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Thread: "The Business" 535 Project

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    1991 535i 5MT

    "The Business" 535 Project

    Greetings folks!

    Very excited to join the E34 club, say hello if you're in the bay area!

    My new daily driver and rolling restoration project, a 1991 535i, two owners with 214,000 miles. Black on black, 5MT with winter package (LSD + heated seats).

    DSC_5343.jpg

    DSC_5355.jpg

    First owner: then-CEO of HP Computers. Pricey car back then!

    PXL_20210205_214748271.jpg

    2nd owner had the car from mid 90s until present, stabled it next to an M1 and spared no expense maintaining it. BMWCCA member but I don't believe a forum member. So I am very fortunate to be the third owner and new caretaker of the car.

    I'm a longtime vintage BMW fan and longtime DIY mechanic and forum lurker. Used to work at the Spartanburg plant back in 2015. Most of my wrenching experience was on my first car, an EJ8 Honda I kept for 10 years and put many miles on. This E34 is replacing my '00 S/C M Roadster, which was lots of fun and hard to compare against. But I'm quickly becoming smitten. Now, after some time together, I find her beckoning me to perform a restoration. Or at least as much as I can manage while being somewhat of a DD (most days at least...?). My second, "real" project is a 1929 Model A. So, this is a spaceship by comparison.

    I'm really impressed with how refined and fun to drive this car is after 214,000 miles. A lucky combination of being well taken care of, well engineerDSC_5333.jpged and living that salt-free California lifestyle for 30 years! And I'm loving the M30. Smooth power everywhere in all gears.

    Now, on to what it needs and what I've done so far...

    Good news is the guys at Bav Pro in Berkeley rebuilt the bottom end 10 years and only 20k miles ago, so there are many more potential miles left in the motor without cracking it wide open.

    I am carrying out the Inspection II interval now and seeing what lovely surprises turn up as I go.

    First I changed the oil and filter + air filter, then swapped in new cruise control and throttle cables, associated grommets and the pedal linkage bushings, special thanks to @K Fox for the writeup with photos... still helpful a decade later. The new linkage took all of the slop out of the gas pedal and instantly improved the driving experience. 30 YO rubber was just petrified and turned to dust.

    Next was replacing the A/C microfilter. Surprise, no old filter there to remove! Just a dusted and gunked up heater core. Put that on the replacement list eventually.

    Replaced a few of the missing and torn trim pieces on the outside driver's door. Hood and trunk shocks replaced, latches lubed. Discovered an outside door handle that sticks. Improved somewhat by working a lot and lubing. Probably will need replacement parts.

    For some reason, PO drilled a new screw into one of the power seat switches from the outside, shorting it out, so I put in a new used unit.

    I replaced the fuel filter, bled the brakes and power steering, new fluid, replaced a few leaking P/S hoses and the reservoir w/filter and grommets. Still need to change the diff fluid and maybe seals.

    This weekend is a valve clearance job and cleaning of the IACv.

    Next up should be cooling, where I'm replacing everything that I can for now on a budget, which includes all hoses and failing parts. POS plastic radiator spraying coolant means a new aluminum Mishimoto E36 unit. I'm taking this forum's wisdom as gospel and also fitting a Volvo e-fan and shroud, plus Volvo fan controller, E36 fan temp switch @ 80/88C, plus new 80C tstat and expansion tank cap. Trusting the water pump at this point. I sit here waiting on the Euro rad bracket being shipped from Latvia...

    After that I'll maybe address the leaking oil pan and examine the pump, and then the transmission / clutch / flywheel. It works fine now but has a noisy flywheel chatter in neutral with the clutch out, a little bit on shutdown, and some chatter on takeoff. Another problem for another day!

    Further down the road, I'll try my hand at restoring the paint and outer black plastics, and addressing other cosmetic items once mechanicals are rock solid.

    I'm not sure how much of this process I'll document with photos, but I will share updates with this thread and hopefully this car will be turned into a shining example before too long. Cheers!

