leichtbau 525 Report post Posted June 15, 2021 Great pickup on that blue one, she's gonna be in good hands! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted July 3, 2021 Well this one's a doozy... there is enough crude oil on the engine / subframe etc. to cause our PM to break out in hives... The focus is on the engine - practically every gasket has turned to bakolite - the PO's attempts with RTV instead of just buying new stuff has failed miserably. The chain guides have also just been caught in time with the plastic bits loose on the backing plate... so into it... valley pan, accumulator, heater pipes before heading underneath.... 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted July 3, 2021 Also some cosmetics were played with prior to turning attention to the engine... headlights sanded, fog-light replaced, interior trim re-glued or replaced... thorough clean of interior (it was bad...) 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter 408 Report post Posted July 3, 2021 Awesome 👏 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adro 1083 Report post Posted July 3, 2021 Great work as usual! How were the o rings on those coolant pipes above the valley pan? Mine were slime. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Young Thrash Driver 1020 Report post Posted July 4, 2021 I do love a blue E39 motorsport, and this one even has a towbar! Great work as always Stu. The spoiler is quite different, is it genuine? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted July 4, 2021 The o rings were flat and solid, newer ones at WP end as that was new a few years ago. Any o ring or gasket uncovered is being replaced... The spoiler is an AC Snitzer thing which was on the car when sold new it appears. It’s going and a lip spoiler boot lid going on.... eventually. Along with M5 wheels and wing mirrors. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BozzaFC 300 Report post Posted July 4, 2021 Nice E39 Stu! Is that Le Mans blue? How many kms did it get to before the chains needed doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted July 5, 2021 12 hours ago, BozzaFC said: Nice E39 Stu! Is that Le Mans blue? How many kms did it get to before the chains needed doing? No, Topaz Blue Boston, same as my pervious 530 motorsport. (fun fact - regarding the e39 M5 - only 1 was made worldwide in Topaz Blue - RHD and it's in Victoria Australia I think - woodgrain trim though kinda spoils it for me...) Got to 289k km and if I hadn't opened it up not sure how much longer TBH. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BozzaFC 300 Report post Posted July 5, 2021 289k isn't bad going! Very excited for the updates on this one. What's the plan? Get it up to the standard of the silver 540i? Keep, sell? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted July 5, 2021 3 hours ago, BozzaFC said: What's the plan? Honestly - I have no ______ idea.... 🤣 (Maybe keep blue if it turns out good - sell silver if someone is stupid kind enough to pay me a $$sh__t_n$$ for it... - or do a few swaps of key items between them to end up with a good blue...) ((Plan will change tomorrow...)) (((Silver goes back to Transmission Shop next week to hopefully resolve the 5-4 jolt))) 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leichtbau 525 Report post Posted July 9, 2021 (edited) Going over this thread and stumbling across an Oxford over Tan 540i M-Sport on faceballs makes me want to make rash financial decisions... Edited July 9, 2021 by leichtbau Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter 408 Report post Posted July 9, 2021 (edited) 3 minutes ago, leichtbau said: Going over this thread and stumbling across an Oxford over Tan 540i M-Sport on faceballs makes me want to make rash financial decisions... Save eeeeet. I was looking at that but I’m in deep in my 530i m sport. Hahaha. Edited July 9, 2021 by hunter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted July 14, 2021 Parts are incoming to do; Timing chain guides, VANOS seals, engine mounts, oil lines, CCV system, o rings, gaskets, etc. My bad in previous post, the plastic chain guides are supposed to "float" a bit on backing plate, just retained in position but not clamped on... but at 289km, all new stuff going in... In the meantime the underside is now clean, the coolant drained from the block. Getting ready to get lower timing chain cover off which involves the removal of the crankshaft "jesus" bolt... easy peasy with the right tools... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted August 6, 2021 I have finally got the silver 540 back from the transmission shop following the post rebuild symptom of a harsh jolt going from 5 to 4 on deceleration when oil hot. All is well with them finally tracing the problem to another part of the vale body system which they have replaced a section with a good refurbished unit. Not a section they normally have to replace in a full rebuild. The car feels much better now across all shifting actually. A good result and a huge relief... except for the wheel they curbed.. which they will sort... good bugga's though really and went the distance with me... In other news the Bluebus finally arrived and has been installed so just getting the hang of that one now. Thanks to PO Rob for helping me recode the thing to suit the Japan video, something which the developer in the US did not factor in... 6 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted August 6, 2021 Over on Bluey, the reassembly of the engine can begin with the Vanos rebuild complete, the timing system goes back together with new rails, chains, tensioners, etc... 6 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted August 7, 2021 Cleaning up nicely Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob HB1 90 Report post Posted August 7, 2021 Nice work being done here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted August 11, 2021 Engine assembly continues along with a cleanup of underside and exhaust. Awaiting parts including my radiator which a mate has stolen temporarily for his 540... 7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted August 14, 2021 Mmmm nice and clean! I am basically doing the same thing on my E34 540i. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted August 14, 2021 The silver 540 had started making a "bearing" type noise seemingly coming from alternator (?) area. The alternator was also producing a bit of a whine on the radio and new bluebus (more so on bluebus), so a spare alternator was procured and I set about taking it all apart. However I noticed the water pump was very "grindy" sounding when the belt came off. So taking the WP out and strangely it turned OK when out of the car. Then I found the reason... the bolt internal to the WP holding the cover had come loose and was machining itself on the impeller... A bit of a cleanup, some loctite, a new gasket, changed the alternator anyway, and all is well again. The noise on the bluebus is much reduced, but still there... 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted August 14, 2021 Over on the blue 540, the underside heatshield's and freshly painted exhaust have gone back on the car. Keen to get this car going then I will continue with the clean etc... New brake hoses and a few other items needed after scrambling underneath for a few days... 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted August 14, 2021 Good find with that loose bolt. I'm using threat lock on a few of those types of bolts that back out in some instance, including on the oil pump ones. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adro 1083 Report post Posted August 14, 2021 (edited) Good thing it’s a metal impeller! Edited August 14, 2021 by adro 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted August 26, 2021 Blue 540 getting closer, brakes tidied up and painted, plus engine valve covers and wiring loom back in... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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