So it begins....

[Grush]

Remember me?

Didn`t posted here for... 2, 3 years?

This is why:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OEB1OxaqYI&feature=youtu.be

But that`s no M5.

And why is that?

I`ll post some clues once I managed to fix my flickr account back.

Consider this the first post of a long (maybe) thread for E34 enthusiasts. hahaha

[Binjammin]

DUDE! Where have you been? How is the m5? I remember the story where some dudes tried to kidnap you, did they take you for 3 years? Welcome back!

[TakZa]

Sweet! Looking forward to updates :)

[Grush]

DUDE! Where have you been? How is the m5? I remember the story where some dudes tried to kidnap you, did they take you for 3 years? Welcome back!

Lol, yeah, we`ve survived that. Thanks. I see you are still around as well.

The Baroness... well, let`s say that a combination of a LSD, Heavy Rain, some Pirellis with low thread in the rear axle and driver tiredness, while going down a very snaky mountain pass made me loose the grip in the rear axle, and after fighting to get control for a few seconds, I ended up with the car rolling over a ditch. Which factor played the major role, I can`t tell. All i can tell is that speeding wasn`t involved, and I`ve left unscratched. I had a buddy with me also, and he only cutted his hand in the glass while leaving the upside down car. That was it. Bad luck. Bad scenario.

The M5, on the other hand, ended up with the hoofline dropped some inches, and the hole body lost. :( Powertrain and interior left pretty much intact, though.

It has been 3 years since it happend already. The car carcass was left untouched in a parking lot for all that time.

Since then, I`ve been working in the business of car repairing, my life`s passion (started by, guess what, the E34), while I was wondering what I would do with that immovable mass that once was a E34 M5.

Well, after a lot of thinking and planing, I`ve decided that the best thing to do was to look for a "mule" for the powertrain, considering it`s potential and performance parts available. I could buy some forged pistons with higher compression, new bearings, stronger rods, ethanol conversion, eliminate vaccum and EGR systems, ending up with 400+hp... Also I considered on doing a like a E30 project, for lots of fun. Unfortunately, E30s are very rare in brazil, could only find a touring (lol, in fact that actualy maybe even rarer).

But then I`ve realized the last 7 years of my life, and the point that I am right now, owning a quality car repair shop, surviving kidnappings, leaving unscratched from the worse car accident I`ve experienced, and years and years of pure driving pleasure, well, all of those events, had one thing in common: A car with a howling S38B38, all black extended leather interior, a 6 speed manual, within a 1995 BMW 5 series (timeless) body, also know as the E34 M5. So all I needed wasn`t more horsepower, a more stiffer chassis, coilovers, or anything like it. All I needed was my Baroness back.

So I went looking for a chassis donnor, and after seen a lot of candidates, 4 months ago I`ve found a E34 1990 535i with engine and transmission pretty much dead, with 150.000km. It couldn`t run properly, the car was a timebomb (which exploded 2 months after), but it`s body was untouched, the color was almost a match (Diammond Schwartz x Cosmos Schwartz), and on those conditions it was cheap enough to get traded on a beated 1995 2wd 3.0 V6 ford ranger that I had for cargo transportation.

Maybe it sounded like the deal of the century for the previous owner, since nobody sane would by that thing. It was driving like there was a big stopwatch on countdown mounted on the roof, with less than 60 seconds left. Unless if the buyer was insane, like someone having a project of full transplant of electricts, interior and drivetrain of a M5 to it`s chassi. Well, I guess it was the P.O.s lucky day.

And this is pretty much it. I`m rebuilding the car back to stock, manualy, as they did on germany 18 years ago, in a repair shop which the same car is responsible for its existence.

And I really mean full transplant:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7413/12349400065_942fe947fb.jpg

This started this monday. Video was recorded on tuesday. I`ll keep you updated.

[PorscheH6]

I remember you.

Not many folks with a 95 M5.

[e30andrew]

How do I make a new post/ thread on here haha I have never been on these forums before and I have some issues!

[HE53]

Welcome back man! Sorry to hear about the car, always enjoyed your threads, and you had such a great car. Glad it will have a rebirth.

[redimension]

How do I make a new post/ thread on here haha I have never been on these forums before and I have some issues!

Hey new guy, please delete your comment in this thread and read up on our well explained FAQ's section! Everything you need to know about posting is in the following link.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/faq.php (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/faq.php)

[Grush]

Welcome back man! Sorry to hear about the car, always enjoyed your threads, and you had such a great car. Glad it will have a rebirth.

Thanks man.

All I can say right now is that I`m so excited, and I`m really thrilled of sharing this project with guys that still post in this forum.

Here is a picture of the engine rebuilt:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7411/12349305733_c3886aea9b_b.jpg

[linklaterdavid]

Cool story... Can't wait to see it unfold :D

[Grush]

Updates:

Engine Rebuild Process:

Originals +0,20 Pistons in place. We`ve noticed that there was a scratch mark in the cilinder walls, so we decided to refurbished the surface to +0,20.
Engine was running smooth, but with a oil consumption above normal. Hopefully this will help with the problem.:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/12349727824_87f24fd33b_b.jpg

Detail:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3744/12349432253_44bae0f358_c.jpg

Torque-wrenching the bolts:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3702/12349420073_34323b642c_c.jpg

Head reassembly:

Shim buckets out:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/12349229495_5f5edc3efd_c.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2818/12349699154_7107d878b3_z.jpg

New gasket:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7450/12349223085_12686e56ac_c.jpg

Head on:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3741/12349178505_25dbe5d526_c.jpg

Another Angle:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7454/12349161265_ae5b544796_c.jpg

Superior Cage on:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7425/12349151505_0fd4e1675b_c.jpg

Block was painted afterwards... yeah, easier if we did it before mounting the head, but painted took too long to arrive, and it ended as a 9/10 job imo.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7367/12349318913_73f6cac485_c.jpg

The last post picture again, just for progress:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7411/12349305733_c3886aea9b_c.jpg

Unfortunately, from this part and on, I got less pictures from the progress.

