computiNATEor's Build Log - Seabiscuit, Otto, and Manuel

[computiNATEor]

Alright, so some progress. I removed the slave cylinder from the car and bled it while compressing it (opposite to normal clutch operation). I have about half a clutch pedal now, but the first half of travel is still doing nothing.

I asked on Facebook, and it was recommended that I try this:

1:open bleeder on slave
2:fully depress and hold clutch pedal
3:fully compress and hold slave cylinder(reverse direction from normal clutch operation)
4:close bleeder
5:pump clutch pedal until pressure is felt and slave cylinder is fully actuating fork.

Hopefully that solves it. This has sidelined the car for too long now, and I really, really want to drive it.

[computiNATEor]

From Facebook:

Whats happening is you develop an air bubble in spot i circled red. So when you have the bleeder open, the clutch pedal pushes fluid and air in the path of the yellow line but doesnt do anything about the bubble. So when you compress the slave cylinder itself you push that air bubble out. If the bleeder is closed, and the line is tight, youll push the bubble back into the line. Hence why i say to depress the pedal first,(yellow line shows flow) to get the air in the line out, then compress the slave to get the rest out of the system. Do that three or four times and it should be good. Unless theres a ton of air in the line lol.

C37C2AE1-39E3-4393-8F8D-7CA8607EEB82.jpeg

Makes sense to me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[computiNATEor]

Gave up and had a shop bleed the clutch. They had it done in like 20 minutes. Smh.

Anyways, the car drives great - with one exception. I've driven it about 300 miles; I had to bleed the cooling system once (bubble somewhere), but it feels fantastic. First note: The Hawk HPS brake pads are street pads, first and foremost. I had them very hot on Angeles Crest Highway, and the travel was getting a bit long, and the pedal effort had to increase to get the same stopping power that they had when cold. They also squealed a bit when hot under very hard, but non-ABS stops. When cold, they're really nice, though, and they seem more than capable of keeping up with the speeds the car can generate on the highway - just not in track-like conditions. The ECS stainless steel lines are good, as expected. I had them on my first 530iA.

The Eibach sway bars are worth whatever they cost - the agility in transitions is amazing. The car feels much, much lighter with the heavier anti-roll bars. The flat cornering is amazing. The newfound lack of understeer is very welcome - the car no longer feels as though it's sitting on the nose, and feels much more neutral. That could be due to a combination of the Eibach's and the H&Rs, but I wholeheartedly recommend the sway bars to anyone who can afford them. I haven't noticed an undue increase in ride quality because of the sway bars. The springs are stiff, so that's where the ride quality degradation comes from. In fast highway sweepers, the car is so much more planted.

The H&R Sport springs are a welcome improvement, too. With the factory sport springs, it was easy to reach full compression and sit on the right rear bump stop through a corner. Now, the car has travel remaining throughout high speed corners, and it can better cope with mid corner bumps. The H&Rs really feel rough on some of the LA freeways, but the faster you go, the smoother they become. They do feel as though they were designed for the Autobahn, as around town, there's no question that it's stiff. Too stiff? Maybe. I don't (yet) mind the stiffness, but my passengers have definitely noticed.

I've been a big fan of the FSDs since I put them on my first 530iA, and my opinions are the same here. They dampen impacts softly, while keeping a tight control on body motion.

Overall, I think the suspension feels great. It finally feels like the suspension can support the forces the tires can generate, and I think I'm tire limited at this point. The sway bars probably contribute the most to that. A square set of 18x9.5 ET22 Apex FL-5s wrapped in Michelin PS4Ss will test that theory.

The UUC lightweight flywheel and E34 M5 clutch, in combination with the bronze pivot pin, feel good. I think the throttle response is limited by, at this point, the ICV. I have plans to delete that at some point, probably when I overhaul the CCV system in favor of a catch can/PCV. There does seem to be more torque on the highway; throttle tip in is sharper, and the engine runs to 7k more eagerly and more smoothly, seemingly.


I do have one problem - I have a very odd, specific, and disconcerting vibration. In left hand corners (where the car's weight is on the right front), I am experiencing a moderate to severe vibration when the steering wheel is turned left at ~45º. More or less steering angle, and the vibration disappears. I can feel the vibration in the chassis, and if I step on the brake I can feel it there, too. I honestly can't tell if there's a straight line vibration - if there is, it's so slight as to be nearly undetectable. I'm not sure the tie rods have ever been replaced, so that may be my first order of business. I've checked the lug bolts, and they're not a bit loose. I'm going to get back under there and check the various bolts, too (I have to reinstall the undertray anyways).

