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  #1  
Old 06-13-2017, 09:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jopecasa View Post
That's neat man!

Add stiffening plates to reinforce and it should work !
Thanks!! This actually ended up being too short... Lesson learned... But I did add a couple joiners and pinned them... Turned out really bad... You'll see!!

Cheers!!!
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2001 E53 X5 4.4i (03-07-2001 build date) White exterior / hellbeige interior (6MT swap vehicle - Manny)
2002 E53 X5 4.6is (12-20-2001 build date) Imola Red exterior / M-texture interior (Red)
2003 E53 X5 4.4i (06-26-2003 build date) Silver exterior / Black interior (Silvester II)
2008 Mini Cooper S ragtop (04-17-2008 build date) Dark Silver exterior / Gray interior ( Topless)
BMWCCA member (#4745)
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  #2  
Old 06-13-2017, 09:32 AM
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Good day all!!

I think I missed it by thaaaaaaaat much!!

There are two lessons to make note of here!!! One is to measure twice (or six times in my case for the drive shaft) and cut once!!! If being one and a half millimeters off from perfect is close enough, I am close enough!!!

The other important lesson here is to be PATIENT and wait for the parts to get installed, then mod the others!! I aligned the trans and center support bearing for the drive shaft, like I had planned, but now the shifter arm is too short... Because I didn’t WAIT for the drive shaft to get finished... I ALMOST need to buy another shifter arm and start over with it... I might be able to add some aluminum stock I have at work and weld it, but.........

Okay, pictures...

Here is the drive shaft with the trans resting on my cross member support...





Look how tweaked this is!! Not what I was looking for!! Kinda discouraged at this point, but things get better!!



And the huge gap at the top (I only tightened the bolts for the drive shaft... the trans bolts are free to move as I spin the drive shaft)...



Lowering the trans without the mounts installed... This is also why I didn’t gusset the last part of the cross member...



And a little more...



And the final even measurement... TOP...



BOTTOM...



This is a little close, but.......





Okay, don’t make fun of my hack job pinning the shifter arm!! Please... I don’t think this would last long either... It is amazing how much stress is exerted on this arm... This is third gear...



And this is fourth...



The next three are my selector rod adjustments... This one is closed up as far as it will go and still be aligned...



This is ONE revolution out...



And one more revolution... Hardly noticeable...



And the fun part!! Kinda!! This is my son’s old shifter... This would be considered a short throw by comparison to the stock 3.0L X5 version... So, while it doesn’t have the crazy bend the stock X5 has, it doesn’t move as much either... Has anyone bent the shifter without destroying the isolation rubber?! I might try that!! This is third gear...



And Neutral...



And fourth gear...



Well, that is all I have for now... I get to go back to the drawing board for the shifter arm... I think I can weld up the selector rod at the third rotation out... But, it might be better if I wait till the arm is done before welding up the rod...

So, what do you guys and gals think?? Almost there!!!

I’m looking into getting a POWER SUPPLY to do my coding... A bit of research indicated that a basic “charger” won’t cut it... Hence the reason I haven't coded anything yet... I’m looking at getting an IOTA DLS-75... It is a bit cheaper than the alternative... Some crazy German unit costing nearly $470... The IOTA is about $150 or so...

Cheers for now!!!!
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2001 E53 X5 4.4i (03-07-2001 build date) White exterior / hellbeige interior (6MT swap vehicle - Manny)
2002 E53 X5 4.6is (12-20-2001 build date) Imola Red exterior / M-texture interior (Red)
2003 E53 X5 4.4i (06-26-2003 build date) Silver exterior / Black interior (Silvester II)
2008 Mini Cooper S ragtop (04-17-2008 build date) Dark Silver exterior / Gray interior ( Topless)
BMWCCA member (#4745)

Last edited by williamx5; 08-05-2017 at 03:44 PM.
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  #3  
Old 06-13-2017, 09:58 AM
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It looks like you're really closing in on the finish line. Can't wait to see the results of all your efforts!

