sure why it won't work. Unless I didn't do something right but I bolted the slave to the trans and bled the system.

**RVAE34** · 05-16-2016, 01:26 PM

Here is the old vs new. Old one has the black base. Since they are both the same height (max plunge depth), I see no reason why they won't work. And the ID of the tube and OD of the bearing is the same too. So all the dimensions are identical even though they look different. Apparently the left style is no longer made.

I vacuum bled it first and then had my wife come out to help pump and bleed. I even kept bleeding for a bit after only fluid came out. The pedal built pressure but feels weird and will not push in the clutch fingers for whatever odd reason.

IMG_1888.JPG IMG_1887.JPG

**bimerok** · 05-16-2016, 01:38 PM

Same clutch as before you disassembled the engine or a new one? If it is new, could it be different dimensions and slave is just not reaching it?

Could it be that your master cyl is dead? I know it worked before you took everything out, but perhaps the time just came...

**RVAE34** · 05-16-2016, 01:44 PM

Master cylinder has 5k miles on it. And the clutch pedal has pressure and it is bleeding when I pump so I seriously doubt the master is bad. The two different slave cylinders have the same height. So how could the plunge depth be different? That is the max height it reaches to push on the pressure plate when you push in the pedal. And as I said above, all the dimensions are the same. Just visually different. I have no earthly idea why it will not work. Read that the Camaro, GTO and Vette all have the same slave with different connections options. All of which are interchangeable. If my old slave was even 3mm taller, I would assume that's it but they are the same height.

**bimerok** · 05-16-2016, 02:22 PM

If you are sure the master is good and not bypassing fluid under load, and slave is good the system should work. Other than issues with pressure plate, I can't think of anything else. Can't really see how clutch can be installed incorrectly to cause something like your issue and having pressure plate springs getting stuck for some reason is a long shot as well...

I assume you checked the obvious to make sure you have no leaks and that trans is seated 100%...

Very curious to see what your issue is...

**RVAE34** · 05-16-2016, 08:28 PM

Trans is seated fully but for some reason, I had a hard time mating the block to it this go round. Everything went fine until it was about 1/2" from the block. Then it took a lot to get it mated. I am at a total loss and have no other ideas on what to do next other than let someone else have at it.

- - - Updated - - -

I noticed the bleeder fitting had a few drops of fluid under it when I got home. So I tried to give the fitting one last good wrench. And viola, it worked. I would say it barely even budged at all but was enough to allow the extra pressure to build up it seems. Drove it around the neighborhood but it really needs a tune with the new cam.

**bimerok** · 05-17-2016, 12:25 AM

Ha! The leak would do it! Good thing it was nothing serious, although enough to cause a headache and a new slave cyl

**RVAE34** · 05-17-2016, 07:45 AM

Indeed! I was getting ready to pull everything out again! The original one I had on the car was leaking like crazy so it definitely needed to be replaced. When I was about to mate the motor to the trans, I noticed a large puddle of brake fluid under the car that was dripping from the slave seal.

**auaq** · 05-17-2016, 12:32 PM

So what will the new tune and cam setup give you? More than what you made last time?

**RVAE34** · 05-17-2016, 12:54 PM

Don't even want to make assumptions. Shooting for a power goal is generally a losing game.

**RVAE34** · 05-19-2016, 07:41 PM

**RVAE34** · 05-23-2016, 02:48 PM

It's been tough to break in the motor with all the rain. Looks like better weather is on the horizon so I plan to drive it to work this week and am trying to schedule a tune ASAP. The brakes are getting better as I drive it more too. Dave Zeckhausen thinks this is normal because the rotors are used and had been improperly broken in. He seems convinced that another week or so of driving with an occasional bedding procedure on the new pads will do the trick. But worst case, I get new front rotors. I also need to get a quote on getting the back seat upholstered to match the rest of the M5 caramel interior. Then the car will be complete. I don't intend to ever paint it because then I would just worry about it all the time. As it stands, I don't mind beating on it or leaving it unattended while parked next to soccer moms

**get dustd** · 05-25-2016, 11:10 AM

Very nice. I am assuming that all e39 big brake kits fit all knuckles since the m5 brakes bolted onto my 6 cyl. knuckles without issue. Is that correct? Man do aftermarket brakes look nice.

**RVAE34** · 05-25-2016, 12:29 PM

It fits fine but the tie rods mount in a different location on the I6 car so it is close to the rotor. A few mm's gap but that's probably all I need. If I ever have issues, it was suggested that I wrap the ball joints with header wrap. Probably would only be an issue with heavy track use.