Timming Chain in place (Engine Support was painted afterwards.):

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/12349284813_925f42d41d_c.jpg

Valve Jobs was done after this step. No pictures unfortunately.

Alternator, Starter Motor, Vaccum Pump, and PS pump were disassambled, cleaned and reassembled. Only the started motor had a few parts replaced with the 535i`s parts, since it got stuck from being 2 years unused.
This is a picture of them already in. Other components as throtle bodies and oil filter assembly are in just for studing placement.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/12349101925_a64b75349c_c.jpg

Studing the vaccum system assembly... We had a bit of time expended here since there is a lot of components, and the available schemes are only for the 3.6. Some placements change a little bit in the 3.8, but things were shorted out in the end. We`ve made a mistake here, since the engine harness should go under it, and we`ve left those for the end. Heheh

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2812/12349272773_1d1a6e7332_c.jpg

Engine as it stands today. We are figuring out the harness passing at this stage, when we realised the mistake.
We have disassembled this engine almost one year before, took a lot of pictures of the process while taking parts off, but lost the memory card with those. So it explains the double effort haha, but things are comming together...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7363/12466774115_e3fda93419_c.jpg

All rubber material is new. Engine harness is dirty right now, and it will get a rebuild in some ends, since a few of the protective materials are very brittle right now. We are going to use some termocoupling for the job.
Yes the phase sensor it upsidedown in the picture.
The coil cover is gray, since we`ve removed a few of the rust and original paint for a repaint job. this will be done as one of the last steps.

A picture from the other side:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2838/12467110443_d25c7efab4_c.jpg

Engine is getting VERY HEAVY at this point, and we needed to help our engine support with an auxiliary stand. hahaha
It`s size is impressive, and all of the customers love staring at it.

Last picture was took 5 minutes ago. More to come.

[Binjammin]

Engine is getting VERY HEAVY at this point, and we needed to help our engine support with an auxiliary stand. hahaha
It`s size is impressive, and all of the customers love staring at it.

Last picture was took 5 minutes ago. More to come.

I don't know if you get it down there, or even know of it, but Hot Rod Magazine did a review of common engine stands on the market a couple years back, and what they said was basically you'd never be able to find an engine that could be mounted on a stand that would break the stand by weight alone. The only real issue they found was stability by way of how the legs were setup, that the T style legs were far more likely to tip over than the U style. Doesn't really matter now, because you're pretty unlikely to need to roll it over again at this point.

[Grush]

I don't know if you get it down there, or even know of it, but Hot Rod Magazine did a review of common engine stands on the market a couple years back, and what they said was basically you'd never be able to find an engine that could be mounted on a stand that would break the stand by weight alone. The only real issue they found was stability by way of how the legs were setup, that the T style legs were far more likely to tip over than the U style. Doesn't really matter now, because you're pretty unlikely to need to roll it over again at this point.

Yeah, there is no need to roll anymore in the stand at this point.
The engine stand is needed to help moving the engine around, and when you do it, you can see the weight is not well balanced and it tends to roll over to one side (not the rolling mechanism, the whole thing). The engine stand was made for i4 and V6, and maybe for a small block v8, but not for a big i6. The first 2 cilinders are passing over the limits of the stand.
The extra stand is there more to protect the equipment, that we use considerably, to avoid stress, fadige or bending in the joints and linkin components.
engine is in this stand for over a month now, with the bigger weight for two weeks and, as things are rolling, should stay there for a few more weeks.
thanks for the tip though ;)

[Sam Son]

Welcome back! sorry to hear about the M5 but at least you survived...along with the drivetrain. Can't wait to see the finished product

[Binjammin]

also surprised you had the bores punched .020 over but you didnt deck the block....

[Buzzdmonkey]

Wow, our stories are pretty similar. i was driving home late, well early. it was 2am, on a mountain road with ~7 year old tires on the back . I was going around a corner that got sharper halfway through. The back slipped , lost control and hit the grass. once the car turned 90 degrees it flipped...3 times and stopped upside down. I was with a friend aswell, Luckily he didnt have a single mark on him. I only had a mark on my shoulder from the seat belt. the next day the car was towed to my house where i got a better look at the car. the engine bay was untouched. so i decided to try and see if it would run..and it did ! . luckily i found a nice shell for a good price. except for me itll be a 520 turning into a 525 instead of you whos turning an 535 into an m5.

ill definitely be watching this thread.

[Tre0Tre34]

Nice project. I love to see an engine teardown. Especially when it's an S38

Your rebuild should also be a nice upgrade... so long as you keep the narrow grille ;-)

Keep the pics coming. Definitely subscribed

[Grush]

Wow, our stories are pretty similar. i was driving home late, well early. it was 2am, on a mountain road with ~7 year old tires on the back . I was going around a corner that got sharper halfway through. The back slipped , lost control and hit the grass. once the car turned 90 degrees it flipped...3 times and stopped upside down. I was with a friend aswell, Luckily he didnt have a single mark on him. I only had a mark on my shoulder from the seat belt. the next day the car was towed to my house where i got a better look at the car. the engine bay was untouched. so i decided to try and see if it would run..and it did ! . luckily i found a nice shell for a good price. except for me itll be a 520 turning into a 525 instead of you whos turning an 535 into an m5.
ill definitely be watching this thread.

