My 1995 540i 6-speed resto

**moroza** · 01-27-2021, 09:34 PM

Oh, so the M70 one is the squareish form factor as well? I was mistaken, then, and it's just the M60 ones that are round?

**a777fan** · 01-28-2021, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by moroza

Oh, so the M70 one is the squareish form factor as well? I was mistaken, then, and it's just the M60 ones that are round?

I believe so. The different form factor was to deal with the lack of clearance under the headers with the 90 deg v8. The M70 is a 60 deg v12, right?

**Desert E34** · 02-05-2021, 11:32 AM

what cleaning products have you been using throughout this process? really impressive work, those timing covers came out looking new. i’ve spent the past few days at work reading through this thread, and it has been super enjoyable for me. super excited to see what’s next for your car!

**a777fan** · 02-06-2021, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Desert E34

what cleaning products have you been using throughout this process? really impressive work, those timing covers came out looking new. i’ve spent the past few days at work reading through this thread, and it has been super enjoyable for me. super excited to see what’s next for your car!

Thanks. Up next? Hopefully lots and lots of miles! Lol.

Simple Green Extreme. It is safe in aluminum, where as regular simple green is not. Smaller parts went into a heated ultrasonic cleaner. Larger parts just went into a tub to soak.

**a777fan** · 02-20-2021, 09:15 PM

The ‘while your in there’ is out of control.

Jobs in progress:

Timing chains
Oil pump replacement
Steering box replacement
Power steering pump rebuild

Now ‘rust’ removal from the drivers side frame rail. The master cylinder must have had a pretty massive leak at some point, as I have previously mentioned. The paint is just in sad shape, flaking and chipping off. I previously attempted a ‘quick’ repair with some spray on zinc coating, but my prep wasn’t sufficient, and it had started to fail in spots. With everything including the steering box out, it was a good time to attempt a permanent fix.

Today was prep. I removed the master cylinder and bracket, which was actually really easy to do. I started scraping away at the area and found surface rust starting to creep under the seam sealer. So out it came.

Weird to see how it gets in there and just starts to grow.

Scotch brite, sandpaper made pretty quick work of it.

I’ll be using POR-15 for the base coat, then reapplying the seam sealer. Top coating it with a brake fluid resistant paint from eastwood. Colors wont match, but hopefully the fix will be permanent.

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**a777fan** · 02-21-2021, 09:31 PM

In order to keep myself somewhat sane, I actually put parts back ON the car today.

Replaced all the tired clutch system consumables:

New reservoir and feed line (featuring old resi):

The old high pressure flexible line was toast:

That melted turd in the first photo is the firewall grommet for the master cylinder. It wasn’t melted and gooey when I bought the car a year and a half ago. My guess is that I used white lithium grease when I re-built the accelerator pedal linkage a while back, and I used too much. I found evidence of extra smoo in the area when disassembling the accel linkage to get the master and then the resi feed line out. Amazing how damaging that stuff can be to rubber!

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**a777fan** · 04-04-2021, 12:22 PM

Hmm. Over a month since the last update. I’ve slowly been plugging away.

Many coats of POR + replacement seam sealer and top coat.

That last photo isn’t actually of the ‘brake gray’ color, but some cheapy amazon ‘paint match’ I bought awhile back when I did this the first time. You can see the line between factory and the new stuff with everything out, but with it in, its hard to tell.

Hit all the major brake and power steering hard lines with a fresh coat of paint to brighten them up a bit.

All reinstalled. Also replaced the pivot arm at the booster. The bearings inside it had deteriorated and the entire arm was out of wack.

Re-built the power steering pump with new seals.

The insides of the pump didn’t look great. We’ll see how well this works.

Put the refurbed steering box in. No clue how anyone does this with less of the engine disassembled. Total PITA.

