The 535 that Could

[danespann]

After about 5 years since the last cooling system refresh, the water pump is leaking again and the heater core leaks a bit, so I ordered:

-Nissens Radiator
-Graf Metal Impeller Water Pump
-Heater core (Pre-Dec-89 with 3 attachments)
-Re-Manufactured Climate Sword
-Behr Thermostat
-All the Hoses
-Voltage regulator

That will be the next update I'm sure, but for now I've been putting lots of miles on enjoying the car (and getting $250 worth of tickets for taking these photos so enjoy them)

[a777fan]

That will be the next update I'm sure, but for now I've been putting lots of miles on enjoying the car (and getting $250 worth of tickets for taking these photos so enjoy them)

do tell!

Lookin

[danespann]

Ripped the car apart today for cooling system refresh.

First up was a new heater core and new climate sword:







Engine bay cooling system pieces will be replaced tomorrow and hopefully this thread won't have any working-on-car updates for a while after that.

[JThomp33]

Nice - Heater Core is NOT fun! Great progress

[moroza]

I doubt you use heat much in Phoenix, and I don't know how often you have passengers, but while you're in there, consider this.

[danespann]

I don't know how often you have passengers, but while you're in there, consider this.

Very interesting. My early car does get heat to the rear vents just fine and seems to have a slightly different heater box design. Strange that some(perhaps later) cars have that vent pathway separated.

Side note, we definitely use the heat quite a lot November-March in AZ. It's cold at night or in the morning driving to work.

[danespann]

Cooling system/Heater core done.

Dash together:






New Sword:




Water Pump:





A mess on the engine bay. It only took maybe 15 minutes to bleed. Didn't have to jack the car up or anything crazy.
I am convinced that most people who have endless trouble bleeding m30's have blown head gaskets or something.




Drove the car 130 miles and stopped back by the shop today. There was this nice lazer blue 535i to park next to:





Everything works great and no squeaks or rattles in the dash. Gotta thank my friend Danny at Heritage Motorworks for doing much of the work there.
I'm back to commuting 100+ miles a day in this car starting tomorrow so I hope this thread doesn't need to be updated. Thanks for reading!

[danespann]

Nice happy update here...

Crossed 250K miles:




Decided to pick up some wheels that caught my eye on Craigslist. They're O.Z. Monte Carlo's 17x8.5 et13 and 17x9.5 et20. Didn't think about them being reverse mount, but they just barely clear the brakes in the front.
Allowed me to throw some nice non-performance tires on for the long daily commute this car sees at this point.

[dannyzabolotny]

Those wheels are sweet, they remind me of a less rounded ACS Type II. Now the real question is how good will those Kumhos slide/burn?

[sbeckman7]

5 spoke wheels always look made for the E34. Brembo's look mean inside them too! Happy 250k, I think I'm around 210 currently!

[danespann]

5 spoke wheels always look made for the E34

Agreed! I may have a wheel hoarding problem lol.

[danespann]

Took the e34 on a quick weekend trip up to Colorado. It didn't skip a beat.














Original clutch at 252,000 miles is beginning to have some throw-out bearing chatter, so picked up an m30 240mm 16lb single mass flywheel and pressure plate from a friend.

Ordered a new Sachs clutch disc to go with it and bought an e46 330i so I can take the e34 apart. It looks good on M Systems:


I will have information on the single-mass stuff whenever I get around to it. The gentleman I bought my flywheel from had a variety of different m30 single mass flywheels.

[danespann]

The E34 has sadly been parked for about a month after the A/C compressor finally died. That means I’m just going to go through the entire system.
It's never been cold enough for my liking when the car is sitting still since the r134 conversion, likely because the car is an early R12 variety with the older-style condenser.

The last drive before parking it 7/20.


It’s been making noise but I couldn’t find a replacement Seiko unit so I just kept going, hoping it would last ‘till fall. It didn’t.

