Good day!!

I just looked at realoem and the diagram for the hydraulic line is BACKWARDS or everything I just did is a huge coincidence! So, no luck on finding an adapter plug for the line going thru the body... Maybe I'll get lucky and a manual trans 3.0L X5 will show up in the PIY!! All the salvage yards leave this stuff in the vehicle when they recycle it... Such a shame!

Cheers!!

And possibly needing to bend the clutch line, in the event it was not "pre-bent" is what you were dreading...

I am completely thrilled I don't have to bend the clutch line!! I am not sure how that drawing could have gotten reversed like it is... I actually didn't notice until I went back in looking for the "buffer grommet"... They have the trans side connected to the pedal cylinder and the pedal side connected to the transmission... I WILL need to find something to tighten up the connection between the body and the odd rubber grommet on the line...

Cheers!!!

Good day!!!

I got the transfer case out! It is incredibly light compared to the 4.6is version... I got one for my 2002 under the impression the drive shaft and TC were ruined... It was just the modified front drive shaft that failed without damaging the harder steel in the TC... Goes to show that some mods aren't worth the time or money...

I got the trans out too... Despite it being more than twice the weight of the manual version going in, the flat pan makes pulling it easier than installing the 6-speed manual... I didn’t get pictures of this process, but can add some of the manual going in the next time I do that, if yous want.

Here is the bottom of the shifter housing. This cover is added to the auto version since nothing really needs to go through the opening.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/JkuyN6.jpg

And the cover removed... I may cut the rectangle and circle out and put this cover back... I'll find a plug to cover the hole the auto shifter cable came through...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/9QeqU4.jpg

Here is the drive shaft for the rear. I’ll go over the length a little later...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/Ljs7Je.jpg

And the auto flywheel. Note the hydraulic line hanging down for the clutch. I’ll show the gap this has in a second...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/5z2X1S.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/awgfqA.jpg

Here is the gap this large plug has. There has to be another grommet that fits in here!

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/Y2JP37.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/Rhk8ht.jpg

I noticed the automatic was purchased from the large used parts supplier...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/RQtz0x.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/3MSQjw.jpg

Well, this is what I found! Probably the result of a rush job installing the replacement transmission.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/SgJHcd.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/Ns1yyk.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/BtlDHP.jpg

The starter casting is completely broken from the block... If this were not an initial project, I would replace the motor... Fortunately, the piece broke in such a way that it needs to be pushed forward (in relation to the front of the vehicle) to get back in place... Then the transmission sandwiches the piece to the block, and the starter aligns everything and further tightens things down... It is VERY unlikely it will move once everything is reinstalled...

Here is the difference between the transmissions. This is not even including the transfer case...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/66TlA8.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/ApUr0A.jpg

So, I got the new flywheel on and I made sure all the timing components lined up... I did not install the clutch disc or pressure plate on the flywheel yet...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/pYxAqZ.jpg

I test fitted the manual trans to get some measurements... I still need some parts mentioned earlier... Here are some things I am contemplating...

The front section of the rear drive shaft needs to be 340mm longer... It is currently 558mm from the support bearing housing to the end of the mounting ear... The guibo is 32mm... The 340mm measurement is from the mounting point on the guibo to the mounting point on the mounting ear of the output shaft on the trans... This is the gap I need to fill...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/002tTg.jpg

I've taken my 540i drive shaft apart to replace the support bearing. I figure BMW wouldn't make huge variations of the same part if they can make it work... So, I just need to find a front section that is 898mm long... (To put this in American specs... The current front section is about 22in long... It needs to be 35.4in... The rear section is guesstimating just a half foot longer than the front, so the increase to the front half might bring them closer to the same length...) And the X5 front section is shorter by comparison to the front section of the 540i (probably due to the TC length)...

Okay, now on to the shifter arm... The mounting for it is easy... Just push these through and bolt the mount... I did not order the nuts for this... Most BMW hardware is the same... I stole these from the strut at the strut tower...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/r1pfg8.jpg

And from underneath...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/R0WU1f.jpg

It is probably better than 20mm too long... HOWEVER!!!!!! I noticed that it is designed to run down the left of center... Maybe to make room for the long selector shaft (from the shifter to the trans)...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/SrgTkC.jpg

So, I was toying with the idea of getting rid of the mounting fork at the end and hard bolting it to the trans... OR make a bracket that wraps around the square part of the arm and have that mount solidly to the trans... I'll play with that more...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/qrxf3x.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/7y9bnZ.jpg

The other idea is to take the 540i arm and cut it off a couple inches from the trans, cut the X5 arm even to the mounting point on the 540i trans, and fasten them together solidly!! I like this last idea the best, but I can't say it will positively work since I don't have the 540i arm in my possession right now... The arm is cast aluminium, so I can't cut, bend, and drill a hole to mount to the trans...