It may be too early to ask, but do you have a ballpark idea of the cost to do this conversion? I did the paddle shift mod to my 4.6 a couple years ago and it's a slightly better driving experience, but isn't in the same league as three pedals and a shifter. I'm really hoping this is something that will be doable for me.
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2002 X5 4.6is - Imola Red/Black (Sold)
2001 740i M Sport - Anthrazit Metallic/Black (Sold)
1998 M3/4/5 - Technoviolet/Dove (Sold)
2003 Z4 3.0i Sport - Sterlinggrau Metallic/Black (Sold)
2009 Mini JCW (The Wife's)
2015 i3 REx - Arravani Gray/Tera World (Daily Driver)
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  #4  
Old 06-15-2017, 10:03 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BimmerM3inGA View Post
It looks like you're really closing in on the finish line. Can't wait to see the results of all your efforts!

It may be too early to ask, but do you have a ballpark idea of the cost to do this conversion? I did the paddle shift mod to my 4.6 a couple years ago and it's a slightly better driving experience, but isn't in the same league as three pedals and a shifter. I'm really hoping this is something that will be doable for me.
Good day!!

This has taken me a little while to put together... I have tried to get the exact prices I paid for this stuff, but some of it I've had for a while... Others I got for free or part of another item... The YPIY has contributed a lot to the project... Cheap parts since I am pulling them myself... So, adjust accordingly... I guess you could just pull the ballpark prices from realoem to get a better idea of actual costs involved... And you may need to add a few for welding labor if you can't do that yourself or know someone...

Clutch pedal assembly from used 540i = 25.12
Slave cylinder used = p/o clutch pedal assy
Clutch pedal = p/o clutch pedal assy
Clutch pedal switches = p/o clutch pedal assy
Trans from used 540i = 400
Flywheel from used 540i = 50
Clutch assembly from used 540i = 50
Hydraulic line new = 57.87
Grommets and other stuff =
Hydraulic hose = 2.00
Tulle = 3.49
Stopper = 0.99
Hose grommet = 6.39
Clutch pivot pin = 3.35
Pivot pin spring = 6.42
Throw out bearing new = 40.99
Pilot bearing new = 8.00
Clutch fork new = 23.42
Trans mounts new = 23.66
Cross member support bar and cross bar new =
Shifter selector rod new = 46.82
Shifter hardware new = 18.00
Shifter used = donated by my son!! THANKS BUDDY!!
E38/E39 drive shaft (front section) used = 27.88
E38/E39 guibo used = p/o drive shaft
Shifter boot new = 57.95
Shifter foam insulation new = 18.72
Shifter rubber boot = 27.31
Shifter arm support new = 51.36
Shifter arm new = 41.01

Labor
Swap pins from used 540i pedal assembly to X5 assembly.
Cut cross member and weld support bar.
Drive shaft shop = 168
Pull front drive components.
Pull automatic and associated lines.
Install transmission and associated clutch components.
Cut carpet and install hydraulic line.

Wiring
Umm...?


I add it up... Still going tho... $1159ish...

Cheers!!!
__________________
2001 E53 X5 4.4i (03-07-2001 build date) White exterior / hellbeige interior (6MT swap vehicle - Manny)
2002 E53 X5 4.6is (12-20-2001 build date) Imola Red exterior / M-texture interior (Red)
2003 E53 X5 4.4i (06-26-2003 build date) Silver exterior / Black interior (Silvester II)
2008 Mini Cooper S ragtop (04-17-2008 build date) Dark Silver exterior / Gray interior ( Topless)
BMWCCA member (#4745)

Last edited by williamx5; 09-27-2017 at 01:38 PM.
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  #5  
Old 06-13-2017, 01:12 PM
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Nice! Glad to see you are making progress. I'd wait on fully welding up the selector until the arm is in place.

As for what to do with the arm, I'd either fab a new one out of steel (if you can) or just gusset and plate the current one.
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  #6  
Old 06-14-2017, 05:30 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BimmerM3inGA View Post
It looks like you're really closing in on the finish line. Can't wait to see the results of all your efforts!

