540 Power Hunt

[stx133]

I have a 'stock' 1994 build ///M540 recently purchased. i havent got into the dealer to find out what the M options were. Have enjoyed the stock power but now looking at upgrades. BMWE34.net suggests most bolt on swaps are neglegable at best with the exclusion of the chip (mine is supposed to be chipped i will check on the weekend).
Where to next. i have started investigating and 'engineering' the idea of supercharging with a whipple charger, cant handle the idea of 'centrifugal' charger after modding and running a turbo on a previous car. i would love to turbo but the v8 makes that a little difficult. the charging option is great for the power gains but is a one off large spend and screws your insurance.
Where can i go N/A

Lets hear it.......

[SpecRaceM5]

First off I have never heard of an M540i. I think the M badge was somethign someone added somewhere along the line. There are a limited number of m technic 540i's but to my knowledge no e34 bears the m badge on the boot such as yours other then the m5. This being said yours is not an m technic version as it would have an m5 body kit and m technic mirrors.

As far as mods, performance wise I cant help you to much. There might be a CAI, you can always do exhaust, you dont want to go fi which is how many 540 owners get big numbers out of them. Other idea's are engine swaps. Beyond that I really cant tell you. Now there are suspension mods that people do, but generaly non engine related mods resort to M5 parts. There really isnt a large aftermarket for e34's sadly. You will find some neet things but most of the really cool e34's have very custom one off stuff done.

I hope this helps. Nice looking car based on the sig pics. I would probably loose the M badge as people might give you a hard time for it. But really if you like it then thats all that matters. I could be totaly wrong about the M thing and maybe it is an m540i. Would be news to me but I'm no bmw guru......yet :devillook

[jdholder]

I have heard of an M540. There were 32 M540i vehicles produced for the Canadian market in 1995. If yours truly is an M540 then you would have door sill plates that also say M540i on them.

I don't know anything about E34's so I can't be much help, but I do hope you have an M540i. I love rare BMW's.

[SpecRaceM5]

I have heard of an M540. There were 32 M540i vehicles produced for the Canadian market in 1995. If yours truly is an M540 then you would have door sill plates that also say M540i on them.

I don't know anything about E34's so I can't be much help, but I do hope you have an M540i. I love rare BMW's.
would that be the same as the m technics that had m5 kits that were painted to match as apposed to the m5 which is two tone?

[aamiic]

I was just on a site last night (and I can't recall which), that quotes how many of these were made. They are defintetly *very* rare. Same car as the standard 540 (and not an M5 by any means), but it has a fair amount of M gear.

I think something like 2000 or so were made.

[sdwhitney]

Before you bmw know it alls start to slam a guy, do some fricken research.

http://www.kindel.com/bmw/m540_info.htm

He has shown his car on here before with all the pics, and the thing is authentic and sweet, and about as rare as you can get.

Back to the post now.

Since yu have the m60, you are in a small boat a far as upgrades, and S/C options as well.

ESS has a nice one for a little above 5 grand american. There are a bunch of guys in Sweden than love to BiTurbo these M60's as well.

You can get no HP from this, but a Diff swap gives you more on the take off?

[xatlas0]

Other than FI, there is not much one can do to boost the power of the M60B40. Even if you do all the normal power mods, headers, exhaust, P&P, CAI, they really don't help the performance enough to justify their cost. Hotter cams, perhaps, but you'll lose low end then. Korman has them, if I'm not mistaken.

[sdwhitney]

Other than FI, there is not much one can do to boost the power of the M60B40. Even if you do all the normal power mods, headers, exhaust, P&P, CAI, they really don't help the performance enough to justify their cost. Hotter cams, perhaps, but you'll lose low end then. Korman has them, if I'm not mistaken.

Korman has literally stopped carrying almost everything their website says they have for our cars, to the point I don;t even call or look at their site anymore.

Just too bad.

[Dan]

Before you bmw know it alls start to slam a guy, do some fricken research.

http://www.kindel.com/bmw/m540_info.htm

He has shown his car on here before with all the pics, and the thing is authentic and sweet, and about as rare as you can get.

Back to the post now.

Since yu have the m60, you are in a small boat a far as upgrades, and S/C options as well.

ESS has a nice one for a little above 5 grand american. There are a bunch of guys in Sweden than love to BiTurbo these M60's as well.

You can get no HP from this, but a Diff swap gives you more on the take off?
holy moses!!! something new to hunt for!

[Alan]

Before you bmw know it alls start to slam a guy, do some fricken research.

http://www.kindel.com/bmw/m540_info.htm

He has shown his car on here before with all the pics, and the thing is authentic and sweet, and about as rare as you can get.

Back to the post now.

Since yu have the m60, you are in a small boat a far as upgrades, and S/C options as well.

