Finally, all repairs/mod FINISHED! (almost)

[cdb3113]

Did quite a bit of work on the 540 this winter. I just had the alignment done and picked the car up yesterday. First impressions... = AWESOME.

Curious what I did?

• Spark plugs
• Valley pan gasket
• valve cover gaskets
• CVV replacement
• Powdercoated VC's
• Intake gaskets
• Flex disk
• Oil Change
• Fog light replacment
• Warrantied FSD struts, replaced
• Installed H&R 50464 springs (sport)
• Tie rod ends
• PF bushing modifications..
• Eibach front and rear sways
• Rear ball joints
• Rear integral links
• Rear subframe bushings
• Rear guide links
• Stoptech braided brake lines
• Changed trans fluid, RP Synchromax again
• Changed diff fluid, Mobil 1 75w-90
• New slave cylinder
• New brake/clutch fluid, ATE Super Blue
• Rear sway links
• Back deck is now black again
• 545i short shifter install
• Weighted selector rod
• M shift knob
• Repaired front strut towers

All that is left is to get my Zionsville Super Duty Kit installed.

Next year/winter I plan on doing an audio system and exhaust upgrade.

I took a @ssload of pics, but I will just post a few completed pics here. If anyone has a request for pics of a certain thing, or has any questions, please make it known! I had a lot of fun doing all the work myself, up on jackstands. I had a hand with a few things, but not many. Hard to find friends who want to crawl under a car for a day of fun. Who knew??

[peterbg16]

very clean! it looks awesome! nice work man
I got a couple more weeks and i'll be where you are

edit: I would recommend some spacers in the back, to flush the wheels tho

[bimmerfiver]

Awesome work! Please discuss the below items.

1). Warrantied FSD struts, replaced - Did they fail? And if so, why replace with FSD's again?

2). PF bushing modifications - Which bushings and what are your thoughts to share with the gang?

3). Eibach front and rear sways - How difficult and what are your thoughts to share?

4). Rear ball joints Rear integral links Rear subframe bushings Rear guide links - What made you dive into the rear end of the car and how noticeable were the changes? Are you going to replace the rear wheel bearings?

5). Repaired front strut towers - What broke, how and why and what was the repair?

Lastly, are your engine and tranny mounts new or old? Consider replacing them if not! How about your guibo?

[E39K3V]

well done. looks nice

[cdb3113]

Awesome work! Please discuss the below items.

1). Warrantied FSD struts, replaced - Did they fail? And if so, why replace with FSD's again?

2). PF bushing modifications - Which bushings and what are your thoughts to share with the gang?

3). Eibach front and rear sways - How difficult and what are your thoughts to share?

4). Rear ball joints Rear integral links Rear subframe bushings Rear guide links - What made you dive into the rear end of the car and how noticeable were the changes? Are you going to replace the rear wheel bearings?

5). Repaired front strut towers - What broke, how and why and what was the repair?

Lastly, are your engine and tranny mounts new or old? Consider replacing them if not! How about your guibo?

Thanks! Good questions.

1) FSD's did fail. Putting them back in makes sense to see if they corrected the problem, and because it's free.

2) PF bushings - I still have the purple bushings. I had to trim one edge of them so that they fit nicer than originally. See pic.


3) Eibach bars- I posted a thread as DIY to this a bit ago. I would say that the front is time consuming, but not that hard with a helping hand (knowlegeable or not). I followed the Zeckhausen instructions mostly, but didn't do everything in order. As long as the car is up high enough, there is room to work and wiggle the thing out/in. As for results, I have to say that it is an incredible improvement. Definitely worth the roughed up knuckles.

4) For the rear end, I had replaced nearly everything up front and some things in the rear (tension struts). I was still getting float and wandering down the road. It felt like wind pushing the car in all directions when there was no wind. I was tired of chasing it down for the last year, and decided to take a look at teh subframe bushings. The ball joints and integral links made sense, as did the guide links, since I was there and they were old. I checked out my subframe bushings and found this:



5) The strut towers took a beating last year on I94 into Chicago. They were both pushed up a bit, and that just isn't good. I had a thread about it a year ago, but I can't seem to find it anymore. Anyways, a 2x4 and a 3lb dead blow hammer took care of things.





The trans and motor mounts are old, and I intend on replacing them within the month. The guibo (aka flex disk) was replaced in the list above.

[bimmerfiver]

Nice work man.

Important thought....Gopher2K has a 540 too and has the purple Powerflex bushing for his control arms as well. We did NOT need to shave anything off his bushings. Nothing, nada, zilch. You can talk to him about this...cause if someone is shaving as much off as you had to, then something is wrong imho!!!

If you use the two (2) washers that came with the bushings as ramps...you place them at 45* angles, add grease and slam the control arm into it's new home, it slides in without the need of any shaving whatsoever. There are some E39'ers out there who shave that bushing or only use one washer (or even no washers) and it's ineffective and dangerous.

[peterbg16]

Do you mind Pm-ing me with info on the flex disk procedure? I need to do this, and i have looked at it under the car, but never really took an in-depth look. is it an easy fix? What is needed to accomplish it?

That would be greatly appreciated! Oh, and I was also told i need to replace the output shaft seal...any idea on that? thx again

[FP5241]

Way to get her back together Chris!


Lookin forward to seeing that stance in person!

