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Thread: Topaz540i's M5 diff conversion build thread PART 2 the saga continues....

  1. #1
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    *Topaz540i's M5 diff conversion build thread

    update_ parts 1, 2, and 3 have been merged into a super thread by the mods. To see part 2 and 3 just keep scrolling down until you find where they start.

    Part 1 begins at post #1 on page 1
    Part 2 begins at post #18 on page 1
    part 3 begins at post #45 on page 2


    so long story long i bought a used e39 m5 diff on ebay for $400. About half the price of most others for sale but a risk. The car was pulled from a wreck so the seller would not guarantee it for more than parts.

    I received the diff by ups. I noticed in the auction ad pic that the seller had pulled the output flanges. I guess this was easier than unbolting the axles. I didnt need them anyway because to put it on my 540i i need to convert to e32 output flanges to connect an m5 diff to 540 axle shafts. You also need an m5 driveshaft. The driveshaft is identical except for the rear section being about half an inch shorter to accomadate the carrier nose.

    Anyway.... about the shipping... the seller put the diff in a cardboard box about 3 times to big and shipped it so that it was just rolling around in the box. Great, now if only this guy would have drained the fluid first everything might have been just great, but of course he shipped it rolling around, full of fluid, and no output stubs to contain it. Naturally the box was drenched and smelled like a dead deer by the time it arrived. Talk about a pissed off UPS guy. It was so bad he stuck around bs'ing so he could watch me open it and see what was inside. No dead bodies. He left.

    So i have this bearing and seals kit, remanufactured m5 driveshaft (driveshaftspecialiast.com $399), various wave washers, a magnetic drain plug from ebay, e32 flanges and 3 quarts of mobil1 to flush it after its installed. I look into the output shaft hole and can see that apparently this thing sat for sometime because all the oily surfaces have a layer of dust and little wood mulch bits. Now im def going to have to tear this beast open and clean everything piece by piece. I think driving and flushing would be too risky because who knows what else is in there.


    Report this image

    I figure since i have to tear it down i might as well get some new clutch discs and dog ears. So some pompous *** tells me that jim blanton @ performancegearing.com has the best prices. He does. His site doesnt list them but if you email him at performancegearing@gmail.com he can set you up. I paid $225 for 2 clutches and 2 friction plates plus new grade 12 hardware (bolts). This is about half the price of most other places (diffsonline.com $400+). Its hard enough to find the discs and most dont sell the dog ears to go with them anyway.

    While i wait for the additional parts I have started cleaning up a few pieces like the cover, case exterior and e32 flanges.

    Im waiting for my new rear cover gaskets to arrive (no the part is not discontinued as everyone thinks, realoem just shows a change in part number), new o-rings for output flange bearing retainer things (e34 m5 part number), and clutches.

    There are not many diy's on e39 m5 diffs so you have to be creative finding the parts and info. Because there are no part numbers for the diff internals you need to find a similiar unit and use those parts. For example i am using o-rings for the bearing retainers from an e34 m5 diff. I know it should find because they have the same part number flange, even the same seals part number.

    I am using some guides for 188mm which should be almost the same. `88mm is considered medium case. The m5 uses a large case. So i havent seen many pics of the m5 internals yet so i was surprised when i opened it up to find that my lsd spool is half black. Is this normal? The whole thing was a grayish color until i wiped the sludge off with a paper towel to find this underneath.

    This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image.
    Report this image
    I tried testing the mesh wear pattern using white lithium grease but there was still too much oil film for it too work right so that will have to wait until i put it back together after cleaning it.


    i hope vantaam5 doesnt mind i borrowed his pic to show you what i mean buy gray sludge film before wiping it off

    This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image.Report this image


    this is my parts list for refreshing the m5 diff. I will be installing everything here except for the bearings. I have all of the presses and pullers but i have heard nothing but "leave it alone" from various sources. The bearing will go on the shelf for now.



