New here, quick build write up and a hello - m50 525i drift

[newE34guy]

Hey guys, my name is Eugene and I'm new here...

I picked up a 93 525i 5MT M50 (Vanos) almost 2 months ago. This will be a daily for a few months but in reality is my drift car. Yes I said Drift car. A lot of threads on e34 forums about 525 drift cars and the con and pros. I'm not asking anyone if its a good idea or bad......not asking anything actually just here to share.

Modifications which came on the car.
Car came with a tune/chip (unknown which one) but car tops at redline and limited removed so I can assume its chipped. Full race exhaust - Raceland headers going into a halo muffler (empty) going straight back (2pipes) to the back (no res, no muffler = race car loud) Brakes - Slotted and drilled rotors all around with ceramic pads. Suspension - Bilstein shocks all around (on their way out) with eibach springs all around. K&N intake (nothing special) - Driveshaft was recently replaced

P.S - I bought the car from a good friend who is a BMW die hard fan/mechanic - he also has a e36 m3 with a cute little M42T pushing 400hp easy.

Value cover gasket was leaking into 5th and 6th cyl....took everything apart to clean and change gaskets - then did the same for the intake mani and a few other normal maintenance issues normal for a 1993 in 2014. I had a lot of fun taking off the valve cover and cleaning up the engine bay - painted the cover after getting rid of all the gunk. took off intake mini. changed all the vacuum lines. changed all the gaskets. oil change, changed tie roads + wheel alignment, misc clips and a few other things i'm forgetting to mention.

I got the car with no clutch fan - (well I have it but its off the car) Installed mishimoto efan cfm 1954 (if I remember correctly) from ECStuning ($83+$17 for the mounting kit) Looking for a nice mishimoto oil cooler for the summer. I have a auto tranny cooler/aux cooler which I will use instead of the shitty power steering cooler. (Since I'll be using the steering more then most of your e34 guys who are use for daily.

DIFF - looking for a nice 3.46 or 3.73 LSD need more torque down low - in the meantime (SORRY GUYS) welded my oem 3.23 so its 100% lock. I have some videos if anyone is interested on how it locks up and slides

Interior coming soon. I like the e34 interior (always have) But its tan and black or race buckets is the way to go. My friend is parting a 95 540i with dove intertior so i might grab the whole thing including head liner (everything except for the drivers seat which will soon be a bucket) Rear is gutted for the track, I just put the back seats in for now to have people in the back (not bolted in but who cares they don't move)

This is a purpose car, daily for now, drift for now and later on full on drift. So please dont tell me i'm ruining a e34 because I know I am. ;0

Hydro brake in but not yet installed. Cant decide on suspension yet as everyone is saying coilover coilover coilovers but I live in a place where there are more potholes and road cracks then normal road so its a tough decision I am making now. Plus I had coilovers on 2 of my other cars so i'm not new to the idea but I might just go with a upgraded cup kit (also Bilstein's) just not sure yet how to play this. Who knows maybe BC will partially sponsor the coilovers, they did it for my friend and we run all the same track days. I need to change my bushing in the rear ( that's next on my list) Especially sub frame bushings which are soon to be destroyed.

Order some nice stainless steel brakes lines from CATUNING out in Cali. I'm sure you guys know about CAtuned as they are well known. I am very happy with this buy. They were $90 shipped to my door with included 2 day shipping. Very happy with the quality of the product. Thanks guys! Excited to get these one when I install my brembo solid rotor setup (getting rid of slotted and drilled - its a myth)

Def more in the past 2 months which I am forgetting to mention. And def more coming up. Can't post pics from this computer so If you guys care enough to check out my e34, my instagram is @slide718

Thanks for looking!!!

P.S. - I love used parts I'll be looking around - feel free to comment if you have something you think I can use.

[newE34guy]

more mods!!!!