Man, I think I remember some pictures of this forum of a similar accident. was it on a highway exit or something like an access lane? anyway, glad you and your buddy got out with only a bruise. your sense of reality just changes after an event like it, you know what i mean. as well as your sense of quality built the E34 has hehehe. never quit driving dangeours car or went to a "herd mind" when driving but, somehow, you change. also i`m glad to know that turning projects were already successful before with this model. haha


Nice project. I love to see an engine teardown. Especially when it's an S38

Your rebuild should also be a nice upgrade... so long as you keep the narrow grille ;-)

Keep the pics coming. Definitely subscribed

yep, as I used to spend hours on this forum just checking for pics, mods and restorations, i believe now i have some quality material to share as well.
always liked narrow grille more. much more classy, suits the car better. one of the few examples where facelift didn`t improved much ;)


Welcome back! sorry to hear about the M5 but at least you survived...along with the drivetrain. Can't wait to see the finished product

The car wasn`t lost. Just its shell. Just like Robocop. lol thanks


also surprised you had the bores punched .020 over but you didnt deck the block....

No warpage above or near tolerance was detected on block or head after disassembly, only a single scratch in one of the cylinder walls. it was scratched, not actualy warped. that`s why we only did the bore.
surface on the block and head were prepared before receiving the gasket, but no real machining was considered needed.

[Leonator134]

So great! Subscribed.

[PorscheH6]

BMW says don't deck the head.

Engine looks great.

[Grush]

So great! Subscribed.

Thanks.


BMW says don't deck the head.
Engine looks great.

Thanks. Much better without all of that cosmoline. Here is a picture of it when I got the car:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5526/12481451225_8b2e7d188e_c.jpg

I`ve been thinking of a substitute for cosmosline, since heat and oxigen will remove the shine, but something that didn`t leave this yellowish layer.

Found this: http://boeshield.com/

Anyone had any experiences with it? Does it protects? Get Yellow or anything like it? Attracts too much dirt? Last for 6 months at least? I`m willing to try that.

[Binjammin]

Man, I think I remember some pictures of this forum of a similar accident. was it on a highway exit or something like an access lane? anyway, glad you and your buddy got out with only a bruise. your sense of reality just changes after an event like it, you know what i mean. as well as your sense of quality built the E34 has hehehe. never quit driving dangeours car or went to a "herd mind" when driving but, somehow, you change. also i`m glad to know that turning projects were already successful before with this model. haha


I think you're thinking of Josh, he rolled his car off an entrance to a highway after sliding in some sand. He's just as ok these days as he ever was, last I heard.


BMW says don't deck the head.

Engine looks great.

Why not deck the head?

- - - Updated - - -

For protection, powdercoat the head with a clear powder.

[Htay9500]

:wave

[Buzzdmonkey]

Man, I think I remember some pictures of this forum of a similar accident. was it on a highway exit or something like an access lane? anyway, glad you and your buddy got out with only a bruise. your sense of reality just changes after an event like it, you know what i mean. as well as your sense of quality built the E34 has hehehe. never quit driving dangeours car or went to a "herd mind" when driving but, somehow, you change. also i`m glad to know that turning projects were already successful before with this model. haha .


I havent posted any pictures of mine on this forum. it happend on a mountain road in my area.

[Binjammin]

It was Josh.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1128099-well-now-she-is-gone-so-time-to-part

He got a little messed up, but any landing you can walk away from...

[atl530i]

Sub'ed Nice build. Sucks about the wreck but glad you and your friend made it out okay.

[Grush]

Body and Electrics Update.

Today the harness is finaly out from the 535i.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7303/12504915505_890910f607_c.jpg

Now I wonder why they developed the multiplex system, and CANBUS. The weight and complexity of this harness is impressive. And the M5`s one is even bigger, since there is even more optionals.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/12505380834_74687b0603_c.jpg

Since everything is out, we did a full chassis inspection. Found out that there is a little of corrosion in the batery compartment and adjacent passengers`s floor. Probably due an old batery leak. Rusty is being removed right now, and the area will be treated with a specific anti-rust coating. Tomorrow we are planing on washing the engine compartment. A few components supports like expantion tank support is different. So we`ll have to solder in the M5`s one very soon.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3700/12505022873_0562792b8b_c.jpg

[Binjammin]

Gotta be almost 300lbs of weight in the harness alone.

[Grush]

A/C Compressor Repair Pictures:

The repairs progression are suspended until new parts arrive.
So, yesterday we`ve decided to inspect the A/C Compressor that had a small stuck point in its rotation axis.
Before crash, and actualy during crash hahaha, the A/C was working properly, and there was no hit marks on its carcass.
We then concluded that maybe dirt got in, or materials oxidated and bound together. There is only one way to find out:

Here is the compressor. Tissue stuffed in the connections are only for isolation.:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7451/12544335024_d92eef5f2b_c.jpg

Front plate out:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2838/12543823175_a46de08270_c.jpg

Clutch out. Tools comes handy here.:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/12544320674_940b108210_c.jpg

Locking washer out:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7373/12544314194_74720b0c9f_c.jpg

Be careful with wiring at this point:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/12543945063_82137b99d8_c.jpg

Front cover out. Very delicated part here, since there is an axle retainer that we wanted to keep intact. Lots of vaseline in the axle to avoid cuting, denting or striping the retainer material.:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5518/12544293074_d2bddb2aff_c.jpg

Here we had the first access in. But first, removing the big rubber seal with a dentist tool. Very delicated stuff as well. It`s a rubber part, and we can outsource it if needed, but we are taking careful avoid needing it. After reassembly, we would change it if any leaks were detected. See down bellow.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3827/12543925893_85f4a2b79d_c.jpg

With the front plate out, we then found a hint of the problem: Oxide preciptations. It seems that the compressor stood still for 2 years, and the oil film around the walls were no more.

Here is the front plate:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5529/12543774705_9b835525b7_c.jpg

Here is the inside of the carcass:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7318/12543905163_8db93978c6_c.jpg

Looks like dirt, but it`s oxidation. Well, this part can be easy to solve with a little wet sanding, and some aromatic thinners. Still, the rotor inside it still had this stuck point, that could be checked by rotating the axle. At this point I was hoping there was only oxidation as well.