ESS has a nice one for a little above 5 grand american. There are a bunch of guys in Sweden than love to BiTurbo these M60's as well.

You can get no HP from this, but a Diff swap gives you more on the take off?

If you're trying to say that this is a Canadian M540i or a US 1995 540i M-Sport, you're wrong. Both of those cars had M5-style aero kits without the contrasting lower stripe. This car does not have an M5 kit, rather just has the standard 540i body parts. Also lacks M-Mirrors. Also lacks throwing stars or M-Parallels. Admitidly, someone could have changed the rims, but you'd have to be a fool to lose either of those in favore of E39 M5s.

This car from the picture's I've seen is a regular 540i with an M badge. Unless in Australia they made a M540i without the above mentioned aero parts. But that would really suprise me since you could get those same parts (most of em anyway) on a 535i Sport in Australia.

If I'm wrong I'll eat my hat, but I'm pretty sure that is not an M540i.

[xatlas0]

Korman has literally stopped carrying almost everything their website says they have for our cars, to the point I don;t even call or look at their site anymore.

Just too bad.

Really? nuts, I could have used some of their M30 performance upgrades.

[sdwhitney]

Really? nuts, I could have used some of their M30 performance upgrades.

I am only referencing the M60 stuff

[sdwhitney]

If you're trying to say that this is a Canadian M540i or a US 1995 540i M-Sport, you're wrong. Both of those cars had M5-style aero kits without the contrasting lower stripe. This car does not have an M5 kit, rather just has the standard 540i body parts. Also lacks M-Mirrors. Also lacks throwing stars or M-Parallels. Admitidly, someone could have changed the rims, but you'd have to be a fool to lose either of those in favore of E39 M5s.

This car from the picture's I've seen is a regular 540i with an M badge. Unless in Australia they made a M540i without the above mentioned aero parts. But that would really suprise me since you could get those same parts (most of em anyway) on a 535i Sport in Australia.

If I'm wrong I'll eat my hat, but I'm pretty sure that is not an M540i.

The answer is in this thread.

I was wrong about one thing, the M540 I saw was from ILE540, he makes the statement on the Aussy 540's in this thread.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4438036#post4438036

You might want some salt with your hat :)

[SpecRaceM5]

The answer is in this thread.

I was wrong about one thing, the M540 I saw was from ILE540, he makes the statement on the Aussy 540's in this thread.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4438036#post4438036

You might want some salt with your hat :)
I'm not convinced. I agree with Alan. I have seen no badge proving this to be what you claim it is. All I have seen is that it is claimed to be an M540i which has been proven wrong as it does not have the M aero kit. ILE540 has a limited eddition 540 but no where on the car does it say it is an M540i. He just said that is what others call it. His also has M wheels which this does not. Well it doesnt have the correct ones. And like Alan said, the previous owner would be foolish to get rid of the oem wheels if they were infact M wheels for the e39 wheels. I dunno. I would do my research if I were you though and make damn sure it is what it is claimed to be before you tell others to do their research. MK pumpkin. ;)

[sirtiger]

curious, what is with the tow hitch? u tow stuff?

[stx133]

This is a 94 build, not the 95 with the 6 speed and the aero kit. i have only owned the car for a few months and have not owned a BMW before. i believed that is was M equiped. looks like the PO may have just added the badge. i will have to check with the dealer against vin numbers to see if it is anything different.

as for towing, this is a working vehicle. i need to tow a trailer occationally. i am working on making the tow bar removable, not as easy as it suld be deu to the design.

[SpecRaceM5]

most likely the previous owner threw the m wheels on there because he liked them and threw the m badge on because either it came with the wheels or he wanted people to think it was an m car. This happens quite often. I highly doubt it is an m car but if it is you got a rare find.

Sorry if i sound like a jerk. I dont mean to come across that way. Just trying to be informative. It is a clean car. Great start.

[Alan]

I'm not convinced. I agree with Alan. I have seen no badge proving this to be what you claim it is. All I have seen is that it is claimed to be an M540i which has been proven wrong as it does not have the M aero kit. ILE540 has a limited eddition 540 but no where on the car does it say it is an M540i. He just said that is what others call it. His also has M wheels which this does not. Well it doesnt have the correct ones. And like Alan said, the previous owner would be foolish to get rid of the oem wheels if they were infact M wheels for the e39 wheels. I dunno. I would do my research if I were you though and make damn sure it is what it is claimed to be before you tell others to do their research. MK pumpkin. ;)

You called him pumpkin. :lol

While ILE540s statement would make this more believable (although I've never heard of this model before). I still lean to the side of doubt. How about we take a look at the door plate where the model is listed? An M or a WBS VIN number might make it conclusivly an M540i.

