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2003 E39 540i/A Sport
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24-04-2017 12:50pm#1Have been wanting for a bit more power from my 525i and considered Supercharging it but this 540i Auto came up for a good price up North. Topaz Blue with Cream Interior, 132k Miles. Very little rust too with a tiny bit on the driver sill where it meets the wing and on the rear drivers wheel arch. It has a great spec on it too being English:
Auto Lights
Auto Wipers
Headlight Washing/Intensive Wash
Tilt/Slide Sunroof
High OBC Cluster
Electric Steering Column
Heated Electric Sport Seats with Memory
(Working!) Park Distance Control Front and Rear
High Gloss Shadowline
Factory Parallel Wheels which I'll either refurb or sell
M5 Mirrors seem to have been retrofitted but work perfect, including fold.
The 4.4 pulls like a train and the gearbox is nice and smooth, these have received a Software Update too. Stack of service history with it too including Suspension and Cooling overhauls. I have a few bits to do to it:
Fix Passenger Window, motor works but window doesn't, must be off the slider
Fix cracked coil spring, have replacements already.
VRT
Test
Tax
Change over my Style 32's to it.
Swap my Eonon into it.
Replace the gammy fogs too!
Needs a serious detail so will be giving it a paint correction of course.
Yes the wheels will be changed
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wow you jammy git! you kept that quiet too you whore! looks perfrect to me bar the autobox:cool::D
Haha cheers man! All kind of happened very fast, it was only linked to me last weekend! Unfortunately the 6 speed manuals are extremely rare, seems even more so than M5's and they go for at least double an autobox model but the auto is fantastic with the V8
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Replaced my Timing Chain Tensioner and Front Brake Pads this evening. Tensioner wasn't too bad to be fair but said I'd do it as there was no history of it being done and I changed the pads because even though they were new, they were squealing mad even with copious amounts of grease, some cheap ****e was on the front. New Bosch ones in now that I had lying around after ordering them by mistake ages ago and squealing is already gone!
The tensioner was an easy change, remove the Airbox/CAI and MAF and then underneath the driver side rocker you'll see a 19mm bolt protruding from the head, this is the tensioner, one crack and it'll twist out easy. Screw new one in and tighten and replace the Airbox/CAI.
Tensioners:
Removed:
Replaced:
Back together:
Plenty of meat still left on these rubbish yokes.
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Changed the oil, filter and pollen filters in the 540i today, not sure when it was done last other than the books recorded mileage so it was done just in case! Transmission oil and filter next!
Still waiting on the DVLA to send me out an Export Form :mad:0 -
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Detailed the 540i, I gave it a single stage Gloss Enhancement with Menzerna 400 and Sealed with Gtechniq's C2v3. The paint was badly swirled and was stained from a trip to Keary's BMW about 2 months ago. I managed to remove about 90% of the swirls and for now I'm happy as the paint isn't really up to scratch on a few panels.
That's how she's sitting now on the BC Coilovers, 20mm Front and 15mm Rear Spacers.
She also did well for herself at VAGE at the weekend!
Managed to place in the Top 15 somehow!
And now that my insurance renewal wasn't so bad I've just paid for:
Complete Steering Wheel - Retrimmed with Perforated Sides, M Stitching and Carbon Wrapped Trim
Front Splitter
Gloss Black Grills
Meyle Gearbox Service Kit
Ulter Twin 3" Tips
3 Months Tax
Still have to order 2 x Michelin PS4's from work for the rear in 255/35/18.0 -
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Alanstrainor wrote: »Such an amazing car! Fair play dude!
Cheers Al, utterly in love with the thing!
Few bits sorted for the 540 recently, got a new splitter (yet to be painted/dipped), Gearbox Oi/Filter service kit, a new retrimmed steering wheel and I'm still waiting on new Gloss Black Grills and a twin 3" Exhaust Tip.
