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Thread: E39 M5 Turbo LS getting started questions/I will try to keep updates on my build.

  1. #51
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    2000 BMW 528
    I used a NASCAR style sway bar. Looks like it touches the pan but there 1/8 clearance


    I've seen a couple people use an M5 bar mounted the same way

  2. #52
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    Ah bummer, I just bought the eibach one. Welp, maybe I can sell it or something. It needs to be done. Another bummer I sold my M5 bars. That location wouldn't work with my bell as the flange sits below the pan right behind it there. I am going to mount the motor and build my shift linkage exactly where I want and just figure out a universal style sway bar like that when it is all done I guess. How does your car handle with that? Did you play with a ton of mounting hole setups to get it right?
    Last edited by get dustd; 10-04-2016 at 04:18 PM.

  3. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by get dustd View Post
    Ah bummer, I just bought the eibach one. Welp, maybe I can sell it or something. It needs to be done. Another bummer I sold my M5 bars. That location wouldn't work with my bell as the flange sits below the pan right behind it there. I am going to mount the motor and build my shift linkage exactly where I want and just figure out a universal style sway bar like that when it is all done I guess. How does your car handle with that? Did you play with a ton of mounting hole setups to get it right?
    Handles great with an upgraded bar in the rear to balance it out. Almost need strut braces to reduce flex in the body of the car.

    That was the first location I tried, factory holes. I just modified/ground my dust shield to clear it.

  4. #54
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    '95 M3, 97' E39 540i-LS3
    Nice build.

    Here's an 540i sway bar mounted below the frame with energy suspension sway bar bushings. It uses the I6 sway bar end links. The M5 sway bar can be used but I chose the 540 front with M5 rear because supposedly the M5-M5 combo results in more understeer. I autocrossed the car and was surprised how well it handled




    And the sub-frame adaptors
    Last edited by zr6sbc; 10-04-2016 at 07:56 PM. Reason: more info
    540i-LS3-TR6060 swap thread

  5. #55
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    e39 m5, 72 duster
    Quote Originally Posted by zr6sbc View Post
    Nice build.

    Here's an 540i sway bar mounted below the frame with energy suspension sway bar bushings. It uses the I6 sway bar end links. The M5 sway bar can be used but I chose the 540 front with M5 rear because supposedly the M5-M5 combo results in more understeer. I autocrossed the car and was surprised how well it handled




    And the sub-frame adaptors

    Thanks for the great pics guys. JF what are your front and rear diameters? The v8 cars bars are a little more appealing because I am sure that nascar bar at a comparable diameter is still a lot stiffer due to its structure thus requiring me to do the rear like that too and sacrifice more ride quality but have much better handling. I want the car to handle well with a bit of oversteer but not to the point where I want to sacrifice ride quality. I am hoping to be able to road trip this car to some events over the years and I want it to still have that nice BMW road trip comfort. I guess I can try to sell my eibach set complete and not loose too much money...or I can sell the front only then do an M5 front. I will put up an ad for either or and see what sells first. I still have my M5 rear...

    Lifting motor to remove sway bar today then calling the drive shaft shop to get something ordered up.

  6. #56
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    I did 1-1/4" front, 18mm rear.
    I think it's pretty well balanced, a little on the oversteer side. But it's not ridiculous and uncontrollable.

  7. #57
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    How is the ride quality? What struts/springs are you running? Do you have an iron block?

  8. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by get dustd View Post
    How is the ride quality? What struts/springs are you running? Do you have an iron block?
    I have BC coil overs, so not exactly known for the best ride quality. But, I've taken my 75yo grandparents in it and they didn't complain.

    I have an aluminum block, shouldn't make that big of difference. The iron block is only 80-100lbs heavier.

  9. #59
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    Those coil overs came on my car too. I wanted bilstiens with H and R's like my E34 but I hear they are awful on E39's. So I was about to buy bilstien pss coilovers and I was like well I already have the BC's so I called them and they said they can re valve to make them softer or they sell spring sets for 100 bucks each in literally any rate you want. So I think I am going to work with BC to soften them up since they were free99. If anything I will try Koni's and H and R's just sucks to have to buy camber plates again for the front.