The rotor out:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/12544259354_a70034d3d6_c.jpg

It`s back with what I believe are two metal filters. They were very clean, nothing stuck on those.:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5510/12544246054_d99de2a799_c.jpg

Next step, everything is parted:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7388/12543870323_5963349acd_c.jpg

No big issue, just more oxidation. Here are the "cilinder walls" of the rotor. You can see the part were oxides preciptated:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7308/12543877323_140c2498d6_b.jpg

Wet sanding the surface:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2883/12543863703_78bfb427d6_c.jpg

Surface finished. At this part we managed to remove these walls as one of the causes of the stucking:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/12543713275_73d5e4b2ae_b.jpg

Next, the rotor. The main shaft was clean, but the paddles inside it had problems as well. They couldn`t slide in and out, because of that brownish stuff. The second one from top to bottom shows it very clear. Gotta wet sand those as well.:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7348/12544211924_98b0c3ae22_c.jpg

Now, reassemble everything back and test the rotation again. We`ve made a video here. Everything spins freely now:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNRIy5sXuZ0&feature=youtu.be

Sounds good. Now we just needed to clean everything else and reassemble it back to it`s glory days.

here is the carcass inside, cleaned. Just a few stains, but surface feels even on your fingers all around. We believe this compressor works with very high tolerances of warping and surfacing, so we won`t have a problem with that.:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7385/12543815743_9f80db257c_c.jpg

Front plate must be attached first:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3783/12543660705_e569bc6f42_c.jpg

And here is a delicated part. Remember that retainer? It must slide in very smooth in the axle, to avoid hurting it`s surface and ending up with an oil or gas leak.
We used a lot of vaseline and a thin plastic sleve:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3751/12544155374_32cee32d90_c.jpg

Sliding that it. Sleeve in place.:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/12544148504_6dc32e2115_c.jpg

Plastic out, and front plate in. Be careful to pull the plastic in one piece, so you won`t left anything behind.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3720/12543769833_97445b1c9a_c.jpg

Put it back in the carcass, and fasten the bolts:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3779/12544122104_8b27fc08b1_c.jpg

Now, let`s test it again. First, we need new oil inside. We are using a sintetic oil for R134 compressors. According to autodata, Seiko Compressors take 180ml to 190ml and Denso 160ml to 190ml. Both are japanese, and I have no idea which one I had. So, since 190ml is the top, we choose 180ml as target. Our water cup has the same exact measure:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/12543829173_46b2a81e12_c.jpg

So, put everything in:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/12543609835_04a745f079_c.jpg

And some tracing agent for future leak detections using UV light, 10ml is enough:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7374/12543531855_6a853cdb2b_c.jpg

Then things got very messy because of the oil and I leave the phone aside. We then tested the compression, using a pneumatic tool to spin the shaft. There was no leaks, and compressor had good suction and made a very healthy V8-like sound. Seriously.

Final test will have to be with the car running and with gas in it, there is no other way of making sure everything went fine. But we are very confident with the results.

btw, early A/C systems take a lot of R134. It`s more than 1kg in this car. I believe it`s because of the compressor design. I was hopping that we had mutiple pistons with an orbital crank, but this one was with this paddle system. Probably much more room for the gas to ocupy. Very uncommon, considering all the compressors we usualy test and repair here use multiple piston technology.

That was yesterday. Today, flywheel, clutch and transmission were mated together on the bench. God bless this mariaged. Pics soon.

- - - Updated - - -


Sub'ed Nice build. Sucks about the wreck but glad you and your friend made it out okay.

Thanks! Life goes on.


Gotta be almost 300lbs of weight in the harness alone.

Yes it does, no joking on that.

[Grush]

Guess nobody is interested in A/C in the middle of the winter. Lol.

Here are better updates:

Engine harness was figured out. once we passed everything behind the vacuum lines and water hoses, every curve and bent fitted perfectly.

Time for mariage then.

Resurfaced dual mass flywheel in, plus new clutch and pressure plate.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5501/12636458825_10e0c845cd_c.jpg

Transmission was assembled right after. Perfect match:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3760/12636930824_c607d35109_c.jpg

Powertrain sits on this bench right now, and will stay like that for a while, waiting for the rest of car to be done.
I`m still figuring out if it`s better to make a DSSR from zero or buy the UCC one.

Here is the other side:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7349/12636590303_d08cbe186f_c.jpg

[Grush]

Car harness is being installed right now. Roof is already done. We`ve found out that a few ducts and supports, specialy for the EDC wiring and sensors, don`t exist in the 90`s car. Trunk locking mechanism, that never operated properly in both cars are different as well. So the wiring connectors will have to be adapted, but the number of wires are the same. Same for EDC ducts. Pics soon.

Question:
Anyone knows if there is any difference between colling capacity or any other difference between the 535i radiator and the M5 one, besides the autotransmission cooling side coupling? The M5 radiator got totaly busted during the crash, a new one is VERY expensive. Cooling hoses placement matched perfectly with the 535i, as well as the temp sensor, but I`m not sure about it`s capacity or room for the bigger M5 engine oil cooler that fits bellow it.
Btw, the 535i radiator is pretty much new as well.

[dizzythree]

BMW says don't deck the head, but they also give a minimum thickness for the head which is well below what the typical head measures in at. It's typically beneficial to deck it at least .001"~.002" each time you have it off to get a nice RA on it for sealing purposes. Decking the block should only happen if it's needed to fix warpage or something. As long as the head seals, and the valves don't make love to the pistons, you're good to go.

That being said, I do have a nice, non-decked head complete with valve-train from an S38 still if you still want to buy it PorscheH6 (we talked about you buying my bare head last year). It's at the machine shop for a few weeks getting a valve job and the guides checked, was going to have them mill it just a little, but it may not even need it.

I've been using a 535i radiator in my M5 for years, no issues. I would assume the M5 one would be better if you lived in arizona or something, but the 535i hasn't given me any grief. Fits fine with the M5 oil cooler.

