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Thread: My 540i/6 project thread

  1. #76
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    '04 330i, '95 540i6
    Quote Originally Posted by K Fox View Post
    Chip it. They do fall off a little up near 5500 to 6000, but that seems to be a lot to do with ignition timing, as the chips available for the M60 wake them up pretty well. Other than that, you don't need to do anything else - all the physical parts are fine (injectors, cams, ect). There is a thread or two on re-timing the cams to adjust the powerband, and you can look into that, but it's not required nor even a guarantee of better power yet. The one thing you can do is to find one of the E32 740's from the earlier years - they have an intake manifold that has small velocity stacks on each runner. This should allow for better high rpm breathing, so it should help with the rev-ability of the engine, especially with a chip.

    And while I know you're on a different continent, look into our forum friend DudMD - he makes chips for the M60 cars that are very good. There's a thread or two somewhere, but he's got good stuff. Find and talk to him here - you won't regret it.

    Fox

    P.S. The best thing you can do to help the engine rev if it's topping out - basic maintenance. MAke sure your fuel filters are fresh, good oil, healthy ignition system (meaning the coil boots and plugs), ect. If you have any weaknesses there, they'll affect you more at high rpm's than anywhere else, especially the fueling system.

    Thanks for the detailed input Fox.

    First off I would just like to say that my question was a bit more like fishing for recipes for getting more power out of these motor, as I have plans to rebuild my motor at some point (you might recall this thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ebuild-options ) So when I get to the point of rebuilding, why not upgrade while I am at it. Though for the moment it looks like I will be going the M60B44 route with the rebuild, or maybe B46 route, depending on how lucky I feel. My reasoning behind the rebuild is not so much that the motor really needs it, it is just that that motor is very much down on power and one of the things I suspect is that is due to lack op proper maintenance by the PO (I direct your attention to what the pics I took of the top of the heads when I did the VCG's and what the sump looked like when I did the oil pump). Though I only suspect this....and it might seem a bit drastic to rebuild a motor because you suspect it to be a problem, but this is all still on the list of long term plans...and I first want to eliminate everything on the outside of the motor, and then move on form there.

    Now for my actual response to your input. The car is actually chipped at the moment, I actually got the car with the chip for the PO, and I have run the car with and without the chip and it does really make an improvement to the power delivery, though overall the power delivery is still lower that what I would expect from a 540i....well not so much suspect as I know how a 540i should perform and it does not. I have heard of DudMD's chips for the M60 on this forum, and have actually read of a lot of people that are really happy with is work, and I have to say I would seriously consider it. That said I am always worried about this kind of thing when the supplier is half a world away. I will definitely have a talk with him though.
    I have actually come across a thread regarding changing the cam timing as well, if I am not mistaken it was actually posted up by a guy that is here in South Africa as well. This is also something I am going to try out as some point.

    For some of the other things you have mentioned, I would like to kindly direct you to have a read through this thread you will find that I have actually changed my intake manifold to the early M60 one with the velocity stacks, at the same time I also did all the gaskets, a new PCV plate and gasket, I also fitted a early M62 throttle body (the ones without the plates on the throttle), I also polishing the inside of the throttle, I fitted newer injectors. I have not also recently replaced all the coil packs including new suppressors.
    I have also been changing the oil as often as I can, which amounts to about five times in about two years of ownership. This in an attempt to get to motor a bit cleaner on the inside.


    In the subject of my lack of power issue is I have suspected the MAF as well, but I have swapped MAFs with another 540i as this does not seem to be a problem. The strange thing though is if I just unplug the MAF the motor runs much stronger, how much stronger is hard to tell but enough for it to be noticeable....which kind of makes me wonder if it not a DME issue....and this will be whole other world of hurt, because the car has EWSII so I can't just swap DME's to check.....so if it is a DME issue I am kind of boned and might have to go for a standalone management. This is all of course if it isn't just the motor that is tired

    Thanks for mentioning the fuel filter, I completely forgotten about that, guess what I will be replacing next.