New oil pump in:

Timing chains and components going back in:

The gaskets on the case covers were way more of a pain than I was expecting. The left and right gaskets on the lowers were ok. The water pump/passage gasket cooperated with zip ties finally:

And getting the bank 1 cover back on. Man that chain is TIGHT. Had to herk on the chain guide way more than I was expecting in order to be able to get the case underneath the guide. Also had to fiddle a bit with the tensioner on install to make sure it was centered in the guide and extended properly.

Oiling bars back in.

Valve covers and gaskets in. Very happy with the new covers. No more magnesium dust flaking off into the engine. Lol.

Harness and throttle cables back on.

Front end accessories back together.

More to come.

**theBMWbeast** · 04-04-2021, 02:06 PM

Great progress. Any reason on the new oil pump? Forgot if it was already mentioned in the thread.

**Cactuar** · 04-04-2021, 03:15 PM

Awesome progress. Your engine bay looks so clean! The clean up work has really paid off.

**a777fan** · 04-04-2021, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by theBMWbeast

Great progress. Any reason on the new oil pump? Forgot if it was already mentioned in the thread.

Thanks!

Yeah the old one’s housing had started to disintegrate. I’ve got some pictures buried in this post somewhere showing the corrosion.

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**a777fan** · 04-04-2021, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by Cactuar

Awesome progress. Your engine bay looks so clean! The clean up work has really paid off.

Thank you

Your 735 is an inspiration to the rest of us.

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**a777fan** · 04-04-2021, 10:19 PM

Anyone ever short their low pressure power steering line on the B terminal of the alternator? Cause I just did.

**okmike540i** · 04-05-2021, 10:07 AM

So CLEAN! That is going to be a new car when you are done, awesome work

**moroza** · 04-05-2021, 03:28 PM

Engine porn right there.

Forgot to disconnect the battery, eh?

**a777fan** · 04-05-2021, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by okmike540i

So CLEAN! That is going to be a new car when you are done, awesome work

Thanks!

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by moroza

Engine porn right there.

Forgot to disconnect the battery, eh?

In the process of re-connecting the battery is when I found it. The pipe had apparently shifted around just enough following install to touch the B+ post, so when I connected the battery. POOF!

Kinda funny... the hose shot out all its fiberglass insulation... all over the engine bay.

Was able to crank the car over afterward, so it seems no collateral damage.

**a777fan** · 04-05-2021, 08:03 PM

Small update...

Was able to return to the garage today to attempt to fire the pig up. I basically wanted a quick check that it was back together properly enough to continue to re-assemble. Cranked with the fuel pump fuse out first to build oil pressure. Once it got up to 4-5 bar, I re-inserted the fuse and gave it a shot.

It fired up but only ran for a few seconds. Giving it some gas allowed it to continue to run for a bit more, but it would still die.

This behavior was the same MAF plugged in and un-plugged.

The Exhaust is still off, so no O2, but since its cold it should be running in open loop and ignoring the inputs anyway, right?

I'll likely continue to assemble as the timing sounds right, and the beast fires albeit only for a few seconds.... I likely have a sensor hooked up incorrectly. Any ideas/thoughts appreciated!

**moroza** · 04-05-2021, 08:27 PM

I'd check fuel pressure. Sensor issues would be more likely if it ran poorly or not at all. O2 sensor won't prevent it from running and driving; the new owner of my 544iT recorded audio for what was at least a 10-minute drive with open downpipes. WOT 2nd-3rd pull with that and a lightweight flywheel, even with a cellphone mic, was delicious.

B+ post should have a protective cover on it, for precisely this reason.

**a777fan** · 04-05-2021, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by moroza

I'd check fuel pressure. Sensor issues would be more likely if it ran poorly or not at all. O2 sensor won't prevent it from running and driving; the new owner of my 544iT recorded audio for what was at least a 10-minute drive with open downpipes. WOT 2nd-3rd pull with that and a lightweight flywheel, even with a cellphone mic, was delicious.

B+ post should have a protective cover on it, for precisely this reason.

Thanks! I’ll have to pull the gauge out and see where its at. Fuel pump is new, so...?

