740i to M7 transformation - S62 swap

[datmetzkid]

I want s62 with supercharged in a 740il is my dream! I also would buy a DIY right up for $50 to 75 depending on the good the right up is! Keep up the good work!

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[caplt4]

Interesting. My issue is I dont know how to drive a manual transmission

dude, it will be easy for you because you listen to the engine when your car changes gears on you auto trans, but now you will be the one doing the gear changes with your foot and hand, the take off will be a little hard, but once you rolling it will be easy, now RENT a manual car for the weekend and have some fun.

Good info on the swap, cant wait for the end, pictures are great.
Will you have to do any changes on the suspension? are the engines about the same weight?

[007008]

Rockauto has the dual inlet cat pipes for about $230 if I remember right.
Do you have an m5 throttle potentiometer or are you going to see if the 740 throttle module will work?

[blackknight530i]

Rockauto has the dual inlet cat pipes for about $230 if I remember right.
Do you have an m5 throttle potentiometer or are you going to see if the 740 throttle module will work?

If you're referring to the pedal, it is the same as the M5 pedal. The throttle electronics are attached to the engine and are controlled from the DME, so the DME is only looking for the pedal input. Both the M5 and the 740i use dual pots on the pedal for redundancy.

I'll check out those cat pipes, but a guy told me yesterday he'd sell me them from his 97 540i part out for a bit less than that. Seems kinda pricey for such small sections of exhaust, doesn't it?

- - - Updated - - -

Just saw what you were referring to on rockauto. I don't think I need the cats, just the pipes in front of them.

[007008]

I had looked at 01 and 02 m5's I'm pretty sure they used the old style throttle pot. I know they were different part numbers than the 540 pots.

[blackknight530i]

The M5 does use the old style throttle POT, but the input should be the same. Check WDS for confirmation. Either way, both use dual POTs. I'll let you know how it works when I get it wired up and started, but I don't foresee any problems.

[TNe38s]

very interesting

[730INDO]

wow amazing...

[blackknight530i]

Just to let anyone know who's considering the 6-speed swap, BMW has officially stated that the "bent selector rod" for the European 740 is "No Longer Available". That means we have to resort to what I did and what we already had to do with the shifter arm, which is welding in an extension. The welding shop that did mine cut the rod, inserted a smaller rod of mild steel inside the hollow section and welded it in, then filled around the rod to make it flush. You could even paint it afterwards to make it look factory.

[RVAE34]

Glad another member is doing this. I would love to have an S62 E38. Looking forward to seeing this build progress.

[TxDarth]

Glad another member is doing this. I would love to have an S62 E38. Looking forward to seeing this build progress.

I would rather have an e38 Sport with either LS2 or LS7.....

[S62fan]

I own both an '01 740 sport and an '01 M5. I would love to swap the M5 drivetrain into the more comfortable 740. Kudos to you for taking on this project! If you need any info from my cars, feel free to ask. Subscribed, and wishing you luck!

[M I C H A E L]

I own both an '01 740 sport and an '01 M5. I would love to swap the M5 drivetrain into the more comfortable 740. Kudos to you for taking on this project! If you need any info from my cars, feel free to ask. Subscribed, and wishing you luck!

youve done this swap?

[S62fan]

No I haven't attempted this swap, but would like to in the furure

[ELIBEEMER]

its been done...

NExGen in SoCal has done it in his shop:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ghlight=nexgen

[007008]

its been done...

NExGen in SoCal has done it in his shop:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ghlight=nexgen

Yeah, you are correct, its been done. However the ones that have been done were built by commercial shops. They provide 2 or 3 pictures, vague posts, and little to no information.
They do it for a living and what you to pay them. I for one will not be paying anyone to work on my car.

[CharlesAFerg]

its been done...

NExGen in SoCal has done it in his shop:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ghlight=nexgen

Has he? Pics!

[blackknight530i]

Ok guys, I got to work on the car a bit more today and we got a few things done, but also found a couple roadblocks. We're getting the mounts made up to fit the M5 steering box on the e38 subframe and that seems to be going well. I also started to install the pedal assembly, but found I was somehow missing the clip that holds the parking brake cable on the pedal pin, so that's keeping me from buttoning up the pedal assembly. I drove to Atlanta in the morning to buy the front section of the exhaust from a 1997 540i so that I can mate the S62 headers to the facelifted e38 rear exhaust section.

We also attempted to install the fuel filter and regulator, but that's what leads to me to the major roadblock of the moment and I'm hoping John at Impressive Auto can shed some light on the issue. The M5 uses much larger flex fuel hoses than the 740i and they also have quick-disconnects on them where the 740i uses regular hose clamps. I realize that the fuel runs at a higher pressure in the M5 than the 740i, which is the reason I already installed the Walbro 255lph fuel pump, but I'm wondering what Impressive did to their fuel lines to make it work. My mechanic seems to think that since the regulators look identical in size and such and are held in with a snap ring clip, is it possible to just swap the M5 regulator onto the e38 filter for clearance issues, or do I need the entire holder assembly? Also, If I were to change out all the rubber fuel lines to the larger fuel hose with quick-disconnects, there is an issue in the engine compartment where there is a 90 degree bend with the smaller flex hose and two clamps that I think would be too tight of a radius for the larger fuel hose to make. Are the 540/740 hoses able to handle the higher pressure of the M5, or do they absolutely need to be replaced? Any help in this regard would be much appreciated.

