gmak: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A journey with my new-to-me 2000 540i

[gmak]

I need the right primer. Then I can paint them.

[gmak]

I've been trying to match the sound I recorded from my 540 with others on Youtube. The purpose is to set my mind at ease that it is in fact a VANOS sound. The first video is me, the second is a proven VANOS noise (went away after VANOS fix). To me they are almost the same - allowing for location of mic. But I'm not 100% sure. How about the educated ears on this forum. You guys are wizards, gimme some magic.

[Runner303]

I've been trying to match the sound I recorded from my 540 with others on Youtube. The purpose is to set my mind at ease that it is in fact a VANOS sound. The first video is me, the second is a proven VANOS noise (went away after VANOS fix). To me they are almost the same - allowing for location of mic. But I'm not 100% sure. How about the educated ears on this forum. You guys are wizards, gimme some magic.

That's Vanoise, 100%. Busted guides have a different sound, more of a higher-pitched sliding/rubbing sound than the blunt 'thump' of the VANOS units.

Nice looking car, after you fix up those items you listed it'll be top-notch!

Agree with you on the black/black/black interior, would have preferred the sand in my Topaz car personally, or even some combination of the two... though the black is good cause it doesn't show dirt/wear as much. Haven't been able to bring myself to get a tint as I don't want to drive in a cave, despite the aesthetic and thermal benefits of it.

You can rebuild your MID and cluster LCD's, if you're patient. Certainly farming it out is easier but doing it yourself gives that feeling of accomplishment.

[dannyzabolotny]

Also, if it were timing guide noise, your car would shake a bit. When the guides fail and the chain starts slapping around, it's a pretty violent shake. I needed to drive my 2001 540ia onto a trailer when I bought it, and it shook like an ancient farm tractor. Though mine were completely destroyed at that point, and it was just the chain carving into metal.

[gmak]

Nice image, Danny. I know exactly what you mean.

I also don't think that it's chains but next spring (after being stored for the winter), there is definitely an oil pan gasket change just to look for plastic guide pieces.
While it's in storage, I'm going to pull the instrument cluster for the pixel fix, and the LHS Vanos - to send to Dr Vanos - unless I discover something in the meantime.

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That's Vanoise, 100%. Busted guides have a different sound, more of a higher-pitched sliding/rubbing sound than the blunt 'thump' of the VANOS units.

Nice looking car, after you fix up those items you listed it'll be top-notch!

Agree with you on the black/black/black interior, would have preferred the sand in my Topaz car personally, or even some combination of the two... though the black is good cause it doesn't show dirt/wear as much. Haven't been able to bring myself to get a tint as I don't want to drive in a cave, despite the aesthetic and thermal benefits of it.

You can rebuild your MID and cluster LCD's, if you're patient. Certainly farming it out is easier but doing it yourself gives that feeling of accomplishment.

Thanks for the response on the noise and the compliment on the car. I'm tending to agree with you.

I don't have the patience to do the Cluster - especially with all the "Indiana Jones" traps in getting it apart. I'm going to pull it and send it off. I'd rather focus on other things more mechanical.

I'm going to get the trim covered in red leather and that will break up the monotony of the black. I find that the leather on the seats is top notch - good quality. I don't want to mess with that. maybe I'll dye part of the doorskins sometime in the future - but I think that would be too much.

[dannyzabolotny]

If you're going to pull the Vanos to send it off for a repair, you may as well do the chain guides. While the Vanos is relatively easy to access on an M52TU/M54, taking off the Vanos on an M62 involves removing the upper timing covers and timing chains. So if you're going to get the Vanos repaired you might as well do your chain guides. That's just my two cents. Whatever two US cents converts to in CAD.

[gmak]

If you're going to pull the Vanos to send it off for a repair, you may as well do the chain guides. While the Vanos is relatively easy to access on an M52TU/M54, taking off the Vanos on an M62 involves removing the upper timing covers and timing chains. So if you're going to get the Vanos repaired you might as well do your chain guides. That's just my two cents. Whatever two US cents converts to in CAD.

