I Cannot express how great full I am to everyone who posted/contributed to this thread!
I am in the Greater Chicago Area and I own a beautiful 2001 E38 740I M Sport. I owned the car for a few months now and discovered there is oil in the coolant reservoir (milkshake syndrome). I flushed the system 4 times all last week, checked the Guides (still ok), checked the VANOS and it needs to be serviced and the valve cover gasket. Nothing crazy except I might need an engine (blown head gasket).
I decided to take the same route you are taking and on my way to pick up a beautiful 2002 X5 with a nice V8 4.6L SI (135K on the clock), the guy clams that he. Changed the chain and after he did, two codes (P0011 and P0021) showed. My best guess is he didn’t time the chain correctly. Not an issue since I was planning on changing the chain, service the VANOS, oil plan, thermostat spark plugs, etc. and put it in the E38.
Questions:
1- do you think I can drive the car back to my garage? It’s a 30 minute drive.
2- If you are in the Chicago Area or want to help, please do (every help advise is very appropriate it. I am new here (don’t have a lot of contacts) and my mechanic skills are pretty basic lol. I have the space and on a very limited budget.
Thank you again for drawing a map for ppl like me who wants to tackle something like this. VERY APPRECIATED.
Alex
Hi Alex, there are some guys who've done a 4.6 swap in e38'#. There's some difference between the 2 platforms that I'm unaware of.
I had a ton of help from all the guys you see contributing to this thread. I couldn't, wouldn't have tried this without this forum.
Try asking questions in the normal e39 (sedan) section and then of course the e38 section.
I'd say, spend a little $ and have her towed, safer.
I'm in Seattle, WA but the East coast has a good group of enthusiasts out there to meet up with. I wish you luck!
Thanks for reading through all this. Hope it helps.
Im in the chicagoland area and a friend of mine just purchased an orient blue 540iT to do the same 4.6 swap with the hopes of adding a 6speed to it as well. I know the 6speed part of it may a bit more tricky so I am hopeful someone can assist with that part as it is way more involved than just regular programming to the DME.
Alex if you plan to part out the 4.6 please let me know as I own an Imola 4.6iS and always looking to find some fresh needed parts for her. I am an e38 owner as well...
Update:
I still can't post pics and not sure why but trust me when I say, you don't want to see the ones of the car today. Last night, I was taking a corner too fast, avoided an elk but got into the shoulder and lost control. Luckily, the fire hydrant stopped the car...
Airbags deployed, both myself and my passenger were uninjured but my girl, I think she's dead. The hydrant basically ripped the front open between the driver-side wheel and the engine. I don't know what's salvageable but I'll get to that in the next day or two. Currently I'm in mourning for the car and my "man-card". I haven't hit anything or been in an accident I caused since I was 16. I'm generally a safe-ish driver and last night I ruined all that.
Just letting you know.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
This makes me so sad, just wow, glad you are OK. I will raise a glass of my finest whiskey this evening and toast to your epic machine.
What??? Dude! That sucks! You should’ve killed the stupid elk. Stupid animal, what the hell was he thinking, being in the way. They should learn to stay off the beaten paths that we giants of the land have called our own! Glad you and your passenger are fine.
JC!!! Good to see you on here! How’ve you been?
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
Thanks. I'm happy nobody was hurt. I should have gone left, the other lane was open but the fuzzy guy was facing that direction and in a split second, I assumed brush would be easier on the car. Not seeing the hydrant was a huge mistake.
Wagons_ho has been gracious enough to sell me one of his bastard bimmers on the cheap side while I deal with my dead girlfriend (the wagon)
Once again, I'm reminded how nice the e39 wagon community is and how grateful I am for the inclusion.
random E53 guy here with a comment on the TQ. The 4.6 TQ likely won’t fit into the 5HP24, assuming that is the stock transmission you will use. I looked long for one for my 4.6 swap into my 4.4i X5 thinking it was the right way to go, however I later learned on the range rover forum (guy was doing a 4.6 swap into an L322…very nice project) that the the 4.6 converter has a larger diameter, which necessitates a larger bell housing internally. The pics I saw actually look like more and beefier ribs to the BH. The mounting profile is the same though. RealOEM doesn’t seem to list the bell housings separately so confirmation is a challenge. I will say the Range Rover forum guy who responded was a wealth of info and had pics of both transmissions.
I couldn’t find a 4.6 gearbox for a reasonable price, so I ended up using my stock ZF5HP24 in my 4.4i as is. I will say the 4.6 bolted up fine and the gearbox is doing great. It was a 2 year old remanufactured unit at the time of the swap, and now has about 2000 4.6 miles on it.
as far as the DME goes, I had the 4.6 load squirted in by Kassel and asked for a “mild tune” to go with it. He also did a full delete on the SAP system , which was broken anyway there is no testing where I live. I pulled all the hardware and plugged the individual holes in the heads. The 4.6 has a unique secondary opening in the 4.6is x5 airbox too for higher RPM and loads that opens via the same vacuum switch that controls the SAP valve. If you get a 4.6 DME load, it will pop a code for this, unless you get it coded out…it shouldn’t set the CEL light.
My two cents from my recent 4.6 swap.
Last edited by Henn28; 09-01-2022 at 05:54 PM.
Current BMW
2002 E53 X5 4.6i (4.4 to 4.6 swap)
Former BMWs
1996 BMW Z3
1998 BMW E36 M3 Sedan
2004 BMW E46 M3
Damn Lee, so sad to hear of your misfortune, my consolation for sure. But as the saying goes, never let a good crisis go to waste, so I have faith you'll make the best of it no matter which turn in the fork you take.
Just so you all know, if this thing is repairable, and I mean even if it's borderline, it's getting fixed.
I am waiting for better pictures, already cataloging what we need.
Hopefully you guys can save the car!
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
Sorry to hear the hydrant won the fight.
Wow, a rare check in from Geargrinder too!
Here's one easy way to post pics. Make sure the file size isn't huge.
Post a pic_1.JPG
Then
Post a pic_2.JPG
Crime scene photo.
Note that front bumper reinforcement is not bent between the rails, so waiting for more pictures.
Hopefully, some rack time and an apron, and back together.
No insurance to deal with, so clean title msport.
Fixed worse than this when they were new.
47545.jpg
Not enough room for past/present garage
Ooofff! Stupid elk, stupid fire hydrant, glad to see, Lee didn’t sideswipe the Lunar Lander!
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
From your lips to God's ears. I will try. Thank you. Turns out a couple of the local long roof crazies want to see if we can rebuild her. Time for an epic youtube montage!
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Lol, the "lander"
I'm healthy, no physical damage and the mental state is good.
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(fingers crossed) getting pics in a bit.
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Thanks Jim, I'll try that with the next uploads.
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Henn28
I recall there was some doubt if the e53 4.6is TC would fit. For a long while I'm thinking everyone agreed it wouldn't fit because of the larger size but I recall also, someone swore that while a tight fit, it would fit. I guess someday, I'll have to just try it and then we'll know.
Happy you're doing well on your project. Excellent reporting on the TC though.
That's awesome that you're getting a boost from the local e39 longroof lunatics. My hats off to everyone involved for pitching in to save her! From a fellow lunatic, it would definitely be a video series to see, if you were to document and film the process from beginning to end.
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I'll do my best. I have 300+ videos on youtube about boat detailing, I guess it would be a logical move to do a car vid of substance. I'll plan on it.
As to the crazies in here: Proud to be afflicted with the same illness.
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You and me both brother! Lol thanks.
Ethirtynitis! Not a bad disease to have at all.
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
This is awesome to hear. Can’t wait for the updates.
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