My 560whp 530i is getting a DCT transmission

[M5Hunter]

If you'd like to see this progress on Instagram, please follow @turbo_e39

I've decided to swap a 7 speed DCT from a 335 into my E39.
The car is a 2002 530i Sport which came with a 5 speed.
Its currently got a Garrett 3076 turbo strapped to a stock M54 making a little over 560whp.
If you'd like to catch up on that build process, you can check out this link:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...E39-Project-v2







The car has been quite a bit of fun with the 5 speed and twin disk clutch, but a recent trip to the dragstrip resulted in a hurt first gear.
I had been considering a 6 speed swap well before the failure but when the time came to make a move, something in me said to go DCT.
I couldn't shake the urge so I just went with it.


Picked up the DCT while I was on vacation in Florida.
A guy that works at DriftHQ had it for sale on FB marketplace and I was able to line up the purchase.



The car has to this point been tuned by BeRacing Tuning on the stock DME.
I've been happy with it, but I had to come up with a plan to control the DCT which has ultimately resulted in the purchase of a MaxxECU plug and play setup.



I have put the ECU in and have been driving it around to get the base tune working well. I'll get it back on the dyno soon to get the tune dialed in under boost.

I've got more DCT swap parts on the way.

Updates coming soon!

Also, if you are interested in a cool E39 shirt, check out this link which has this car on it and help support the build:
https://streetdrivenindustries.com/collections/shirts/products/e39-respekt-shirt

[BimmerBreaker]

I'm curious how it performs once finished and installed. Been researching DCT standalone management systems for a few weeks now as a friend with a Z4M wants one (with an S65) in his car. Have contacted numerous people with them and it seems like nobody can get them running 100%, sometimes even ditching the system altogether. I think you'll fair better using standalone engine management plus the matching standalone TCU though and the standalone management systems are improving by the day.

[M5Hunter]

I can say I am a little concerned about the outcome.
I'm a fairly picky person so I will be very clear on what I like and don't like.
The research I've done has lead me to believe that this path is a decent option to get it functioning correctly.
It'll be fun to see how it plays out.
Worst case, I don't like it and put 6 speed in it anyway.

[bmchuckleyou]

Why not go down the zf8 route?

[Iamthebull]

Would have loved to see it go the 8HP route as well, either way this will be great to see.

[Revhung]

Following. This’ll be good!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Toby B]

Parkalas over on E46fan did something very similar just before covid.

I'd LOVE to flappypaddle the 525it. I hate torque converters, but the family requires at least one clutchpedalless car.

t

[M5Hunter]

The 8HP seems to be a great transmission and I'm even considering swapping one into my diesel e70 x5.
My reasoning for the DCT is only that I want to try one.
I've been looking at buying an F80 and couldn't decide if I wanted a manual or DCT since I've never driven a DCT car with any power, so what better way to learn than this?

Gathering more parts for the swap including an adapter kit from Seems Legit Garage



Picked up some stock 135 DCT shifter parts off eBay



Lastly a set of E46 M3 SMG paddle switches.
The M3 wheel and my sport wheel look very similar internally so I'm hoping to modify my wheel to accept these switches.



More updates shortly

[M5Hunter]

Spent some time fitting the E46 SMG paddles in my factory sport wheel.
Turned out pretty decent.





Installed the DCT adapter and flywheel






Side by side comparison of 5 speed and DCT





First test fit





Filter change before fresh fluid.
You can also see the rear trans mount I made





DCT cooler and components






Lastly, Factory 135i DCT shifter installed





The driveshaft is at the shop being made.
The harness is complete.
Need to route the cooler lines and fill the trans.

After that it should be ready for its first fire up!

[1SLWM3]

Instantly a fan, keep it up!

[bubela]

Excellent. Love the creativity here. I hope the trans operates with some consistent normalcy. I too know someone locally that went back to a manual because he just didn't have time/feel like figuring out all the bugs with this trans in his e46 race car.
More power to you Clay!

[Sio2crew]

What did you use for a drive shaft solution?

I attempted a single piece drive shaft from seems legit. They sold me one for my e39 with a critical speed at approximately 6000 rpm. (m5 rear diff , zf320, turbo s52)


I had originally asked SLG about mixing stock shafts in a email, including "the internet says single piece is too long for a e39."( knowing slg deals with bmw driveshafts.) I had no idea IF a v8 rear shaft would fit a i6 front shaft? looking for a LSD /driveshaft solution. ( fwiw it wont. ) Their complete response was "we can sell you a drive shaft." So I then bought a e39 m5 loaded rear subframe to part out into my e39it, knowing I had a" driveshaft solution." (larger longer 210 LSD, rear brakes, rear cv axles, rear sway bar. )

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-touring-build

It took them 3 attempts to sell me the correct rear c.v. spacers for e39 m5 axels. They sent the same exact small rings twice, (even after multiple emails and talking on the phone ) I only got the larger correct rings, once I traced my axel ends onto paper to return with the second set. I had to pay shipping 6 times! They still never sent the right longer bolts. (currently Im using cut down, even weighted, alh, tdi, 10.8 head bolts in place of their missing components.)