It may be too early to ask, but do you have a ballpark idea of the cost to do this conversion? I did the paddle shift mod to my 4.6 a couple years ago and it's a slightly better driving experience, but isn't in the same league as three pedals and a shifter. I'm really hoping this is something that will be doable for me.
It is soooo close!! I'm actually kinda nervous things will start going south on me and I won't be able to get it perfect... Kinda like this issue I'm having with the arm... But, I'll keep at it until the money runs out or it works...

I will get a total today or tomorrow... I don't really think I have that much more to purchase as far as parts are concerned...

As far as coding and programming goes.... I think most will need to get a friend to take care of that for them or purchase the hardware and such to do it themselves... Getting the stuff to do it yourself won't be a waste since you could help out your friends and also tweak all your BMW's as you like and not pay dealer costs to do it...

Quote:
Originally Posted by smokeyyank View Post
Nice! Glad to see you are making progress. I'd wait on fully welding up the selector until the arm is in place.

As for what to do with the arm, I'd either fab a new one out of steel (if you can) or just gusset and plate the current one.
Agree on waiting!!! I tried to use thread locker on one side and the lock nut on the other, but with the angle of this rod, the thread locker was just under too much strain to hold...

I took a long look at the arm I've been working with and I am about ready to give up on it... So, that leaves me with a few choices... So, to find the answer to the question, we need to pick apart the question itself... Why?! Why did BMW use such a crazy design for this thing?! Someone did not think this thru very well!! The angle alone is murder on the parts... The design of the pivot housing is counter-productive... It is tilted forward, which requires an aggressive bend in the shifter itself... WHY!?! Do I have to use THIS arm to make it work?!

Okay, so I was thinking about going in a different direction with this (Thanks smokey for mentioning fabbing one out of steel)... It's not steel, but it is going a different route than what the BMW gurus would do... BMW uses the arm to push and pull from the transmission... This makes the shifter seem like it doesn't move inside the vehicle as much since the arm and rod both connect to the same item, the trans... My idea is to lock the arm to the vehicle using the three mounting points the automatic shifter assembly uses... I would even use the existing front bushing with my idea... It is just an idea, so don't get upset if it doesn't pan out!!

I got this E36 shifting arm to use early on, but went a different route... HOWEVER, I can rotate it 180 deg and use the existing bushing support, but mount the other end securely to the rear bolt hole... Locking this in the center of the opening solves a few issues... The pivot bushing is horizontal allowing more room for the shifter to move... No welding (so far) and little modification required (so far) to get it installed... and no crazy bend in the shifter itself... The only issue I see is how to keep it from twisting...

I'll get pictures of this in a few hours... I have two days to figure this out!! I would love to have everything finished prior to programming!!

Oh, and someone please remind me to fill the trans with MTL before I start the X!!!

Okay, cheers for now!!!
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2001 E53 X5 4.4i (03-07-2001 build date) White exterior / hellbeige interior (6MT swap vehicle - Manny)
2002 E53 X5 4.6is (12-20-2001 build date) Imola Red exterior / M-texture interior (Red)
2003 E53 X5 4.4i (06-26-2003 build date) Silver exterior / Black interior (Silvester II)
2008 Mini Cooper S ragtop (04-17-2008 build date) Dark Silver exterior / Gray interior ( Topless)
BMWCCA member (#4745)
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  #7  
Old 06-14-2017, 08:45 AM
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I'm going to ask a really stupid question. You may have already answered this in an earlier post and I just missed it.

If the transmission came out of a 540, and the 540 uses the same engine as the X5, why aren't you able to use the shifter arm and selector rod from a 540? What's different between the 540 and X5 that's forcing you to fabricate these parts?

