Question for Moosehead: My 87 528eA was produce on 7/86 and has the automatic transmission. However, the engine is from a 1985 528e (not sure of the production date). What type of E28 5-speed manual trans can fit on my car? What other components are required to make the swap work? This would be more ideal for my E28 than putting in a "S" motor in it.
(Sort of) just need the trans from any M20 E30 or E28 and the driveshaft (and a trans bracket) from the E28 528e as well as the clutch pedal with assorted fasteners and master cylinder. Here is the issue, though. It does not matter what year the motor is, but the flywheels on the M20 vary in thickness and the depth of the bell housing, and therefore the length of the driveshaft, vary to compensate. Some are regular flywheels and some are dual mass. I know this to be true on an E30, but not absolutely certain on the E28 (it looks like the parts catalog has different parts over the years.) If I were to do this swap, I would find a yard with a wrecked 528eM and grab the parts, otherwise you can bet there is one thing you are missing, maybe something as mundane as an odd lenght bolt. I forget, is yours a super eta?
I beleive the super eta was for the 88 model, so I don't have it . 121hp of fury. Silly question: If I do find a 528eM at a junk yard, how can I take out the parts from the donor car w/o having my mechanic or someone more (much more) mechanicaly inclined to remove them? Will the junk yard owner allow the car to go on his lift for the removal of the trans, driveshaft, etc...? Would it be best to buy a 528eM that is for sale for parts (whole car)?
Depends on the junk yard. Some yards are "U pull it" others pull the parts for you. The parts are usually cheaper if you pull them yourself. Also, most yards don't allow you to take jacks in b/c of liability and insurance issues. Thanks lawyers! Most yards will lift the car up onto wheels or what ever you can find in the yard to give you enough clearance to pull parts underneath (like that is safer than jacks!). It is not ideal, but it is usually cheap. However for a transmission you might want to buy it from a BMW breaker. I say this b/c the the car in the junk might be there b/c of a fail trans. The places I go don't take returns and the trans are expensive for not knowing if it works or not. So I would check the BMW breakers in the back of Roundel. There are at least 4 or 5 of them. You get a guaranteed trans, that is nice to have since you are putting all that work into getting it into your car. But on the counter view, you live in the NYC area, there has got to be some great junk yards in your area. Probably with a lot of BMWs in them! GR
You might find a yard that has one with a blown motor that you can get to sell you all the parts you need in one shot. Also keep your eyes peeled for a parts car that you can buy to take apart. Up north, you should be able to find a rusted out car with plenty of drivetrain life left in it.
Paul: Off Topic here. Is Moosehead a reference to the Canadian Beer? If so, is your M5 a Canadian model with the black interior? GR
I am just like Botond; Can't decide what I want to do. Maybe I should just keep the E28 as an automatic. Maybe I'll find another nice E28 manual and just buy it down the road or save for an E34 M5 . I miss the E34. I still have my eyes on the 135i
Nope. It is a reference to my last name. Unfortunately due to translation issues it actually means sauce head not, moose head. I'm actually selling the M5, so I will have to hang my head in shame until I can get another one.
Just a guess! Sorry to hear you are selling your M5. I guess you can only have so many BMWs. Although I don't want to believe that! GR
If money weren't an option, I would have about 15 BMW's. E34 M5 E39 M5 E24 M6 McLaren F1 M1 Isetta (put in my son's room) 507 3.0csl 135tii E30 M3 E38 740i sport (01 model) E60 M5 The remaining 3 would be the one's I already have
That is a great list. Don't forget the E12 M535i and E23 745i The F1 is such a great car. If I could only have one bmw but it could be any BMW that would probably be the one.
Ah, a white E12 with the M colors on it. My mechanic has a E23 745i turbo sitting on his lot for the past year. The customer still owe's money on repairs done to it. It has style 5's! Projects keep you out of trouble. What do you think of the E28 M535i? I know someone selling it for $3700 OBO and I'm gonna see it this weekend. It is red on tan CLOTH sports seats interior. It has the euro bumpers all around. I think its a 85. Some work done to it. Here is what he said about it: I bought the car about a year ago from this guy in Fishkill. it was sitting underneath a pine tree and hadn't been driven in months. It did start but ran very rough and need mechanical TLC. i had a valve job done, vacuum leaks fixed with new hoses, all new belts, new radiator, SS break lines, Bav Auto caliper upgrade, Bav Auto adjustable fuel pressure regulator, idle control valve, trattle positioning switch, tail light seals, complete brake fluid flush, tranny fluid flush, diff fluid flush and coolant flush. I used redline synthetics and bwm coolant. I have a complete euro cluster, new pagid pads and Bav Auto performance rotors all around to go with the car upon sale. The car has rust...though not that bad on the pass side A pillar and pass front door. Also underneath on factory pull points, not lift points. I think someone tried to lift the car there. it can be reapired though. originally i was asking 4700 but took off 1k because of the rust issues and because the car needs an exhaust system. the current system is a custom non stainless steel version with the "glasspack" muffler....the muffler rusted at the connecting pipe and i pulled it off. My friend has a Ansa SS complete from the down pipes for sale for cheap...i think 300 or 400 he used it for about 3k miles. Your thoughts on the limited information please..............
Pluses: rare probably has no cat and a dogleg gearbox slightly more power than a regular E28 535i Minuses: Rust Rust Rust Not much more power than a regular 535i Dogleg gearboxes are fragile Rust http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=6 My conclusion: Buy a rust free 535is and drop in a late big 6 with a cam. A friend of mine is selling his 535is pretty cheap. You want me to talk to him?
It has no cat. The thing is the guy might be willing to work out a payment plan with me. I though about giving 67% down ($2500) and paying him off in a few months. The car struck me as I have seen it for a few seconds while Botond and I were outside his house on Sunday right before we went out on a cruise. I will see the car again and take plenty of pics and I'll post them up. Do you think for the price he is asking is it a good deal?
Depends on how bad the rust actually is. Normally, it is not the rust you see, but the rust you don't see. There is no real reason to buy a rusty one for any amount of money unless you plan to part it. The area above the tank is a water trap, as well as the same area on the driver's side behind the wheel (bumper mount area on a US car.) Rocker rust is not immediately noticable unless you get a good look under it. Floor pans and frame rails are a good place to look, as well as the spare tire well, shock towers F&R, subframes, etc. If it is very rusty, it is worth maybe $500. Critically rusty is worth $200. A pillar rust and door rust is not a good start.
I'll take that into account when looking at the car. If I were to buy it I would bring it to my mechanic to check it out.
Chris what condition is your E28 body in? If you have a solid car then maybe you should buy the M535i and take all the good bits and put them on your car. Like drive train, interior etc. I agree with Paul on the value of a rusty car. You can fix mechanical and interior issues pretty easily, but once you start getting into serious rust, it is just not worth it. You are better off getting a different car. There just so many rust free cars out there, although most are in the southwest! GR
My E28 has its share of rust. Passenger side door on the bottom front has some rust. Rear passenger side wheel well has rust. The spare tire area has rust. Drivers side lower fender near the door has some rust.