[Grush]

BMW says don't deck the head, but they also give a minimum thickness for the head which is well below what the typical head measures in at. It's typically beneficial to deck it at least .001"~.002" each time you have it off to get a nice RA on it for sealing purposes. Decking the block should only happen if it's needed to fix warpage or something. As long as the head seals, and the valves don't make love to the pistons, you're good to go.

That being said, I do have a nice, non-decked head complete with valve-train from an S38 still if you still want to buy it PorscheH6 (we talked you buying my bare head last year). It's at the machine shop for a few weeks getting a valve job and the guides checked, was going to have them mill it just a little, but it may not even need it.

I've been using a 535i radiator in my M5 for years, no issues. I would assume the M5 one would be better if you lived in arizona or something, but the 535i hasn't given me any grief. Fits fine with the M5 oil cooler.

I would deck this head if I needed to. Actualy, only if it was warped, and depending on the measures. But when it comes to preparing the surface for a new headgasket, there are other ways of doing it that don`t take decking. All you searching for is a microscopic uneven/scratched surface to hook in the gasket material. That can be acomplished by light sanding with the correct grit, or using special pads on a pneumatic tool. The point is actualy the technic, that you don`t end up removing too much material unevenly and end up with actualy "warping" the head. More like a surface treatment/preparation, and not a surface correction/machining.

Thanks for the tip on the radiator, that was exaclty what I was hoping for. Guess i`m going to stay with the 535i radiator then.

Saturdat I`ll post our DSSR project. We got the concept and made it with junk and scrap material laying around, and a few cuting, grinding and welding. Not the best looking thing, but it gets the job done. lol

PS: Now that I noticed, how did I got 600 posts? I don`t even remember posting that much here. Probably too much offtopic lol.

[HE53]

Keep the updates coming!!!!!!

[TakZa]

Very interesting updates!Keep posting! ;)

[auaq]

Nice to see a rotary type a/c compressor. The newer compressors of late are of variable displacement and of piston type compressors.

[Grush]

Quick Update.

M5 Harness being installed.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7326/12937045055_7c3ac8bb09_c.jpg

That cracked rear insulation is cracked in both cars. A new one is $ 55,00 according to my last quote. Not bad at all, so it`ll get replaced.


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7400/12937145403_e1ab64a28e_b.jpg

Other side. Brownish stuff is mud/sand, not rust anymore. It`ll get cleaned before the carpet goes in.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7445/12937121153_8c1c10c3de_b.jpg

Note the already treated surface in the rear right passenger footwell.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3753/12937098213_8c13286cb7_c.jpg

Engine bay, cleaned, and with the side 535i supports removed.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/12937389374_7672d3fa06_b.jpg

M5 IHKA, with the classic old filter / new filter picture. Every flap motor works, condenser has no signs of rust or leakage. It will get cleaned and reassembled.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3669/12937069553_3529c24a05_c.jpg

Old filter/new filter close. The old wasn`t even the correct one. It had no plastic frame.

[Grush]

So yeah. Another not so much exciting update.
We had a good week full of service, and we didn`t had much time for the E34.
Besides, I`ve just placed the last parts order for the car. When you start a project like this, you can make a lot of plans and think of parts that will be needed, may be needed and might be needed. Then you realise that more things will come while you are in the project. And these small things end up beign almost 2k. But that it`s related with the level of detail and restoration you wanna get in, of course. Myself, let`s say that we are taking the middle road here. Replace what is broken, fix or improve correctly if possible, clean major stuff, but don`t get too anal with cleaning or detaling stuff, specialy hidden stuff that will get dirt anyhow. Afterall, this car will be driven, and not stay parked in garage, and things will get dirty again from normal use.

Well, back to updates:

Front carpet is in, and harness lateral pass are done.
In the picture, a special feature in my M5 that I didn`t see in the 535i: The ECUs engine compartment is air cooled, using a dedicated fan, cool air from a/c, and it even have a temp sensor in the carcass that holds the DME, ABS and EDC modules. The fan is bellow the parking lever:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3669/13156110515_7a959aa34e_c.jpg

Checking for the fan placement. It goes behind the glovebox. 535i had a rubber seal in the hole were the fan blows air.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/13156188374_f33f3e5a3f_c.jpg

Carpet was washed with steam, and smells and feels like new. No stains at all.
here is a picture with HVAC and upper dash in. We are figuring out the wiring placement bellow the left side.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/13156093765_1b216459df_c.jpg

A close on HVAC already in. It got revamped, as you saw in the last post, and all flaps actuators are good. Although, I remember listening to flaps beign actuated in the car after turning key to ignition.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7324/13156363594_91da33713c_c.jpg

Here is a close of the drivers side harness. Looks like a mess, but everything is sorted out. We are just waiting for some parts of the steering collum to arrive so we put everything in.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3770/13156346154_36bcd5f8b4_c.jpg

Another adaption we needed to make in the chassis. There are two harness that go behind the wheel housing to the cabin. Passenger side is EDC strut and EDC accelerometer sensors wiring, and Drivers side is EDC strut and AUC module, if i`m not mistaken. Here is the Passenger side:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7228/13155934555_66a1177c98_c.jpg

But that`s the finished product. Holes were not there in the 535i chassis. So we had to measure and pierce them. And here we`ve made a mistake. Hole is suposed to be 55mm in diameter, but some how a 60mm diameter cup was ordered. After the holes were made, the rubber isolation did fit well, but didn`t had a perfect resistence. So we added some uretane glue to finish the seal properly and fix the rubber in place. Ended up being better than stock in terms of holding it in place. lol. Here is the cup and the rubber seal:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2295/13156176553_7a72232054_c.jpg

Hole being cut:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3691/13156313834_ffffdcd3b3_c.jpg

Almost there:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2673/13156300334_586ede825b_c.jpg

Finished product:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7119/13156284994_5ce536f7d1_c.jpg

And drivers side:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7459/13156201364_745738237e_c.jpg

And here is a very unpleasant surprise. We have removed the old 535i rear shocks, and checking for the EDC fittings. Drivers side fitted like a glove:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2788/13156093283_76c84cc50d_b.jpg

But then we went to the passenger`s side and GODMFCKINGOHFCKSHITWHY:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2232/13155976145_91a74e5ebb_c.jpg

It seemed that 535i wasn`t as perfect as we wondered. Overdue shocks replacement and very "good" roads conditions paid its toll. Although, car didn`t had any noises or clunk sounds from behind.