So with $5000 of parts, here's the car as it sits now. I washed it very quickly last night, so the glass and wheels are nasty, but I love the stance. The BMW badge went missing sometime in the last couple of days, so I'll have to order another F10 M5 badge.

IMG_2545.jpg
IMG_2546.jpg
IMG_2547.jpg
IMG_2549.jpg
IMG_2550.jpg

[computiNATEor]

Actually, may have figured out the vibrations. The lower bolt on the right lower control arm was loose-ish. I could spin the washer with my finger. Tightened that up, and rechecked the tightness elsewhere, and that seems to have fixed the vibration. I’ll know for certain when i cruise up Angeles Crest or GMR again.

- - - Updated - - -

Did I mention this thing rocks? Yeah, it rocks. Corners like it’s on rails.

[Jason5driver]

Pretty awesome work !
Need stock amber headlights though.
Would look better on that color of car IMO.

[computiNATEor]

Pretty awesome work !
Need stock amber headlights though.
Would look better on that color of car IMO.

Thanks!

I still have the amber reflectors in a box in the garage, so I could, but I really like the way these look in person. No regrets just yet.

[dannyzabolotny]

I think the clears look a lot better. There's very few cases where the US spec ambers look better... they kinda work on red and green E39's but that's about it. Otherwise clears generally look better.

[Jason5driver]

Do you have any pictures of you removing the center support bearing ?
What did you use to remove it ?

[computiNATEor]

Do you have any pictures of you removing the center support bearing ?
What did you use to remove it ?

No pictures, sorry.

I basically followed the steps described in this excellent video from the 9 minute mark:



I bought a bearing puller kit from Harbor Freight (number 62593) for $50.

So to remove the CSB, I had to hit my 18mm wrench with a dead blow hammer to loosen the 18mm bolt that holds the two halves of the driveshaft together. Penetrating oil made things a lot easier. From there, it's a real pain to loosen the bolt a tiny 1/12th of a turn at a time. Once I had the bolt loose, the splines of the two halves were very much stuck together, so more penetrating oil down the bolt hole and by the CSB. I put the guibo end of the driveshaft into my bench vice (with some rags to protect it) and used it to hold the end of the driveshaft while I smashed on the other end with a hammer to separate the two halves.

From there, I reinstalled the 18mm bolt with the driveshaft in two halves, and assembled the Harbor Freight bearing puller to remove the old bearing. The rubber on my CSB was destroyed, and the outer casing came off easily. My weak 3/8ths Craftsman impact easily popped the bearing out, forcing against the 18mm bolt.

It's nothing terribly complicated. Just be careful, don't crush the aluminum driveshaft, and try to reassemble the driveshaft as close to original as possible. I used some gold touch up paint we had lying around to mark the positions of the two halves relative to each other.

[Jason5driver]

Mucho thanks !
I found this:
https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...mall/pic04.jpg

[computiNATEor]

Mucho thanks !
I found this:
https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...mall/pic04.jpg

Yep, basically like that, though I put the 18mm bolt back in to keep the threads clean. The Harbor Freight tool worked well.

[computiNATEor]

Quick update: I’ve developed what sounds like a heat shield or exhaust rattle. Sounds like it’s right under the transmission. I’ll have to do some investigating.

My left side turn indicator (the one in the fender) has cracked, so it comes free of its own volition now.

I tried some LED license plate lights, but they just flickered. Anyone have a solid recommendation?

[computiNATEor]

So my 530i5 is sidelined for a little while because of a clutch/trans issue - you can read more about that here: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...new-components

Anyways, while the car is up in the air and not going anywhere, while I wait for parts for the transmission I figured I could make good use of the time by attempting to finish the ULF Bluetooth retrofit project.

I tried and failed to quickly install the system a while back; you can read about that here: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...Bluetooth-help!

Since I posted about the above problem - having blown fuse 58, causing the radio not to work - I have installed a Mk4 navigation computer, courtesy Dking078 (working great, by the way, and I should have done that upgrade long ago). Maybe the old software on the Mk3 didn't know how to talk to the ULF; I don't know. What I do know: the Mk4, when I installed it, had a telephone option on the main screen, which gives me hope.

I also have (finally) removed the old telephone wiring harness from my 03 530iA. It's gonna be a bear to install the harness into my car, and I think I might replace the carpeting while I do it. Black carpeting looks nicer and more modern, and it will be a good time to generally tidy up a 212k mile interior. I might run some extra wiring for future Euro fog lights while everything is apart.