So far, all that is the easy stuff... Well, kinda... I may need to take the drive shaft to a shop and have them extend it... But now we get into the trans cross member... The main bulk of the cross member is far back from the trans support locations... I toyed with the idea of welding extension on the existing cross member, but I think the flex would make things "unsteady" and eventually break the welds over time... So, my other idea is to make some sort of mount that extends from the holes in the rail the current mounting hardware is and make a sort of "X" brace... I didn’t get good pictures of the cross member in place... I apologize! I’ll update with some tomorrow... But, you can see here that this isn’t that heavy... This strap is using the holes I want to utilize for my “X” brace (along with the existing mounting hardware location...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/b6eYlt.jpg

I’m not sure I if I want to use part of the existing cross member, OR just start from scratch and align things in the process of its creation... I think this is the second hardest part of this conversion!

Here are some "teasing" shots of the used 5-speed shifter I got from my son when he upgraded his 330i...

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/dNICoF.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/v8rpUB.jpg

That’s all for now!!

Stay tuned!!

Cheers!!

Good day all!!

Well, work is slow tonight... Shhhhhh, don't say anything!! I don't need things here to start breaking down!!

I looked up the various shifter arms BMW has to offer... I really like the transmission end of the E36 M3 arm... It uses the same grommet bushing the E39 uses and it has a slight bend up and over to the left (IF I flip it over after cutting it to the correct length)... I might even be able to measure and clamp together, end to end... Oh, I could go to such an extent to fabricate a solid part if I can get the casting to work... But that is far into the future of this project... I actually like this option so much, I just purchased the arm, new for $27... Along with all the other mounting items needed... Keep your fingers crossed this works!!

I've also been looking at the front sections to the various drive shafts out there... I've asked for some measurements from some avail on the internet... We'll see if I get answers... I think I can work with one that is a tad short, but I can't foresee any easy way of dealing with one that's too long...

And the last obstacle is the cross member... I might just bring the measurements into work and see what the other welder guru and I can come up with... I might end up making a jig or something to reproduce the cross member we come up with, if it comes out perfectly functionable!! (<---- I don't think that is a word, but you get the idea!)

Cheers!!!

I'm in the process of doing the same to my x5... this info is extremely helpful. If I run Into anything similar or different I will add to this topic as well if that's ok with you. Glad to see the progress

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Nice progress man! Stoked to see this all coming together.

That is super great!! Really really!! Did you deal with the cross member (CM) yet? I had a super amazing idea this afternoon before work... I have mine with me and plan on messing with it... So, here is what I was thinking:

Initially, I had thought about making a flat support for the trans mount, welded to the bottom of the existing CM... I figure this would cause too much flex and eventually break the weld... Today, I had the idea of cutting parallel to the frame rail vertically, welding a flat section of steel to the surface of the cut, and repeating the process at the end under the trans. I know a picture is worth 1000 words, and I hope to get that tonight...

How do I explain this? I don't know... take a pencil and lay it on your computer desk pointed left or right... cut a section out of the center of it (cutting perfectly vertically down)... Move that center section forward (leaving the two sides where they are... Glue toothpicks to the cut ends... Make sense?

This will retain the original mounting points on the original CM, and using the tubular steel will keep its integrity to hold the weight. The drive side will need to be cut at an angle due to the underside frame rail, but the pass side will be straight...

Heck! Add as much as you want... Pictures are worth more than words here... Commentary is great, but we LOVE pictures!!!

How close are you to finishing?!

Cheers!!

Thanks!! ME TOO!! I'm excited about getting the power to the pavement!! I just pray it isn't like driving a brick with RWD!!! I may need to beef up the rear sway bar if it seems too top heavy under extreme acceleration!!

Cheers!!!

Good day!

So, I got the dash under panel modified to accept the clutch pedal... I think my CDO was getting the better of me... I'll get some pictures of that posted up tonight, if I'm able...

I also got the original cassette holder out of the center storage, and installed the CD holder I found at the U Pull It Yard (UPIY)... Anyone want the cassette holders?

Cheers for now!!

Awesome!