  2. #77
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    blk 740i/ 325is - 95's
    If the car runs better w/o the MAF, this Strongly suggests there is a vacuum leak! A vac leak will also be worse at low RPM acting sluggish till you get to the higher RPM then vacuum is gone anyways.. So it Then Should be better. Maybe intake manifold seals are bad... Check any potential sorce of vacuum leak..LMK and goodluck.
    1995 540i /6 speed, Black on black, VF m62 S/C kit v3 6psi - Cold air intake/ SSSquid Tune/racing exhuast, Vortech 8:1 RRFPR ,545 SSK /3.15 with LSD / rev-shift motor mounts/stage 4, 6 puck clutch/ K Sport coil overs / suede sparco 368 steering wheel, Recaro seats, N2O, M/T drag slicks
    "Skill can only get you so far, then comes money!"
    R . I . P Paul Walker - 1973 - 2013

  3. #78
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sankekur View Post
    In the subject of my lack of power issue is I have suspected the MAF as well, but I have swapped MAFs with another 540i as this does not seem to be a problem. The strange thing though is if I just unplug the MAF the motor runs much stronger, how much stronger is hard to tell but enough for it to be noticeable....which kind of makes me wonder if it not a DME issue....and this will be whole other world of hurt, because the car has EWSII so I can't just swap DME's to check.....so if it is a DME issue I am kind of boned and might have to go for a standalone management. This is all of course if it isn't just the motor that is tired

    Thanks for mentioning the fuel filter, I completely forgotten about that, guess what I will be replacing next.
    Yeah, sorry if some/most of what I posted is things you've already addressed - I've been following your thread since the beginning, and I don't remember exactly what you've done vs the other similar threads I've read in the meantime. But it's good info for anyone reading that has similar issues too (I love those threadjack bumps like'Oh - I have teh same thing, did you ever fix it"...those are funny).

    Couple things I'd like to point out - just because you have EWS II doesn't mean you're completely screwed - if you wanted to you can swap in a 404 DME (that's the EWS I setup) and all you have to do to make it work is disconnect pin 66 - then it's plug and play. If you talk to DudMD he'll tell you about it - one of the other forum members is pulling his hair out trying to solve an idle issue, and he's going to swap his DME as the last attempt, but he also has EWS II. So maybe check around (online and physically near you) and see if you can't find a 404 DME. With EWS II you'll have a 484, and those do have to be recoded to use.

    Also, change those fuel filters and report back - sometimes it the little things that bite you in the tail, so maybe this is one of them.

    Fox


  4. #79
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    '04 330i, '95 540i6
    Quote Originally Posted by imae30driver View Post
    If the car runs better w/o the MAF, this Strongly suggests there is a vacuum leak! A vac leak will also be worse at low RPM acting sluggish till you get to the higher RPM then vacuum is gone anyways.. So it Then Should be better. Maybe intake manifold seals are bad... Check any potential sorce of vacuum leak..LMK and goodluck.
    This is true, but I have actually replaced every seal and pipe on the intake I think....maybe I missed something....or screwed something up....guess I will have to try and see if there are any more vacuum leaks.


    Quote Originally Posted by K Fox View Post
    Yeah, sorry if some/most of what I posted is things you've already addressed - I've been following your thread since the beginning, and I don't remember exactly what you've done vs the other similar threads I've read in the meantime. But it's good info for anyone reading that has similar issues too (I love those threadjack bumps like'Oh - I have teh same thing, did you ever fix it"...those are funny).

    Couple things I'd like to point out - just because you have EWS II doesn't mean you're completely screwed - if you wanted to you can swap in a 404 DME (that's the EWS I setup) and all you have to do to make it work is disconnect pin 66 - then it's plug and play. If you talk to DudMD he'll tell you about it - one of the other forum members is pulling his hair out trying to solve an idle issue, and he's going to swap his DME as the last attempt, but he also has EWS II. So maybe check around (online and physically near you) and see if you can't find a 404 DME. With EWS II you'll have a 484, and those do have to be recoded to use.

    Also, change those fuel filters and report back - sometimes it the little things that bite you in the tail, so maybe this is one of them.

    Fox
    No worries...though I should just mention that I have done some of the things

    Speaking of fuel filters, it would seem that the 540i comes with a duel fuel filter, though I have had a look and mine only has a single filter.....did some 540i's come like this or is it maybe something changed by the PO?


    I have seen some mention of the 404 and 484 DME on this forum. I guess it would be safe to assume that the 404's would have come on the earlier V8's....would it only be on 540i's or would it be on 740i's as well? Let me stop there and first do some searching before I ask more questions.

  5. #80
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sankekur View Post
    This is true, but I have actually replaced every seal and pipe on the intake I think....maybe I missed something....or screwed something up....guess I will have to try and see if there are any more vacuum leaks.




    No worries...though I should just mention that I have done some of the things

    Speaking of fuel filters, it would seem that the 540i comes with a duel fuel filter, though I have had a look and mine only has a single filter.....did some 540i's come like this or is it maybe something changed by the PO?


