My New Project: LS/T56 swap into a 2003 E39 M5

[tptrsn]

Excelent updates Robert. Going to read it again and again. I thought it was suppose to be a street engine but you just made a monster engine. Haha!

It will be super streetable and well-mannered, just built with NASA quality precision.

[unnatrl]

Amazing work! I would be afraid to drive the car once it's done.

[Schitzo]

Got in the garage at 6am this morning and knocked out the fuel lines. Since I will be using the stock M5 fuel pump, for now, all I needed to do was fit the corvette fuel regulator and bend a 3/8" feed line from the regulator to the engine bay. Bending the feed line took the longest to do. I started from the engine bay and copied the bends off of the stock BMW 5/16" (~ 8mm?) feed line. I occasionally installed the line on the car to ensure there were no clearance issues. Once that was done, I modified the stock BMW fuel filter mount so that it would work with the corvette regulator. Finally, I used EFI rubber hose and Dorman quick connect fittings to join the regulator to the hard lines. I now need to pull-out the LS1 and prep the engine bay for installation of the 427.

The brass fitting in one of the rubber lines is a 5/16" to 3/8" joiner.








I do need to connect the regulator ground strap to the chassis.

[JimLev]

That's a pretty small filter, thought that big engine would have used one that was a bit bigger.
Didn't know Dorman made QD fittings that worked on our fuel lines. I need to get a few to make a longer than stock line to my fuel rail.

[Schitzo]

That's a pretty small filter, thought that big engine would have used one that was a bit bigger.
Didn't know Dorman made QD fittings that worked on our fuel lines. I need to get a few to make a longer than stock line to my fuel rail.

Yeah, it is a tiny filter but seems to work fine. The 5/16" Dorman fittings will work with the stock lines. They are available in steel or plastic.

[JimLev]

I did find them in steel which is what I want. Will be ordering 2 of them.
Haven't been doing much TIGing lately, will need to get more pracitce soon. I'm getting a CAT efficiency code on bank 2.
I'm going to replace both of them.

[Schitzo]

I finished working on clutch related stuff starting with the clutch reservoir. I have never been a fan of BMW's use of the same reservoir for the brakes and clutch master cylinders so in my previous E39 LS swap, I used a dedicated reservoir for the clutch master. The reservoir is out of a C5 Corvette and I will be using it for this swap as well. The bracket I used to mount the reservoir on my previous swap was kind of flimsy so I made a new bracket that is much more study. It helps when opening and closing the reservoir cap. The outlet for the clutch master on the brake reservoir is capped off since it is no longer used.





Next up was the clutch master cylinder. I am using the same setup as the previous swap except I had to remake the bracket that mounts the cylinder to the pedal cluster. I forgot to remove the original bracket from my previous car before I sent it to the junkyard. The bracket is bolted onto the BMW cluster using to two M6 bolts.






One other change I had to make was machine down the rod that links the clutch master rod end to the pedal. The bore of the spherical bearing on the rod end of the Tilton master cylinder is smaller than the bore on the stock master cylinder which precludes use of the stock rod. I previously used a 3/8" bolt with an aluminum sleeve to account for the difference in bore size between the Tilton master and clutch pedal but I wasn't a fan of that setup; it worked but could be better. This time around, I had the stock rod machined down to fit onto the Tilton rod end. It now fits like stock and uses the stock retaining clips.

Tilton vs. the stock master. Also shown is the stock rod after machining to size.



I will be using the same clutch line I used on the previous swap except this time I added the grommet that seals the hole on the firewall through which the clutch line exits. I neglected to do this on the previous swap and I would occasionally have water get underneath the carpet around the throttle pedal when driving in heavy rain. In order to fit the grommet on the clutch line, I had to cut off a fitting that was climped on the master cylinder end of the hose. I replaced the crimped on fitting with an Earl's 10mm banjo to -4AN fitting.



Last but not least, I installed the flywheel and clutch on the engine. I had this complete setup balanced when the machine shop balanced my rotating assembly.

[doktor b]

I wish I'd ponied up for that clutch MC when I did my swap. I got a 75 series and it's just long enough that I had to enlarge the hole in the firewall and now it's not sealed. It's like a furnace on my feet.

[JimLev]

Oooo, Brodix heads, cam, and headers going to be a fun ride.
Stay away from the deers.
I did order the fuel line fitting you used.

[Schitzo]

I've made some progress. I installed the new engine so that I could fabricate the intake tube and plumb the oil lines.

For the intake tube, I wanted it to be a single piece with 'gentle' bends so I made it out of mandrel bent tubing. The tube 4" OD with a 6" radius bend and the material is 16 gauge 6061 aluminum. Hope to weld the pieces together this week. Since I plan to paint the tube, I will likely file down the welds to give a smooth finish.





I also mounted the coolant reservoir, which is out of an E30, and the remote oil filter mount. The filter mount has an integrated pump which I can use to prime the engine with oil prior to the initial start up. It takes a hand drill to spin the pump which generates ~20 psi in a few seconds. The oil filter is out of a GM truck and is rather large but I was able to squeeze it in there.



