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Thread: 540i/6 swapped into 528iT

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Spokane, WA
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    1999 540iT

    540i/6 swapped into 528iT

    Greetings.

    Ive spent a fair bit of time on these threads prior to registering and wanted to say thanks to everyone who shares their knowledge/time to uphold bmw enthusiasts. Im looking forward to contributing and not being a lurker anymore. Being the owner of four e39s, this shouldnt be too hard.

    Let me start with the task at hand. For quite sometime now, owning a 540iT 6spd manual has been an aspiration. The option of buying someone elses swap was never really a consideration for multiple reasons(color combo, workmanship, price etc.) I own an 05/1999 528iT clean, black on black and a 04/1999 540i6 which is mechanically sound. I bought both cars only for the reason of doing the swap. The 540 would become 100% donor car and then a parts car to recuperate some cash.

    I have spent many hours sifting through parts catalogs from 528iT, 540iT, and 540i6 to verify any parts needed/potential limiting differences. Initially there are no monumental concerns of programming or part purchases. To be clear the idea is to take front subframe/all suspension parts, drive-train all the way back to the output shafts, cluster, computer, abs module, lcm and wiring harness etc. All preventative maintenance will be done during the conversion, too.

    This leads to my questions; will I have any issues getting abs and traction control to work? Will any plugs need rewired or any wires need to be run? Differential and output shafts should fit in the wagon because all wagons have the same rear subframe, right? Any programming needed for the computer to recognize SLS rear bags or rear secondary glass hatch? *Insert questions I should be asking here, ha.* Surely this cant be as simple as imagined! It seems like this would be no different than taking a touring shell with an interior, rear subframe/suspension and populating it with manual sedan parts?

    Any help, suggestions or information would be appreciated.

    Thanks!
    Last edited by e39estate; 01-16-2019 at 09:08 PM. Reason: spelling

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Charleston, SC
    Posts
    660
    My Cars
    2000 M5, 2018 Macan Turb
    Perhaps start with a 540iT and swap it to manual? I have a 540i/6, while I like sticks, I think the 4.4 works with an auto just as well, perhaps better even.

    And if going to the trouble of a motor swap, I think I’d look for an S62 and make a badass touring.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    PCA HPDE Instructor
    current:
    2004 M3 convert 6sp man - low mileage beauty!

    past:
    1995 BMW M3 3.2
    2004 M3 convert SMG
    2003 BMW 540i6 Alpine White M sport (I want her back!)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Spokane, WA
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    1999 540iT
    You might be one of a select few people that thinks the auto suits the M62 well. I can dig it. That would certainly be an easier/better route but finding a clean/reasonably priced 540iT seems daunting.

    Ultimately the idea would be to supercharge the M62 after it was swapped but it seems that putting in an S62 would be cheaper for almost identical power. Although buying all needed parts to swap an S62 into a 528iT might be more expensive than just buying a 540iT and then swapping an S62 into that. No doubt having an S62 powered touring would be an absolute riot.

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