I think that it works out to be about $1.50 - at least it seems to be, looking at my credit card bills for parts from the USA. Your point on the TCGuides is well taken. To me it seems like it's a little early to do the timing chain guides at 88K miles? Dropping the oil pan might decide it for me. What are the consequences of ignoring the VANOS for a while.

They might not look too kindly on my doing the dismantling work where I plan to rent winter parking - so I may just have to wait for spring on all that. I will absolutely HATE having the good weather come back and not being able to drive. (Am I starting to sound like a procrastinator - yes, I am!)

I'm going to have to think about this a while, as I do a bunch of cosmetic things.

[Cereal]

Yeah sounds like the typical M62 diesel idle. Maybe get a new timing chain tensioiner and try to change your oil to a different brand or different weight to see if noise changes? I know my car seems much quieter after an oil change but that goes away after a tank of gas.

If it is your Vanos that is making noise, you might lose a little throttle response, low end power, and in result, slightly worse MPG.

Shouldn't see any long term or detrimental effects from the failed Vanos (IMO until someone says otherwise) I would hold off on your timing chain guides as long as you can. Especially with your miles, try not to think about them for a while and enjoy the car and all the other maintenance (im sure you can find soemthing). You can drop your pan and look for plastic or peek up at your guides but I think you'll be ok

Also... Update your MY CARS in your profile

[dannyzabolotny]

The Vanos won't really do anything bad. It'll make a bit of noise but there's tons of people here on these forums who just keep driving with their Vanos noise without any problems. It's best not to tear the engine open until it needs it. 88k miles is way too early to open it up, unless something actually goes wrong. Just enjoy your car, it'll still be awesome even with a little Vanos rattle.

[gmak]

thanks, man!

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Y
Also... Update your MY CARS in your profile

Done. I had to take out the 530XI to do it - but it doesn't belong here anyways.



I took the car out for a little spin tonight. I've got an Elring gasket kit sitting in the cart at eeuroparts. This weekend, I have to tackle testing the TSB in the 528 to see if it is a throttle issue that gives me the high idle. I'm going to enlist my son in clay-barring the car and then protecting it with a bunch of stuff (polish, nano glaze, insulator wax etc).. I might find time to clean and condition the leather.

I'm more interested, though, in getting my Magnaflow muffler with the rectangular tips and finding where to go to get it installed properly. It shipped today, so maybe here by the weekend. I'll post pics of it and anything I can photograph of the installation, when it happens.

[Runner303]

The Vanos won't really do anything bad. It'll make a bit of noise but there's tons of people here on these forums who just keep driving with their Vanos noise without any problems. It's best not to tear the engine open until it needs it. 88k miles is way too early to open it up, unless something actually goes wrong. Just enjoy your car, it'll still be awesome even with a little Vanos rattle.

Truer words never spoken. I had "timing chain/VANOS anxiety" early in my ownership, and pulled my pan off while I was doing all my top-end gaskets so I could look for guide chunks as well as check my oil pump bolt torque. All fine - no chunks, bolts still torqued to spec. Interestingly, the oil I put in (Castrol full synth 5W-30) quieted the VANOS right down, and the quieting effect stayed! Honestly I think the TC guide failure thing is over-hyped, and at 88km, a non-issue.

While we're on the subject of bolt torque though - check the torque on the PS pump bolts if you've got the car jacked up. Those bolts will loosen up, and back themselves out if unchecked, which will break your lower timing cover. Mine were definitely loosening at 170,xxx km. 23N-m I believe is the torque, a search here will confirm.

[dannyzabolotny]

The good thing about timing chain failure is that it rarely happens all of a sudden. You'll get rattles and plastic bits long before any real damage happens. You would have to ignore the timing chain guide noise for a very long time for it to fail catastrophically and wreck your engine. So I wouldn't worry about doing them preemptively, just enjoy your car. 88k miles is like baby steps for these cars, my 2003 540i6 has 195k and it feels really good.

