Help with E39 Touring 6MT install

[hrach1]

Hi everybody

I have couple of questions in regard to my 2002 e39 540i touring manual swap project. I have searched and found a detailed thread on how to do the swap but my questions are about the things that were not mentioned in the thread.

I have purchased a 2000 540i 6MT 165k miles with a bad clutch few weeks ago and I was planning to take the transmission (I'll install a new clutch of course), drive shaft and whatever else I needed off of it and transfer it to the touring. But I was wondering what if I swap the ECUs as well? Isn't it going to be easier if I swap the ECUs as well? Do I still need to do any coding? I know I may or may not need to do some wiring but wouldn't that be a more straight forward swap if I take the ECU from an actual running donor 6MT 540i as suppose to coding my ECU to accept the manual tranny? I don't care about the SLS since I have already installed coil springs with Koni sport shocks. The only think I have now is the SLS error message which hopefully will go away if I swap the ECUs.

I was also thinking about in order to recover some $$, I thought maybe I can put the automatic tranny and whatever parts needed back in the donor car and sell the vehicle. How easy/hard/practical do you guys think is it going to be? Do you think it is worth doing so? I was only considering this because the donor car is actually is a nice car in good mechanical condition (except the clutch of course). The previous owner spend $2800 in engine and some other maintenance items right before the clutch giving out.

Thanks in advance for your time

[jp5Touring]

This should answer most of your questions.

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2070255-E39-540i-Touring-Manual-Conversion-Checklist-amp-Wiring-Coding

[geargrinder]

So... this is really more of a “EWS” question/learning-requirement than a “manual-swap” one.

Swapping the ECU (DME) alleviates zero of the wiring requirements. The auto-start wiring needs to be fixed either way, same for the pedals and the reverse switch etc. Swapping the ECU doesn’t alleviate the need to recode the cluster or ABS.

All the DME swap saves you is 10 minutes waiting for a flash procedure to complete.

And a DME swap means you DO have to do this work that otherwise is unnecessary:
- Swap the EWS
- Swap the column lock cylinder
- either swap all the door locks, or, carry 2 keys at all times (unless you want to roll the dice and rely on the wireless remote to always work)
- know that the DME will always have the wrong cars VIN in it...

A minor point, also the program that’s on the other car may be for a slightly different evap system aka MY00 vs MY02 (I’d need to check that..) so possibly you could have rogue evap codes maybe... I’d have to check into that but there’s some running changes to the evap that changed the programs...

Meanwhile reprogramming your DME takes a few minutes and makes it exactly a manual ECU as if it came from the factory that way...

IMO a DME swap is absolute waste of time and energy... but... you could do it (if you’re rationally impaired... )

[blackknight530i]

So... this is really more of a “EWS” question/learning-requirement than a “manual-swap” one.

Swapping the ECU (DME) alleviates zero of the wiring requirements. The auto-start wiring needs to be fixed either way, same for the pedals and the reverse switch etc. Swapping the ECU doesn’t alleviate the need to recode the cluster or ABS.

All the DME swap saves you is 10 minutes waiting for a flash procedure to complete.

And a DME swap means you DO have to do this work that otherwise is unnecessary:
- Swap the EWS
- Swap the column lock cylinder
- either swap all the door locks, or, carry 2 keys at all times (unless you want to roll the dice and rely on the wireless remote to always work)
- know that the DME will always have the wrong cars VIN in it...

A minor point, also the program that’s on the other car may be for a slightly different evap system aka MY00 vs MY02 (I’d need to check that..) so possibly you could have rogue evap codes maybe... I’d have to check into that but there’s some running changes to the evap that changed the programs...

Meanwhile reprogramming your DME takes a few minutes and makes it exactly a manual ECU as if it came from the factory that way...

IMO a DME swap is absolute waste of time and energy... but... you could do it (if you’re rationally impaired... )

I second all of this. Also, swapping other modules like the cluster and LCM to try to circumvent coding properly would mean that things like touring specific lights will either not work at all, or not correctly, the cluster will be coded wrong for the new car and might cause other issues. Point is, do the few minutes of coding and you'll be good. If you can't do it, find someone who can and buy them a pack of beer.

[geargrinder]

Right! I didn’t even mention the tamper dot you’ll get unless the cluster/LCM is swapped too....

[geargrinder]

So I guess this was one of those "one and done" posters, eh?

[CPHES]

All questions answered - poof!

[hrach1]

Thank you. I will check that post.


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[hrach1]

Lol! I get your point now. As I mentioned, I am new to all this but you explained it very clearly so no need to swap the DME. I’ll sell the 540i and just buy a used transmission. Thank you

[hrach1]

Got it. I realize now that I was opening a can of worms so I will follow your advise. Thank you

[hrach1]

Right! I didn’t even mention the tamper dot you’ll get unless the cluster/LCM is swapped too....

Wow, I was really clueless! But I’m learning. Thanks

[hrach1]

So I guess this was one of those "one and done" posters, eh?

I understand why you think that way but the reason I didn’t reply earlier was because I couldn’t see my post. I got a notice from the moderator that my post needs to approved. I checked back few times and didn’t see my post. Then I forgot about it. I check today and bingo. My post was visible so I start replying, however, I can’t see my replies. Looks like the moderator wants to approve my replies as well.

[hrach1]

All questions answered - poof!

Not necessarily!


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[hrach1]

Thank you all for your help!


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