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

[Ross]

Good show Gale. How's that 745 project going?

[gale]

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.