Before, fairly grubby:
After, much much better:
Various other bits
I have also secured a US/JDM bootlid for it so will sort out that in the coming month hopefully!0 -
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Quick change of drop links a few weeks ago while the weather was half decent, there was some clunking from the front end and seems to be sorted now.
My HVAC blower crapped out on me Wednesday which is not ideal in this weather, no demist ability, no hot or cold air at all. Once I checked the fuses I came to the conclusion that it was the Final Stage Unit(Heater Blower Resistor) as these are a common failure on the E39. My brothers Factors luckily had one in Dublin so he was able to get one to me today, being an original Hella(Behr) unit.
Replacement was handy enough, on the driver side remove the upper carpet piece from the dash, secured with one screw and slides out. Remove the cover above the pedals, 4/5 philips and 2 torx screws. Once these are gone you should be able to see it, after removing the snap fit connector you can hold down a bit of plastic that locks it in place and simply slide it out, no bolts holding it in.
Old and looked original unit:
New fresh one:
Once all was plugged in and secured I tested it out, blowers working perfectly and sweet sweet 32 degree heat was back again
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Some big bills came up that I had to get sorted, mainly the chain guides. The transmission go a service too with a full Meyle Oil and Filter Kit.
Last week I dropped the car off in the very capable hands of Fionnsport to sort out my Timing Chain Guides. I knew this is a well documented issue with the M62 and had planned to tackle it down the line but a trip to France in April meant I really had to get it done! In the end what was replaced was the following:
Upper and Lower Timing Chain Kit
2 Valve Cover Gaskets
Front Crankshaft Oil Seal
Various OE gaskets, seals, manifold and timing gaskets
Valley Pan Kit
Both cooling pipes in the engine
Coolant Regulator + Transmission Oil Cooler
Oil Separator
Water Pump
Thermostat
Water Pump Tensioner Kit
Air Con Tensioner Kit
Alternator + A/C Belts
Lower Oil Pan Gasket
8 Spark Plugs
Coolant Expansion Tank
Coolant Change
Oil Change
They took good care of the prep:
All the auld crappy guides. One was almost about to let go, another wasn't far behind and the main U-Shaped guide had lost it's plastic and the chain had become polished due to metal on metal.
New VANOS Tensioners and chains as the one of the old tensioners wasn't applying any tension to one of the banks.
New Oil Separator as the old one was knackered.
All new guides and main chain on.
Valley Pan and cooling pipes changed.
Getting reassembled.
The valve covers were given a quick sandblast and sprayed to at least improve them some bit
All back for a quick drink
Delighted I got it done now as both the transmission (due to the new heat exchanger and regulator) and engine are much smoother with a much more linear pull throughout the rev range. Worth it even if I'm now very poor 0 -
Haven't done much with this recently other than enjoy it! Had a failing coil pack at the start of April, replaced and perfect since and it flew through the NCT at the end of April too :cool:
VANOS seals are due to get sorted in the next two weeks all going well!
Replaced my rear discs and pads today, Textar Discs and Pads were on the back, now replaced with Pagid Discs, Pads and Wear Sensor. Got the whole lot, discs, pads, wear sensor, piston rewind tool, brake cleaner and WD40 all for about €100, who says BMW's are expensive to service :pac:
Old squeaky setup
All fresh and new
Fingers always get in the way :pac:
Taxed her again last night too!0 -
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Not much has been going on with this due to it being in the garage for a replacement VANOS unit for Bank 1, the wait is another week or two so should be getting the car back this week for another few weeks before we replace it.
Ordered some new headlights which I got for a bargain off my brother and a new BMW VANOS unit for bank 1. Coated the headlights in some of the very best ceramic protection to help prevent the typical E39 lense fog.
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Installed the new lights! Makes a huge difference and even though mine were in good nick and recently sanded and polished, there's a massive difference in clarity!
Left is old:
Also removed the useless HID's for the standard halogens
And of course, the best thing is they don't point down due to working adjusters!0 -
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