Also, screw Photobucket. I'll move the pics elsewhere and re-upload them as time allows.

[StolenFox]

Built with surgical precision worthy of the car itself, nicely done sir!

S.F.

[auaq]

I would hate to see an oil spill on the chassis and in the surrounding area during an oil change. Any plans to make a drainage funnel thing beneath it?

- - - Updated - - -

I've been using ImageShack for a number of years for all of my pics. I believe I pay around $20-$30 annually. Haven't had any issues with it. You may want to have a look at it sometime.

[tptrsn]

That's all looking stellar, Robert!! Do you have an expectation yet of when the first startup might take place?

[Schitzo]

I would hate to see an oil spill on the chassis and in the surrounding area during an oil change. Any plans to make a drainage funnel thing beneath it?

I've been using ImageShack for a number of years for all of my pics. I believe I pay around $20-$30 annually. Haven't had any issues with it. You may want to have a look at it sometime.

I plan to use a shallow container and towels to catch any oil that might spill. I do actually have an ImageShack but I'm currently using Flickr.

That's all looking stellar, Robert!! Do you have an expectation yet of when the first startup might take place?

Hi Thad. How is drifting going this summer?
I don't know if I dare say when the first startup is expected considering I have missed so many of my self imposed deadlines! What I can can tell you though the only thing left before I can start the engine is finishing the engine harness which is what I am currently working on.

[tptrsn]

Looking good Robert!!

Regarding self-imposed deadlines, this year I went so far as to make a New Year's Resolution NOT to set any goals/dates for myself, since it seems to be a guarantee that I won't make it when I do that. Lol

Drifting has been good-ish. I took 6 weeks to fabricate and tune a complete turbo setup for the LRS prior to the first event of the year, and it worked out very well. However, I tore up the front left suspension at that event, and I'm kind of just getting it back together just now. I may hit another event pretty soon.

Mainly I've been trying to allocate my spare time to the 540 turbo project, but spare time hasn't been easy to come by lately. I have a ton of wiring staring me in the face on that project too, and I'm not super excited about it..

As an aside, I have a feeling that it won't be too terribly long until I stab a junkyard LS into one of my Bimmers. It just makes sense. I don't know which car it will be, but I think one of them is going to demand it at some point haha.

[Schitzo]

I like that resolution although I have to say you've made crazy progress this year alone for not having deadlines/goals.

As an aside, I have a feeling that it won't be too terribly long until I stab a junkyard LS into one of my Bimmers. It just makes sense. I don't know which car it will be, but I think one of them is going to demand it at some point haha.

Have you been watching Sloppy Mechanics again lol. The LRS would be bad-ass with an LS in it. I feel as though you should leave the 540 turbo as is in the hopes it will encourage some deadpoolers to act right.

[auaq]

What intake is that?

[tptrsn]

Have you been watching Sloppy Mechanics again lol.

I never stop! That guy is my superhero.

The LRS would be bad-ass with an LS in it. I feel as though you should leave the 540 turbo as is in the hopes it will encourage some deadpoolers to act right.

I hear you on both of those points, but we shall see. The 540 feels like it will handle nasty power a bit better than the LRS, which are actually reasons to make sure both of them have nasty power. One that handles it well, and one that doesn't... What's better? Lol

I do plan to see what can be done with the M62b44 turbo, but every time I see someone yank apart an LS and throw it back together in an hour (and make a thousand WHP with factory internals) it makes me cry.

[Schitzo]

What intake is that?

MSD Atomic Airforce (name is corny af)

I never stop! That guy is my superhero.

I do plan to see what can be done with the M62b44 turbo, but every time I see someone yank apart an LS and throw it back together in an hour (and make a thousand WHP with factory internals) it makes me cry.

Jump in when you're ready...there are plenty of engines to go around

[tptrsn]

Case in point.... (or close enough)

[auaq]

MSD Atomic Airforce (name is corny af)

What is so special about that manifold?

[Schitzo]

Case in point.... (or close enough)

Yep! And if you pop something in the engine, a replacement shouldn't be too expensive or difficult to find. I think that gives people confidence to push these engines.
Here is another one I always get a kick out of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Ni2gPo5Us

What is so special about that manifold?

Not sure I follow the question but if you are asking why I went with this intake, it is because it does give a power bump over the stock LS7 intake and uses the stock fuel rail without modifications. I wouldn't necessarily classify those as special aspects.

[tptrsn]

Oh yeah Robert, gotta LOVE MF'r Jones!

I watched the whole build thread for that car on LS1Tech, and it was pretty sweet. The young guy who built it is building some other contraption now I think, but I can't remember what it is. Must not be as cool as MFer Jones.

[TH3 Shifty]

very cool and lengthy project

[no7fish]

It seems a lot of you guys are swapping out the clutch master cylinder. Asking the apparently dumb question... Does the factory BMW M/C not push enough fluid for the GM slave?