And replace your chain tensioner at 100k or so, it's a cheap part and will prolong the life of your timing chain guides. And make sure your motor mounts are fresh and not shot, the guides go bad much faster if the motor is vibrating around uncontrollably.

[gmak]

And replace your chain tensioner at 100k or so, it's a cheap part and will prolong the life of your timing chain guides. And make sure your motor mounts are fresh and not shot, the guides go bad much faster if the motor is vibrating around uncontrollably.

Chain tensioner is already on the way. It's going in soon. Taking the easy money of the table.

Good idea on the motor mounts. I just did motor and tranny mounts on the 528 < 1 month ago. I'll check them out tomorrow on a day off.

While we're on the subject of bolt torque though - check the torque on the PS pump bolts if you've got the car jacked up. Those bolts will loosen up, and back themselves out if unchecked, which will break your lower timing cover. Mine were definitely loosening at 170,xxx km. 23N-m I believe is the torque, a search here will confirm.

I'll add the pump bolts to the list.


Muffler got here : Oh the perils of ordering online when reality doesn't mesh with what's in my brain.
Finally got a look at the muffler in person. The tips are a little bigger than I thought. I'm thinking maybe I should send it back and just get the single tip. I'm going to have the muffler set back so that the end of the tips are pretty much flush with the back bumper. (Unless someone has some good ideas). I have a 10AM appointment tomorrow to see what the muffler shop can do.

This is what I have (first picture). The two tips look to be a total of about 6 - 7 inches wide together. I probably should just have gone for a Magnaflow silencer with a turn down tip. Kind of what is at the end of the second picture.
14863sm.jpg 16547_lg__45019.1379476504.415.415.jpg

[dannyzabolotny]

Man those square tips look giant! I thought you were trying to take the more subtle approach :P

[gmak]

Man those square tips look giant! I thought you were trying to take the more subtle approach :P

I was. I didn't realize that they were so large. Brain fart, I guess.

I've been researching front end suspension (after seeing those green Fortune 500 dampers that auaq is putting on his M5) and I realized that the other bits (stabilizer bar end links, thrust arms, control arms etc) are the same part number for the 535, 540, and M5 in the E39. So every 540 E39 has M-sport suspension - except for the shocks /struts and sway bar, likely. Makes it seem like M-sport is just the ///M on the steering wheel and the racing seats with some trim - all cosmetic. sheesh.

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To console myself over the muffler, I decided to shift some priorities in my budget and go with the eye-candy that Auaq showed us in his M5 suspension build thread. I've ordered a set of these from Thayer Motorsports:

500_Series_2015_large (1).png

This weekend, I'll be swapping wheels on the car and I'll take the time to check the 3 o'clock / 9 o'clock play in the front. On that note, does anyone have any opinion on TRW control and thrust arms?

[aspensilver540]

I was. I didn't realize that they were so large. Brain fart, I guess.

I've been researching front end suspension (after seeing those green Fortune 500 dampers that auaq is putting on his M5) and I realized that the other bits (stabilizer bar end links, thrust arms, control arms etc) are the same part number for the 535, 540, and M5 in the E39. So every 540 E39 has M-sport suspension - except for the shocks /struts and sway bar, likely. Makes it seem like M-sport is just the ///M on the steering wheel and the racing seats with some trim - all cosmetic. sheesh.

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To console myself over the muffler, I decided to shift some priorities in my budget and go with the eye-candy that Auaq showed us in his M5 suspension build thread. I've ordered a set of these from Thayer Motorsports:

500_Series_2015_large (1).png

This weekend, I'll be swapping wheels on the car and I'll take the time to check the 3 o'clock / 9 o'clock play in the front. On that note, does anyone have any opinion on TRW control and thrust arms?