[cb44]

Nice work dude. Always appreciate someone willing to post up DIY's.

[cdb3113]

Nice work man.

Important thought....Gopher2K has a 540 too and has the purple Powerflex bushing for his control arms as well. We did NOT need to shave anything off his bushings. Nothing, nada, zilch. You can talk to him about this...cause if someone is shaving as much off as you had to, then something is wrong imho!!!

If you use the two (2) washers that came with the bushings as ramps...you place them at 45* angles, add grease and slam the control arm into it's new home, it slides in without the need of any shaving whatsoever. There are some E39'ers out there who shave that bushing or only use one washer (or even no washers) and it's ineffective and dangerous.

I thought about adding washers, but they did not come with the car, and there was no room to put them in without shortening the rod...

Considering putting in those nifty black ones you have. I had the purple ones in before btw, uncut, but took them out for the other work. They were extremely hard to get out and in, so I wanted to help that.

AS IS:



Original Install:

[cdb3113]

Lastly, are your engine and tranny mounts new or old? Consider replacing them if not! How about your guibo?

New motor mounts and trans mounts are in. Thanks! Check this out...

[bimmerfiver]

New motor mounts and trans mounts are in. Thanks! Check this out...

Cool! I'm including the pic in my response so all the cats can see this. I had a Volvo 1989 Volve 740. Loved that car and replacing it's motor/tranny mounts in 1998 offered an incredible change. I learned quickly that replacing these items every four-five years was smart.

Your car WILL feel different, better, smoother at idle and you'll be happy knowing it's stable/safe.

[cdb3113]

Cool! I'm including the pic in my response so all the cats can see this. I had a Volvo 1989 Volve 740. Loved that car and replacing it's motor/tranny mounts in 1998 offered an incredible change. I learned quickly that replacing these items every four-five years was smart.

Your car WILL feel different, better, smoother at idle and you'll be happy knowing it's stable/safe.

Much appreciated. I already took it out for a spin. Things definitely seemed a bit more stable. The other mount wasn't bad btw, just a bit worn looking.

Rear wheel bearings are sitting on my workbench.

Also, talked to Bimmerworld and my black PF thrust arm bushings should be here either Friday or Monday. Stand by for install!!

[Fiziks]

getting some spacer to get rid of the sunken wheel look will really set your car off.

[cdb3113]

getting some spacer to get rid of the sunken wheel look will really set your car off.

Thanks! I am working on that bomb...

Gotta pay some debt first. I got my car toys done, just have to finish up the maintenence... then more toys! I was thinking 12mm spacers, H&R. Sound about right? I am sticking with the style 19's.

[bimmerfiver]

Also, talked to Bimmerworld and my black PF thrust arm bushings should be here either Friday or Monday. Stand by for install!!

I need you to get a Twitter account. I need up-to-the-second updates tweeted regarding the Black Powerflex Bushings. If not you'll hear this voicemail on your cell:

http://www.moviewavs.com/php/sounds/...ile=failed.mp3

For FP5421:

http://www.moviewavs.com/php/sounds/...le=waiting.mp3

[Fiziks]

Thanks! I am working on that bomb...

Gotta pay some debt first. I got my car toys done, just have to finish up the maintenence... then more toys! I was thinking 12mm spacers, H&R. Sound about right? I am sticking with the style 19's.

dont guess, take a ruler out there and check the gap

[cdb3113]

dont guess, take a ruler out there and check the gap

I did. Was looking for confirmation I suppose!

[RJLupin]

Boy whatta list .. Love your wheels .. saw a 540 today with the same set of wheels (19") close up and they were very pretty are yours 17s?

Also, a request - it will be nice if you can put the p/n of each item and the price (asking too much .. eh ..) thanks!

[cdb3113]

Boy whatta list .. Love your wheels .. saw a 540 today with the same set of wheels (19") close up and they were very pretty are yours 17s?

Also, a request - it will be nice if you can put the p/n of each item and the price (asking too much .. eh ..) thanks!

I was trying to avoid pricing the parts like that! I intended on doing it anyways tho... gimme some time.

Yes mine are style 19 17" wheels, stock wheels for this car.

[RJLupin]

I was trying to avoid pricing the parts like that! I intended on doing it anyways tho... gimme some time.

Yes mine are style 19 17" wheels, stock wheels for this car.

thanks C~ you da man

[champaign777]

This is an expensive car man put it on ebay and see how much it worth now
really how much cost you all this fun ?

[cdb3113]

This is an expensive car man put it on ebay and see how much it worth now
really how much cost you all this fun ?

less than a new car of equal driveability...

[Jason5driver]

less than a new car of equal driveability...

LOL!


BimmerFiver, I found another member, after talking to Jared, Knux, that also has FAILED FSD's on his 528i.
He has only had the FSD's for about 25k miles...
The car was driven on midwest roads.

I have been trying to tell you....

[cdb3113]

LOL!


BimmerFiver, I found another member, after talking to Jared, Knux, that also has FAILED FSD's on his 528i.
He has only had the FSD's for about 25k miles...
The car was driven on midwest roads.

I have been trying to tell you....

I am trying these FSDs again. Koni is aware that something is going on. They asked told me that they wanted the old struts back so they could get more data on the problem. Maybe by now they have fixed it, I dunno. If not, then... there are more possibilities. Always.