Picked up a nice E36 that has good A/C and will pull daily driver duty for a while. I’m sure the paint will be gone by summer’s end. (Thanks Arizona)


Finally found a low-mileage Seiko compressor from a forum member:


And placed an order for parallel flow condenser, evaporator core, expansion valve, and fresh O-Rings.

[BleedsBlue]

Good deal! I've wondered the same about R134 vs R12 components. And have also heard that a new condenser can make a big difference.

Enjoying this thread a lot as I miss my high mileage Alpine M5; keep the updates coming!

[Tristan36]

thats some great info i didnt know the condenser would make a difference in the A/C I switched to r134 last year and never felt it blew cool enough. Also does the evaporator make that much of a difference or could i leave it alone.

[Old525i]

I did a Sanden compressor conversion and switched to R152. Lots of threads on this forum. My car was a 1990 525i. Blew 38 degree air from the front vents, even if the temps outside were 90-100.

[E38740iMD]

i also have the sanden but didnt install fully. i will be running a small ass condensor so i doubt i get 33 degrees

[danespann]

Good deal! I've wondered the same about R134 vs R12 components. And have also heard that a new condenser can make a big difference.

Enjoying this thread a lot as I miss my high mileage Alpine M5; keep the updates coming!

I miss seeing photos of that M5 all the time. Shame it had to go how it did.

- - - Updated - - -

thats some great info i didnt know the condenser would make a difference in the A/C I switched to r134 last year and never felt it blew cool enough. Also does the evaporator make that much of a difference or could i leave it alone.

I'm mostly replacing the evaporator as I will already be in there replacing the expansion valve (mine leaks a little). Doubt it makes any actual difference on vent temps. If nothing leaked, I sure wouldn't be taking the dash apart again.

- - - Updated - - -

I did a Sanden compressor conversion and switched to R152. Lots of threads on this forum. My car was a 1990 525i. Blew 38 degree air from the front vents, even if the temps outside were 90-100.

This car kept up and had 36-45 degree vent temps on R134 up until it crosses 110 degrees, when it gets a little warm at a stop with a lack of airflow over the old-style condenser. Arizona definitely is a worst-case scenario for AC systems. And my car being a fishbowl doesn't help matters.

- - - Updated - - -

i also have the sanden but didnt install fully. i will be running a small ass condensor so i doubt i get 33 degrees

In a non-desert climate I see no real reason to need a large condenser.

[Tristan36]

so I just replaced my A/C compressor and the condenser and it now blows so much colder its insane id driven that way for so long.

[Old525i]

OEM Condenser?

[Tristan36]

went with an ebay brand but the updated version. https://www.ebay.com/itm/253442705496

[cirrusblau]

went with an ebay brand but the updated version. https://www.ebay.com/itm/253442705496

Nissens also makes that kind of condenser. I have it both on my e34 and e32.

[Old525i]

That is a parallel flow condenser, unlike the original OEM unit, which is a serial flow condenser. Should work very nice with R134 or R152. The only disadvantage is that they are pretty much impossible to flush clean, but that should never happen in the lifetime of the AC system. Thumbs up!

[moroza]

Replacing the evaporator requires removing the glovebox, but not disassembling the dash. It slides out the side much like the cabin air filter.

Recommend you use correct AC flush solvent on all the lines, and replace the receiver/drier as well.

[danespann]

That is a parallel flow condenser, unlike the original OEM unit, which is a serial flow condenser. Should work very nice with R134 or R152. The only disadvantage is that they are pretty much impossible to flush clean, but that should never happen in the lifetime of the AC system. Thumbs up!

Should be great. Hoping that I'll have nearly R12 Performance on R134 with the parallel flow unit

- - - Updated - - -

Replacing the evaporator requires removing the glovebox, but not disassembling the dash. It slides out the side much like the cabin air filter.

Recommend you use correct AC flush solvent on all the lines, and replace the receiver/drier as well.

Yeah I'll flush the system again. I replaced the reciever/drier a year ago when I originally went R134 so going to leave that this time. I had heard the evaporator was done like that but glad to hear that affirmed again.