The 'Oh crap, I won it' E39 530i

[Huff]

d_a_n1979 said:

ZF 5HP19 IIRC.... Don't quote me on that But I think that's the one

Actually ZF5HP24 in those & E39 V8s - but the fluid level issue is identical.

NB the E32s / 34 V8s used the stouter-rated 5HP30s.

[swampy442]

Morning all 😊 So for fluid, is it good old Dex III?

[swampy442]

Morning all 😊 So for fluid, is it good old Dex III?

[d_a_n1979]

Huff said:

d_a_n1979 said:

ZF 5HP19 IIRC.... Don't quote me on that But I think that's the one

Actually ZF5HP24 in those & E39 V8s - but the fluid level issue is identical.

NB the E32s / 34 V8s used the stouter-rated 5HP30s.

I was talking re the E39 530i box; which I think is the 5HP19.

Have/had no idea what's in the V8s

[B'stard Child]

swampy442 said:

Morning all ?? So for fluid, is it good old Dex III?

I'd be amazed if it was - More likely it is Esso LT71141 - plus you need sump gasket and filter (although those are way cheaper than the fluid if it is Esso stuff

I did a thread on changing it on my E38 years ago

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[d_a_n1979]

B'stard Child said:

swampy442 said:

Morning all ?? So for fluid, is it good old Dex III?

I'd be amazed if it was - More likely it is Esso LT71141 - plus you need sump gasket and filter (although those are way cheaper than the fluid if it is Esso stuff

I did a thread on changing it on my E38 years ago

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Agree; I've got this in my 'Car Bookmarks' on Chrome; this is what James at Automatic Transmissions uses IIRC:

https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-69401-mobil-atf-lt-71...

[swampy442]

Looking that up LT 71141 is a spec and there’s lots of equivalent and comparable fluids out there.

I’m gonna go for it and change the fluid. Look out for the ‘I’m stuck on the A15 with a failed gearbox’ post

[d_a_n1979]

swampy442 said:

Looking that up LT 71141 is a spec and there’s lots of equivalent and comparable fluids out there.

I’m gonna go for it and change the fluid. Look out for the ‘I’m stuck on the A15 with a failed gearbox’ post

Good luck; have you go the filter & gaskets kit etc?

[B'stard Child]

d_a_n1979 said:

swampy442 said:

Looking that up LT 71141 is a spec and there’s lots of equivalent and comparable fluids out there.

I’m gonna go for it and change the fluid. Look out for the ‘I’m stuck on the A15 with a failed gearbox’ post

Good luck; have you go the filter & gaskets kit etc?

They were cheap from BMW (You need Filter, Filter O ring and Sump gasket) and unless you drop the sump and remove the filter you will have left a lot more oil in the box than if you just did the drain plug drop out as I showed on my thread

[pits]

With regards to the inner rear lights, sand with 1200,1500,2000 then wipe them clean and just clear coat them, don't bother polishing as there is little to no need, I have seen much worse.

As for other parts, you mentioned that you have noticed a lot of original parts still on there, a standard E39 service kit at this age.
Water pump
Thermostat
Radiatior
Top hose
Bottom hoses, including the ones that run along the bottom of the radiator cowling
Make sure all the above are Behr items, do not put cheap rubbish on as you will be ripping it all out when it fails
Tensioners and idlers
Rocker cover gasket set (BMW) , try not to crack it when you remove it.
Vanos seals (easy to do as the unit pops off)
CCV kit, get a Meyle one this will definitely need doing
Oil filter housing seal.
DISA valve rebuild kit

Do it all in one day in this order
Remove fan
Radiator and hoses out.
Alternator off
Oil filter housing off
CCV removal
Rocker cover off
Vanos unit off and do seals
Vanos back on and rocker cover back on
CCV kit on
Oil filter housing seal on
Disa valve
Alternator,
Radiator

You can do them all at different times, but with the radiator out the way it is so much easier and quicker.

As for gearbox, if it has made it past 140k miles, I would leave it, though I do have a manual conversion kit on the shelf.

[lufbramatt]

^ +1, did exactly that to mine, not too bad a job, loads of space to work once the rad cowling is out of the way.

I'd also add the two hoses to the power steering reservoir to that list, and the big O-ring in the reservoir lid. the hoses perish and the weeping fluid makes a right mess as they age.

Could also do the injector O-rings, about a fiver for a set of 12, the originals will be hard and brittle.

[swampy442]

Thanks for all the information, very helpful

[swampy442]

pits said:

With regards to the inner rear lights, sand with 1200,1500,2000 then wipe them clean and just clear coat them, don't bother polishing as there is little to no need, I have seen much worse.