    Differential rebuild/refresh

    Differential and parts


    M5 lsd 3.15 differential
    33102229566 x1


    M5 dif f bushings
    33-17-1-090-389 x1
    33-17-1-093-008 x2


    Aluminum Washer - 22 X 27 X 1.5 mm (fill and drain plugs)
    07-11-9-963-355 x1
    07-11-9-932-112 x1


    Differential Output Flange Seal
    33-10-7-510-289 x2


    output bearing retainer flange o-rings
    33-11-1-214-144 x2


    Differential Pinion Shaft Seal
    33-12-1-213-949 x1


    E32 differential output flange
    33131214087x2


    Differential Fluid
    2 quarts 75w140


    diff rear cover gasket
    33-10-8-305-033


    diff rear cover loctite5970 silcone sealant for gasket
    83-19-0-404-517


    4 subframe bushings (installed a few weeks ago)

    33311091422 x4


    2 new clutches and friction plates
    unknown parts numbers.





    and for those wishing to rebuild the driveshaft as well:

    driveshaft and parts


    **M5 driveshaft
    26102228910
    Center support bearing
    26122228917


    Cv joint


    26111229099


    csb butyl tape
    26-12-7-511-140


    Gasket Ring (107 mm) for Driveshaft C/V Joint
    26-11-1-229-504 x1
    M5 giubo
    26-11-2-228-781 x1

    for the driveshaft I bought a rebuilt to OE spec balanced driveshaft with new center support bearing, center universal joint, and cv joint for $399 from driveshaftspecialist.com
    considering that a used d/s will run you about $200 plus $100 for the csb and another $100 for the cv,
    $399 is a good deal because you also get the universal joint and rebalancing so there is nothing left to buy except for the giubo and butyl cord that dampens the csb to the car's underbody.


    Exhaust system removal and replacement parts



    Bolt, Exhaust Manifold to Catalytic Converter
    11-62-1-704-717 x4


    Collar Nut, 8mm, for Exhaust Manifold to CatalyticConverter,1996-03, M5
    18-10-7-523-805 x4


    Rear exhaust hanger with rubber piece
    18-20-1-433-957 x2 ( only 1 if y-res deleted)



    Exhaust hanger center silencer section
    18-21-1-745-426 x2





    these are my research links

    http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e39...some-pics.html

    http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=92714

    http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/D..._procedure.htm

    http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1592551

    http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1650106

    https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2J_...SXM/edit?pli=1


    [ame]http://vimeo.com/44588490[/ame]



    the parts diagrams (m5 diagrams):


    http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...41&hg=33&fg=05


    http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...42&hg=33&fg=10


    http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...88&hg=26&fg=10


    more pics of the parts coming soon.




    update_ parts 1, 2, and 3 have been merged into a super thread by the mods. To see part 2 and 3 just keep scrolling down until you find where they start.

    Part 1 begins at post #1 on page 1
    Part 2 begins at post #18 on page 1
    part 3 begins at post #45 on page 2
    Last edited by topaz540i; 01-02-2013 at 09:01 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
    ~2001 540i/6speed~
    Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~
    On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.

  2. #2
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    After coilovers this is going to be my next mod...
    Please keep us updated with progress man

  3. #3
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    How do you find the time to do all of this? Hardcore!

  4. #4
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    Can't wait to hear how your rebuild turns out. I am in the middle of rebuilding a 540 diff with a wavetrac locker unit and 3.38 ring and pinion. Jim Blanton is awesome to work with to get the internal bearings, shims, races, etc that you just can't get on any old parts site. I thought I bit off more than I could chew at first, but the more research I do and the more help I get from Jim, I am feeling comfortable taking on this rather involved project. Im excited at the challenge of this rebuild, as I'm sure Topaz is also.

  5. #5
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    I'm thinking about taking my 540i driveshaft and having a 1-piece made out of it the same length (shorter) as an M5 shaft.

    I have an M5 shaft now, but a 1-piece aluminum (if possible) shaft would be nice. Its a fairly popular thing to do in the high performance audi circles.

    2001 330Cic/A in the same color combo is "Her" ride.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Justin517 View Post
    I'm thinking about taking my 540i driveshaft and having a 1-piece made out of it the same length (shorter) as an M5 shaft.

