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Thread: Starting another 535i auto-5-spd swap . . . Day 1

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    953

    Default Starting another 535i auto-5-spd swap . . . Day 1

    Call me a glutton for punishment, crawling around on a cold hard cement floor in the coldest month of winter. Gotta a 3-day weekend and ALL the pieces so decided to go for it.

    Tonight's agenda:

    - sweep the garage floor and get the heater going
    - pull the car in and put it up on jackstands
    - let it cool and pull the exhaust
    - pull the driveshaft
    - undo the trans cooler lines and drain the trans
    - take a break
    - pull the cooler lines out
    - pull the trans & torque converter
    - pull the console panel & auto shifter business
    - call it good for the night
    - take lots of ibuprofen so I can move tomorrow morning

    Day 2:

    - clean the rear of the engine & install new rear main seal
    - install pilot bearing
    - install flywheel, disk, pressure plate
    - install Getrag trans
    - swap diff's (going from the stock 3.91 open to a 3.64 LSD)
    - install manual shifter
    - scratch my ass and decide how far to go from there (I suck at planning too far in advance)
    - more ibuprofen

    Day 3:

    - finish whatever I didn't get done on day 2
    - face the "dreaded pedal swap chore"
    - install the clutch hydraulics & plumbing
    - install & adjust the clutch cruise control cancel switch
    - install the driveshaft
    - put the exhaust back on
    - fill & bleed the clutch hydraulics
    - short out the "trans program error" pin
    - remember to put a jumper in the starter relay (remember not to jumper the horn relay this time!)
    - take it for a spin
    - take lots of ibuprofen so I can move on Tuesday when I have to go back to my day job

    I'll try to take more pictures & maybe finish my webpage:

    http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_41.htm

    Heck, maybe I'll even put a few photos on YouTube
    gale
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo project finally underway!


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    El Paso TX
    Posts
    1,534

    Default

    good deal gale.

    I have the same plan, except I already have the pedals swapped, and all the wiring done, and already changed the diff.

    my neighbor just offered me a grand cash for my beater, (94 saturn Sl2, cracked radiator, cracked windshield, never die POS car.) So I sold it and i need the touring back together Tuesday after almost 3 months.

    I hate that autotrans... what a PITA to try and get the bolts out.


    I think the pedal swap is the easiest part of the job... I can pull the upercolumn swap lowers and reinstall in about 90 minutes

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    1,640

    Default

    Yeah..the pedal box would be the PITA part for sure.

    Ever tried the Z8 shifter? I think you'd like that one. Didn't see it in your options on the web page.
    Bellevue WA
    90 535iM - not much stock remains. 3.7 liters, ported head, cammed, 3.73 diffy, M5 brakes, MAFed, yadda yadda yadda
    86 Porsche 951 - Track Toy

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    2,699

    Default

    is the driveshaft from the donor car needed as well? I assume the gearboxes aren't exactly the same length.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Chicago, Il. U.S.A.
    Posts
    4,243

    Default

    Good show Gale. How's that 745 project going?
    "The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    953

    Default

    Yes, I was able to get the driveshaft from the same donor car. I put a new center bearing in it and will put a new front pilot bushing in it. The Getrag 260/6 manual trans is about 6" shorter than the ZF 4hp22 auto.

    I haven't started the turbo project yet. Other funding needs put it on the back burner (gotta cough up a huge pile of money for my son's orthodontist). I'm hoping to work out all the mods this summer and install it in the fall. That way I can do my bi-annual emissions test on the stock motor & have 2 more years to not worry about the turbo making it fail a visual inspection. I'm going to flycut & bore a hole in the donor intake manifold to move the throttle body to the other side & that will give it lots of room for a larger intercooler on the cold side of the engine.

    Well, the meds have finally kicked in this morning. Time to warm up the shop & get working on day 2 of the swap. Made my milestone last night & got the auto trans out. Gonna start in on the rear main seal & flywheel install today & bolt the Getrag on it & swap diff's this afternoon. Should go pretty quick after that.
    gale
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo project finally underway!


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