As for other parts, you mentioned that you have noticed a lot of original parts still on there, a standard E39 service kit at this age.
Water pump
Thermostat
Radiatior
Top hose
Bottom hoses, including the ones that run along the bottom of the radiator cowling
Make sure all the above are Behr items, do not put cheap rubbish on as you will be ripping it all out when it fails
Tensioners and idlers
Rocker cover gasket set (BMW) , try not to crack it when you remove it.
Vanos seals (easy to do as the unit pops off)
CCV kit, get a Meyle one this will definitely need doing
Oil filter housing seal.
DISA valve rebuild kit

Do it all in one day in this order
Remove fan
Radiator and hoses out.
Alternator off
Oil filter housing off
CCV removal
Rocker cover off
Vanos unit off and do seals
Vanos back on and rocker cover back on
CCV kit on
Oil filter housing seal on
Disa valve
Alternator,
Radiator

You can do them all at different times, but with the radiator out the way it is so much easier and quicker.

As for gearbox, if it has made it past 140k miles, I would leave it, though I do have a manual conversion kit on the shelf.

Its a tough one because, whilst its all running sweetly I dont want to disturb anything. But its had new rad, new belts, new tensioners, the Vanos doesn't leak neither does the oil filter. Granted the cam cover is leaking, Ill google what the CCV is/does and Ill check the DISA out.

[swampy442]

lufbramatt said:

^ +1, did exactly that to mine, not too bad a job, loads of space to work once the rad cowling is out of the way.

I'd also add the two hoses to the power steering reservoir to that list, and the big O-ring in the reservoir lid. the hoses perish and the weeping fluid makes a right mess as they age.

Could also do the injector O-rings, about a fiver for a set of 12, the originals will be hard and brittle.

The power steering res is leaking, looks like its had a hose 'repair' in the past, Ill see how the injector seals look as well.

[swampy442]

I've bottled the gearbox service in favour of a top up It was best part of a litre down when hot, so I topped it last night, Ill leave it a day and check the cold level again tonight.

Also in the camp of 'replace everything rubber on the car' Rear sub frame bushes. I work on an air field, when driving on that surface it sets up a horrid bounce and wobble from the rear, I thought it was shocks but when I jacked the back end up last night to put the car on stands, the whole car was bouncing on the sub frame. bks.

On the up side it looks a painless enough job to do without removing the subframe, if you have the right tool.

[d_a_n1979]

swampy442 said:

I've bottled the gearbox service in favour of a top up It was best part of a litre down when hot, so I topped it last night, Ill leave it a day and check the cold level again tonight.

Also in the camp of 'replace everything rubber on the car' Rear sub frame bushes. I work on an air field, when driving on that surface it sets up a horrid bounce and wobble from the rear, I thought it was shocks but when I jacked the back end up last night to put the car on stands, the whole car was bouncing on the sub frame. bks.

On the up side it looks a painless enough job to do without removing the subframe, if you have the right tool.

If you're on the BMW 5 forums (if not, as already said, worth joining); Jimmy that owns Cable Shack has the specific Laser tool for the touring job and it's very good; that's what I and countless others have used. You just pay a deposit and then sort shipping out etc

I went for the Meyle rear subframe bushes; others go for the Lemforder bushes; it's your choice which you go for etc. Swapping mine out (looked absolutely fine, but the front 2 were split) made a huge difference to how the car took bends and rode of rough roads etc

[d_a_n1979]

swampy442 said:

lufbramatt said:

^ +1, did exactly that to mine, not too bad a job, loads of space to work once the rad cowling is out of the way.

I'd also add the two hoses to the power steering reservoir to that list, and the big O-ring in the reservoir lid. the hoses perish and the weeping fluid makes a right mess as they age.

Could also do the injector O-rings, about a fiver for a set of 12, the originals will be hard and brittle.

The power steering res is leaking, looks like its had a hose 'repair' in the past, Ill see how the injector seals look as well.

The Meyle reservoir is c£15 on eBay via BMWmotormec; the lines are c£25 each. Worth doing in one go IMO

[swampy442]

We’re the bushes fairly straight forward?

[d_a_n1979]

swampy442 said:

We’re the bushes fairly straight forward?

Yes; but then again with mine being a Jap import; there's no corrosion under there and no seized bolts etc

However, I did liberally soak them with WD40 for a good few days before the job and then used Wuth Rost Off Ice on the bolts

The tool that Jimmy rents out is superb and all in, on my pals ramps, it took me 2 hours to remove and reinstall

Do'able on the drive as lots of folks have done this; but ramps make it so much easier

[lufbramatt]

Hardest part of doing the bushes is 1) getting the car high enough and supported safely, and 2) the tool needs a lot of turns to get the bushes in/out, and they are in there tight...I was pretty wrecked afterwards. although I have got skinny cyclist arms so Dan probably didn't have that issue! haha