SCHLEPN | The E39 540itA Story

[DrLeadFoot]

SteelBlue said:

Picnic or bust?

I like that goal!

[DrLeadFoot]

Took a bit of a break but Mike dabbled a bit in between working on some other cars this weekend. 

Clutch line ran

[Jdesign]

At this rate you are going to be the fastest swap on this forum (progress wise).

[DrLeadFoot]

Had a little window from 10-12.

-Mounted up the oil filter housing & PS reservoir mounting bracket.

-Installed all heater core coolant hoses, fuel pressure regulator vacuum line, brake booster vacuum line.

-Installed driver's side intake.

-Popped in new air filters.

[DrLeadFoot]

Another little window today.  Popped in the radiator, new expansion tank, fan and a new OEM PS pressure line.  

Last night Mike got the pedal assembly in.  Just need to get the gas pedal mounted up. 

[B C]

[DrLeadFoot]

Mike chipped away a bit!  I watched the bucks game. 🤩

Gas pedal in and 1 of 2 M5 side mirrors installed! 

[DrLeadFoot]

-Driveshaft in

-Diff oil in

-Clutch lines all buttoned up

-Passenger side headers bolted up

-Crank sensor installed 

It is ready for all fluids and wiring is next!

[DrLeadFoot]

Sport button is wired up from the dash to the DME.  Hijacked some steptronic wires for this. Blue & grey and blue & yellow wires. Swapped pins and we should be good!

Fuel leak diagnostic and Brake light test switch are wired up.

Hopefully we will get the rest of the wiring done tonight! 

[B C]

That is quite the clutch hydraulic line!

[DrLeadFoot]

Got the topside wired up, sport button and servtronic!

Need to pop in new style fuel pump relay. Have run a ground wire to it and move a pin on the 540i female side of connector and the new style relay will be good to go.

Pin 2 wires behind the cluster.  One to the DME for reverse lights and the other to the clutch switch.

Changed the trans fluid. Added oil. 10w60 liqui moly.

Need to top off coolant, power steering fluid and bleed brakes/clutch.

Getting close!!

[DrLeadFoot]

B C said:

That is quite the clutch hydraulic line!

Not looking forward to bleeding that! Lol

[DrLeadFoot]

Finished up the cruise control, clutch interlock and M5 fuel pump relay wiring.  Mike added a proper ground for the fuel relay. 

Pulled the fuel relay and cranked it over a couple times to prime the oil.  Popped the relay back in and fired it up on the first try!

Bled the clutch and brakes.  Brakes felt great until we hit the gas a spun the rear wheels then the pedal went to the floor.  We think it has something to do with the DSC pump not being bled properly. 

Started buttoning up the interior and finished the cabin filters and new M5 rear wire harness covers. 

So close to being done!!

20190518_144427.mp4

Attachments:

• 20190518_144427.mp4

[YoungCR]

Hey look its Bill! Will the 540i exhaust bolt up or are the downpipes bigger on the S62?

[patsbimmer1]

Yesssss

[DrLeadFoot]

YoungCR said:

Hey look its Bill! Will the 540i exhaust bolt up or are the downpipes bigger on the S62?

That's Bill!  He came over to Mike's twice to kick it and help out a bit!  Between Mike and Bill there is a lot of knowledge in that garage!

[DrLeadFoot]

I'm going to have Structure Fabrication and Design do the exhaust.  Thinking 2 mufflers and high flow cats or 3 mufflers. Need something mild for family road trips!

[B C]

[YoungCR]

Just for ideas these are the phases we've gone through on my brother's 540i's.

Phase 1: Dinan Muffler (stock but gutted) sounded more or less stock. 

Phase 2: Cut off the Dinan Muffler. Sounded great, loud enough at idle but perfect for cruising. About 1/2 throttle it was just right and no drones at all. Just the cats and resonators

Phase 3: No resonators, straight pipes. Sounded like a tractor and it droned. Absurdly loud at WOT lol.

Phase 4: Full Super Sprint catback w/ resonator and muffler. Slightly louder than stock but not by much. Opens up a little more WOT.

Phase 5: trying to go back to phase 2. Either unbolting the muffler and replacing or gutting the cats. 

TLDR I'd recommend performance resonators somewhere. 3 Muffflers might be overkill. Electric cut outs would  enable best of both worlds too.

[Jdesign]

Dude, you guys absolutely hammered through this. I love your evil laughter in the videos!! 

I vote high flow cats and dual resonators. If that's too loud then delete the resonators and run high flow mufflers. As long as the tips go out past the rear bumper and dont turn down, it wont be as loud in the cabin.

Chubs has built some nice exhaust set ups, im sure you will figure out the best option.