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Obioban's 2001 LMB M5 DD project

160K views 612 replies 103 participants last post by  Sailor24 
#1 · (Edited)
So, my situation changed such that I'm street parking every day and not driving far enough for the car to get up to temp. I was looking for a beater, but stumbled into an M5 for a price that I couldn't say no to. So, this cars goal will be comfort, civility, and reliability... while still having sufficient driving dynamics to not make me want to put into a tree :confused3.

The S62 has enough torque to work better in the cold than the S54 (needs to be revved out) and I'm going to run the newly S62 (and S54/S65/S85) approved (by BMW) castrol edge professional 5w-30 in it in winter months for the constant cold cycling.

This is going to go quickly at first, as I'm copying/pasting posts from M3forum, and then slower, as you guys get stuck in real time.

The car:







Needs euro dash ASAP to regain the lost leg room!







forgot how awful MKIII/early software nav is! Will be getting MKIV and a custom OS shortly...

Project list currently to bring her up to DD spec:

Cooling system
replace breather system
diff/trans/oil
SSK removal and new shifter bushings
euro dash
oem bluetooth
MKIV retrofit
intravee
misc coding options
misc ecu changes
secondary air system delete
Beisan vanos fixes
timing chain guides/tensioner
diff mounts
clutch line (slight leak)
interior rear view fix (fluid about to dump)
get a snow wheel/tire setup
space saver spare/jack retrofit
X5 thrust arm bushings
replace missing underbody panels/bolts
replace center climate vent (cracked)

Car already has a stoptech front BBK (keeping) and tubi exhaust system (selling).
 
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#230 ·
M5 daily grind update:

I drove past this on my way home on thursday. The heat coming off it was crazy. Driving past with the windows up at ~25mph, it felt like that feeling you get when you first open the oven.






Sent that to a friend, and he replied with this, which he had taken a picture for literally the day before. Same brand, same model :p

 
#232 · (Edited)
Maple Grove raceway was having a $10 all you can run last night, so I went with some friends. Take aways:
1) way more fun than expected!
2) Want to go back in the M3, when it has glass!
3) Next time, not going to go on a $10 night. "all you can run" ended up meaning 2 pulls, with the amount of cars there. Apparently normally you get at least 5.

Ended up doing a 13.2 at 107mph. I'm pretty content with that given (excuses) I didn't launch it at all hard, it only has a tune, and it's solidly summer.



Can't hear my car at all over the M3 :rolleyes:

I also want to go back in the M5, once I put headers in!
 
#234 ·
M5 update… mix of good and bad.


Good:

-Finally locked in a Euro dash board. Hello cleaning interior lines, more leg room, proper seating position, and lighter weight!
Eurodash, for people who don’t know the difference: Eurodash

-I also tracked down a euro arm rest, which doesn’t have a cutout for your car phone, so I’ll finally be able to rest my arm on the arm rest without being in pain! Huzzah! Also a smaller compartment inside, suitable for a pack of gum and not much more.
E39 armrests: BMW Armrest for E39s

-Both had to be tracked down used, because new leather wrapped e39 pieces are expensive. $1200 for the dash and $600 for the armrest, new. Ended up getting the dash for $300 shipped and the armrest for $200 shipped. Neither is really a wear item, so don’t see any real downside to buying used…

-I also bought a new stock shift knob. Previous owner had installed a ZHP knob to shorten shifts, which is one of my least favorite mods ever. Doen’t light up, has an annoying alu ring on it that gets hot/cold in summer/winter, shortens shifts the lazy way… and he cut the boot such that it was too short… so if I shifted too hard, it would life the center console trim.

-replaced the vapor barriers in the M5. I did it because some water was pooling in the door sills when it rained (though the inside of the car was still dry, didn’t want to get to the point it wasn’t. I thought the M5 was quiet before, holy **** it’s a bank vault in there now. Sergei seems to have no trouble understanding me on speaker phone at 130+ mph now, assuming we both have reception.


-While working on the project below, I noticed that the MAF pipes actually have a fair bit of stuff in them, none of which I’m using (my car is alpha N, with a relocated IAT sensor, so the MAFs do nothing). The screen and grid are to protect and straighten the air for the MAF. So, knocked that crap out, who knows, maybe I’ll gain a HP or two. The price was right :p






Bad:

I had a squeaking noise on startup the other morning, so this weekend I investigated. 360* coolant spray off the water pump, so it’s pretty clearly failing. I had not replaced the water pump when I did my engine overhaul because the build date of the water pump was 2001, for my 2000 production car, implying it had been replaced at some point. I assumed recently, as BMW water pumps are good for ~100,000 miles, and they installed new old stock parts. However, since it’s failing now (124,000 miles), I’m now assuming it was an early in the car’s lif warranty replacement.