[newE34guy]

some drift goodies came in the other day




installed last night raceskids plate - looks so great so price is wonderful...good stuff for sure














7 series wheels up front
e39 5 series in rear - gonna put on all e39 love the look

[newE34guy]

COILOVERRRRRS!!!!

that was last weekend at opening moves, clubloose event at englishtown, raceway park in New Jersey


here are some of the BC coil over install pics

[ross1]

Sorry, man, I couldn't resist;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeZlXJtLhMQ

[imae30driver]

Go big or go home and get out of my way lol... I support you.. Do as you please...

[Hofmeister]

3.73 LSD is pretty good. Highway cruise at over 70mph sucks though unless you don't mind holding over 3800 for very long time

- - - Updated - - -

How much did the seat and track cost you?

[newE34guy]

Go big or go home and get out of my way lol... I support you.. Do as you please...

haha thanks bro! nice pic

3.73 LSD is pretty good. Highway cruise at over 70mph sucks though unless you don't mind holding over 3800 for very long time

That's my problem, right now with oem 3.23 welded 5th gear at 60mph it's already a bit high for me

But I need to get some more low end torque so the ratio needs to go up for sure.
M5 had 3.73 after 1991 and 3.91 before 1991
I think I will go with a 535i lsd 3.46....ratio isn't as big, 5th gear won't be much worse then it is now and Ill have a bit more low end power

- - - Updated - - -

How much did the seat and track cost you?

Seats, I picked up for $460 for the pair (putting in the 2nd one soon)
Also have them on the oem motor so they move forward and back with a switch
and $70 shipped for each seat belt
$460+$140 = $600 for everything before install (I installed and welded myself so that didn't cost me)

Full track day here is $160.
We have Friday night half sessions called Friday Night Drift Party #FNDP
I am running clinic this upcoming Friday. which is training basically, the guys help you out. That's 10pm-5pm and FNDP 5pm-10pm
$75 for each 5 hours so $150 for the day. More expensive then some other tracks but cheaper then others

[Hofmeister]

The 3.73 you want is from a m20 5 speed car. Only need to change the input flange, everything else is straight fit. I kept my 3.23 in hopes of some day putting the lsd unit into that gear.

Also the speed difference isnt as big once you bump the redline, which you already did. Only real downside is the cruise rpm.

[newE34guy]

The 3.73 you want is from a m20 5 speed car. Only need to change the input flange, everything else is straight fit. I kept my 3.23 in hopes of some day putting the lsd unit into that gear.

Also the speed difference isnt as big once you bump the redline, which you already did. Only real downside is the cruise rpm.

Model OEM ratio Suggested ratio 525i M20 89-91 5 speed 3.73 4.10 525i M20 89-91 Automatic 4.10 4.45 525i M50 92-95 5 speed 3.23 3.46 525i M50 92-95 Automatic 4.10 4.45 535i 5 speed 3.46 3.73 or 3.91 535i ->6/90 Automatic 3.91 4.27 535i 7/90-> Automatic 4.27 4.45 530i 5 speed (M60) 3.07 3.46 530i Automatic (M60) 3.15 3.46 530i 5 speed (M30) 3.64 3.91 540i ->3/04 2.93 3.25 540i 4/94-> 2.81 3.25 M5 3.6 ->7/91 3.91 4.10 M5 3.6 7/91-> 3.73 4.10

Your right, the M20 5 speed had a 3.73. But its a open diff 3.73 - I can pick one up now for $175 shipped

The M5 after 91 came with a 3.73 LSD, that is what I really want but as your asking and correct 100%, my 5th gear cruising is going to suck (and it already sucks with 3.23)

I think my best bet is to find a 3.46 lsd from a 535i and build that one.

I actually have a 3.15 from a e36 m3 in my back yard - thinking to build and make that one fit. I have a few options but not sure which to go with





Question - I love those wheels, are they e39 540i wheels?

[Hofmeister]

Mine is factory lsd from m20
Im not sure what e39 theyre from. Staggered setup

[UKCoopeR]

Staggered style 32 usually came on e39 540i with the sport pack, I just picked up a set myself and am happy

Good choice to dump the drilled rotors when tracking the car.