  10. #60
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    So I was talking to unatural for awhile and I finally got all my accessories mounted and done with. I also ordered a 3.5" aluminum driveshaft from the driveshaft shop. Very very nice piece but they put the wrong diff flange on it so I had to send it back. I have a half inch of clearance between the shaft and the parking brake cables so I am going to build delrin diff bushings with off center holes to point the diff down more. It will help with clearance and help the driveshaft angles. The fixed shaft will be here tomorrow and I have an idea for mounting the turbo. I will update again with pics of that to get some opinions hopefully by the weekend.



    I purchased a dipstick and new take off ls3 throttle body on craigslist. Went to the guys shop and ended up hanging out for 3 hours. He is building a sick Titan aircraft 3/4 scale mustang replica! Soo cool. Definitely will stay in touch with him.




    I was all set to cut up the tremec shifter and make a linkage style extension and then I found out Sikky makes a 7" version of their relocation shifter. I am getting antsy so I pulled the trigger.




    I installed it and it felt like absolute garbage. I talked to them and they told me to play with the tension on the bolts. I took it apart and there were machining burrs on everything and it was assembled bone dry. I wet stoned everything and de burred holes and used some spline lube and it felt a lot better but still was not perfect. I ended up having to run it a bit loose. It can wiggle in gear but shifts nice. Not thrilled about that for 650 bucks. I traded my buddy my UUC shifter for his stock 540 shifter and cut it up and made it work with the sikky lower. Bone stock look. The only thing I am adding to the interior is a knob on the lower panel under the steering wheel to change tune/boost settings. I ordered PA soft today and cables, and have been studying the WDS. My goal is to get the driveline done done and then build the turbo kit. I have an afco dual pass radiator picked out but I want to mount the turbo and have a plan before I commit. Intercooler shopping currently as well. The turbo has a 3" outlet and the throttle body has a 3.5" inlet. I was planning on going 3" cold side but the internet has me wondering if that is sufficient... more to come soon.

  11. #61
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    The turbo mounting is the big dilemma right now. Driveshaft fits great but I know that half inch to the parking brake cables is not enough. I put a jack under it and cranked on it and its really extreme and almost lifting up the car but it can touch. I will have to drop the nose of the diff down a bit and see what else I can figure out. Not 100% on my trans mount because of exhaust clearance but it is fine for now.




    So my plan was to loop the downpipe around the frame rail there and come through the drivers side. The waste gate would be split from the crossover and other pipe right on an elbow like it should be with a really short run into the downpipe. The air inlet is not in an ideal location but I can figure that out later. Ideally the turbo would be flipped but It hits the headlights and is super tight. Either way I will have to move the abs pump. If I left it like it is I can only fit a 22" wide radiator. Afco makes a nice 3" thick dual pass radiator that would work and I can use a taurus fan but I am not sure if that will be sufficient. http://www.speedwaymotors.com/AFCO-8...let,24515.html

    So I really wanted to do this without cutting the frame rail but I may have to. I think I can move it over an inch or two and probably a bit closer to the engine as well to make room for the 24" version of that radiator. Either that or I flip the turbo back around and notch the frame rail on the out side of it towards the wheel well and try to make the compressor work on that side. Version one the drain works out really well and version two the drain would not be able to go straight down. Either way I do not think saving the frame rail is an option unless I go low mount with a scavenge pump which I would hate to do.







    I think maybe my next move is to order a turbo blanket and that radiator and try to tweak it but I really think I will have to hog out that frame rail.

  12. #62
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    '00 540 6.0/4L80e/S480

    E39 M5 Turbo LS getting started questions/I will try to keep updates on my build.

    If you have the extra cash, the v band housings are a lot smaller in size. The v band takes place of the T6 flange. Just a thought as I can relate to the fun you are having. :-)
    Last edited by unnatrl; 11-12-2016 at 03:45 PM.

  13. #63
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    nice work.

  14. #64
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    That may work. I will shoot my turbo guy an email. Mine is a t4 housing. It seems like you and everyone else who went single turbo had to notch the frame too. My friend brings up a good point, it's not like I am ever going to get rid of this setup and go buy another s62 or something...