So, that’s ordered, M5 is on the lift disassembled, M3 still has no windshields, and I’m stuck in the suburban this week…
 
#237 ·
Got lots of little tweaks done this weekend. Soon I'll be out of things to do and have to do a power mod or something :D
-replaced ZHP knob with a new stock shift knob/boot. Hate the ZHP knob. So good to have shift partern illumination, proper shift length, and no stupid alu ring again!
-installed a new airbag module. I enabled the rear side airbags on the previous one not realizing BMW didn't connect them from the factory, which created all sorts of problems. Happily, Terra was able to figure out some sort of procedure to make the airbag module think it was factory new again, and then it happily aligned with my car again. No more airbag light (or any lights) on the cluster!
-installed a new thermostat gasket ring. Previous one was letting coolant around the thermostat, causing the engine to run overcool.
-installed a new water pump. Previous one, as pictured above, was in the early stages of failure.
-installed a euro M5 armrest. Especially pleased it's the M5 one, as the leather really does feel... better.
-euro dash shipped today, so maybe I'll be able to get to that this weekend
-replaced powerflex sway bushings with new stock sway bushings (PF's were squeaking under large suspension travel events)

To do in the semi immediate future:
-headers
-steering box (mine has a little play, waiting till I drop the front subframe for headers to do it)
-engine mounts (waiting till front subframe drop for headers to do it)
-euro dash
-projector/lens retrofit
-sways? (mostly considering it because dropping the front subframe for headers)
-rod bearings? (mostly considering it because dropping the front subframe for headers and I already own some WPC treated s62 rod bearings... but leaning towards no because there's no excess lead or copper in the oil)
-recaro sport toplines (heated/ventilated)?
-..... something muffler related?

Pics.

Arm rest:



No airbag and 12:00 coolant temps:

 
#238 ·
^^^ That is a PROPER arm rest. Want.
 
#240 · (Edited)
The new one opens to store things inside :). Plus I'll be gaining an area to the left of the steering wheel with the euro dash.

Even if it didn't, the old one made the car uncomfortable for long trips.

Not my picture/car, but:



 
#243 ·
Obioban where did you get your dash parts from and how much? I've been wanting to do that conversion. From what I've heard there is really no downside and it looks way better flowing into the door panels and gives more leg room.
 
#251 · (Edited)
#244 ·
Euro dash is in...



... I think I must have put the nav bracket in upside down, because the screen is aiming up a bit. I'm not entirely sure I don't like it, though-- much better aimed at my face this way!

Probably will fix it because it doesn't like up with the surrounding trim properly...
 
#247 ·
lol. Interesting picture of me.

What's the difference in the euro dash vs us dash? Can you also tell me where you bought your headlights? I need to order a set for mine.

Cheers
Ricky
I bought the projectors from lightwerkz
OEM HID Projector Retrofit Product & Service Specialists
Who's a member on here. I did not buy a full housing, just projectors/bulbs/ballasts/ignitors, and swapped them into my stock housing. This route is not for the faint of heart-- it's a LOT of dremeling and prying to get the stock housings open (at least if you own a post 2000 car-- pre 2000 and earlier cars open up pretty easily). Lightwerkz also sells projectors in housings, for an easy, plug and play swap-- much easier.

Eurodash:
Eurodash
 
#254 ·
Replaced my windshield gasket, though I didn't take any pics. It was clearly original before-- came out in chunks. Car is much quieter at 100+ now. I was having a whistle ~115mph before that got really annoying-- caused me to either speed up to 120 or slow to 110 whenever I hit it.
 
#258 ·
It is.

Euro dash is a nice upgrade. Friend did it to his and its a world of difference. Honestly thought it was more work that it is, lol.

I just read every post...great build. Makes me wish I had more time to work on mine.
Thanks!

Yeah, I'm amazed by how much better the car is with the euro dash. I finally have a proper seating position, more back seat space, and the interior looks SO much nice. It's like someone actually designed it now, with flowing lines and everything.
 
#259 ·
Hi I love your thread this thread.

I just wanted to ask your experience of removing the Tubi Exhaust and going back to standard, I have the exact same Tubi setup on an M5 I have just purchased. I love the car but I’m just not into the loud exhaust, above 2,000rpm the sound is fin but around 1,800rpm the drone is just too much for me.

What’s your experience of going back to standard?, I ask as I have never driven a standard M5

Thanks
Ross
 
#261 ·
DD mod update...

I'm hard on floor mats-- factory mats last me around 20,000 before I heel toe a hole in them. So, I got coco mats. Won't be putting them in the M3, as they feel like they're made of lead, but hopefully they'll hold up better than the stockers do on the car that sees most of the miles...

Stock:






Coco mat:

 
#262 · (Edited)
80-170 miles every week day adds up fast, time for another inspection 1.



Also had to do a coil (intermittent misfire the followed coil location swaps), and had this unpleasant discovery:

Original, made in Germany:



New.... made CHINA!



I don't know when this started, but I'm seriously saddened by this turn of events. I don't really care that it's not made in Germany. But, I REALLY care that it's made in China. OE BMW part :(


Also went to OE18s/snows for the winter, though that made have been foolish-- it's hitting 68º and sunny today :rolleyes:
 
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