Oh, and don't forget to put MTL in the transmission before you start it up!
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2002 X5 4.6is - Imola Red/Black (Sold)
2001 740i M Sport - Anthrazit Metallic/Black (Sold)
1998 M3/4/5 - Technoviolet/Dove (Sold)
2003 Z4 3.0i Sport - Sterlinggrau Metallic/Black (Sold)
2009 Mini JCW (The Wife's)
2015 i3 REx - Arravani Gray/Tera World (Daily Driver)
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  #8  
Old 06-14-2017, 08:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BimmerM3inGA View Post
I'm going to ask a really stupid question. You may have already answered this in an earlier post and I just missed it.

If the transmission came out of a 540, and the 540 uses the same engine as the X5, why aren't you able to use the shifter arm and selector rod from a 540? What's different between the 540 and X5 that's forcing you to fabricate these parts?

Oh, and don't forget to put MTL in the transmission before you start it up!
Good day!!!!

I don't think any question is a stupid one!! Some answers are more obvious than others, but no real stupid questions...

The difference is not the engine or trans, it has to do with the design of the transmission tunnel... The 540i uses a very tight clearance and the shifter is almost even with the top of the transmission... So the arm and selector rod are pretty much straight... The X5 engineers decided they were going to raise up the shifter location, in what seems like a sort of tower on the transmission tunnel... It may have something to do with the transfer case, but never the less, it is much higher than the top of the trans... So, the arms have to travel down on an angle...

Hey!! Thanks!! I need to put MTL in my transmission!!

Cheers!!!
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2001 E53 X5 4.4i (03-07-2001 build date) White exterior / hellbeige interior (6MT swap vehicle - Manny)
2002 E53 X5 4.6is (12-20-2001 build date) Imola Red exterior / M-texture interior (Red)
2003 E53 X5 4.4i (06-26-2003 build date) Silver exterior / Black interior (Silvester II)
2008 Mini Cooper S ragtop (04-17-2008 build date) Dark Silver exterior / Gray interior ( Topless)
BMWCCA member (#4745)
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  #9  
Old 06-14-2017, 09:19 AM
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Good day all!!!

Here is my idea thus far... I got this to use the transmission end, not the shifter end... It might be fate or whatever you wanna call it...

So, this is prior to cutting... The thing I failed to capture with these first few pictures is how deep the assembly sits when using the existing support... Lower is not a bad thing, but I fear it might be a tad too low and cause issues with the shifter boot or rubber protection cover...









So, maybe not use the existing support and hard mount it to the “tower” with and eye-bolt for the front and some clamp style set-up for the back...



I can always lower this down some with hardware...



Here I’m experimenting with just putting a bolt thru the back part and coming up thru the center rear mounting hole... I nixed this idea due to the design of the arm... Cutting thru the vertical section of the “I” beam, I would compromise nearly all the strength the arm has at that point...



I could do the clamp idea still in this location... Really, I can almost turn this in any direction... I would need to trim the pointed end if I spun it 180 deg...





So, there you have it... This is the current idea in progress...

Cheers for now!!
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2001 E53 X5 4.4i (03-07-2001 build date) White exterior / hellbeige interior (6MT swap vehicle - Manny)
2002 E53 X5 4.6is (12-20-2001 build date) Imola Red exterior / M-texture interior (Red)
2003 E53 X5 4.4i (06-26-2003 build date) Silver exterior / Black interior (Silvester II)
2008 Mini Cooper S ragtop (04-17-2008 build date) Dark Silver exterior / Gray interior ( Topless)
BMWCCA member (#4745)

Last edited by williamx5; 08-05-2017 at 03:57 PM.
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  #10  
Old 06-14-2017, 10:28 AM
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Ah, I see the problem now! How is it solved on the 3.0 with the manual?
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2002 X5 4.6is - Imola Red/Black (Sold)
2001 740i M Sport - Anthrazit Metallic/Black (Sold)
1998 M3/4/5 - Technoviolet/Dove (Sold)
2003 Z4 3.0i Sport - Sterlinggrau Metallic/Black (Sold)
2009 Mini JCW (The Wife's)
2015 i3 REx - Arravani Gray/Tera World (Daily Driver)
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