The drive shaft they sold me, came with bolts that would thread into a e46 m3 diff flange. However a e39 m5 diff flange is un threaded. m5 takes nuts on each drive shaft to diff bolt. So that was not plug and play either. The stock m5 bolts have larger shanks than a m3, they are pressed into the stock drive shaft on a m5. (cant buy the bolts) So I had to dig deep to find a solution that may or may not have contributed to issues? Their 3.5" shaft came right from amazon. It had almost no clearance, about the thickness of a piece of thin cardboard around the center support mount , the tank, and the end closest to the trans.

Worst thing was at highway speeds a.k.a over 63mph, "anything near 3000 rpm / half critical speed," it felt like you were on a deep rumble strip. ( In gear, out of gear, any type of load or no load) After that one trip above 60, I took the car to a drive line specialist to check flange angles were in spec, just to find out they were fine, but that set up would never work. (critical speed)

I asked seems legit what they thought as the car was un drivable? They totally ghosted me. if I email, no reply. If I call and they actually answer , they tell me "You need a 4" shaft" (wont fit) "they are very busy with racing, and will email me later today." They never do, now the return date has run out. Im sure o.p. can ballpark how much time and money has been spent in an attempt to fix this.

I can't imagine throwing a driveshaft at speed on the highway. SLG have a "offroad use only / its the buyers responsibility to know if slg parts will or wont work for their application" clause on every part they sell. Then they post video/ images advertising these parts on public roads.


I have sense modified a stock front half of a zf 5 speed shaft , replacing the 30 spline 6 cylinder , for the 35 spline v8 style splines off the front of a e39 m5 shaft. A.K.A making a m5 rear half fit a zf front half. I have not put many highway miles on the new set up, so far so good. I know the run out is minimum as it was assembled on a lathe. However in the end it is a home made solution. I considered contacting Luxfab, they did some e36 shafts once apon a time. In the end I dont think anyone can get it much closer on run out. (I do chemistry/ glass color production/scientific glass work for a living) It still needed to be balanced by the drive line shop for my piece of mind, (they used a tiny weight.) The guibo did help eliminate some of the harshness a 850 twin disc + one piece shaft + stock balancer caused when you start off in first or reverse. Other than that Nvh was not bad on the single piece with around town speeds. Fwiw every part on my e39 is new except some of the wire harness, the tank plastic and the sub frames. the zf has less than 30 k miles.turbo s52 is a new forged/rods/pistons/ect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql4-oZfN31k&t=302s



I do want to know if the o.p. has a "legit" solution.

I figured its worth posting as a tale of caution if nothing else. As you are running slg's components on a car that I have reason to believe they are unfamiliar with. (obviously o.p. will never use any of their products on public roads. *wink*) I have kept monetary values and opinions out of this post as much as possible, attempting to keep it factual.




https://www.facebook.com/SeemsLegitG...8882710046318/

[BimmerBreaker]

There's a shop in Texas (driveshaft specialist iirc) that modifies a ton of custom shafts for BMW guys. Reasonable prices too (often cheaper even with shipping vs. having a local shop do it). But for the most part, if a shop can balance a two piece shaft, they probably have the ability to shorten and/or extend it (shortening is a lot easier). I had a local shop build a custom shaft for me, but I think next go around I'll try the shop out of Texas

The "DIY" approach you posted is very interesting. Is that your video? If I felt more confident in my own welding abilities, I'd consider trying that myself


Hope the DCT works out for you OP, looks like some solid progress is being made already in getting it installed

[Wren57]

Really impressive and inspiring build all-around!

[M5Hunter]

I have tried a single piece driveshaft in a E39 in the past. I had a LS swapped 528 with a 6 speed and had one made that was 3".
It for sure made noise and had a rumble that I wasnt happy with. The resolution in that one was to buy a factory M5 driveshaft(I had a M5 diff) and then had a driveshaft shop modify the front half of the M5 driveshaft.

On this project I have a stock 530 driveshaft that I am having the same driveshaft shop modify the front half of to work.

What did you use for a drive shaft solution?

I attempted a single piece drive shaft from seems legit. They sold me one for my e39 with a critical speed at approximately 6000 rpm. (m5 rear diff , zf320, turbo s52)


I had originally asked SLG about mixing stock shafts in a email, including "the internet says single piece is too long for a e39."( knowing slg deals with bmw driveshafts.) I had no idea IF a v8 rear shaft would fit a i6 front shaft? looking for a LSD /driveshaft solution. ( fwiw it wont. ) Their complete response was "we can sell you a drive shaft." So I then bought a e39 m5 loaded rear subframe to part out into my e39it, knowing I had a" driveshaft solution." (larger longer 210 LSD, rear brakes, rear cv axles, rear sway bar. )

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-touring-build

It took them 3 attempts to sell me the correct rear c.v. spacers for e39 m5 axels. They sent the same exact small rings twice, (even after multiple emails and talking on the phone ) I only got the larger correct rings, once I traced my axel ends onto paper to return with the second set. I had to pay shipping 6 times! They still never sent the right longer bolts. (currently Im using cut down, even weighted, alh, tdi, 10.8 head bolts in place of their missing components.)

