Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
adro

E39 2000 540i Msport

Recommended Posts

214,600 km 

Installed OEM Lemforder end links today along with OEM ARB bushings. 

45636408655_f7782a9af9_b.jpg

 

45636408695_839424ded8_b.jpg

Road tested and while the front does feel better, I still have the clonk...I'm starting to wonder if it's the shock or the spring binding...Will book it in with Auto38 when he's back from Holiday. 

Edited by adro

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@adro was kind enough to show me around and let me have a spin in his 540i today - awesome car! Absolutely beautiful to drive and has a menacing exhaust note to match 

Cheers!

C693378B-1600-490D-9DEB-0A379281D270.jpeg

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We need an e39 photo shoot

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Booked the 540i into Wellington European to inspect the suspension and see if they could diagnose the steering clonk. They have done WOFs for me in the past and they have a courtesy car which when you have a small baby makes it alot easier to drop the car off. Visually they couldn't find anything showing wear and suggested/educated guess to replace the center drag link at a cost of $750 (part only). I have ordered the drag link off FCP along with new tie rods coming in at $410 NZD inc postage (probably going to get a call from customs wanting some money in a few days time). Also I have noticed now I have the shimmy back at 80km..This seems to have come back since I did the swaybar endlinks and  I thought it was because I didn't torque the lug nuts down enough but it kind of comes and goes and today I noticed it feels like it settles if you stay at that speed for a while and it's not as violent as it was before I did the control arms...I'm guessing/hoping the noise and the vibration are related to the drag link...will wait and see.  On a positive note I got around to inspecting the drivers seat to see why it was clicking under load and it turns out the back left mounting bolt was loose. So the seat click has gone! I'm now wondering if the mpar vibration is more suspension than balance related.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 minutes ago, adro said:

Booked the 540i into Wellington European to inspect the suspension and see if they could diagnose the steering clonk. They have done WOFs for me in the past and they have a courtesy car which when you have a small baby makes it alot easier to drop the car off. Visually they couldn't find anything showing wear and suggested/educated guess to replace the center drag link at a cost of $750 (part only). I have ordered the drag link off FCP along with new tie rods coming in at $410 NZD inc postage (probably going to get a call from customs wanting some money in a few days time). Also I have noticed now I have the shimmy back at 80km..This seems to have come back since I did the swaybar endlinks and  I thought it was because I didn't torque the lug nuts down enough but it kind of comes and goes and today I noticed it feels like it settles if you stay at that speed for a while and it's not as violent as it was before I did the control arms...I'm guessing/hoping the noise and the vibration are related to the drag link...will wait and see.  On a positive note I got around to inspecting the drivers seat to see why it was clicking under load and it turns out the back left mounting bolt was loose. So the seat click has gone! I'm now wondering if the mpar vibration is more suspension than balance related.

FCP euro have the RHD drag links available ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, BreakMyWindow said:

FCP euro have the RHD drag links available ?

Snap, I didn’t check this.?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nah, the MPars are damaged... you should gift them to me ??

  • Haha 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Car is looking mint! Always loved that colour. Get a few K's in during the holidays? Be a bit odd if it is the centre drag link is knackered, I used genuine Lemforder drag link, tie rods and pitman arm when all the other suspension parts were done. Drag link alone cost me around $800. Be keen to see what it looks like when it comes off.

Edited by rusteee

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, str8_6 said:

Nah, the MPars are damaged... you should gift them to me ??

Haha yeah, I’ll straight swap you for your style 65’s ?

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

DSC_2934

DSC_2937DSC_2936 (1)

215,000 km.

I was able to get in touch with FCP before they shipped it out and canceled the order...probably saved me $120 in postage alone.  Thanks @BreakMyWindow ..I gotta stop being lazy and keep cross referencing realOEM. After messaging with Martin and Russell I think I'm just going to live with the clonk for abit longer...hopefully it gets worse making it abit more obvious to what it is. In other news, gave it a clean this morning.

