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Thread: want to convert to manual 94 540i

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Homestead Florida
    Posts
    78

    Default want to convert to manual 94 540i

    what parts are needed for the manual conversion on the 94 540i
    94 540i- 2.50 HP Racing exhaust, 2 3/4 lowered,18.8 HP Evo's,
    88 325ic- AC Schnitzer chip,3' lowered ,M3 body kit, 17.7 TSW Ribs
    Michael A. Johnson
    Mighty Mike's Sound & X-cessories
    MRBMW1

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Boston & Attleboro MA
    Posts
    727

    Default

    In maybe 18 months I am going to consider the same conversion and an approach I've considered is buyin a 5 speed donor car and swapping the trannies & parts, then reselling the donor car as an automatic. Of course I would rebuild the manual before dropping it in.
    Current
    2008 M5 6 Spd
    2000 Z3 2.8 5 Spd MSport
    2012 X5 35d Sport
    1995 540i 6 Spd
    1992 535i 5 Spd

    Former
    1995 530iA
    1986 635CSI 5 Spd
    2011 X3 2.8 MSport

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Geneseo, Illinois
    Posts
    378

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DaCan23
    In maybe 18 months I am going to consider the same conversion and an approach I've considered is buyin a 5 speed donor car and swapping the trannies & parts, then reselling the donor car as an automatic. Of course I would rebuild the manual before dropping it in.
    540's are 6 speeds n 530's are 5 speeds if im correct.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    3,395

    Default

    I actually have a 6 speed from a 540 for sale.





    This trans has about 40,000 miles on it and was removed from an E39. It will fit all E39 540s and all E34 540/530s. It was pulled by a dealer -- they misdiagnosed it and replaced it with a new unit, only to discover that the problem was shifter related. Shifts and turns fine, but hasn't been in a car while we've owned it.

    These cost $4000 from the dealer. I'm looking for $1000. It's heavy and should be shipped via freight. Or, it can be picked up at the shop (Cleveland, Ohio). The rest of the parts are readily available, and we can provide a Beyer reman driveshaft and most, if not all, other items.

    Call me or Brett. 440.564.7574.

    best, whit
    Last edited by Kalevera; 03-10-2006 at 02:31 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Reston Va
    Posts
    459

    Default

    And Lowell - I am trying to schedule with Brett a date at the end of March to install my 6-speed out there!

    I hear you need to have the instrument cluster from the Donor car as well as the transmission; Clutch kit; drive shaft; Pedal Cluster; Hydraulic Lines; shifter - for this conversion - JT
    Johntee540
    1994 540/6 Black - Tan - 199k
    Cardomain Site: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/737181/1

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Wellington,New Zealand
    Posts
    3,868

    Default

    apparently the 540 six speed tranny is about twice as beefy as a 5 spd from a 535,so have some lifting gear ready
    Gone but not forgotten

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    45mins from the Nurburgring :)
    Posts
    7

    Default

    I just did this conversion although I took a slightly different approach. Rather than using the 540i 6spd I took the tranny (5spd) from a 94 530i, pedals, console cover plate, shifter, clutch hydraulics, and other bits and peices all came from the same car. Luckily it had the same interior colors as mine My drive shaft had to be modified due to the fact that the manual tranny is a little over half the length of the auto gearbox. This also has tremendous weight savings. Anyone who has ever seen the auto gearbox will know exactly what I mean. That gearbox is the largest I have ever seen outside bus/truck applications. Anyway, back to the subject. Everything bolted up just fine. Had to do a little extra wiring to get the reverse lights to work and I taped up and stowed the auto gearbox wiring harness. I left the auto trans computer connected and have no issues other than a "getriebeprogramm" message at startup, but once I clear out that message it never comes back until the next engine start. The only problem I have had so far is that I used the clutch slave from the donor car rather than using a new one. Don't do it. I couldn't get it in gear at all with the engine running and when I was able to drive it I had to match revs to downshift. Save yourself the trouble and get a new clutch slave when you are collecting all the parts. Also change the fluid in the tranny (ATF). Hope this helps. Can't wait to get her on the Ring this weekend
    Last edited by tncbass; 03-14-2006 at 09:22 AM.

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