The drive shaft they sold me, came with bolts that would thread into a e46 m3 diff flange. However a e39 m5 diff flange is un threaded. m5 takes nuts on each drive shaft to diff bolt. So that was not plug and play either. The stock m5 bolts have larger shanks than a m3, they are pressed into the stock drive shaft on a m5. (cant buy the bolts) So I had to dig deep to find a solution that may or may not have contributed to issues? Their 3.5" shaft came right from amazon. It had almost no clearance, about the thickness of a piece of thin cardboard around the center support mount , the tank, and the end closest to the trans.

Worst thing was at highway speeds a.k.a over 63mph, "anything near 3000 rpm / half critical speed," it felt like you were on a deep rumble strip. ( In gear, out of gear, any type of load or no load) After that one trip above 60, I took the car to a drive line specialist to check flange angles were in spec, just to find out they were fine, but that set up would never work. (critical speed)

I asked seems legit what they thought as the car was un drivable? They totally ghosted me. if I email, no reply. If I call and they actually answer , they tell me "You need a 4" shaft" (wont fit) "they are very busy with racing, and will email me later today." They never do, now the return date has run out. Im sure o.p. can ballpark how much time and money has been spent in an attempt to fix this.

I can't imagine throwing a driveshaft at speed on the highway. SLG have a "offroad use only / its the buyers responsibility to know if slg parts will or wont work for their application" clause on every part they sell. Then they post video/ images advertising these parts on public roads.


I have sense modified a stock front half of a zf 5 speed shaft , replacing the 30 spline 6 cylinder , for the 35 spline v8 style splines off the front of a e39 m5 shaft. A.K.A making a m5 rear half fit a zf front half. I have not put many highway miles on the new set up, so far so good. I know the run out is minimum as it was assembled on a lathe. However in the end it is a home made solution. I considered contacting Luxfab, they did some e36 shafts once apon a time. In the end I dont think anyone can get it much closer on run out. (I do chemistry/ glass color production/scientific glass work for a living) It still needed to be balanced by the drive line shop for my piece of mind, (they used a tiny weight.) The guibo did help eliminate some of the harshness a 850 twin disc + one piece shaft + stock balancer caused when you start off in first or reverse. Other than that Nvh was not bad on the single piece with around town speeds. Fwiw every part on my e39 is new except some of the wire harness, the tank plastic and the sub frames. the zf has less than 30 k miles.turbo s52 is a new forged/rods/pistons/ect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql4-oZfN31k&t=302s



I do want to know if the o.p. has a "legit" solution.

I figured its worth posting as a tale of caution if nothing else. As you are running slg's components on a car that I have reason to believe they are unfamiliar with. (obviously o.p. will never use any of their products on public roads. *wink*) I have kept monetary values and opinions out of this post as much as possible, attempting to keep it factual.




https://www.facebook.com/SeemsLegitG...8882710046318/

[tptrsn]

My reasoning for the DCT is only that I want to try one.

The PERFECT reason to try any of this stuff we do! Great work Clay, watching!!

[M5Hunter]

After a longer than expected wait on my modified stock driveshaft, I finally got it in and am happy to say it fit correctly.



Once that was in, the hard part of the project began. Getting proper communication between the car and the trans set up is quite difficult.
Quite a bit of effort is needed to change the firmware on the DCT. There are instructions pages on doing it, but I found myself winging it quite a bit because I was running into errors and issues that were not outlined in the instructions.
I was lucky to come across a guy on a DCT facebook page that was willing to help me on the bigger problems I was having.
Some of my difficulty was I used a 135i shifter where the software was set up for a M3 shifter.
After a full weekend of cussing at the laptop I finally took my first drive.



There is still much to be desired as the trans tuning is not yet correct but it does function.
I may have made a few unrecommended pulls and it has potential to be pretty fun once its all in line.

[tptrsn]

Amazing perseverance!

[bubela]

Awesome dude!! Did Bradley help you out?

[bmwlover69420]

Sounds awesome, good luck!

[Jason5driver]

No U-joint on the driveshaft ?
Solid piece ?

[Colby Colbs]

Nice work!

[M5Hunter]

Awesome dude!! Did Bradley help you out?

Negative, guys name is Jason and hes been a life saver

No U-joint on the driveshaft ?
Solid piece ?

Still a 2 piece. The picture is right in front of the carrier bearing, its got the factory u-joint there.

[Motormenace]

This is pretty awesome!!! I was curious if there is any way to tell which gear you are in, since a stock cluster shows up to 5th?