    I have an M5 shaft now, but a 1-piece aluminum (if possible) shaft would be nice. Its a fairly popular thing to do in the high performance audi circles.
    What did you do with the 3.15 open diff your car came with?
    Current
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by TriniSpeC View Post
    What did you do with the 3.15 open diff your car came with?
    My car is a manual, came with 2.81:1... I sold it to a forum member a couple weeks ago for $90

    2001 330Cic/A in the same color combo is "Her" ride.

  8. #8
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    Ah, the infamous diff that you beat me on the ebay bid. I remember this, it was a good deal at $450. Nice job on snagging it. I ended up finding one for $550 a few months later. Mine also came in “rough” shape, with no output shafts, there was a nasty mixture of oil and rainwater inside. I will definitely be following this thread as mine needs a rebuild as well.

    2001 BMW 560i 6.0 LSx/T56 SOLD


    2000 Corvette Hardtop FRC

  9. #9
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    My 3.15 diff shipped today, I hope to gawd it is in reasonable shape. All I plan to do is pull the cover, inspect the gears, and check the force on the clutches. It is a 80k diff so I am not too worried about rebuilding it as it will be street driven. These diff's look way small to me, I am used to Dana 80 & Dana 60 diffs.
    2003 540i M-Sport

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shifty1 View Post
    My 3.15 diff shipped today, I hope to gawd it is in reasonable shape. All I plan to do is pull the cover, inspect the gears, and check the force on the clutches. It is a 80k diff so I am not too worried about rebuilding it as it will be street driven. These diff's look way small to me, I am used to Dana 80 & Dana 60 diffs.
    they actually have a 210mm ring gear... which is about 8.25"... not huge but not small by any means, especially for a car. Plus IMO bearing sizes are more important than case size or ring gear size.

    2001 330Cic/A in the same color combo is "Her" ride.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by topaz540i View Post
    So some pompous *** tells me that jim blanton @ performancegearing.com has the best prices. He does.

    <3

  12. #12
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    [QUOTE=Justin517;25434172]they actually have a 210mm ring gear... which is about 8.25"... not huge but not small by any means, especially for a car. Plus IMO bearing sizes are more important than case size or ring gear size.[/QUOTE}

    The case and gear are more than adequate in this application I do gotta disagree on the ring gear size VS bearing size only because I have peeled the teeth off a D60, but never had a bearing problem.
    2003 540i M-Sport

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by mattmartindrift View Post
    <3
    I was hoping you would see that.
    ~2001 540i/6speed~
    Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~
    On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.

  14. #14
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    Topaz, how is the drive pattern set in these diffs? Are there shims behind the bearings to move the diff side to side in the case? Watched the vid and I totally get the 4 clutch mods but as far as I can tell the machining on the case only sets the preload pressure on the clutch. Can these be adjusted to better the drive/coast pattern? can you do anything with the pinion to adjust the depth of the engagement?
    2003 540i M-Sport

  15. #15
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    On the m5, stock it only has 2 clutches. Im just doing two. Anymore there might be a spacer that can be removed for a third like one of the links i had or maybe the cover just needs machining. Im not sure exactly yet.

    When you remove the output stubs the piece bolted behind it, output flange/ bearing retainer?, has a shim. Its like a big washer.

    As long as you dont mix which shim goes on which side nothing should change in the side to side direction. You should mark the flange and shim l/r and keep them in sets the way they came off. Someone recently also figured out the flange has an oil port to let the oil that gets past the output stub c-clip to drain back in so flange orientatin is important too.

    The pinion depth is set with a crush sleeve. Im not doing the bearings at this time so i wont be messing with that for now.
    ~2001 540i/6speed~
    Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~
    On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.

  16. #16
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    That is exactly what I would do if the gear is in good shape. We may have to compare notes as soon as I get mine on the bench and dig into it and have a better understanding of the unit. The manuals have great info, but for me getting inside it and poking around gives me the best understanding.
    2003 540i M-Sport

  17. #17
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    Btw the vid is a medium case so it might be a lil different. I cant even find pics of the large case let alone much good info. I plan alot of pics this weekend.
    ~2001 540i/6speed~
    Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~
    On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.

  18. #18
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    **Topaz540i's M5 diff conversion build thread PART 2 the saga continues....



    update_ parts 1, 2, and 3 have been merged into a super thread by the mods. To see part 2 and 3 just keep scrolling down until you find where they start.

