01 X5 4.4I 6spd Manual

[BMWX54.4]

I was sitting in my car after school waiting for it to warm-up and i was thinking is it possible to make a 01 X5 4.4 Auto in to a 01 X5 4.4 6spd Manual ?

I figured since my X5's tranny is already done with no first gear and reverse, and i'm an good stick shift driver. You take the everything out from a E39 540i 6spd Manual and put it into my X5 4.4. They are both same engines, same set-up. Why not??

Although it would be a first

What do you guys think ??

[Dking05]

Not sure if its possible but, didnt X5's have manuals? (rare) or was it limited to 3.0's.

[Tleong]

Originally Posted by Dking05

Not sure if its possible but, didnt X5's have manuals? (rare) or was it limited to 3.0's.

It was limited to 3.0

[BMWX54.4]

Originally Posted by Dking05

Not sure if its possible but, didnt X5's have manuals? (rare) or was it limited to 3.0's.

Only on 3.0's

[secretaznsauce]

m5 tranny?

[BMWX54.4]

Originally Posted by secretaznsauce

m5 tranny?

M5 tranny!! I wish but the M5 tranny is a 4.9L and the 540i is a 4.4L same as my truck

[m5james]

Originally Posted by BMWX54.4

M5 tranny!! I wish but the M5 tranny is a 4.9L and the 540i is a 4.4L same as my truck

The 535 (Europe only), E34 540 (5spd) , E39 540/M5 (6spd), 740i (Europe only) and the 840csi all share the same/similar manual transmission. I'm currently converting my 740iL to a 6spd, but its not as easy as simply bolting the trans and driving. I have to order parts only available in Europe...new brake and clutch pedal set, master and slave cylinders for the clutch, transmission itself and a custom made driveline. The way around the computer for 7 owners is to flash the ECU w/ 540 software so it doesn't freak out and give 'Trans Failsafe Error' codes everyday while driving it. The problem w/ the X5 as Swiss mentioned is the transfer case and the X being AWD, then you've got a while different issue w/ the ECU since the only X in a 5spd is the 3.0. If you converted it to a RWD only and bypassed the AWD (god only knows how the computer would react, let alone if it'd even run correctly w/o seeing the transmission) system all together. Unless you're willing to spend at least 2-3k in parts (lowball estimate), you'd be able to bolt a 6spd to your X. Your honestly better off getting onto Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market or Bavarian Engine Exchange & Rebuilt BMW Parts 's junkyard division and buying a used trans if you're not willing to fix the one you have now. Shops like Koala Motorsports quote at least $10k to do this job, but I'm doing the work myself, so i'll be into it about 1/4 to 1/2 that after its all said and done.

[papasmurf]

Originally Posted by BMWX54.4

M5 tranny!! I wish but the M5 tranny is a 4.9L and the 540i is a 4.4L same as my truck

No difference there, that's engine displacement. You definitely could pull it off, but most likely you would lose your AWD, due to computer problems.\

To be honest, I'd love to do an S62 swap in my truck and make it into a true, one-of-none E53 X5M, but after seeing the amount of time it's taken to get one working in my friend's Z4, I don't think I could bring myself to do it, unless I got a motor stupid-cheap and could figure out a way to wire it right. I think the best approach would be to wire up the ITBs as a single unit and use 1 MAF, so that the factory computer could just think it's an M62. As far as VANOS, I would think an RPM window switch would work on that too.

[m5james]

Originally Posted by papasmurf

You definitely could pull it off, but most likely you would lose your AWD, due to computer problems.

It's been done, but I'm not sure if it's AWD anymore. While having AWD is nice in Boise winters, I'd rather have a 6spd manual for the increased gas mileage (gained 4mpg in the 740iL) and cool factor for the other 9 months when it's not snowing...AWD is for people without track experience and/or vehicle control skills I would just as easily drive my no traction control having M5 to work just as I would taking the X...and I've done it before.

[papasmurf]

Originally Posted by m5james

It's been done, but I'm not sure if it's AWD anymore. While having AWD is nice in Boise winters, I'd rather have a 6spd manual for the increased gas mileage (gained 4mpg in the 740iL) and cool factor for the other 9 months when it's not snowing...AWD is for people without track experience and/or vehicle control skills I would just as easily drive my no traction control having M5 to work just as I would taking the X...and I've done it before.

Yeah, but S62 + blower + AWD = AWD burnouts = Gnarly.