  15. #65
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    The frame notch made a world of difference in regard to my oil return line. I ended up trimming the lip off of that frame rail all the way up so there is a little more working room. It makes it much easier to get to the flange bolts and turbo line.

  16. #66
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    I am going to notch the frame rail, move the turbo down as low as I can get it, and as far to the drivers side as I can get. I think I will have room for the 24" radiator then. Not going to be the coolest looking turbo set up but it will function.

  17. #67
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    Holiday Update

    Have not had much time to update but I have been working on it. The turbo got moved like I said, a lot of little things got finalized, the hot side is done minus the wastegate re circuluation back to the downpipe and the exhaust pressure sender mount. Half the cold side is done too. Mini radiator is thick as hell and mounted plus I have the downpipe complete to beyond the starter. The intercooler is mounted as well plus a lot more:

    First I made the crossovers then a bunch of the downpipe and then the engine mounts. The pass side was tricky due to the need to be able to get the downpipe passed it plus making taking it apart not being a huge pain. I wish I had moved the engine up 1/4" before I did this. I just wanted it to be as low as possible but was not thinking about how set I was on rubber mounts and how much those can move. I talked my self out of two rubber mounts and a poly trans mount and went to poly pass side, rubber drivers side, and rubber trans. I hope it does not shake too much or the banjo bolt on the rack is hitting my 450$ pan.


    Radiator and turbo mounted with a fully sealed Taurus fan. I made a quick release setup for the fan and radiator. Two allen bolts and the fan is out and 3 bolts takes the radiator out.


    This is the view through the grille. Turbo compressor gets fresh air. Air cleaner is going to be tough though.

    Crossover merge was tough with that 60mm wastegate but it fits and has a straight shot from the left bank is just slightly better than 90 degrees to the right bank.


    Getting very busy busy looking in there...


    The Sikky shifter got re-funded. The shifter just would not go into 2nd right. I messed with it for a month tensioning the bolts differently and stuff and finally I sent it back for a refund. Then they got it back and told me since I messed with it I only get a 2/3 refund. I was so pissed because I had a string of emails explaining every step. They said let us fix it and we will send it back. They set it back to the specs they originally sent it out with and tried it before they shipped it and it did not go into second. big surprise. They ended up sending me a new one with thrust washers on the linkage. It felt so much better with a side load but just would not go into gear unless you slammed it. I think they just took their T56 design and copied it for the magnum, something is definitely wrong with the geometry. I took some videos of the issue and verified the trans was okay with the stock shifter and they finally returned it. Had to get an even more expensive custom relocation shifter from Autoworks but I am really excited. It is super nice looking and the throw is adjustable plus the moving parts are like the factory BMW stuff but with a 0 play u joint and ball bearings. 0 slop and adjustable throw is very appealing. They have used this in road race cars and very expensive resto mods so I have high hopes.
    http://www.autoworksparts.com/billet...cation_kit.htm

    I should also see the custom built wiring harness from Dr. Tweakd this week so that is exciting. I am also starting to build the fuel system parts and and will be starting that installation next week. I am hoping to get the hot and cold side done and pressure tested in the next week or two, then paint and wrap the hot side. I will leave the downpipe dumped behind the bellhousing for now, then get the fuel system done, then on to the wiring. Lastly I want to cut the mounts for the P brake cables in the tunnel, move them up, then machine delrin diff bushings with offset holes to lower the pinion for DS clearance. I am really pushing to get my drive-ability tune done in February so I can drive the car and break everything in. Sound performance gets really busy before the Texas roll races start around March. It is getting there. -Joe

  18. #68
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    Looking good! Keep at it. Soooo close!

  19. #69
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    '95 M3, 97' E39 540i-LS3
    Nice fabrication work. A different solution to a similar problem (turbo).

    What is the big drawback of using two smaller turbos versus the one big turbo? On this board, I don't recall seeing dual turbo swaps.
    540i-LS3-TR6060 swap thread

  20. #70
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    Thanks guys, i know since i feel like i am a month and a grand away I am actually 4 months and 4k away.

