Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: 1997 E39 540i 6 speed M5 LSD with mods

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cullman, Alabama
    Posts
    6
    My Cars
    BMW 540i 6 speed M5 LSD

    1997 E39 540i 6 speed M5 LSD with mods

    Needing help. Just purchased this car and I am in deep over my head. Here is what my car has already done to it. The CCV delete wasn't working, so I am basically having to start from scratch. I live in a state that doesn't do inspections, so the oil catch can method of PCV is what I will be trying to set back up correctly. Any help/guidance is greatly appreciated.

    134k actual milage on car.
    ENGINE
    Stock M62B44 non-vanos engine, new Felpro Head Gaskets and heads surfaced and reworked. All other engine gaskets and seals replaced with BMW OEM parts. New timing chain guides. 8-Series Gulf edition 85C thermostat, CCV delete with vented vacuum assist oil catch setup. New water pump.
    DRIVETRAIN
    3.15 M5 LSD rear differential, M5 driveshaft, M5 rear axles, TTV Racing lightweight flywheel, LUK M5 clutch set, metal clutch fork pivot pin, Subframe reinforced by Countersteer Motoring, high performance polyurethane transmission and differential mounts, BMW OEM engine mounts and clutch slave cylinder.
    SUSPENSION
    Adjustable BC Racing Coilovers, Eibach sway bars, adjustable front sway bar end links, OEM style rear end links, Powerstop Brakes, Stainless steel brake lines, Staggered BMW E39 M Parallel 18" rims, New 235/40/18 tires.
    Megan Racing front strut bar, new Front straight and curved control arms, new Front center link and tie rods, new Rear swing arm ball joints, 95a bushings.
    4 wheel alignment.
    EXHAUST
    OEM but some CAT mods and Magnaflow muffler with remote control bypass cutout installed.
    BODY
    New Paint
    New passenger rear window regulator and motor
    New BMW OEM sunroof rail replacement kits
    HELA Projector Headlights and LED halo rings
    Aftermarket rear tail lights
    FLUIDS
    Running Redline PS fluid, 20W50 oil with Liqui Moly MOS2, Motul RBF 600 racing brake fluid.

    I have $3226.00 in receipts backing all the above upgrades, so its legit. Just can't drive it yet because of the crappy CCV delete job.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    San Jose, CA
    Posts
    11,537
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 540i 6 speed
    Do some research. There have been numerous posts on CCV deletes.


    Ed in San Jose '97 540i 6 speed aspensilber over aubergine leather. Build date 3/97. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA Nr 62319.

  3. #3
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    AndoverRockport MA & Intl
    Posts
    14,856
    My Cars
    E46M3Cic E39.540iT E84X1
    Wondering about what exactly "CCV delete isn't working" means? Car is consuming oil? May be a jump to conclusions to look at the CCV if that's the symptom.

    If the engine was all opened up for this head-job, and now its eating oil... well... all kinds of reasons that could be. Rings. Contamination from cleaning up the decks with the wrong stuff getting into the crankcase or pistons, worn bores,

    And I have no idea what "vented vacuum assist oil catch" means. The crankcase is atmos-vented? Or the catch can is plumbed back to the intake tract? Where did they take the CCV vent off?

    As Ed says there's a lotta CCV delete threads but you already HAVE a CCV delete and we have no idea what it looks like so we can't even begin to suggest what could be up.

    Posting some pix by the way, always a good way to start.
    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)


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cullman, Alabama
    Posts
    6
    My Cars
    BMW 540i 6 speed M5 LSD
    Sorry guys, I just joined the forum so I dont have ability to post pics yet.
    The previous owner had all the factory ccv stuff removed under the intake and plugged, and the ports on the back of intake ccv plate blocked off.
    Its currently using a oil catch can mounted to the driver side shock tower.
    Vented from 3/4" tube under passenger valve cover oil filler cap to inlet port of catch can, then outlet port of catch can to pre-filter side of intake breather box on passenger fender.
    Catch can has vent with filter on top also.

  5. #5
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    AndoverRockport MA & Intl
    Posts
    14,856
    My Cars
    E46M3Cic E39.540iT E84X1
    Quote Originally Posted by ScottsmanJim View Post
    Vented from 3/4" tube under passenger valve cover oil filler cap to inlet port of catch can, then outlet port of catch can to pre-filter side of intake breather box on passenger fender.
    Catch can has vent with filter on top also.
    OK. Still didn't say why you think its not working right... but... some other thoughts.