[sdwhitney]

You called him pumpkin. :lol

While ILE540s statement would make this more believable (although I've never heard of this model before). I still lean to the side of doubt. How about we take a look at the door plate where the model is listed? An M or a WBS VIN number might make it conclusivly an M540i.

ILE540 seemed to be very open before with questions on his car. We should ask him for the first part of his VIN?

It also looks like stx133 would give his as well.

Then, we would have our answer!

[SpecRaceM5]

Perhaps. If both were wbs then yes. I think ILE very well may have a limited edition. I dont know if it is neccesarely an m. The only proof he gave was that it was limited edition. But I think the car in this thread is probably something completely different. But again. Its not my car so I dont know. The only e34's I had heard of that have an M in the title other then the m5 of course were the 540i m sports or what ever you want to call them, and they have m aero kits. So if this does turn out to be an m i learned something new.

[BlackE39Sport]

Well I guess I will throw my two cents in. I can vouch that the car does exist. One of my best friends mom had the European version. I am 100% sure that it was the European 540 //M version because of the Straight 6, Fast as Hell and it had the M badging. Also the original Car owner was Mike Tomzack from the Bears and she bought the car from him. Mike told the whole story while giving us a ride when he first bought it. He said that he was over in Europe and he saw this car and fell in love with it. So he bought it and had it shipped over. That car had the //m Badge on the trunk on it along with the sils and was Blue. It was an awesome car and it was FAST.

[SpecRaceM5]

Well I guess I will throw my two cents in. I can vouch that the car does exist. One of my best friends mom had the European version. I am 100% sure that it was the European 540 //M version because of the Straight 6, Fast as Hell and it had the M badging. Also the original Car owner was Mike Tomzack from the Bears and she bought the car from him. Mike told the whole story while giving us a ride when he first bought it. He said that he was over in Europe and he saw this car and fell in love with it. So he bought it and had it shipped over. That car had the //m Badge on the trunk on it along with the sils and was Blue. It was an awesome car and it was FAST.
If it had a streight 6 it was not the car we are talking about. The e34 540's have a v8. :stickoutt

[sdwhitney]

It is just sad that this forum is always so easy to throw up the :bs flag.

Give the guy a chance to prove himself, the car looks clean.

bimmerm3e36, is it because you have an m5 that you want to throw it up so fast?

It so easy to go get an m badge and put it on, but reading the posts on this board for long enough, you will get raped quickly for that action, as you should. Plus, it gives the real m's a bad name, since the fake ones get there ass kicked by focus's and discredit the true performance of an M.

I understand all that, but give the guy a chance to prove it is real.

Ask him for his VIN, and then we will know.

MK pumpkin my ass

[SpecRaceM5]

:lol Easy there tiger. I totaly 100% agree with you about how fast the BS flag is thrown on here and how annoying it can get. Re read my origonal post though and tell me where I threw a bs flag. I just stated that I had never heard of an m540. something that I learned in this thread exists. I also stated taht no e34 bears the m badge on the boot other then the m5. Which I believe is still true. So this instantly discredits his car as being badged as an m540 from the factory. Which means the previous owner did it. I also stated that the closest thing to an m 540 i know of comes with a full m technic kit. Which as far as i know is still true as it has not been proven false. I did say more then once I believe that his car very well could be an m540 that i have never heard of because i am not in fact a bmw guru. I just didnt think it was. Im still open to that it is. I have yet to see proof though. is there anythign wrong with that? and the whole pumpkin comment was just my way of keeping the mood light so that no one gets "hurt".

[bofh]

In addition to the Canadian ///M540i, and the US 540i M-Sport, there was also a Austrailian Limited Edition 540i, which was spec'ed as an M5, sans Body Kit and Motor. There were 70 made, and each one should have a numbered plaque under the handbrake lever. (like the ///M540i)

And I missed the post above were he said it wasn't one of those.... :)


Anyway, I have a 540i too, and I'd love to hear if somebody fits a turbo or a positive displacement S/C to the M60 engine. Come on, give a guy a little hope?

[sdwhitney]

In addition to the Canadian ///M540i, and the US 540i M-Sport, there was also a Austrailian Limited Edition 540i, which was spec'ed as an M5, sans Body Kit and Motor. There were 70 made, and each one should have a numbered plaque under the handbrake lever. (like the ///M540i)

And I missed the post above were he said it wasn't one of those.... :)


Anyway, I have a 540i too, and I'd love to hear if somebody fits a turbo or a positive displacement S/C to the M60 engine. Come on, give a guy a little hope?

ESS has a supercharger for ya. They can be had at KOperformance and other places.

Dinan stopped production on theirs.

Bi-turbos are being done in places like Sweden, custom car places may do one for you as well.

GL