Upper view:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7237/13156234374_31e62f9bb4_c.jpg

Since there are a lot of brackets, holders and supports for M5 especific parts like Pentosin reservoir, radiator expantion tank, EDC rear accumulators and valves, all that needed to be welded in the chassis, AND this new encouraging finding in the hear strut tower, I`ve ended up searching in the market for an Artisan Welder, and found one. He`s going to weld the supports in place, and try to solve this huge crack in the strut tower. I`ve seen this in other customers` cars, but never in BMWs, so i`m not sure if there are special reinforced mounts or plates being done for this car. So we are going to try to weld it back, and reinforce. How this is going to end up, I really not sure. But the guy is good, looks like Mick Jagger, and hopefully I`ll be watching a good dancing, I mean, welding performance tomorrow. Hopefully, with some good pics of the show as well.

Stay tunned. lol

[Steve547i]

Very cool thread. keep the updates coming!

[Binjammin]

I love it. It looks like you can probably fix that cracked mount by drilling the spot welds and just replacing that piece.

If that's cracked, you should inspect where the parcel shelf is welded to the rear firewall (behind the rear seat) as that likes to crack as well.

Also, it's surprising that your 535 didn't have the ebox fan, every US 535 I've seen has had one, and it's GOT to be warmer down there than it is up here, for the most part.

[Grush]

I love it. It looks like you can probably fix that cracked mount by drilling the spot welds and just replacing that piece.

If that's cracked, you should inspect where the parcel shelf is welded to the rear firewall (behind the rear seat) as that likes to crack as well.

Also, it's surprising that your 535 didn't have the ebox fan, every US 535 I've seen has had one, and it's GOT to be warmer down there than it is up here, for the most part.

wtf, you love cracks? why on earth would you love cracks? lol

Where does the parcel shelf usualy cracks? Gotta inspect that. I believe you are talking about the two metal parts that meet together and is out of focus in the bottom of the last picture?

I`ll try to weld the current piece back together.

If that isn`t possible anymore, I`ll have to check if the M5`s piece is still intact. I remember that the rear subframe in the same side side had the big bushing house bent, but that got properly fixed back with a hammer. lol But, I don`t know. Changing the frame on this level could be worse than trying to fix the crack.



Very cool thread. keep the updates coming!

thanks

[Binjammin]

I don't love the cracks, I love the effort that shows of the amount of work you're doing. It's looking great. I don't have pics handy but 5mall5nail5 has a thread where he repaired the cracks on his car. Try PMing him or finding his pics.

[auaq]

Nice. Loving it.

Just a quickie ... does anybody have an insight technical detail of the S38B38 engine? Like in a pdf file?

[Psykick5]

Wow what a build. Kudos to you, sir. This car is going to be amazing when it's done. Also, that electrical harness looks like a nightmare. I'm so glad I'm not doing that. Wiring and me don't get along.

[Grush]

Also, it's surprising that your 535 didn't have the ebox fan, every US 535 I've seen has had one, and it's GOT to be warmer down there than it is up here, for the most part.

Most of the BMW that are oficialy imported, and this is the case of this 535i are Europeans. And I don`t think that in 1990 they did much modification in the cars for preparation for South America Weather, as they did to other places. Although, my M5 has as option according to the vin description, a SouthAmericanPackageConfigurations, or something like that. Anyway, even in hot weather as we get here, it is questionable the need for this cooler in the 535i, since the car run through more than 100.000km and modules seems fine. Another example of overengineering maybe.


I don't love the cracks, I love the effort that shows of the amount of work you're doing. It's looking great. I don't have pics handy but 5mall5nail5 has a thread where he repaired the cracks on his car. Try PMing him or finding his pics.

Oh, I see. Thanks, this kind of reply is encouraging for such a huge project.


Wow what a build. Kudos to you, sir. This car is going to be amazing when it's done. Also, that electrical harness looks like a nightmare. I'm so glad I'm not doing that. Wiring and me don't get along.

Everything was just disconnected, and it needs to be reinstalled. No major modifications. Much of the wiring already has bends and curves that fits with the comparments and placing, so it looks messy, but it`s pretty much straightfoward once you match the connector with the module or component.


Nice. Loving it.

Just a quickie ... does anybody have an insight technical detail of the S38B38 engine? Like in a pdf file?

What kind of techincal detail do you need? I do have one with repairs like torque values and orders, lubricants capacities and some electrical values, and I also have a commercial one that says the technical differences between S38B36 and S38B38. Both can be found in google, with a quick search. Let me know if you can`t find them.


So,

The guy came. Let`s say I was hopping for a little more finish in the welding, but judging on the access of this areas, let`s say it`s a 8-10 job.

Here is the engine bay passenger side suports. Hold the expansion tank and emissions filter. This is the old tank, just for studing the placement. A new, clear, white, gourgeous one has been ordered in my last order. Can`t wait for it to arrive, they tend to be the cherry over a cake in this engine bays. The thinner can dosen`t belongs there, of course. lol.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3800/13175307553_854dd57b74_c.jpg

Drivers side, that should hold air box and the pentosin reservior, if i`m not mistaken:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7039/13175148765_634d4fc993_c.jpg

Airbox in just to study placement:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7086/13175166985_a887f5f1c4_c.jpg

Welding in the topside tower, before finishing. Due do access, he only welded from the bottom:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7062/13175396574_5f50b63423_c.jpg

Bottomside, finished:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/13175379254_b7fc0d5c2a_c.jpg

Another picture.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/13175359034_0f615e690d_c.jpg

One pic for the rear accumulators:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2400/13175277904_bbd42e463c_c.jpg

Let`s see how this babe holds up.