    Mike

  2. #2
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    1994 "532i6", 1998 528iT
    Definitely gotta meet up after Covid has run its course. I keep discovering more owners in the Bay Area and that's awesome.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
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    1989 BMW 535i, 1993 740i
    Nice, you’re the guy that bought this car from Taylor, good catch! A 5 speed 535 still remains one of my favorite e34s, and reading through your list you certainly know where to start with these cars. With the backstory behind his car, the car looks the business just with nice black paint and stock look. Bit of a time capsule!
    O o
    ____________________________ ______________
    | BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! !!!!
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  4. #4
    moroza's Avatar
    moroza is offline MORΩN ΛABIA BMW CCA Member
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    Hello and welcome! A black on black 535iM was the car that got me into cars; overlooking its inefficiency, I have a soft spot for the M30's torque curve, sound, and overall feel. Yours has had the grill and hood swapped to a later model.

    Let me amend that cooling system wisdom by advising against Mishimoto (my 544 went through three or four of their radiators in 10 years, and they're made in China. I've got high hopes on the CSF aluminum radiator I got a short while ago, made in Indonesia), the Volvo fan relay (the fan's fine, but Volvo relays can be trouble), and the lower-temp thermostat. Is your auxiliary fan working on both speeds?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    Marin, CA
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    1989 535i Manual
    Welcome to the forum and congrats on the car! Great to see another 535iM in the Bay Area and I'd love to see it in person sometime (and hear how the throttle cable replacement went - I've been putting mine off for years). As Moroza pointed out, someone seems to have given your car a 540i "makeover" with the wide grille and rims.

    Mine is at 210k for the record and still pulls like it did when I first got it 11 years and 60k miles ago!

    "Big Red" 9/88 Build 535i/5: E.A.T. Chip, 24lb Bosch Design III, 3.46 LSD, 4x Clear corners, DINAN-style 750i muffler, Racing King Subframe Inserts, Koni/Vogtland suspension, E34 M5 swaybars, Brembo/Porterfield brakes, Turbodiesel grills, 16" Style 8 rims, Euro front plate, M5 rear filler plate.
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  6. #6
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    '95 540/6, '01 750iL
    Neat find, and awesome that you have all the insights on the past owners and such. Looking forward to watching you progress through it all!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Oakland, CA
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    1991 535i 5MT
    Thanks guys!

    Yours has had the grill and hood swapped to a later model
    Yes, unfortunately this car had a parking lot frontal impact repaired not too many years ago. Shame because this donor hood has faded paint whereas the rest of the paint can be brought back.

    Let me amend that cooling system wisdom by advising against Mishimoto (my 544 went through three or four of their radiators in 10 years, and they're made in China. I've got high hopes on the CSF aluminum radiator I got a short while ago, made in Indonesia), the Volvo fan relay (the fan's fine, but Volvo relays can be trouble), and the lower-temp thermostat. Is your auxiliary fan working on both speeds?
    Good call on the CSF radiator. Unfortunately I might be stuck with my mishimoto, I foolishly ditched the packaging. I could swap it for a CF or even back to OEM at a later point if I have issues. But the aluminum options seem worth pursuing given the increasing cost / NLA and reputation for failure on the OEM units.
    I can look into a generic fan controller. Something brand new is indeed probably more reliable than a 25 y.o. used relay. Is the 80 / 88C rad trigger switch for the volvo e-fan not safer to run than the original 91 / 99 switch? And yes, I believe the aux fan works just fine right now. My understanding is that the A/C would still trigger the aux fan, through what circuit I'm not sure, but that the dual temp rad sensor would be repurposed for the dual speed e-fan. Thanks for your input.

    I opened the valve cover today to start my inspection, and sure enough one of the oiler banjo bolts had backed itself out considerably. Both bolts are slotted for safety wire, but the wire is missing from the loose bolt... wtf? I did my best to poke around the whole chamber and not a piece of wire was to be found. A bit worrying.

    In any case, I'm waiting on the revised banjo bolts and crush washers in the mail. Locktight this time. On the plus side, it's pretty clean inside.

    The old radiator and hoses, fan and shroud are out. I'm cleaning the coolant spray and grime off the engine bay and all of the disassembled components, prepping for re-assembly when the last missing parts arrive later this week. Along with the new cooling system, valve job and sparkplugs, I also have a distributor cap and rotor which should round out the tuneup.

    Progress!

    DSC_5377.jpg

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    1989 535i Manual
    Looking good! I'm an optimist, but I'd say if you can't find a wire you shouldn't be overly concerned. If it's lasted this long...
    I also just did my distributor cap and rotor this week and immediately noticed a smoother idle and zero off-idle hesitation, whereas before it would stumble ever so slightly if you punched the gas from idle.