    The whole spooling myth has been put to rest with twins. Its a matter of the turbos size vs plumbing. Yes the the turbos would have fit nicer possibly but then you need two of everything plus plumbing...and plumbing sucks especially with recerulating gates and full exhaust. Honestly when you get the ls into the e39 you feel like you have all the room in the world. But once you lay things out it goes quick. There are expensive smaller frame t4 turbos that could have done the same job maybe but the bw came in at 1350 new so it won. Do i think about if putting the accessories down low and running twins up high withdown pipes up high would have been better? Sure. Would it have been better? I can't say for sure but i doubt it. This routing and fab has aready been crazy. Maybe with an abs relocation and no ac. Someone will do it eventually i am sure.

  21. #71
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    2002 353I
    I'm noticing how tight the engine bay is myself. Trying to fit a T6 in there. I am also running AC but I am going with the electric PS pump. Hopefully that will help some.

  22. #72
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    Yea i hope i don't regret the t4 but the guy that put the turbo together seems pretty confident. What alt bracket are you going to use?

  23. #73
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    Update: So I ordered that second shifter early December and it still has not shipped yet. That wiring harness was late November and I just saw that last week. It is pretty good though. I only have to modify a handful of things to make it work. Since the last update I made that front diff bushing out of delrin and drilled the hole offset. It has a little lip in the front so it cannot move in and it gave me around an inch of clearance between the driveshaft and p brake cables. I lifted up the rear of the car by the front of the diff and it still cant get the driveshaft close to the cables so I am pretty confident it will work. The driveshaft angle works out better like this too. With the two piece stock shaft they angled the front of the diff up a bit which is not ideal for the one piece. That 3.5" shaft was 580 to my door from the driveshaftshop.


    Leaky passenger side seal I know...Rear end of the car is next winter.

    I then pressure tested the hot side, finished the last section of downpipe (what a pain getting it through there), and wrapped the hot side. I just dumped just passed the bellhousing for now. There is a coupler there so after I get it running I can just start at that point. I have never fabbed with stainless before so I may just tack it all and have someone weld it. I am going to run a big flex pipe, then resonator, then maybe a sound performance mechanical cutout, then split to the dinan cat back. The thing is the dinan cat back connection to the stock exhaust are small. The catback is all 3" but it cuts down to less than 2.75" where it connects. I can chop them off and meet the 3" but then the catback is not worth much if I ever wanted to sell it, or I can run the cutout and leave the catback in tact. Word of advise: If you are going to buy V bands, pay the money for nice ones. I had to go back and fix quite a bit with my Ebay V bands. Never again. When I finished the cold side I did not even use the aluminum ones I bought. It is all silicone couplers. To my horror when I pressure tested it would not build any pressure due to blowing out the motor. I measured for pushrod length before I decided to do the trunion bearing upgrade to the stock rockers. It turns out it lowers the rocker down and it was hanging the valves open just a hair. Another lesson learned. Very scary lesson though.





    The fuel system was a bit tricky with that big pump. I wanted to do the setup sound performance commonly uses because they know it works but It is really hard to find space close to that tank for that big magna fuel 750. I had to run it behind the tank next to the diff and cut up under the seat a bit. I had to drill a hole and cut a bit because the braided line sticks up but it will work fine once I make a little cover for it to seal it all up. I contemplated drilling the tank for a sump but after reading boat forums where they do that in a plastic tank it does not seem like it ever goes well.


    It meets up with the line from the 450lph 6an line right where the stock fuel lines ran. No I am not leaving it as pictured. I am working on making brackets for that in the stock locations.



    It then goes to the front in a 10an line, then through a huge 10 micron filter, into another Y with 8an feeding both sides of the rails. It goes out of the rails to a regulator and returns through the flex fuel sensor and then stainless line all the way to the back that meets up with the stock jet pump line. It is all pressure tested and works and my 12AN pickup to an in-tank filter was a huge pain to get to sit in the back of the tank like I wanted. It keeps trying to climb the hump between sumps when you install it. I think I have to take it back out because my fuel gauge is not reading.I cannot describe what a pain this is to get in and out now. I am going to leave it for now. I also learned that aftermarket rails for ls3's are not on an angle like they should be! I could push on an injector and it leaks fuel under pressure so I made my own brackets that work much better. Since I have precision "domestic" 1200cc injectors that are not ls3 specific I found out through pressure testing I had to change the lower O rings too (after I backed all the rockers off of course). Lingenfelter has an adapter O ring that works perfect. After fixing a few welds and clamps my cold side seals 30lbs no problem. Not going to run a blow off valve right away, might add one later.