Anyways. Always more to do on these E39s. Very much still a work in progress.

[computiNATEor]

Car's still up on jack stands; trans is out, and I have the parts needed, but I'll be out of town for a few days at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. I'm excited to get back and get this thing up and running again.

[JimLev]

I'll be out of town for a few days at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix.

Pics? We want pics.

[computiNATEor]

Pics? We want pics.

Hold on to your hats; I'm taking my old reliable Canon t3i, two lenses, and 96GB of memory cards

[computiNATEor]

Hold on to your hats; I'm taking my old reliable Canon t3i, two lenses, and 96GB of memory cards

I managed to leave the camera on my nightstand, but I shared the picture link in the other thread covering the PVGP.

In other news, I have the car reassembled and it seems to be operating normally. I’m getting a bit of a grind rev match shifting from 4th to 3rd when the transmission is cold, and it would seem that my new input shaft seal is still leaking, which is disappointing. I’ll keep an eye on the fluid level.

I finally installed a new 530i badge on the trunk.

I’m trying to get my 08/2010 production cluster with its improved ribbon cable design from my 03 530i to work in my 213k mi 02 530i, but I can’t get the mileage to match up with PASoft/BMW Scanner 1.4. Is there a way to program the higher mileage of my car into the cluster without having to de-solder the M35080 chip as outlined in blackknight530i’s excellent thread?

[Jason5driver]

Can we get more pictures of the car ? (not in shadow...)
Are the FSD's comparable to the OEM Sachs ?

[computiNATEor]

Can we get more pictures of the car ? (not in shadow...)
Are the FSD's comparable to the OEM Sachs ?

Pics in a minute. The FSDs are stiffer than the Sachs shocks by a good amount. However, over bumps and other road imperfections, they are soft. Potholes and expansion joints make a good thump (as do cat’s eyes), but they don’t actually jolt the cabin. The impact is damped softly.

[computiNATEor]

I’m getting an error; “quota exceeded” when I try to upload photos. Not sure what that’s about.

[JimLev]

I’m getting an error; “quota exceeded” when I try to upload photos. Not sure what that’s about.

If your trying to upload them directly from your computer to your post the limit is 5 pics per post.

[computiNATEor]

Washed and waxed the car with Collinite 845, and tidied up the car fully for the first time in a long time.

[computiNATEor]

Uploads seem to be working again. Here's the car freshly washed and waxed. It's already dusty again

IMG_8268.jpg
IMG_1019.jpg

I love the stance on H&R springs. The ride is firm, especially in the rear, but not uncomfortable for me. Unfortunately, California freeways seem to have random big bumps and dips, and while I've yet to hit a bump stop, it is jostled-from-seat and moment-of-air-time (for me, not the car) stiff.

I waxed the wheels, too. Why, IDK. Maybe they'll be easier to clean now.
IMG_5475.jpg

I'd like to go to a set of 18x9.5 Apex FL-5s wrapped in Michelin PS4S tires for the next big exterior upgrade. Or M-mirrors. Not sure yet.

IMG_7480.jpg

Wowed by the renewed shiny exterior, I also installed the BMW Performance aluminum pedal pads that I've had sitting around. Bling bling. I like the way they look; the feel is no different, except the gas pedal is now slightly heavier. Kinda a PITA to install, but I think it was worth a few hours on my knees. I like being down there anyway (ay-oh!).

IMG_7144.jpg

I need a recommendation for a good set of floormats. This floormat has clearly seen better days, and while the camera definitely makes it look worse than it is, I would like a set of soft floor mats that make a reasonable facsimile of the OEM mats. I've seen/felt Coco mats; I want something much, much softer than that. I don't want plastic; I occasionally drive in flip flops (barefooted), and I'd like the softness to stay.

Does anyone have experience retrofitting an auxiliary input to a pre-09/2002, navigation equipped car? My 530iA that I sold had an aux input wired in, but it had some serious noise interference, requiring a ground loop isolator. The install was not ideal, either. I'd like to have the aux input in the glove box, exactly like a post-09/2002 car, if possible, with the little face plate and everything. I have the standard (non nav) aux input kit already.

[JimLev]

The car looks good. I'd go with some M5 (or knock-off) mirrors. They look so much better than the big rectangular non M mirrors.

[philly98540]

Car does look great Nate!! I disagree with Jim, as I like the rectangular mirrors better. The improved look is a personal thing, so yeah, if you like em, then do it. One downside is they provide a bit less visablilty over the rectangular ones.