[HE53]

Damn, awesome work mounting up things that weren't originally there.

[auaq]

Yes, I'm interested in the complete/broad technical differences between B36 and B38. I'm also interested to understand the design concept behind the external coolant galleries, the flow, and how are/were they designed to work out of my own curiosity. Any other full technical details of the two motors will be appreciated too.

Thanks

[gixxerboy63]

Man, this build is fabulous!

-Gixxer
Subscribed.

[Grush]

UPDATES!

Paint update to be exact.

So, I removed the old red-worn brake calipers for painting. Didn`t wanted anymore that redish "JUSTARRIVED" paint scheme.

Old calipers:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7340/13973024782_32f053e33d_c.jpg

Detail:
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/13976178305_e7f147649f_c.jpg
Yes, left one is a E39 540 single piston caliper. Got it instead of the 4 pistons unique E34 M5 floating one, when I got the car. PO must have changed them before selling the car, and I just realised they were replaced when I was going to do a brake refresh. Took me 2 weeks to find out which calipers were those from. Since this was no longer stock, I was planing to go for a BBK, 6 pistons Wilwood, but then I got into a bigger project, so this upgrade has been put in hold. See bellow.

These are them with paint removed, ready to be sent to powder coating.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2902/13972962852_25a5510f52_c.jpg

I choose a black finish for a non ricer look:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/13976556324_eb292c1bf7_c.jpg

And back to Chassis!
Here are some of the EDC mounting points I`ve forgot to post. this is the front one:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7120/13973134632_f461bf89a2_c.jpg

This is the rear one, inside trunk compartment:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/13996287133_94035c7f45_c.jpg

And on saturday, I just got the engine bay repainted in diamondschwartz. Choose not to clearcoat it, since it gets too shiny.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/13976700694_73f9978fc2_c.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5195/13973062302_3e04179d96_c.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/13996237743_1d3844f63d_b.jpg

Looking brand new.
So engine bay is getting ready to receive the engine now. Tomorrow I`ll be cleaning and refitting the side parts like brake servo, ABS pump, steering collum, A/C hoses...

And while I was in this restoration project, I went crazy and got into another old black unique bimmer restoration one:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2094180-Chimbica-s-Thread-%28Pics-Heavy%29

lol, yeah, and I`ve just decided to remove that S70B56 engine for a complete refurbishing as well.
But first, S38B38 must get back to the car, I need the current rack free to hold the S70B56.
They are going to be run side by side, but the E34 should get it`s first crank in a few weeks, and get done first.
Can`t tell which one gets me more excited. OMG WHAT HAVE I DONE. :lol:buttrock

[Binjammin]

I love this thread so much.

[e24mpwr]

You rock. I love to see this kind of dedication - it is going to feel amazing when you get this thing on the road!

[Grush]

Finaly, updates.

Didn`t had time to update you guys. It`s hard stuff to write and upload and post in here. But things must be documented, and E34 love must be shared.
Many things happend since the last post.
So here it is:

In one side, new High pressure R134 A/C hose came. For the Low Pressure one, I`ll be using the R12 535i`s one. All A/C Green O-Rings were replaced. Later we discovered that we`ve missed one inside the IHKA input. More on that later.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5562/14211506266_9cc1b544de_b.jpg

Left side components began to be installed.
Brake lines are from the 535i. Hidraulic lines for SLS were transplanted.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5240/14048039530_08cc2a3c0a_b.jpg

And then, the big moment:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2901/14234639955_7f99d6226e_b.jpg

Side by side with the brotherhood.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2918/14047993018_f00824963b_b.jpg

Positioning the bed:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5537/14048057037_8f524f44a3_b.jpg

Aaaaannnd:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2923/14047988029_847425597a_b.jpg

That`s enough for today. lol

[Binjammin]

Oh CMON, you don't have any pics of that sexy engine IN THE CAR?

CMON!

[Grush]

Oh CMON, you don't have any pics of that sexy engine IN THE CAR?

CMON!


Lol yes I have. But they haven`t been updated yet.

Body and Eletronics first.

Since this was a full 1995 to 1990 eletric/eletronics transfer, lots of things had to be adapted. See bellow.

First, another memorable event: The first ignition key turn, with the dash in:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5117/14047985748_188b1c2822_b.jpg

As you can see, we are having a problem with the turning signals. Left side and Hazard lights are constantly flashing, and still we don`t know why. So now we are focusing in the main parts assembly, and going to get back to this problem after. Still, we already checked:

Brown Crash-Relay Module: Using the 1995 one, so it is the new part. The CSi one is also the same, replacing them don`t change anything.
Inertia Sensor: It`s a On-Off sensor. Jumping the terminals or switching to the 1990 one`s version (still On/Off), nothing changes. Fuel Pump works. So car isn`t in a crash state.
LKM: Not. WEll, front dip beams are also not working. But changing between the 1995 with the 1990 changes nothing. So there may be a short somewhere between the LKM and the lamps.
ZKE: Inertia Sensor wiring goes directly into ZKE, so we think there might be some kind of DTC or reseting envolved. We got a GT1 Yellow head, but ZKE can`t be accessed. Not sure about this one.

Anyway, main components are connected, so maybe there is a short we didn`t found yet.

Fuel Pump and Tank

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5563/14234629485_4719b1e558_b.jpg

So the M5 have a 3,5 Bar pump, and the fuel pump assembly is different in between both tanks, which are different. I was hopping for it to be working. And it was. Pre-filter was very nasty, with a thin black sludge fillm. Got replaced of course. Good. No expenses here.

And this is the Metal 90L M5 fuel tank (the 535i is plastic, and 80 L.).