    Sounds like typical jackassery where some guy got obsessed with "deleting that overcomplicated emissions crap!" regardless of actual common sense and facts, and ended up just spending tons of time in making a stupid clusterfork mess cuz he was obsessed. There's limited logic for doing CCV delete really for these cars, related to special situations - ex: "I can't / don't want to open the front of this engine up to fix the OSV but the OSV is broken and I need a temporary fix" and stuff like that. There are reasons it might make sense, but for most part, it works OK. Not like M54's where the factory system can freeze up in winter and stuff.

    Vented from the passenger valve cover!? These motors aren't designed to be vented from the heads, that's not how CCV delete is usually done. Normally CCV-delete means the factory "OSV crossover" tube that runs from the front of the motor back below the intake to the factory CCV is somehow tapped into (several ways to do that) so that you 1. retain some OSV function if possible, and 2. tap right into the crankcase so that blow-by pressure doesn't have to make it up to the heads to be collected. Your OP took more of a Good Ol' Muricun Pushrod approach. While there are oil galleys down to the crankcase, they aren't really designed to flow any and all blowby upwards while draining oil downwards. It might work. But its stupid to do it that way and might suck more oil than it should.

    If he didn't actually block off the factory CCV/OSV properly, then you've got a big unmetered air leak into the intake.

    Depending on what kind of mess he made of the factory stuff, I'd think about just resurrecting the factory system (unless he removed the OSV when the head job was done and didn't replace it so there's nothing there to connect to.... )
    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)


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cullman, Alabama
    Posts
    6
    My Cars
    BMW 540i 6 speed M5 LSD
    I have read up on all the many different ways listed on this forum for deleting the CCV and using an external catch can. Can't find one yet thats documented and pictured well enough for me to use for my current setup.

    The one on my car currently has a filter on top of the catch can, which means its vented to the atmosphere there, so there isn't much vacuum or pressure present now most likely in the setup.

    My passenger valve cover has a (factory???) spacer on it between the valve cover and oil cap. This spacer has a 3/4 barb nipple made on it, which is hosed directly to the catch can, then flows out of the catch can back to the intake factory filter box on the pre-filter side. Thats how I have it set up now so I can at least drive the car periodically knowing I am not going to blow out any of my new gaskets or seals.

    Not saying thats going to work for it to be my daily driver, but its better than what was rigged up when I first bought the car, which was sucking oil straight out of the valve cover into a unbaffled can, then right back into the intake pipe right before the throttle body. It was basically sucking oil from passenger valve cover right back into the throttle body and intake. Oil consumption and oil smoke both when it was plumbed this way.

    Putting all the factory CCV stuff back on this car is 100% NOT going to happen.

    Just trying to get the best input on the layout for the external catch can method that's tried and proven.
    Still getting a little oil smoke out tail pipe at idle, could be residual left over in intake and exhaust from the botched catch can setup before I made my changes.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cullman, Alabama
    Posts
    6
    My Cars
    BMW 540i 6 speed M5 LSD
    Oh yeah, previous owner did pull the intake and remove the tube that runs front to back for the factory CCV system. And plugged off the two holes front and rear.
    Good thing is they did replace all the star/torx screws on the back of the intake for the CCV plate with SS hex bolts.
    Bad thing is I dont have that tube they removed now. Guess I will have to buy one so I can scavenge the end fittings off it to do the external catch can method properly.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Hopefully I can do this without having to pull the complete intake back off the car.

  8. #8
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    AndoverRockport MA & Intl
    Posts
    14,856
    My Cars
    E46M3Cic E39.540iT E84X1
    Quote Originally Posted by ScottsmanJim View Post
    My passenger valve cover has a (factory???) spacer on it between the valve cover and oil cap. This spacer has a 3/4 barb nipple made on it
    LOL. No that's not remotely factory! That's what I was telling you before. Sounds like a goofy hack.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by ScottsmanJim View Post
    Still getting a little oil smoke out tail pipe at idle, could be residual left over in intake and exhaust from the botched catch can setup before I made my changes.
    Well! You finally answer the question why you think its not workin! Huzzah!