    I have seen some mention of the 404 and 484 DME on this forum. I guess it would be safe to assume that the 404's would have come on the earlier V8's....would it only be on 540i's or would it be on 740i's as well? Let me stop there and first do some searching before I ask more questions.
    540's and 740's should have the same DME - and anything with a build date of 12/94 or older should have a 404 DME. EWS II started with the cars built from 1/95 and on. On the single filter, yeah, there is a conversion kit to go to that for the cars that had duals. Though I do believe that the very late build cars came from the factory with the single filter setup, I'm just not 100% on that. Either way, there is a specific filter for that system (it's slightly larger than one of the dual filters are), so double check the part number.

    Fox


  6. #81
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    '04 330i, '95 540i6
    Thank you.

    RealOEM seems to return a single fuel filter when I enter my serial number so maybe it is supposed to be like this.....all our 540i6's in SA only came 09/95 and on so they are all pretty late models.

    My next step is to see if we actually got the 404 DME here locally.....as it seems that security related things seem to get here ahead of time or more security things are standard features, probably because car theft is a real problem here. (Luckily e34s are not very popular, e30's however are a disaster)

  7. #82
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    1995 calypsorot 540/6
    My car wishes it would get the love you have given your car! lol Love your interior btw, the black with dark wood grain looks awesome.... very nice job.

  8. #83
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    '04 330i, '95 540i6
    Thank you.


    So I also gave the car a brake fluid change, looking at the old fluid it was really long overdue.
    Some pics of the gunk that came out of the reservoir:








    The old brake fluid:


    New brake fluid as reference:


    And the reservoir nice a clean.....or at least as clean as I could get it:







    I also applied lamin-x to my new front indicators (to go with my re-done headlights)


    And I replaced the boot lid shocks:


    Thanks for watching

    Edit: Also used the car for a 2300km (1400mi) road trip over this past weekend and it ran without a hitch.
    Last edited by Sankekur; 06-17-2014 at 07:45 AM.

  9. #84
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    '04 330i, '95 540i6
    Finally made the time to fit my refurbished headlights.

    Removal of the old:






    A quick clean:


    Some cleaned parts:


    And in with the new:


    Testing if everything works:








    Aiming the dims and brights:






    Interior shots to show the light output:
    Off:


    Dims:


    And with brights:



    And quick shot of what the car looks like with the new headlights and with everything fitted again:



    Thanks for watching.

  10. #85
    Join Date
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    E34 540i/6
    Fantastic work! I'm glad I subscribed to this thread!
    E34 540i/A, in progress of becoming a 6-speed - DD
    M-Technic and moar!

    '95 Exploder - Winter Beater

  11. #86
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    Your car is awesome! Great work and so glad you didn't part it out...keep it up

  12. #87
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    blk 740i/ 325is - 95's
    Good looking car.. Fix the MAF issue?
    1995 540i /6 speed, Black on black, VF m62 S/C kit v3 6psi - Cold air intake/ SSSquid Tune/racing exhuast, Vortech 8:1 RRFPR ,545 SSK /3.15 with LSD / rev-shift motor mounts/stage 4, 6 puck clutch/ K Sport coil overs / suede sparco 368 steering wheel, Recaro seats, N2O, M/T drag slicks
    "Skill can only get you so far, then comes money!"
    R . I . P Paul Walker - 1973 - 2013

  13. #88
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    '04 330i, '95 540i6
    Thanks gents.


    Quote Originally Posted by imae30driver View Post
    Good looking car.. Fix the MAF issue?
    Actually is is good that you mention this as I need to check this out again....since the last time I have checked I have actually replaced a whole bunch of gaskets on the intake (well everything actually). Definitely had at least one massive vacuum leak that I fixed.

  14. #89
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    1990 535i/A, 1995 540i/A
    Quote Originally Posted by Sankekur View Post
    Picked up some more things:
    An early M60B40 intake manifold:




    Gave it a good clean:




    Removed most of the scratches and scuffs:


    An early M62B44 throttle body.



    Thanks for watching.
    What is the benefit of an M62s throttlebody?

    Very nice car, sir. I just stumbled across this post trying to find info on the Jim Conforti chip for my newly converted 540i/Ato6.

  15. #90
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    Sorry seem to have missed you reply.

    The M60 throttle plate has additional plates bolted to it, the M62 one doesn't have these, so WOT should be a little bit wider.
    M60 throttle body:


    Other than that the throttles are the same.