    "Big Red" 9/88 Build 535i/5: E.A.T. Chip, 24lb Bosch Design III, 3.46 LSD, 4x Clear corners, DINAN-style 750i muffler, Racing King Subframe Inserts, Koni/Vogtland suspension, E34 M5 swaybars, Brembo/Porterfield brakes, Turbodiesel grills, 16" Style 8 rims, Euro front plate, M5 rear filler plate.
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  9. #9
    moroza's Avatar
    moroza is offline MORΩN ΛABIA BMW CCA Member
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    You could use a whole fan controller module, or just wire up a large relay (I'd do 40A at least). In addition to reports of problems up to and including spontaneous combustion (some early S70 fan relays IIRC), I've personally encountered far more problems with Volvo relays, fan or otherwise, than any other manufacturer. Delayed switching off, not switching off at all, randomly coming on, randomly not coming on, opening when a light load is applied... anecdotally, something like 2 of 3 times I narrow an issue down to a relay, it says Volvo on it.

    A lower-temp electrical switch for the fan is safer than a higher-temperature one, and I would probably use it. A lower-temperaturee thermostatic valve for the coolant (thermostat), while also safer in some circumstances than the OE-specified one, increases fuel consumption, and I would not use it. If your car actually needs one, either it's modified or something is wrong.
    Last edited by moroza; 02-08-2021 at 12:01 AM.

  10. #10
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    1991 535i 5MT
    I am going to try a PWM fan controller from Auto Cool Guy in lieu of the volvo relay. Seems like he builds some robust stuff. His 85 amp model should handle the peak fan load just fine. It also supports a manual override switch and LED indicator for the cabin. It also comes with its own temperature probe, a curved piece of brass which fits underneath the outlet hose on the radiator. This way I can leave the stock radiator sensor and the AUX circuit will work as stock. I can resell my 80 / 88 C E36 radiator switch since that will go unused. I'll document results here since this may be a unique setup I'm attempting.

    Regarding the thermostat - I orderd an 80C Mahle Behr unit, PN 11531713040. My understanding is that 80C was the stock temp for the M30, let me know if not. A bit difficult to verify, parts websites and even the dealer weren't sure.

  11. #11
    moroza's Avatar
    moroza is offline MORΩN ΛABIA BMW CCA Member
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    Yes, it appears the OE thermostat is 80C. I'd use that, no lower.

  12. #12
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    hiss by my window
    Looks like a beauty. Hood, grille and fenders are later. Planning to leave it or return to narrow grill?

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  13. #13
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    1991 535i 5MT
    Thanks! I would definitely prefer an original look, but new body panels are at the bottom of my list. The 540 front end doesn't look bad so I'm hoping to polish the paint all over and try pulling out some minor dents to see how far I can take the appearance as-is. I'm guessing that shwarz 535 front panels aren't easy to find, so I'd run into the same problems as the PO trying to get it back to original. Or it will be an expensive fix with repainting non matching panels.

    While we're on the topic of the repair job from the front end impact: while the PO appears to have fixed everything himself to a mostly good work standard, there's a funny issue where the fog lights are now wired to be always on with the ignition. I haven't chased the wires completely but I did notice that the fogs appear to be getting power from the hood's harness, which was spliced into and doesn't connect to the hood anymore at all. Likewise with the paint, I'm probably not going to prioritize fixing this soon since everything appears safe and seems to have been this way for years. Extra fog light bulbs are on order.

    Question... on close inspection it looks like there is a hole in my bell housing... "Inspection port"?? Result from an exploding clutch? Optical illusion? I took these pics a few days ago but I'm going to try and get a closer look. I'm not sure of all the implications if this is indeed a non-original hole, but moisture and contaminants getting to the clutch are one thing that comes to mind, and I think it may be related to my flywheel chatter issue. Shame I didn't see this on purchase and look into it further.

    PXL_20201227_011324353.jpg

    PXL_20201227_011346142.jpg

  14. #14
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    1989 BMW 535i, 1993 740i
    I have the same inspection port in my car. I used it in conjunction with a bore scope to diagnose a non engaging clutch. Nothing to worry about!
    O o
    ____________________________ ______________
    | BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! !!!!
    \_ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by theBMWbeast View Post
    I have the same inspection port in my car. I used it in conjunction with a bore scope to diagnose a non engaging clutch. Nothing to worry about!
    Nice, thanks for confirming!