    Part 1 begins at post #1 on page 1
    Part 2 begins at post #18 on page 1
    part 3 begins at post #45 on page 2




    ok what did i do here? i tore the differential down and replaced the 2 clutches and 2 matching "dog ears" or "friction discs".

    this is a pic of the new clutch vs old clutch. The new clutch (left) has a super gritty layer of material. Almost like sandpaper but even rougher. The old clutch disc on the right has pretty much been polished smooth and has barely any visible traces of traction surface. The traction surface is more of a gold gritty substance.






    here is a pic of one of the dog ears. The wear from the clutch left a lip at the edge of the tabs. Mine were worn very evenly smooth but completely worn out.
    i have seen pics of clutches and dog ears that look worse than heavily scored rotors.


    Basically the dog ear is tabbed so it locks in the diff spool and and cannot rotate without the spool rotating. The clutch disc has teeth in the center that lock it to a crown gear in the nucleus that turns the dog bones. Sorry i have never done this before so i have no idea what the stuff is really called. lol

    i will be disassembling all of the parts and washing them in my little ebay parts washer using Purple Power degreaser at full strength. I have an assortment of brushes including brass and nylon. All bearings, bearing races, and gasket sealing surfaces will be scrubbed with nylon only.





    i have already remove the rear cover previously. No explanation needed more than remove the bolts and carefully break the sealant bond.

    next step is to remove the side flanges. There are eight 13mm bolts on each flange. Once you remove the bolts the flanges are free but very difficult to work out. They are machined to fit very snug. I could not get under the edge of the flange to pry so i had to twist and rotate them to work them up until i could get a screwdriver under each side for leverage. On reassembly the will be receiving new o-rings on the outside and shaft seals on the inside.





    as i lift out the flange you can see the metal ring that is falling down. This is what people refer to as the shim. It is very important to put the shims on the same side where you found them and not to mix them up.





    here you can see where i previously struck the case, shim, and flange with a wood chisel to clearly mark where they go, matching pairs as well as orientation . I used a zip tie to keep them together. I put two marks on one flange and a single mark on the other flange .





    the outter bearing race for the spool is located in the flanges that we are pulling out




    when pulling the second flange out be prepared!!!! the spool is going to drop out and it is unbelievably heavy for its size!!!! the spool weighs as much as the entire cast iron diff outter case does!!! The spool is made of many precision made parts stack together so tightly that you can consider it one solid chunk of metal.
    See the naked bearing on each end of the spool after the flanges with outter races have been removed. The flanges are the only thing that holds the spool in place.




    looking into the spooless differential case we can see the pinion gear


    when messing with the pinion (which i will not be at this time) on sets the pinion depth ( to adjust the mesh between ring and pinion) be turning the nut at the center of the input (driveshaft end) flange. Turning the nut will compress the "crush collar". The crush collar will require a great enough amount of force to crush that the pinion bearing will be seated and preloaded by the time it is set properly. There is a whole science to how far to crush it and when to know your done that i wont be getting into because its beyond me at this time.




    here is the spool after removing the 8 bolts that hold the lid on. The lid is spring loaded so you MUST remove all of the bolts a little at a time to avoid cocking it. The lid is precision machined to slide into the spool and has almost no tolerance to cock.


    this is the lid with the bearing facing down. The round section of the lid slips into the spool bore.



    after the lid is removed you can see some large and small Bellevue Washers. These are actually springs shaped like washers. They are dome like a volcano and provide all of the pressure against the clutches once the lid is cranked down.



    below the large washer you will find the first dog ear with the first clutch below that



    the clutch is sandwhiched between the dog ear towards the outside and the nucleus shell towards the center of the spool. The shell is very hard to remove because it is so precision made that the film off oil will make a suction that not even gravity will overcome. Slowly but surely it will slide out if you use the hole in the sides of the spool.



    this is one half of the shell all cleaned up

    ok now we are at the core is where the dog bones and crown gears are located.

    this is the crown gear. It may not look like much in the pic but it is one of the most amazing pieces of craftsmanship i have seen. This is the most beautiful part of the entire differential. The crown teeth face the center and turn the dog bones, the gear teeth around the edge near my fingers interlock with the clutch plates, and the hole thru the center is splined to receive the output shaft stubs that i am using from an e32 for this conversion.



    these are the dog bones at the center of the nucleus


    after the dog bones it is all a mirror image of what has already been removed.



    continued below in next post
    Last edited by topaz540i; 01-02-2013 at 09:02 AM.
    ~2001 540i/6speed~
    Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~
    On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.