  16. #91
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    Quote Originally Posted by K Fox View Post
    Also, change those fuel filters and report back - sometimes it the little things that bite you in the tail, so maybe this is one of them.
    Fox
    I have finally changed the fuel filter.
    The new filter:


    The old filter on the car....clearly not the right one:


    Turns out to be some generic local brand filter:


    The gunk that came out of the filter:








    Mounting parts cleaned:


    New filter fitted:




    When I test drove the car right after changing the filter it did seem like the car was pulling stronger, particularly at higher RPM. Though when I drove it again the following day it felt just as slow as before, with it falling so flat above 5000 rpm it almost feels like I am applying brakes. So I am pretty sure the first test drive just came with a nice fat helping of placebo.






    Quote Originally Posted by imae30driver View Post
    Good looking car.. Fix the MAF issue?
    Have also tested this again and it seems to be sorted out now.

  17. #92
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    Such a well documented thread, a lot of maintenance has been done so far!

    How many kms are on it now? After 7 pages I've probably just forgotten.

    I'm sure you have a process of what's next in your mind, care to share?

    Seems like there's not much mechanically left to get up to scratch.

    I'd say do a compression test now, or now now

    Just to see how good (or bad it really is) before chasing your own tail elsewhere with the motor.

  18. #93
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    Thank you.

    It is currently on 353xxx km.


    Well the next things in the plan is the motor and the paint, but I am avoiding this for the moment. The car is also happy to oblige with other problems to keep me busy with.

    So at the moment I am waiting for parts to fix the broken driver's door that doesn't open from the inside.
    The car has now also developed a problem with the ASC in the last couple of days, so I will have to look into that.

    The I am looking into a hard start issue when the car is hot. Will post more about this when I have ruled out everything, or have solved it, but basically what happens is the car starts fine when it cold (as in left overnight), but when it is hot and has stood for a couple of hours it would crank with the motor sounding like it wants to start but doesn't. If you try for long enough it will eventually gradually come to life. After it has started it has no problem starting again. If you leave it for more than around 5 hours it will start again without issue.


    I still plan on doing a compression test, I promise

  19. #94
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    I hate doing comp tests purely incase I find an inconsistency

  20. #95
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    Yup, at the moment I just know that the motor is not as strong as it should but, if I do compression test and I find something wrong and I will have to do something about it.

  21. #96
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    Looking good, I know its a petty thing, but i love the car phone in there still. Im considering getting one for mine, just for the look of it. I dont know why, but i love it.

    David

  22. #97
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    Thanks, I also like the phone. It is also one of those things about the car that really draws attention.

  23. #98
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    So in the continuation of the 540i6's proud tradition of breaking something right after I have fixed something, its inside door handle stopped working the very night I finished my work on the headlights.

    Have been putting it off for a while, but finally "got" "around" "to" "doing" "it". Getting stuck in my car in the front of the skidpan queue probably had a little bit to do with my decision.

    So removed the door card and found the pretty obvious cause of the problem.
    Cable had broken off at the handle.


    Looked like I had to remove the door lock to be able to free the cable from its BMW door prison, so figured I would leave it alone until I had the necessary parts.

    As if by magic I came into possession of a new cable and some door card clips.



    So with everything I could possibly need for the fix I tacked the job. First loosened the door lock, only to find that it is stuck behind the window guide rail, so I removed the widow guide rail, only to find that there is no way of loosing the lock from the door handle while is it still in the door, so I had to remove the door handle. After all this the cable just popped out with me even trying......why it couldn't have done this while I was struggling to try and get it out without disassembling anything.
    Anyway some pics of a hideously disassembled e34 door:



    Would have been nice if I knew that the door handle had to come off beforehand then I would have gotten a replacement gasket for the handle as well.



    New cable cable going in:




    Vapour barrier back on:


    Door handle back on:


    Did some gluing on the back of the door card:


    And door fully reassembled:


    All done.......although being the master mechanic that I am I didn't see the point of rolling the window down with the door still open.....until I lowered the window the first time, which was followed by a snap and a clanking noise in the door.

    So door open for the second time.
    Found that I had routed the wiring harness in the door wrong as for some reason wires and glass don't seem to want to occupy the same space at the same time.


    Yay.

    Fixed:


    Routed the wiring correctly this time round:




    Sigh.

  24. #99
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    Really liking the progress here!
    Any plans for taking care of that oil-sludge in the engine?

    And did you notice any difference in polishing the throttle body?

    It's very good that someone are taking care of these old beautiful cars! I really admire your attention to detail and determination in your work

  25. #100
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    Thank you.

    At the moment I am running it on much shorter service intervals than normal, additionally I also add some ATF to the oil before draining it.

    Really can't say I noticed any difference with the polished throttle body.....was just something to keep my hands busy I guess

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