Ya the M-Sport is mostly cosmetic. As you mentioned, just shock changes, sway bars for M suspension II (what they call it).
total package over regular sport:

• 18" staggered wheels (except Touring)
• M-bumper
• M suspension II
• M rocker panel
• anthracite headliner

Items that may or may not be part of your model's sport pkg from 1997-2002:

• M gear shift handle (manual tranny)
• 3-spoke M steering wheel
• shadowline exterior trim,
• vavona redwood interior trim,
• 12-way sport seats,
• STEPTRONIC gear shifting,
• 17" staggered wheels (non staggered on the Tourings),

[auaq]

^^^ You Copycat!!!!

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What about those TM arms??

[gmak]

I know a great idea when I see one, and I'm not afraid to plagiarize. Be warned. lol. You should maybe push Thayer for some comp money for the active advertising you're doing - especially as the sales mount from those luscious pictures.

I just couldn't resist the lure of those dampers - especially once I realized that all the rest of the pieces (Including swap bar up front) were essentially M5 equipment.

TM arms? Baby steps. Baby steps. Well. I'm going to wait until I test the reason behind the shudder / vibration in the wheel at higher speeds when I do gentle braking. If it's just micro-crap on the rotors then I'll think about re-bedding the pads, depending on what they are. I haven't even had time to take the wheels off this week. If it does turn out to be thrust arms. I'm probably going to go TRW with UUC bushings in the front. Nothing in the back. : I've got to save some money in my car budget for the engine - although I do have a complete gasket set coming.

[auaq]

No problem. It's passing down info that helps others to make their choices or decisions. If it weren't for Brandon's touring, Fortune Auto's, and other good stuff from other guys to learn about, I wouldn't have made a thread like that.

TM - Thayer Motorsport control arms for the rear end.

[gmak]

1. Decision on muffler tomorrow at exhaust shop
2. Check bolts on PS pump - After a drive, steering is stiff both ways at slow speeds. So I need to change ATF in reservoir (several times until 2 quarts).; put front wheels in air and try to turn by hand (with steering wheel unlocked)
3. Do 2 o'clock/ 9 o'clock test on front wheels for ball joint / bushing check (shudder / vibration when gently braking at high speed)
4. Road trip with my son to pick up some type 66 wheels with lightly used Michelin Pilot A/S 3s (now I've done research, it seems like many have complained by how fast they wear down)
5. Get proper colour for interior wood trim 'red leather' covering
6. Get new keys
7. Remove overly-dark tint on windows
8. change oil /filter to slightly heavier (I like 5W40 Castrol for now because I have it 'in stock')

Mid term (next couple of months)
1. New green lantern dampers / coilovers (thanks auaq!)
2. Possible front suspension overhaul
3. POssible PS pump change
4. POssible valve cover gaskets
5 possible brakes
6 Transmission filter and fluid
8. Differential fluid
7. New front M5 bumper

Did I leave anything out??

[gmak]

Long story short. Midas Muffler found a scuba tank muffler at a local Euro-used-parts place. It's missing the vibration damper (that rubber cone) but still... It was probably the best solution. If anyone has a spare vibration thingy (#10 in this REALOEM pic), I'd be interested - especially if total cost with shipping to me is shipping (or total cost < $50 CAD).

Bad picture, but doesn't this look familiar. Not the prettiest site but I still get the V8 roar with some quiet at lower speeds.
20150904 scuba muffler.jpg

These are fuzzy pictures of the tips taken off. To give some scale each one is about 4 inches or so in diameter. I might sell them to a neighbour for about $50.

20150904 tips 1.jpg20150904 tips 2.jpg


Now I just have to get ahold of that Magnaflow distributor (who has a 1-800 number that puts you to an answering machine - I only hope it's because of the long weekend) and get 'permission' to send back the muffler for a full refund.

Tomorrow, I'm off on a road trip to get the style 66 rims and Michelin Pilot AS 3s. 9 hours total in a car with my son. good times.

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Some Surprises are nice and welcome.

I got a chance to get under the car at the muffler shop. It looks like I have NEW front control arms (the straight ones) and sway bar end links - so new that you can still see the purple ring around the rubber on the top end of the link. (I don't know if you know what I[m talking about but it tenss to disappear with use and age.