[Jamesbond740il]

I would imagine the fuel lines would be fine. For years people used fmu/missing links on turbo setups and the increased pressures didn't seem to bother the jap cars so I would guess the same would apply to the e38. I wouldnt change it unless after testing it doesn't work.

[007008]

I plan on just changing the regulator. I think the separate filter and regulator was changed for ease of replacement. Are the hard lines the same size? On the engine the hose splits and goes to two fuel rails right? Take the hoses off the rail and flip it so the feed comes from the other direction. If you're worried about hose clamps vs. crimps and quick connects, there is a joint on the strut tower with a short piece of rubber hose with two hose clamps.

[007008]

On the pedal bracket, are you trying to use an E39? The E38 has the pin for the clutch pedal, unless your trying to use the newer style E39 clutch master cylinder. The older M/C is still available.

[blackknight530i]

007008, the hard lines are the same size. I took the cut off lines that came with my used regulator and the quick disconnects connect properly to the flanged ends of the e38 hard lines. The rubber sections of the M5 lines are the same kind of hose and quick disconnects that are used on the e38 right where it connects from the hard line on the body to the engine, except that they are also used in the filter area as well. I am also aware of the joint on the strut tower, is it the same on the M5? I don't understand what you mean "flip it so the feed comes from the other direction".

In regards to the pedal assembly, I'm using the 01 e38 pedal assembly with an early model clutch pedal and I already discovered the need for the old type master cylinder and have that mounted. The clip I'm looking for is just one that went missing during disassembly. My mechanic says he has a bunch of C clips that he's bringing over from his other shop today.

[007008]

The pics that I have looked at of the rear of the engine looks like the feed hose "Y"s to each fuel rail. One hose is shorter than the other making the assembly point towards the DS. If you remove the rubber lines from the rails, flip 180 degrees reconnect to the rails. The feed will point towards the passenger side.
I'm only guessing here, since I haven't seen it in person. If the hose is crimped to the rails. I'd cut the outer crimp off then use screw clamps. The inner part should have a barn on it.
In theory if the hard lines are the same ID then the 740 filter/regulater part should work. With the correct reg. Installed of course.

[blackknight530i]

UPDATE:

Worked on the subframe getting it ready for the M5 steering gearbox. The angle of the steering box is different and the front two mounts are off by about 1/4" to 1/2". We were able to make new mounts and they are welded on now and the box looks great on it. We just need to clean and paint the subframe and it was just too cold for the paint to stick today, so it'll wait. The steering is going to be amazing in this 740i.

My mechanic is going to fabricate some additional fuel hard lines to run the fuel hose from the passenger side on the 740i to the drivers side on the S62. We're also planning on using the regulator from the M5 and mounting it on the 740i filter for clearance and he's going to try clamping the fuel hose from the m5 filter I got with the regulator to the existing hard lines. I really don't see any reason the existing lines won't work with the upgraded fuel pump that I installed and the M5 regulator.

I also got the pedal assembly installed today. All went fairly smoothly, though I did discover that the clutch pedal position sensor that I was using doesn't look like it will work with the MSS52. It's a switch from the 97 model pedal assembly and only has two pins where the correct one is supposed to have 3 or more pins in it. The new one uses a hall effect sensor rather than a simple push button.

I also tried to mount the M5 air boxes into the e38 since someone said they fit right in, but I can tell you now that that is not true. They may be able to be made to work, but certainly not a direct fit.

We didn't get nearly as much as we'd hoped to get done this weekend, but we are making progress. I still need to get a few parts, but we're hoping to get back to working on it after Christmas. If anyone has a bad transmission for parts, I need the pin and roller behind the gear identification switch on the transmission. I'm using a 540i manual transmission and I need to adapt the gear switch into it. We tapped the hole as I've read is all that is needed, but obviously, the pin and roller sleeve are different between the transmissions. Also, if anyone has some used fuel lines complete with no cuts, I'd be interested in those too.

If anyone has any potential gotchas they can think of, please let me know. I really can't wait to get the engine running.

@007008, I don't think you can just flip the fuel hoses on the back of the engine to the other side as that is where the rear lift point on the engine is. Also, the brackets aren't likely to be able to switch sides, but I haven't and probably won't be messing with the lines on the engine. We're going to run a hard line from the passenger side to the driver side.

[GSXRliterbikz]

Not sure if its easier, but the guts from an m5 steering box can be put into an e38 housing. Not really ant need to weld new mounts. Cdh did that to his car a while ago.