    After I got the fuel system done the wiring harness came so I started laying all that in and then got PAsoft working. There is a great how to on e46 fanatics that had me up and running very quickly. I was bummed there is no option to make the oil temp signal analog (m5 cluster only) but I am wondering if maybe I change the "MPG" option if that would do it for me and I can make it work. Not at the top of my list right now. My EWS is being a pain. I reprogrammed it to not look for the clutch signal and that black wire in the engine bay that is supposed to be the starter wire on the large clear connector still does not get power. I then read on a thread a guy got it to work on an e39 swap by giving the wire from the trans computer into the ews 12v. Mine has the same color wire (probably from one of the clutch switches I am not sure) and I gave it power and nothing. Then ground and nothing. Same with the DME wire and I got nothing. I really do not want to bypass it so I may start another thread to figure that out. The EWS has no errors and it says everything is ready except programming status says locked and is yellow. Everything else is green.


    My connector looks different than others I have seen online too. There is that stripped bl/blk wire from a trans input.



    Oh yea, as you can see the sway bar is mounted too. Turns out eibach makes a 540 front in 28mm too so I just purchased that and I will sell the 528 one. The flipping it over worked great. Can't thank you guys enough for letting me know about that. That is what makes these boards so valuable.



    The pro efi is massive but fits in the stock location well. Thanks BMW!




    As soon as this shifter comes and I change pushrods I am ready to fire this thing. The cluster and interior wiring is not done yet but I can watch the gauges live on the pro efi software. The tuner at Sound Performance says he will come by and get it drive able for me and then I will put some miles on it and then we will strap it down. When it is driveable I will finish all the little things and wiring. AC will be a summer project. I will need to know how your AC button LED trick went UNATURAL As you guys may know the last 10% is the worst. I just need to get it running for fresh motivation. I am so tired of working on this thing. Working all day then spending 3 or 4 hours at night and weekends is loosing its fun. Looking at a sweet car is not enough anymore...I need to hear this thing fire! I need to get it on the dyno in March too because they really get busy. I am signing up for the cars first half mile event in May so I really need the time to get all the bugs worked out as well. There will be plenty to fix I am sure.
    Last edited by get dustd; 02-20-2017 at 09:25 PM.

  24. #74
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    Well I figured out the EWS thing It was a late EWS III and not the same that other guys were dealing with so I had to just figure it out on my own. I made a thread about it in case this were to come up in a search or something. The pro efi was tough to get working. I could not have done it without tech support from Larry at Sound Performance. It started and ran like garbage, very very rich so I changed the oil and asked a million questions and I have it running pretty decent now. I drove it around the block and got gas. So far so good accept it looks like my rear main might be leaking a decent amount. Very frustrating because it was tough to get over the crank and did not look like any I have ever seen. It came in my engine pro kit. Never again. But a quick pulling of the trans if need be won't be too bad with motivation levels so high right now. I am going to get some plates for it and drive it back to a lift to check it out once the snow clears up. Literally got it running as the snow started falling after 70 degree weather. So far so good with the small radiator. I know it is cold but it gives me hope. I still have to make the gauge cluster work and make factory buttons work for rolling antilag, TCS, Launch control, and warning lights. Here is a short crappy video from a cell phone. There are better ones to come. The plan is, fix oil leak, put on a few hundred miles, then dyno tuning. First half mile event is May 20th. Not sure if I will update this thread again so thanks for all the help guys.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q6kV4RK0HM
    Last edited by get dustd; 03-14-2017 at 09:17 PM.

  25. #75
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    Any updates ? I have a e39 I’m tryna lq4 swap it.. just have the motor and car ...need a bunch of advice on what to get and what to do any of it would be plenty thanks man...

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