Edited by adro
  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

damn this looks so clean in the photos. the lines and proportions of the E39 never ceases to amaze me. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

216849 km

Has been in with Jon at Auto38. New TRW center drag link (ebay UK) $600 landed incl customs. New Febi idler arm bushing $74.75 

Car feels significantly better....shimmy at 80km/h is CURED as is the shimmy under braking. Car feels so much more responsive and the steering feels tight, best it's ever felt under my ownership.

I still have a click going on but I can live with that with the shimmy gone.

Finally a mechanic who is enthusiastic about their workmanship and knows the car inside out. Jon diagnosed 5mm play in the idler arm and also found the clicking to be coming from the boots on the draglink. A way more precise diagnoses than the previous crowd I took it too.

DSC_4322

46560193775_0ac7107a81_b.jpg

 

Edited by adro
  • Like 6

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Done a few idler arms in E34 and E32's and other cars with boxes so not uncommon. May someone did an incorrect installation on the previous stuff.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I absolutely recommend Jon for anything e39 (and many other models to be honest). He was able to sort so many little issues with my old M5 when others just didn’t have the experience or want to diagnose. 

Glad you got rid of the shimmy!

  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

217XXX km

the saga continues...

  • Second hand steering box from @BM WORLD installed by Jon at Auto38. 
  • R/H strut orientated correctly 
  • wheel alignment 

Stilling pinging/clunking when front suspension is loaded up, coming from the RH side either when on the brakes or turning from left to right. 

 

47516593662_49e782f6b0_b.jpg47516593672_ee0ef0a7bf_b.jpg

Saw it's younger, beefier sibling too @Olaf

Edited by adro
  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
41 minutes ago, BreakMyWindow said:

You’re persistent!

The car is so close to being in tip top shape, it's driving so smooth...

Things still to do.

  • Get rid of this clunk noise
  • Re-spray Bonnet
  • Door seals - they are well worn, not letting moisture in but look tatty
  • Exterior window front and back window seals
  • Celis rear tails. The pair I got off trade me are corroded and don't work...surprise surprise ? )
  • New floor mats - would freshen up the interior
  • Facelift tri spoke multi function steering wheel

 

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

top mount , sway bar link , thrust arm and control arms ball joints , all those things can make clunks 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, BM WORLD said:

top mount , sway bar link , thrust arm and control arms ball joints , all those things can make clunks 

Cheers mate, next step is to strip down the r/h side.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

217,500km

CLUNK ELIMINATED

turned out the engine mounts weren't torqued correctly....opps, my bad. The mounts were new.....guessing maybe they weren't fully loaded when i torqued them.....either way they are torqued now...they were out by about half a turn. The car is driving amazing..I am loving it. Gotta laugh at how much stuff I've replaced trying to solve the noise, not to mention the two shops i took it to who also didn't pick it up. Jon was on the right track though thinking it was an installation error as opposed to a failed part...expensive lesson in DIY'ing, don't think the car is worse off for it though.

We celebrated with an oil and filter change ?

47667264252_2c28eb89c2_b.jpg

 

Edited by adro
  • Like 7

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Haha nuts and bolts are usually the first thing you check, guess everyone was trusting in your engine mount replacement skills :D . I had a weird front end clunk when loading\turning and it was loose subframe bolts. Least no one will have to touch the front end for awhile.

Good stuff that HPR5 though, i got a 20L for $157 @ Repco on sale.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
7 minutes ago, Eagle said:

Haha nuts and bolts are usually the first thing you check, guess everyone was trusting in your engine mount replacement skills :D . I had a weird front end clunk when loading\turning and it was loose subframe bolts. Least no one will have to touch the front end for awhile.

Good stuff that HPR5 though, i got a 20L for $157 @ Repco on sale.

haha yeah, school of hard knocks and all that. ?

  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...