    Quote Originally Posted by ScottsmanJim View Post
    Just trying to get the best input on the layout for the external catch can method that's tried and proven.
    OK. Kind of sounds like you have that info (aka sucking out of the head is neither best nor really the 'proven' way). Are you kinda fishing here for somebody to give you the answer that you want, and not the right answer? AKA you're looking for somebody to tell you that this goofball oil-filler-tap setup is a proven / common / good way to do it? Cuz I doubt thats' gonna happen.
    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)


  9. #9
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    AndoverRockport MA & Intl
    Posts
    14,856
    My Cars
    E46M3Cic E39.540iT E84X1
    Quote Originally Posted by ScottsmanJim View Post
    Bad thing is I dont have that tube they removed now. Guess I will have to buy one so I can scavenge the end fittings off it to do the external catch can method properly.
    Hopefully I can do this without having to pull the complete intake back off the car.
    Really you're gonna have to pull the intake plenum to get to the proper place where that tube used to go.

    That's honestly not as bad as it seems once you've done it a few times.

    Tips:
    - Lash the electrics boxes up towards the firewall / underside of the hood with bungie cords or whatever
    - Option 1: Disconnect the fuel rail and leave it bolted to the manifold vs removing it as a whole separate step. The fuel lines are quick disconnects. (yeah gonna leak gas but... manageable).
    - Option 2: Pull the rail with injectors still latched on, and bungie that back along w/ wiring (I prefer #1 at this point, fewer bolts to disconnect and more room)
    - Leave the throttle body on the manifold too, just disconnect the intake piping to it.

    If you do that, it goes remarkably quickly.

    Watch the manifold gaskets going back in though, they are notorious for sneaky falling out as you put them back in and then causing a little vac leak.

    I'll dig around here and see if I have a spare OSV-crossover pipe. I don't think I do but maybe...

    This thread is useful in several ways.

    First of all it has good pix - just gives you a whole breakdown of what the crossover pipe looks like and how it works.

    For your setup you could either cut the front fitting off a crossover just like he does, or, you could use the whole pipe in its normal location, and then tap your hose off the (otherwise blocked off) rear CCV plate... both work, I kind of like the 2nd for ease of pulling the hose if you need too without having to get back under the intake manifold.

    I actually do like his whole setup and configuration where he plumbs back to the OE CCV also, but that's a different idea. That keeps a nice vacuum on the crankcase, but sticks an improved catch can in between. If I was to do a catch can, (and was to be N/A) I'd very likely try to copy something like this.

    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...3#post23264883
    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)


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    West Coast
    Posts
    2,730
    My Cars
    two 3's one 5 three 7's
    Before you pull the intake, try and vacuum, wash, blast w/compressed air where the intake meets the head. That area is a magnet for a fair bit of sand and dirt to accumulate. The moment you pop the intake mani, all the crap just dumps into your intake ports, which if you’re lucky you can extract, or if you’re not and the valve is open it goes inside of your cylinder.

    Anyone have any good techniques to circumvent what I’m talking about?

  11. #11
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    AndoverRockport MA & Intl
    Posts
    14,856
    My Cars
    E46M3Cic E39.540iT E84X1
    I do same thing. If it’s real dirty cuz I don’t want to sandblast the engine bay, I’ll use a shop vac next to the air nozzle aka blast it loose w the air and suck it into the vac immediately. Works pretty well actually.
    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)


  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cullman, Alabama
    Posts
    6
    My Cars
    BMW 540i 6 speed M5 LSD
    Guys, thanks for all the help. I found a ccv tube on ebay for less than 20 bucks shipped, and am going to get it and pull intake and put it back in place, then pull the rear ccv plate and do the mod to it to hook both lines from catch can into.
    I was thinking that the valve cover vent had to be some kind of add on part cause all the pics I have found showed the filler cap mounting straight down onto the valve covers.
    Gonna go ahead and replace both valve cover gaskets also, since they are also leaking now.
    geargrinder, if you will pm me your cell number I can text you pics of what I have been trying to explain on here about what I have been fighting with on my car. This is my first BMW V8 car, so I am learning as I go here.

Similar Threads

  1. 1997 e39 540i overheating... need help with diag
    By csaunderse39 in forum 1996 - 2003 (E39)
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 08-17-2017, 10:37 AM
  2. E36 AZ/CA: 1997 M3 - 5 speed Estoril Coupe with Mods
    By MR E30 in forum 3 series & Z Series
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 11-23-2016, 06:32 PM
  3. PARTING OUT 1997 E39 540i/6 speed parting out
    By BMW559TECH in forum Whole Parts Cars
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: 08-01-2013, 11:13 AM
  4. FT/FS 1997 e39 540i/6 ///M5 parts
    By mgobin540i in forum 3 series & Z Series
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 02-06-2012, 04:02 AM
  5. E39 MI - 1997 E39 540i 6-speed black on tan
    By diamondplate in forum 5 series & 6 series
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 08-19-2010, 01:59 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •