Rescued a '01 740i M Sport, just now getting around to introducing myself here *long*

[Manny G.]

So it has been an interesting 3 months with the 6-speed 7 series. I've been using it regularly to drive a short work commute, about 3.5 miles each way with the option of taking a highway, and I must say, this car really comes to life with a manual. I am very pleased.

The random engine failsafe messages were being caused by a throttlebody (TPS) that needed to be recalibrated. Once I did that, the issue never happened again. I still have the one out of my 540 that I removed to install a Dinan one so I will replace it with my spare if necessary. This also resolved the Steering Angle Sensor issue.

The A/C issue was apparently linked to another issue I was troubleshooting and it has been resolved. Turns out that Fuse #26 had a lot to do with a strange issue I was having with the clock not functioning correctly and with the last viewed option in the MID not automatically opening when restarting. This also was linked to causing the A/C to not get fully ready for cold for almost 2 minutes of driving. Now, MAX A/C works immediately and cold air is available within seconds of turning the car on.


I replaced the CCV valve at the back of the intake manifold, but only after having to drill out the hood lock that decided to break apart on me just before I did it. My goal was to replace it in hopes that it would resolve the puff of white smoke that occasional would show up when starting the car and the weird noise that it makes when it's due to be replaced (Jetsons noise?) Seemed to be ok for a week or so but now I'm randomly seeing white smoke again on startup, ... going to try a Seafoam treatment through the intake manifold next.

Here is what I had to do to get the stuck latch open, 1/2" drill bit to the face, then flat head screw driver to nudge the inside slide piece.
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I added a small aftermarket Bluetooth AUX module, pretty simple straight forward that allows your phone to Bluetooth to the AUX on the factory radio. Works fine.

I had all of the factory speakers reconditioned, every single one of the door woofers had torn cones. I sent them out to a specialist that reconditioned them also coated the rear ones with a UV protectant.

I also completed the thermostat mod. I was pleased with how it worked with my 540, so I decided to also do it to the 740 being that South Florida is just so HOT and I really don't want to find myself replacing engine plastics and rubbers earlier than it is really necessary. The details for the thermostat mod I did can be found here: https://modbm.com/shop/thermostat-mod-m62/

I've been putting more attention towards the completion of my E39 540i over the last month or so, it is all done and repainted and ready to come out of the body shop next week. It was a full doors-out, windows-out paint job back to the original Sapphire Black Metallic, all new window trim and mouldings all around... all I can say is that the job came out beautiful and I can't wait to send the E38 in for the same treatment with Alpine White III.

I have NOT tried to load the custom programming that will enable the oil-temp lights in my gauge cluster. The shop that was doing the transmission swap tried but said it failed over and over and they had to un-brick the DME each time, so I am hesitant to try myself. If anyone has clear and direct instructions of how to do it, I would really appreciate the help... I've tried to do searches and check into threads that were going on about it but they are either too vague or dead threads.

I tried to go back and find pictures of all of this stuff but I realized that at some point I just gave up with tending to my phone while I work on the car. It just is too difficult for me to break my focus to tend to a phone to take pictures especially with dirty/greasy hands. I'll try to get my wife involved in taking pictures as I progress through some of the next stuff... I still have an Eisenmann exhaust to install as well as some sunroof repair parts I'm hoping to get to this weekend. I somehow managed to find a minty fresh pair of sunroof gaiters that are impossible to find and NLA. I also need to repair the passenger seat, the seat back twists or doesnt tilt at all.

Stay tuned.

[purplecty]

Nice update! Good to see it all coming together...

[Manny G.]

So... update.


Losing interest and motivation in this project fast. Just feels like it is too damn difficult to find local help and support and the channels I used to rely on just don't exist the way they used to.


I bought an entire suspension refresh kit along with a Bilstein B12 kit for the 740i, but in the waiting time I think the OSV inside the engine crapped out and now the car is just sucking and burning oil and running like crap. I was about to just buy the E53 CCV and get a catch can kit, and drill out the hole in the left valve cover, but the more I thought about the whole thing the less motivated I got. Whether or not I bother with these two things, the suspension and the CCV garbage, will have to wait until I feel like getting back into it... and if I dont, then it's project abandoned.


Also bought a hand full of other crap like a new gas cap, new lower inside B-pillar covers, C-pillar trim repair clips that were 3d printed, NLA sunroof gaiters.... I even picked up a new center console that had all of the mounting tabs in tact until it arrived with one broken.

This constant churning of issues has just worn me the hell out. As it sits, ~185k miles, clean Florida title even though it was salvaged from Lousanna from hail damage, most of the hail damage repaired, TCG done, 6speed manual swap done, ... bunch of other little things here and there fixed and sorted, I'm entertaining offers.


I took pics but I just have 0 motivation to go fishing them out of my phone to upload here.

[purplecty]

You sure its not the PCV on the back of the engine? Just a guess if the OSV was done at the same time as the TCGs.

[R Shaffner]

Sorry. Most us of know the feeling. One thing after another.

About the OSV, CCV and oil burning... There is a simple diagnostic you can try.

When i got my current '02 540 at 150,000 miles it was burning oil badly, after it blew out the diaphragms in two CCVs I realized it must be the OSV. I disconnected the tube from the OSV at the CCV, connected a hose to it so I could blow air backwards, toward the OSV. It was like blowing on a straw in a milkshake. There was some resistance, and when I blew harder I could hear bubbles gurgling in the oil in the OSV. Then I knew the OSV was clogged and not draining. Instead of taking oil from the blow-by gasses it was adding oil to them.

I did that external OSV route you mentioned. It worked fine for 40,000 miles until I changed the guides and the OSV. When I pulled the old OSV, I noticed that it was completely clean. I think that's because I gave the car a steady diet of high mileage (meaning high detergent) oil for a 10,000 miles or so with 3,000 mile changes. I bet that's what cleared out the clog.

If I were doing it all over again, I'd park the car with the nose pointing a little down and I'd pour solvent into the tube so it would flow to the OSV and sit above the clog. I'd let is sit for a day, and do it again and again, several days, to see if that cleared the clog (meaning I could blow air into it easily).

Another approach, if you need to drive the car, would be to just vent the atmosphere temporarily, block the path to the CVV, and then use high mileage oil for a few thousand miles.

All that is if you found the your OSV is clogged as I did. If you can blow air into the tube easily, then the OSV might have cracked, come apart, or come loose from thee tube. Or the CCV is bad. If so I don't have anything new there to add to what you probably know.

Good luck!

[Manny G.]

You sure its not the PCV on the back of the engine? Just a guess if the OSV was done at the same time as the TCGs.

I changed the PCV/CCV on the back of the manifold for a Meyle version back in July, it started smoking again after about 2 weeks. Unfortunately, I don't think the OSV was done at the time of the TCGs, it wasn't mentioned on the invoice.

Sorry. Most us of know the feeling. One thing after another.

About the OSV, CCV and oil burning... There is a simple diagnostic you can try.

When i got my current '02 540 at 150,000 miles it was burning oil badly, after it blew out the diaphragms in two CCVs I realized it must be the OSV. I disconnected the tube from the OSV at the CCV, connected a hose to it so I could blow air backwards, toward the OSV. It was like blowing on a straw in a milkshake. There was some resistance, and when I blew harder I could hear bubbles gurgling in the oil in the OSV. Then I knew the OSV was clogged and not draining. Instead of taking oil from the blow-by gasses it was adding oil to them.

I did that external OSV route you mentioned. It worked fine for 40,000 miles until I changed the guides and the OSV. When I pulled the old OSV, I noticed that it was completely clean. I think that's because I gave the car a steady diet of high mileage (meaning high detergent) oil for a 10,000 miles or so with 3,000 mile changes. I bet that's what cleared out the clog.

If I were doing it all over again, I'd park the car with the nose pointing a little down and I'd pour solvent into the tube so it would flow to the OSV and sit above the clog. I'd let is sit for a day, and do it again and again, several days, to see if that cleared the clog (meaning I could blow air into it easily).

Another approach, if you need to drive the car, would be to just vent the atmosphere temporarily, block the path to the CVV, and then use high mileage oil for a few thousand miles.

All that is if you found the your OSV is clogged as I did. If you can blow air into the tube easily, then the OSV might have cracked, come apart, or come loose from thee tube. Or the CCV is bad. If so I don't have anything new there to add to what you probably know.

Good luck!

Interesting you should mention that recommendation. I was thinking about pushing some air pressure down that CCV>OSV pipe to see what the air resistance might have been like. I jumped straight to the idea that it was cracked or come loose, but I suppose it is possible that it is just clogged with old sludge oil. About a year ago, maybe barely 1000-1500 miles ago, I did switch to high milage 20w-50... I'll give the air or solvent method a try... I might have some SeaFoam in the garage I can drip down in the tube and see what it does after a day or two.

[purplecty]

The Meyle PCV may be your issue. Aftermarket ones are known to fail quickly. I've seen them fail upon first start as well. I'd try a genuine BMW one as those are the only ones I would personally use after becoming aware of the Aftermarket ones having a ton of issues with quality.

[Manny G.]

The Meyle PCV may be your issue. Aftermarket ones are known to fail quickly. I've seen them fail upon first start as well. I'd try a genuine BMW one as those are the only ones I would personally use after becoming aware of the Aftermarket ones having a ton of issues with quality.

Dang purp, thanks for that info... interesting! I have a second new Meyle one in the garage I was going to use on my 540i whenever it was due, but now that you mention that, I'll use it to see how it affects this issue and just get an original BMW one. Shame to hear about the Meyle part, I actually thought Meyle made pretty good quality OE stuff.


.... alternatively, I could just say screw it and finally get serious about hunting down the S62 that I've long wanted in this 7. Let me see what I can find out there right now.. last time I casually looked it seemed a little tougher than I thought to get a decent milage S62 for a 'fair' price. I already have a brand new flywheel for it lol

[purplecty]

I would remove and inspect that Meyle PCV. I am all about alternative parts but I have learned to stick Genuine on some items including that PCV. I also put regular hex bolt in because those torx are not fun to deal with.

[Manny G.]

Well that escalated quickly. complete S62 acquired along with a M5 differential as well. Delivery date currently unknown but I'll provide more details once it's here.


Like a wise man once said, defecate or get off the pot. I've been dragging behind on this project for far too long,



... oh and wait till you see the snazzy 3D printed Alpina exhaust cutout trims.

[Btkeenan]

Well that escalated quickly. complete S62 acquired along with a M5 differential as well. Delivery date currently unknown but I'll provide more details once it's here.


Like a wise man once said, defecate or get off the pot. I've been dragging behind on this project for far too long,



... oh and wait till you see the snazzy 3D printed Alpina exhaust cutout trims.

lol should be fun to follow along

[Manny G.]

~120k mile '03 S62 Engine, EWS Deleted DME & Harness received
M5 Limited Slip Differential received.
*bonus* custom set of E38 spec 19" Hamann PG2 wheels and tires with 305 rears.
Mike from the M5 board is one awesome guy, delivered it driving 3hours down to me here in South Florida on a super poopy rainy day.

Organizing photos now, will be putting together a more comprehensive post sometime tomorrow while I am off from work.

Still waiting on the Bilstein B12 kit to come in.

Brainstorming -- does anyone know of engine mounts that would work with the E38 and S62 so that modifying the hood isn't necessary? Maybe aftermarket place doing this?

[Manny G.]

Ok, finally getting around to this, just two weeks later than I planned to.

This was taken recently at a FuelFed Coffee & Classics meet in Ft. Lauderdale one Sunday morning...
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This post is going to go over more what I've done since July being that July was the last time I actually mentioned any updates going on with the car. Since July, I have gone through a few things with the 740 that have really challenged my interested in continuing with this project... hate to say it, but it was really the small stuff that was getting to me. I think the single most annoying thing has been dealing with the brittle plastic interior parts.. then learning that its an NLA part, and only finding poor example used. Then the M62 started burning oil,... so I started considering oil catch cans and such, but I realized I just have no interest in chasing down this issue. This was pretty much the single thing that pushed me over the edge to pull a trigger on an S62.

I was stewing with this annoyance of oil burning for over a month or so before I decided to sit down and really go through my finances and figure out how far off I was from just getting the damn S62 already. I budgeted $7500 for a decent example with ECU and harness. I already had the flywheel brand new, probably easier to just get the S62 than it is to return the flywheel at this point, lol. Anyway, I reached back out to a member from the M5 Board known for their inventory of M5 parts, Mike (Mishkin). He had about 4 engines in stock all varying mileage, I didn't go for the lowest but also didn't go for the highest mileage either. I went with the second lowest mileage one he had, and the price was so nice, I went ahead and added an M5 LSD and a beautiful set of 19" Hamann PG2 wheels in E38 spec. The engine budget was well met, but the finances were in a good enough place to tack on the bonus wheels. I'm undecided on the M5 LSD, I may put it on my E39 instead and just snag an E32 LSD for the E38... already have my eye on one.

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I'm limited to 5 photos per post, so I'll have to break this up into multiple posts.

[Manny G.]

This commitment to the project meant that I'd better start finding solutions for the interior parts that were crapped otherwise I'd end up with a nicely running but clapped out looking 7 series... I really wanted to avoid that. I did find a place, K2 Industries, that has lots of small 3D printed plastic bits for commonly broken BMW parts -- like E38 C-pillar tabs. I ordered a set and JB welded the tabs on, wow. I could not believe how straight forward and simple this repair was. I keep looking back that them in disbelief because I keep waiting for the tab to break or something, but nope.. still holding strong. I have a set of tabs for the rear door panels too, but not sure how bad those are yet.

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I also replaced the sunroof seal, and I managed to source brand new unused NLA set of sunroof gaiters. The old ones were torn and gummy... back when I did the headliner, they did not come out nicely. Also replaced a worn slider for the moon roof cover, one cracked and the other had a screw back out and no longer would hold.

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Oh and I replaced the crappy front wheel and belly pan liners that I bought for cheap 2-ish years ago... they simply don't hold up. Bought all OEM stuff for the belly pan, waiting on the wheel liners but not in a rush for those.

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[Btkeenan]

Those Hamman wheels are rad. It's cool to see the vintage aftermarket wheels coming back around in style. The 3d printed parts I believe come from Rendition Custom who must either partner with K2 industries or be the same company but the US business arm.

[Manny G.]

Also managed to source brand new NLA engine bay gaskets.
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I installed a module that keeps the temperature of the coolant down by opening the thermostat earlier. This saves the life of the plastics in the engine bay. It wont be needed once I pull the M62 out, but more info about the module can be found here: https://modbm.com/shop/thermostat-mod-m62/

I also purchased a complete suspension refresh kit from ECS as well as a coil-over install kit (works for cup kits too) from ECS tuning. This is to completely overhaul the suspension and get it ready for the Bilstein B12 kit that is on backorder right now. It was supposed to ship out 2 days ago, but I haven't received any updates yet. Strange that I can source the Bilstein B6 shocks and struts individually but not as a kit with the springs.

I've had an exhaust setup waiting for a while for the E38, at least 2 years. It's been sitting in my garage in the box, just waiting for the right time to install. I was hopeful that I would find a set of original Alpina exhaust trims, but alas, I ended up going with 3D printed instead. They are actually verrrry nice! I will having them painted Alpine White III.

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- - - Updated - - -

Those Hamman wheels are rad. It's cool to see the vintage aftermarket wheels coming back around in style. The 3d printed parts I believe come from Rendition Custom who must either partner with K2 industries or be the same company but the US business arm.

Yes, correct they come from Rendition, however, when I tried to order from them, I was directed to K2 who are the US distributor for Rendition.

[purplecty]

Alot of goodness going on here. Glad to see you got the itch to work in this big project/goal. Cant wait to see the final product!

[Manny G.]

wow awesome job and nice looking car

RIP Franco

[Manny G.]

So, no real progress in the last week. I received an updated shipping date of 12/15/23 for the Bilstein B12 kit, and I had a feeling it would just be bumped again another 2 weeks then. Everywhere I looked, the B12 KIT is backordered, so I'm going to go with that there won't be any change in that status anytime soon. I probably should've just said f'it and gone with the KW coils.

I cancelled the Bilstein B12 kit order... but,...

The Bilstein B12 kit is basically:

• Front Bilstein B6 struts
• Rear Bilstein B6 shocks
• Eibach Pro-Kit springs

Logical next step would be to go and find each part, which I did on Amazon, and got the left front strut, right front strut, Eibach springs, and rear shocks ordered separately, they are all out for delivery tomorrow from FedEx. All for ~$100 cheaper overall also.

So yeah, if you want to B12 your E38, just get the kit parts individually, it will be much easier for roughly the same price if not possibly cheaper.

Next mission is the last missing pieces of the suspension refresh, the rear lower spring pads. I tried to get creative with finding alternatives since the part for the E38 was NLA, so I looked into if there were any compatible ones from the E32 and other models that might work, but I haven't gotten to the point to where I can compare the part off the car with the E32 part. While on the E32 forum, shogun mentioned that people who had 2 year waiting list orders for the rear lower E38 spring pads just got their orders filled in Europe... maybe that's a sign of hope so I put an order in for a set earlier this week.

While I'm waiting on that, I'll be gathering the parts necessary to make the S62 work. I'm going to be ordering new 750il aux water heater hoses so I can relocate it, 750il oil filter and PS reservoir bracket, and some sort of solution for the air boxes. I thought the 750il air boxes would work but they use too small of an elbow tube & MAF, and the M5 air boxes don't exactly fit right. I thought what if I used 750il air box bottoms, and M5 air box tops, but the air filter halves are not a match. I thought maybe the 740d air boxes but they have about the same diameter as the 750il. I'd like it to be close to a factory fit look if possible.

Something else on my mind are if the engine mount arms... if there is enough clearance to have a set made that would lower the engine enough to clear the hood so that the hood doesn't need to be modified to fit.

[Manny G.]

All of the suspension components are in-hand, finally....

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The rear lower spring pads were a bit of a mission to get... ended up getting them through my local dealer of all places after thinking they were NLA. Strange part was that they were twice the price as everywhere else had them listed, even other online dealerships.

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[bavin]

are you not going to be doing the rear control/swing arm bushings? didnt see them in the photo. if not, youre doing everything else, you might as well. powerflex has good ones.

[Manny G.]

are you not going to be doing the rear control/swing arm bushings? didnt see them in the photo. if not, youre doing everything else, you might as well. powerflex has good ones.

I wasn't sure about those bushings because I couldn't find an independent part number for them, just the entire swing arm which is currently going for close to $1k for one side,... other side for just under $600. I'd have to have some pretty trashed rear swing arms to even consider replacing the complete arm.

Thanks for the heads up on the Powerflex bushings, I have them on my E39 and they are nice -- and really easy to install too. I'll definitely pick up a set of them for the E38.