  19. #19
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    if you dont understand what going on here i cant blame you, its one of those things that dont click until you do it yourself and say "ah ha so thats how that works!"

    this is a fast recreation of what i refer to as the nuclues

    i start by putting a crown gear in a shell half and put an assemble dog bone inside. you can see a disassembled dog bone below my hand. There are two dog bones total



    dog bone 2



    crown gear crown side towards the dogbones, clutch spline side facing out


    the other shell half.
    note that the end of the dog bone shaft is visible in the notch between the shells halves.



    then on either side of the nuclues there is one clutch attached to the crown gear followed by a dog ear. There is one clutch and one dog ear on each end of the nuclues. In my pic i only did one side. The only other parts reamaining are all of the spring washers.



    here it is- the crown jewel in all of its glory!

    click on this image for the video


    ok lets put the spool back together.

    this is the empty spool



    first we put the small flat washer with the notched side facing out from the center so it will be pointing down towards my table.


    then we put this full diameter cupped washer in. If it was shaped like a volcano the base of the volcano faces the center of the spool with the top faces outwards which will be facing down here.


    in the middle of the large washer will sit a similiar but smaller cupped washer at the same orientation



    on top of the small cupped washer sits another small flat washer but the groove facing center not outwards this time. I suspect these grooves are oil passages. All of the parts fit very tightly and there is not much room for oil to flow freely thru the spool stack.





    next we put in a dog ear followed by a clutch. as you can see a painted all of the parts will oil as i reassembled them to minimize and "cold start" wear. Being that i just completely cleaned everything all of the parts are dry and 75w140 is like honey when cold, possibly thicker.



    hard to see but i next drop in a nucleus shell half.



    drop in a crown gear with the crown facing center. This part is tricky. frustrating but very doable. You have to line the splines on the back of the crown gear to the splines in the clutch disc that is sliding around. The parts fit very tight and you cannot look in to see what your doing.




    one dog bone. (notice the dog bones are notched together)



    dog bone 2




    gear facing the dog bones


    then the other half of the nucleus shell


    this is the outter surface of the nucleus shell that the clutch rides against



    the other clutch



    the other dog ear



    the large bellvue cupped washer with the mound facing away from the center



    the the smaller ones. first the flat one with the notches faces the center followed by the small flat washer humped side facing out.



    there is one more flat notched one that is stuck in the cover. if you remove it face the notches outward. as you can see this one has the smooth side facing the center.



    the slide the cover back in. It will not slide all of the way in as the cupped washers will need to be compressed



    new grade 12.9 hardware. The originals are 17mm but my new parts are allen key. DO NOT USE A REAL ALLEN KEY!!! buy a allen bit. YOu will need to torque these down very evenly as the springs compress or the cover will cock. I used 80ft-lbs of torque. I am told using red loc-tite is more important that the actually torque spec. Once the cover bottoms out that its. You are only making sure the bolts dont come loose after that.




    putting that much torque on them was incredibly difficult because the spool kept rolling away. I ended putting it in a vise and standing on the vice



    conclusion: the clutches were shot and prob worth replacing since i had to pull it apart for a good cleaning anyway. As you can see this required very few tools (17mm, 13mm, and pick tools) so almost anyone should be able to do this as the only skill required is ability to put things back in the order you found them. As mentioned at the top, this is my first time doing a differential and i found it quite easy and fun to explore. The key was simply doing a ton a research so that i would know what to expect to find once inside. I reviewed the research links in my Part 1 posts so many times that this felt like second nature even though i had never done it before.


