Manual transmission

[Henn28]

Looking for an overview of the manual transmission and transfer case that was used in the 3.0 early on. Talking to a guy with one for sale, and I dream of converting my 4.4/4.6 into a manual someday when the current auto-box craps out. It’ll be a while, hopefully since it it’s a 4ish years old remanufactured. However, the 4.6 in my car now makes about 50 more ftlbs than the 4.4 tranny I’ve got it hooked to is rated for, so who knows.

I think the manual is a ZF, and I’m told very stout and used by lots of guys making major HP from BMW motors. Is the t-case the same as on the V8s though? I can’t imagine it would bolt right up, but maybe an adaptor is available. It looks like the tranny was used in the m62 powered 535 and 735, but I wonder if the bell housings are different from our M62 version.

I’m thinking I might grab this tranny while it’s available and just hang on to it for the future, but don’t want to waste money that could go elsewhere on the X project. Thanks for any insight.

[bmw540san]

Why not start with realoem where you can see the tranny model number and then google it?
I did it before for other cars and you can quickly find some info on max torque rating etc...

[Henn28]

Should have been more clear, sorry. The Manual is the S5-31, which is widely used in lots of applications, BMW and otherwise. Getrag, ZF and GM all made it and realoem only lists as an application the x5. I assume because the case is made to support a transfer case, even if the internals are identical to those used on say, the 535, etc.

Regarding transfer cases, realoem does list the NV-125 for both the m62 and M54 and M57 motors. So that piece will definitely work.

[rwilson]

I believe there was a thread/article about someone in Germany switching to a 6spd with a v8. I can't find the links at the moment but did not search extensively.

good luck

update see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix0Yotyx6v0

[freedo]

Originally Posted by Henn28

Should have been more clear, sorry. The Manual is the S5-31, which is widely used in lots of applications, BMW and otherwise. Getrag, ZF and GM all made it and realoem only lists as an application the x5. I assume because the case is made to support a transfer case, even if the internals are identical to those used on say, the 535, etc.

Regarding transfer cases, realoem does list the NV-125 for both the m62 and M54 and M57 motors. So that piece will definitely work.

i asked a similar question when i broke the ZF in my X5. asking if i could just swap the tail housing and shafts to a RWD ZF trans. in theory it should work. what someone did tell me is the X5 ZF has a shorter 1st gear compared to all other ZF for RWD. which maybe why realoem lists it as X5 only. the rear driveshafts are the same for all models i believe pre X drive for the V8, I6, manual and automatic so the transfer case should be the same. you can find the X5 ZF online without a transfer case for around $300 pretty easily. they arent worth a lot since they are listed as being used only with the X5

[Henn28]

Originally Posted by freedo

i asked a similar question when i broke the ZF in my X5. asking if i could just swap the tail housing and shafts to a RWD ZF trans. in theory it should work. what someone did tell me is the X5 ZF has a shorter 1st gear compared to all other ZF for RWD. which maybe why realoem lists it as X5 only. the rear driveshafts are the same for all models i believe pre X drive for the V8, I6, manual and automatic so the transfer case should be the same. you can find the X5 ZF online without a transfer case for around $300 pretty easily. they arent worth a lot since they are listed as being used only with the X5

Thanks for the replies. I looked too for a thread, but was unsuccessful. Will keep at it.

Yeah, $300 is pretty much in line with what the guy wants, with a little bump for the transfer case, which I’ve been looking for anyway to have a core to rebuild.

PMC makes an adapter with a flywheel for the m62 so the transmission can bolt up. Initially I figured I could also change the ratios more easily if needed, but a quick search seems to indicate that there aren’t a lot of aftermarket/rebuild kits for the s5x31…it was a really quick search. I just would hate to get worse MPG than I do now, after the 4.6 swap. It looks like the 5HP24 has a fifth gear of .80, while (from what I can find in the inter-web) the S5-31 fifth gear is 1.0.

Seems like the hardware portion of these things is well understood…adapter, flywheel, clutch and line, pedal, a mod to the transmission harness (?) and some misc. stuff I’m sure. Not sure about ME7.2 programming but will reach out to some tuners, and I suspect some have experience. Driveshaft mods/custom work might be needed with the added drive train length due to the adapter.

I need to get smart on flywheel and clutch options too as I would hate to pick the wrong stuff for my application.

[nick325xit 5spd]

Originally Posted by freedo

i asked a similar question when i broke the ZF in my X5. asking if i could just swap the tail housing and shafts to a RWD ZF trans. in theory it should work. what someone did tell me is the X5 ZF has a shorter 1st gear compared to all other ZF for RWD. which maybe why realoem lists it as X5 only. the rear driveshafts are the same for all models i believe pre X drive for the V8, I6, manual and automatic so the transfer case should be the same. you can find the X5 ZF online without a transfer case for around $300 pretty easily. they arent worth a lot since they are listed as being used only with the X5

Well, the X5 really just got the diesel ratios. They're unique in the US, but not the rest of the world.

[X5chemist]

Is the diesel ratio 3.91?

Available Drives: 3.62 | 3.91 | 4.10

A 3.0i with 3.91 probably won't feel a difference. However, the 3.62 is an 11.7% change. For super long road trips, ~2150 RPMs at highway speeds is sweet.

[nick325xit 5spd]

Originally Posted by X5chemist

Is the diesel ratio 3.91?

Available Drives: 3.62 | 3.91 | 4.10

A 3.0i with 3.91 probably won't feel a difference. However, the 3.62 is an 11.7% change. For super long road trips, ~2150 RPMs at highway speeds is sweet.

I'm talking about the transmission gear ratios. Diesels get wide spaced gears like the X5. That super short first gear is not because of the rear end.

Edit: To be clear, I'm talking about pretty much all (if not all) RoW BMW diesels. A 320d has similar transmission ratios to the X5 manual. The gas X5 is a weird outlier that gets what is effectively a diesel transmission.

[freedo]

Originally Posted by Henn28

Thanks for the replies. I looked too for a thread, but was unsuccessful. Will keep at it.

Yeah, $300 is pretty much in line with what the guy wants, with a little bump for the transfer case, which I’ve been looking for anyway to have a core to rebuild.

PMC makes an adapter with a flywheel for the m62 so the transmission can bolt up. Initially I figured I could also change the ratios more easily if needed, but a quick search seems to indicate that there aren’t a lot of aftermarket/rebuild kits for the s5x31…it was a really quick search. I just would hate to get worse MPG than I do now, after the 4.6 swap. It looks like the 5HP24 has a fifth gear of .80, while (from what I can find in the inter-web) the S5-31 fifth gear is 1.0.

Seems like the hardware portion of these things is well understood…adapter, flywheel, clutch and line, pedal, a mod to the transmission harness (?) and some misc. stuff I’m sure. Not sure about ME7.2 programming but will reach out to some tuners, and I suspect some have experience. Driveshaft mods/custom work might be needed with the added drive train length due to the adapter.

I need to get smart on flywheel and clutch options too as I would hate to pick the wrong stuff for my application.

if you were more local to me id happily sell you my blown 5spd trans for $20 that you could use for mock up. i think i still have the old flywheel/clutch laying around