[newE34guy]

Mine is factory lsd from m20
Im not sure what e39 theyre from. Staggered setup

factory 3.73 lsd from m20? do you have a m20 or just that diff in your car? which motor are you running

Staggered style 32 usually came on e39 540i with the sport pack, I just picked up a set myself and am happy

Good choice to dump the drilled rotors when tracking the car.

thanks for the info! and yeah I got the car with these and ceramic pads.
I already bought solid brembo rotors just need to piece together the rest of the setup and slap it on

[UKCoopeR]

Just to be clear, there are lots of cars that came with style 32 wheels, just not always the right size/offset etc. for an e34 http://www.bmwstylewheels.com/bmw/32

[newE34guy]

Just to be clear, there are lots of cars that came with style 32 wheels, just not always the right size/offset etc. for an e34 http://www.bmwstylewheels.com/bmw/32

and I'm back into the same boat, I'll looked at this exact chart and had the same question
maybe you can help me out

So I want these wheels....I won't pay top dollar for them but I do want them and might eventually grab them.

I want to run a specific setup. On 17's
I want 17x8 with a small offset 15-25

these wheels would be perfect except I never knew they made a M5 with 17's

5er E39

M5

8x17 *

ET 20

Which year was this? I think its a typo

[UKCoopeR]

So i read that site wrong all the time and it drives me nuts when i realize it, that third column is actually 'excluding'. So that entry should be read as it was an option for e39 excluding the M5.

I found mine 17x8f/9r on local CL for 400 no bends but some chips in the paint, so they can be had for a good deal if you aren't in a rush (I have seen 300-900 depending on condition tires etc). I just looked on both here and CL everyday just searching for 5x120 and 17 as not everyone knows the style #s.

I got ones the correspond to these rows:

5er E39		Touring, M5	8x17 *	front	ET 20
5er E39		Touring, M5	9x17 *	back	ET 26

So they would have only come on non-M e39 sedans (I believe they were included in the sport pack but available a la carte too).

Keep in mind that for e39 wheels you should probably run 74.1mm -> 72.5mm hubrings too, but they are super cheap and easy to find.

[newE34guy]

Thanks so much. now it makes sense.

Yes, I currently have e39 wheels and I am running 74.1 -> 72.5 rings. We have a store that sells the 4 rings for $10.
So weird that e39 is the only model which had the hub difference.

I'll be looking around for them sometime in the future as now I have e39 wheels, my originla wheels which are 7 series wheels, not sure which style but they are similar to the style 5's but 1 piece with no bullets around.

you can see the front wheels on the pic below are 7 series and rears are e39 5

[Hofmeister]

factory 3.73 lsd from m20? do you have a m20 or just that diff in your car? which motor are you running



thanks for the info! and yeah I got the car with these and ceramic pads.
I already bought solid brembo rotors just need to piece together the rest of the setup and slap it on

Mine was an m50tu automatic, did manual zf swap with 3.23 open and then found a 3.73 lsd at a junkyard.

[newE34guy]

I like your style!

Hows your 5th gear at 60-80mph?
Do you know which car 3.73 its from? Has to be m5 or m20 5speed converted into lsd? or not from e34

[Hofmeister]

I don't think m5 will work. But m20 5spd is straight swap besides changing input flange. 60-70 is live able at 3300-500 but 80mph sucks unless you're trying to have fun.

What I do is find a manual car in a junkyard, then run the vin through a decoder, it will tell you if it had a factory LSD. Way easier than readin a rusted out tag

[newE34guy]

But did all the m20's in 89 and 90 come with a 3.73 lsd?
I thought they were open

[Hofmeister]

I believe if they had winter package they came with LSD. So majority are open. That said in the last 2 months I've seen 4 come to junkyards.

[bblazen]

Where do you drift round BK?

[Sam Son]

dont bother with the skidplate....it's useless....
Ask me how I know .

Where on earth did you find a pair of Bride Low Maxs for $460?

[Shoomakan]

Where on earth did you find a pair of Bride Low Maxs for $460?

Lol seriously this. Unless it's a replica I am truly impressed! I couldn't find decently priced ones for mine, ended up going with USDM Mitsubishi Evo 9 seats.

Glad to see another fellow racer here. Too many old people on the forum.

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