    NEXT UP- repainting the outter diff case before re-installing the spool and rear cover. At this point the pinion seal has not been replaced. This should be far easier to do once the diff is installed in the car and i can use the parking breaking to prevent the outputs from turning so i can crack the pinion nut loose. If the diff is not in the car this is prob near impossible to do.
    (update: it is possible to do. In part 3 i found a simple way to do it with the diff on the ground) keep scrolling until you get to part 3.

    update_ parts 1, 2, and 3 have been merged into a super thread by the mods. To see part 2 and 3 just keep scrolling down until you find where they start.
    Part 1 begins at post #1 on page 1
    Part 2 begins at post #18 on page 1
    part 3 begins at post #45 on page 2



    ok video is uploaded and added above. Here it is if you already read thru the thread.





    Last edited by topaz540i; 01-02-2013 at 09:04 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
    ~2001 540i/6speed~
    Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~
    On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.

  20. #20
    Join Date
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    Congrats on having the cojones to tackle this job. My last diff rebuild was a Ford 9 inch 3.50 open diff, where I used blue vitrol to set up the ring and pinion mesh.

    Surprising that the pinion gear does not have a bearing on the end; it just floats. I would have expected a better support for this hi-po diff.

    You can measure the breaking torque (to loosen) on the pinion nut to determine how tight to make it w/o replacing the crush collar.

    The car from which this came must have been abused, and/or not serviced properly.


    Ed in San Jose '97 540i 6 speed aspensilber over aubergine leather. Build date 3/97. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA Nr 62319.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
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    Maybe I missed where it was mentioned, is this is the 3.15:1 or a 2.81:1...? I'm inclined towards the 3.15 since you said M5-Diff.

    Also, what kind of oil will you use for it?

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    hillsborough n j
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    2001 540i sport 6spd
    its a stock m5 3.15 lsd that will be swapping into my 540 that currently has the stock open 2.81

    i plan to use mobil1 75w140

    Quote Originally Posted by edjack View Post
    Congrats on having the cojones to tackle this job. My last diff rebuild was a Ford 9 inch 3.50 open diff, where I used blue vitrol to set up the ring and pinion mesh.

    Surprising that the pinion gear does not have a bearing on the end; it just floats. I would have expected a better support for this hi-po diff.

    You can measure the breaking torque (to loosen) on the pinion nut to determine how tight to make it w/o replacing the crush collar.

    The car from which this came must have been abused, and/or not serviced properly.

    i plan to mark the nut with paint. The problem is that it is on so tight that if you turn it the whole mechanism spins inside so you need to find a way to lock the output shafts from turning. In most of the youtube videos i have seen they always have it in the car because you can just use the parking brake.
    Last edited by topaz540i; 11-19-2012 at 07:26 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
    ~2001 540i/6speed~
    Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~
    On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.

  23. #23
    JimLev's Avatar
    JimLev is offline Artifically Aspirated Moderator
    Join Date
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    Nice show and tell Topaz.
    Did you notice any wear marks on the face of any of the gears?
    Have fun with that pinion nut!
    Last edited by JimLev; 11-19-2012 at 07:45 AM. Reason: Typo

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    2001 540i sport 6spd
    I previously tried to check the ring teeth but they were too oily to get anything to stick to them so i will try again once the spool is back in.

    I did notice that the dogbone teeth had some were. They were slightly rounded and polished but nothing major.
    ~2001 540i/6speed~
    Schmiedman M5 headers, SPEC stage2+ kevlar clutch, JBR 11lb lightweight flywheel, ESS Tuning m60 manifold software tune, 3" SS freeflow OBX catback, afe cold air intake, m60 intake manifold, Cdv delete, powerflex urethane sway bar bushings, M5 rear sway bar ,Autozone replacement driver side blinker light bulb, 545 short shifter zhp weighted, "dsc off" sticker, m5 3.15 lsd differential, m5 chassis rods, akebono ceramic pads, G2 caliper epoxy, ecs braided lines, BC-Racing br-plus series w/swift springs 8/6~
    On the night that I go back in time, you will be shot by terrorists. Please take whatever precautions are necessary to prevent this terrible disaster.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Baltimore, MD
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    98 540i6
    If I ever have time, I want to mill this:





    so that it's thinner, allowing me to shove an extra clutch and dog-ear plate in there. Hell, my old drift car's diff had something like 18 friction plates


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