  16. #16
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    hiss by my window
    I believe that hole is used with dealer/factory diagnostics equipment, to check timing if I remember correctly. Shogun?

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  17. #17
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    don't know how that is on the M30 bell housing, on my E32 750 M70 with 4HP24 there is a small hole at the bottom of the upper oil pan where it is connected to the 4HP24 bell housing to adjust engine to TDC position with a special tool 11 2 300 (that is a simple pin) , Crankshaft / Flywheel Lock TDC
    Drawings I posted here https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...alignment-tool
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  18. #18
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    I wouldn't worry about moisture and such getting to the clutch - the housing is not sealed for moisture.

  19. #19
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    I did most of my Inspection II and drove a few hundred miles since with no hiccups. All that's left is the transmission and diff flush this weekend. Between the valve job, ignition attention and cleaned manifold + IACV, I can now at least notice a much smoother idle on cold start.

    I ended up sticking with the mechanical fan and hacking up the original shroud up a bit to make it fit the Mishimoto radiator. It's staying quite cool, the needle often dropping a bit below half. With just the rad, hoses and tstat replaced, I think it's a cost effective cooling tune up. Now the car is basically leak free, I'm going to wait on the oil pan and a few other seals for when I eventually replace the clutch and flywheel.

    Mechanical items are addressed and I'm moving on to improving the appearance. The only expensive part here seems to be replacing random missing trim pieces, so thank God that'll be done soon. My polishing equipment is coming in the mail later next week. Until then, I'm focusing on wheels, tires and refreshing some plastics. Two of the original style 5 wheels still have paint in good shape. Two roached wheels are going to the paint guy tomorrow (Riteway in Walnut Creek). I'll post some more pics once the new shoes are on, and we have some polishing progress.

    The first plastic refresh candidate was a big success - wiper grille, sun-faded no more! I'm looking forward to improving the front end in a similar way, it's just so satisfying...

    PXL_20210221_234415438.jpg

  20. #20
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    What was your technique for the plastic refresh? A trim restoration product, or some SEM trim paint? Turned out lovely in either case!
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    What was your technique for the plastic refresh? A trim restoration product, or some SEM trim paint? Turned out lovely in either case!
    Thanks! I used the product linked below. If I really want to go overboard, I'll seal the plastic with another product and extend the life a bit.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

  22. #22
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    WC! Nice. Went to HS there.

    That trims lookin spiffy.

  23. #23
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    IMHO the trim restoration products will last about 60 days outside. I've used about 3 - 4 different high quality and highly regarded products before just punting and buying new trim.

    I did use SEM Trim paint (flat, no gloss at all) on a couple E30 pieces and it's held up for about a year now without issue.

  24. #24
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    I finished the remaining inspection fluid changes, which were uneventful. RL MT-90 in the gearbox and Mobile 1 75W-90 for the LSD. Feels good so far.

    I decided to keep the wheels currently fitted since the paint is decent, and we have new tires fitted as well. General Altimax... nothing exciting left in this size I guess.

    First up in polishing today was the trunklid. This was quite the learning experience with my new kit. The paint is in such bad shape, basically never being cared for besides garaging, that I ended up using almost a whole clay bar on just this panel. Lots of pitting, scratches and etchings won't ever come out, but I'm still happy with the results so far. Not bad for original paint with this many miles. The new shine and emblem are a big improvement, and I'm excited to get the rest of the car worked over. Having wax on will make washes much easier. Slow going, but fortunately I have lots of time on my hands.

    DSC_5393.jpgDSC_5395.jpg
    Last edited by michaelmcc827; 03-06-2021 at 11:57 PM.

  25. #25
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    You had me at that first photo in this thread - love the progress so far, and great looking car! I restored those trim pieces with SEM paint on my last car less than a week before crunching it into a Honda Pilot, so I barely got to enjoy them haha, but it's an easy job that goes a long way towards freshening the car up.
    - Brent
    www.angry-ass.com

    Quote Originally Posted by danespann View Post
    Every E34 needs the same things in the end.

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