Oh and it does sound pretty awesome for the few seconds its on

Likely has the neighbors going wtf?!?

On the B post cover: Is there one there from the factory that I am missing? I tried a google image search last night and didn’t find anything enlightening.

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**a777fan** · 04-05-2021, 09:42 PM

Update: solved it!

I Was trying to start the car with the brake booster and evap hoses unhooked from the throttle body. IE-massive vacuum leak.

Plugged those and the car fired right up and stayed running!!!

V. Excited.

**m60power** · 04-05-2021, 10:24 PM

Incredible work! Your engine bay looks amazing!

Your comment about the lithium grease turning the rubber firewall grommet for the master cylinder to mush has me all worried. Over the past year I've installed many rubber bits throughout the car using white lithium grease, and now I'm wondering if if that's going to cause them to start dissolving into a slimy mess...

**a777fan** · 04-06-2021, 01:42 AM

Originally Posted by m60power

Incredible work! Your engine bay looks amazing!

Your comment about the lithium grease turning the rubber firewall grommet for the master cylinder to mush has me all worried. Over the past year I've installed many rubber bits throughout the car using white lithium grease, and now I'm wondering if if that's going to cause them to start dissolving into a slimy mess...

Thanks!

Hmm. My ‘research’ is certainly not definitive, but its the only explanation I can come up with. The grommet certainly wasn’t a pile of goo prior.

Any bits that you have installed accessible? IME, white lithium doesn’t take to long to leave its ‘mark’ if its not compatible. I’d take a peep and see if you notice any sort of reactions ongoing...

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**moroza** · 04-06-2021, 06:03 AM

I think the problem with that grease is that it was petroleum-based, not that it contained lithium. That said, I've found the best lube for installing rubber car parts is straight dish soap. I've used mostly regular blue Dawn for a decade or so. Doesn't seem to hurt the rubber, easy to clean up, slides great when wet and then dries to be sticky but not too hard to remove, cheap and easy to find, serves other purposes (apart from stinking up sponges, it's good at doing what it's meant to, t.i cleaning dishes).

**m60power** · 04-06-2021, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by moroza

I think the problem with that grease is that it was petroleum-based, not that it contained lithium. That said, I've found the best lube for installing rubber car parts is straight dish soap. I've used mostly regular blue Dawn for a decade or so. Doesn't seem to hurt the rubber, easy to clean up, slides great when wet and then dries to be sticky but not too hard to remove, cheap and easy to find, serves other purposes (apart from stinking up sponges, it's good at doing what it's meant to, t.i cleaning dishes).

Yeah the petroleum base makes more sense, not so much the thickeners, or in this case the lithium additive. Funny you mention Dawn dish soap, that has typically been what I've used over the years for assembly lubrication purposes, however at some point I got a large tube of general purpose white lithium grease for small metal gears, and since I had that laying around I just started using it up out of convenience not thinking about any incompatibility with rubber and plastics... I've since used it a bunch on my car, so I'll start taking a look for any material degradation.

**circuit.heart** · 04-07-2021, 03:44 PM

Holy balls this is a clean restoration project. I've never seen the brake lever bracket clean in my life.

Rubber breaking down is almost 100% because it's touching petroleum-based stuff for a long time. I don't recall what fuel lines are made of to resist that but there are special chemical resistant "rubber" compounds used in lines and O-rings, and bushings are usually not made of that ($$$).

**a777fan** · 04-07-2021, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by circuit.heart

Holy balls this is a clean restoration project. I've never seen the brake lever bracket clean in my life.

Rubber breaking down is almost 100% because it's touching petroleum-based stuff for a long time. I don't recall what fuel lines are made of to resist that but there are special chemical resistant "rubber" compounds used in lines and O-rings, and bushings are usually not made of that ($$$).

Thanks!

Its not going to win any awards and the interior is still a POS, but I’m pretty happy with where its at.

Full disclosure, that brake lever bracket was cleaned up and then sprayed with the ‘brake gray’ from eastwood.