Sweet!! Now I'll only need new thrust arms (the curved ones). Going to get some and put UUC bushings in to avoid the whole pre-load issue.

I did notice the black grease shadow down by the driveshaft CV joint. The flex joint Giubo looked fairly new as well - no deformations, wrinkles, dry/torn areas. It looks like I may have an oil pan leak or a steering box leak. I couldn't overstay my welcome under there so I couldn't drop the belly shield to check. Next week. Guess Ill get my son under there to get him used to the work.

Also, the junk yard wouldn't sell just the muffler, so I have a resonator that they;re going to cut the extra piping below, and above for me. So if anyone is ever looking for one, it's here.


p.s. Does anyone know what the difference is between the E39 scuba tank and the M-tech / M-sport scuba tank (#'s 08 in the realoem diagram above).

[gmak]

I was looking at how loud my aux fan (I thought) was, and started another thread about this to get some attention. Some suggested that it was really the fan clutch. That was last night. Today we changed the car to new(er) wheels and I took her out for a speed limit drive and did before and after videos, which can be found in the thread here

Quick background: I checked the coolant level and it was excessively high in the overflow tank. I drained some to bring the float down to be level with the opening. During the drive I noticed the temp crept up to the 3/4 mark on the guage and then the howling of the fan would start and the temp would drop back to the halfway mark. The video proves (to me, anyway) that it is the fan clutch as was suggested in the other thread.


I can see that I have to clean the underside of the car. There is so much grease, anti-rust coating (sloppy job) and possibly power steering ATF that I really need to spend about 3 - 4 hours on it. After that, I'll be able to tell where the fluids are coming from, apart for the oil pan gasket.


I ordered some more parts: RHS front sway bar end link; UUC bushings for the thrust arms in front; a bunch of nuts, screws etc for the belly pan and wheel well liners (looks like 'somebody' smacked and went forward then backward over something the way things underneath look. Maybe that's why the work on the control arms etc). Fortunately, I have a new M-style bumper coming from Umnitza and we'll take it from there.

Rotors look good. Lots left on the pads. I better add a fan clutch to the order, pronto.

Here are some pics. What a great car!
20150906 new wheels 2.jpg20150906 new wheels 3.jpg2015096 new wheels 1.jpg

[Nero530i]

Based upon what I read you bought a nice E39. I tend to be more practical and sort out all of the mechanical issues first and worry about the cosmetics later.

[gmak]

You have to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. I now have the m-sport staggered wheels - which are part of my plan. Don't worry, the mechanical issues are being sorted. But the parts take a while to show up. I'm not in the USA, you know.

[aspensilver540]

1. Decision on muffler tomorrow at exhaust shop
2. Check bolts on PS pump - After a drive, steering is stiff both ways at slow speeds. So I need to change ATF in reservoir (several times until 2 quarts).; put front wheels in air and try to turn by hand (with steering wheel unlocked)
3. Do 2 o'clock/ 9 o'clock test on front wheels for ball joint / bushing check (shudder / vibration when gently braking at high speed)
4. Road trip with my son to pick up some type 66 wheels with lightly used Michelin Pilot A/S 3s (now I've done research, it seems like many have complained by how fast they wear down)
5. Get proper colour for interior wood trim 'red leather' covering
6. Get new keys
7. Remove overly-dark tint on windows
8. change oil /filter to slightly heavier (I like 5W40 Castrol for now because I have it 'in stock')

Mid term (next couple of months)
1. New green lantern dampers / coilovers (thanks auaq!)
2. Possible front suspension overhaul
3. POssible PS pump change
4. POssible valve cover gaskets
5 possible brakes
6 Transmission filter and fluid
8. Differential fluid
7. New front M5 bumper

Did I leave anything out??

Should be 1. on any E39 list is Cooling System. Seriously, before everything else.

I see you very active in wanting to maintain your car which is great, but you seem less active on the #1 failure point of the car, the cooling system. Think cooling system till it's all done, then all your other projects. Do this first and avoid being stranded and keep that smile you have