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5272/14047983569_aa628a9c28_b.jpg

It got bent in the crash :(

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/14047981748_6856f69c21_b.jpg

But not enough for any cracks. So, we first inflated it, and now with the help of a Hammer and a Wood Block, it`s getting back into shape. Then we are going to inspect the bent lines again, to make sure it won`t leak fuel in the future. But the main objective is to reuse it.

And the, Steering wheel is in!!!

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2902/14234379984_98c94f366f_b.jpg

As well for the rest of the full leather interior and console. At this part, I began to wonder about the full complexity of this project. With the interior getting assemble, the sense of progress is overwhelming. But it`s a false sense, since there is a lot to be done, adapted, and solved.

And then, something that came to my attention. My EDC button never flashed Green. Which made me wonder: Did EDC ever worked properly since I owned this car? When I switched the buttons, the ridgidity change in the ride was actualy a Placebo? Only one way to know: Get her back on the road.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5558/14047977378_d0cb81ee16_b.jpg

A side view. Seat already in. And on the contrary of the EDC, memory seats never worked in this car. And still don`t. We are going to figure it out later.
Also, as you can see, she`s on the CSi`s Throwing stars. More on that later.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5156/14047975738_514527a220_b.jpg

AND, my radio deck is on: Ow yeah. I love this radio. Color matched, letter in the screen matched with the OBC, it has Bluetooth phone and plays Ipod.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/14231329171_1ac620e396_b.jpg

And a detail pic: The M Stichings. Back on the days she was running, I never managed to get them cleaned properly. Teal was always dirty, to a point that I quit trying to get them cleaned. Then I ordered that leatherique stuff. And that Leatherique Pristine Cleaner and a Brush made the thing get back to pretty much stock state. I`m really impressed with the results.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2913/14047972608_a1bf8e4f79_b.jpg

Lot`s of updates to be made. Seats, Wheels, Interior, Trunk parcels, engine bay... Hmmm.. Ok, next update will be about the engine again. I should be receiving the clearcoated intake plenum this week.

[atl530i]

Very cool. I'll have to try the Leatherique stuff on my steering wheel.

[Grush]

quick update.

First, engine oil. We choose to use the Mobil 1 5W50 since the car runs on a hot climate area, with A/C on pretty much 80% of the year. High temperatures, higher viscosities, and the best synthetic bases, mixing PAOs and Esthers.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3886/14360432860_b8346c8e24_b.jpg

All in. And there you can see that sexy new expansion tank. HMMMMMM

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3897/14360429740_9ee31f7a89_b.jpg

And some mineral-free water for a first run. Since the radiator and engine block should still have some rust coatings, we choose to make the first run on pure water, then drain the system after a 100km run.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3877/14360427050_05981b11c8_b.jpg

And, with the engine on, while we waited for the new fuel injectors to arrive, we ended up firing the engine with the CSi`s injectors. Couldn`t wait. lol idling ended up being a little sloppy, and without the MAF and intake plenum, car would stall in the first hard acceleration. Still, it was a good, fun and loud test. Too loud. And while we were waiting, I ended up fitting the 540 rear muffler back in the car. It was on the car during the crash. And since the car got slightly uphill during the turnover, lol, it ended up with some dirty inside the muffler, as you can see bellow.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3926/14547068055_05e44e196a_b.jpg

And then, the injectors came in 3 weeks after. And the engine was properly fired:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2896/14523980096_9210c1284a_b.jpg

And, for a proper date, time and km registry:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5594/14360610037_40f52c464a_b.jpg
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/14360612667_499053e879_b.jpg

And the first run around the block, with the exhaust system hanging and fuel tank pretty much fixed with ducktape and wire.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3876/14546134902_f22c9e6c6e_b.jpg

Tomorrow I`ll post some engine bay pics. Don`t have any at the moment. Too excited to stop on taking pics atm. lol

[Grush]

Engine Bay pics as it sits:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3846/14366080760_ae77607cbf_b.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5584/14529666666_58688fb866_b.jpg

[Grush]

Now, some pics of her on the ground.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3884/14543816891_6f9fcc5c2c_b.jpg

Doors are misaligned and not closing properly. Bumpers has been restored, and still are waiting to be painted. Side skirt isn`t on. And yes, she ended up with the her sister`s throwing stars. They were refurbished as well, and got a really beautiful shine. I prefer the E34 in 18'', but since the 17'' are TOO SMALL for an E31, the E31 got the M-Parls.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/14547211785_2a388402ed_b.jpg

Front view. Since the metallic part inside the M5`s bumpers were smashed in the crash, I`ve used the 535i`s, including foglights and everything. Pretty much a direct fit.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3899/14360754917_430758b48c_b.jpg

Some diagnosis checks. From the already connected modules, only Engine and ABS module can be acessed. EDC is not, and we still don`t know why.

AAand when she was chilling around the shop, we got a new visitor! It`s a 3.6, but bone stock, 120.000km in odo, and in 9,5/10 conditions. The missing 0,5 is the shifter, which is very sloopy, and is being fixed right now. She also got an euro vanity plate. Sexy.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3884/14543811731_f1cfa809c0_b.jpg

And checking for hoods, it seems ours streches a little further. Some problems with the shock absorvers, probably.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3917/14543808351_ab4f9a5c17_b.jpg

Then we went to check if SLS was working properly. The regulator was put in max position. This is what happends:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3861/14545668574_9fb718e5f6_b.jpg

Huge Rake. RAWR.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/14546270192_71f5cb9232_b.jpg

That gap:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5473/14360555070_e81632ff68_b.jpg

Car stayed like that for 2 days, and didn`t lost height. No green fluid leaks in the rear axle, so the system is working properly. That`s good, since the 535i didn`t have the optional, and the hole system had to be transfered and welded in.

[ahmed qadr]

amazing E34 .. subscribed

[ross1]

Here is a labor of love if I've ever seen one. Congratulations, my hat is off to you.

[Tre0Tre34]

Looks to be coming along nicely

[sugaki]

Wow labor of love indeed, how much is this running you? :-)