New To Me 4.6is
 

Hey guys!
I'll be getting my second E53 shortly and had some questions regarding parts interchangeability & more up to date information.

So I have a 2002 4.6is coming to me soon & currently have an 06 3.0i.

1)
I just put a brand new, heated, sport steering wheel in the 3.0I. I have done some digging into the part interchangeability and from what I've seen the steering wheel will fit but some modification will be required to get the heat to work. Does anyone know firsthand or for sure what would be needed to swap this awesome new steering wheel into my pre facelift 4.6is?

2)
I have read that e70 X5M front brake calipers work as a direct bolt on for the E53. Past the calipers (E70 X5M), Rotors (E70 X5M), Pads (E70X5M), what lines & sensors are used with this kit? E53 or E70? Will any other work be needed past bolting these on? The truck already has E70 X5M wheels on it with spacers so I'm assuming the hub bore issue would be resolved. Anything I'm missing? Has anyone come up with a rear caliper solution yet?

3)
What's the general consensus on squared Style 87 rear wheels? I know a 315 tire up front is big but with the servotronic option has anyone who has run this setup felt any negative impact on the ride or steering? I love this look and plan on sourcing 4 rears when I can. If someone has a set I would be willing to purchase...

4)
This car is pretty meticulous & the previous owner to me has kept it in excellent shape. With that said, I've always wanted the M tex / alcantara interior. I have been looking all over for a set but have come up short for a set in good condition. Would anyone be willing to trade for an excellent condition all black leather set + cash on my end?

5)
The car currently has Bilstein shocks/struts & HR front and rear springs (Coded out the air susp.). Anyone have any RECENT feedback on KW V3's vs BC coilovers? I will be DD the truck and don't want it to be crazy stiff or bouncy, I have had KW V3's in my past few cars so I'm aware on how they feel in sports sedans. Obviously I want to lower but not hammer the truck.

6)
Would anyone be willing to part with their Dinan stuff? I'm a sucker for their parts on these trucks & I am looking for a GOOD condition Intake w/ MAF, Strut tower brace, exhaust. I would pay shipping and asking price (if its reasonable).

7)
This truck has already been fitted with the 88c thermo & electric fan conversion. To further help the cooling of the truck, does anyone have experience with the Zionsville Autosport Aluminum radiator? How was the fitment? Did you notice any actual cooling benefits over the stock radiator?

I plan on being quite active here with the new truck so it's nice to see this forum is alive and well for the most part. I run a BMW performance / Maintenance shop in NNJ & would surely love to help any other forum members!


Also, here are some pics!

Nice wheels. I need to powder coat my 130 style to black.
Wow, lots of questions. Might want to start a separate post for each one.

Yea :-/ Figured I'd consolidate the questions into one thread w/ updates as I move along with it. I'll be doing the work at my shop so information + pictures might help others with some more recent information etc..

welcome and congrats, looks like a nice car!

Although I have a 4.6. I haven't upgraded anything apart from the audio/navigation so can't help you on your questions

Where did the 88C thermostat come from? I've tried two sources mentioned here. No replies. I would like one for mine.

2)
The 4.6iS brakes are plenty from the factory. Unless you're going to be tracking the car or just have a couple grand burning a hole in your pocket, there's no reason for upgrading the brakes.

3)
A few have run square setups with no posted issues. This is second/third hand knowledge though so grain of salt.

4)
Good luck, for some reason the full leather comfort seats are the red headed step child. Having ridden in both I wouldn't trade my Comforts for anything.

6)
You can buy my whole Dinan Supercharged 4.6iS. Excellent condition, just did guides, front suspension, engine reseal, etc. PM me if you're interested.

7)
My SC'd 4.6iS has never had any cooling issues in Houston, driven year round, all OE cooling components. There is no need for anything aftermarket.

I would recommend going through every system and doing all the preventative maintenance at one time on your purchase before going down any other path. You will discover that these little monsters eat parts at an enormous accelerated rate.

Euro thermostat and housing
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-vemo-par...512248542~vmo/
with this temp switch/resistor
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...r/13901734469/

The brakes on this car have new pads/rotors/sensors & the calipers are refinished in black. The upgrade isn't absolutely needed but when the mod bug bites ...

I agree the standard sport full leather seats are indeed comfy, I just always wanted the Mtex ones & passed up on an estoril/mtex 4.6is to get this one since it was so perfectly mechanically sorted.

LOL while I would love a s/c one I already am set up to purchase this one & having met the owner & spoken to him for a few weeks now I found myself a great one.

I figure the low temp thermo & electric fan conversion is more than enough already, I just wanted to know if anyone had experience with that specific aluminum radiator.

Yea I did a ton of research before buying this one, It has had everything maintenance wise sorted except the timing chains & guides & the horse shoe back of engine gasket. Otherwise I have videos of cold start and a tremendously extensive maintenance record all done in the past 2 years. It helps I run a performance BMW repair shop & have wrenched for years. I also only drive 14 miles a day to and from work so the wear rate will be more than manageable.

:thumbup:

I'd cycle that short commute, better for the car :D

I'd love to if it didn't involve a highway for the first 2 miles! I also have to drop my 4 month old off at daycare lol.

Agreed, nothing worse for a car than lots and lots of cold starts without spending any or much time at temperature. Definitely would be wise to replace the CCV ahead of that kind of duty. I took up biking to work for just the same reason (also because I like money and my BMW costs a lot to drive!).

Totally understand. I always warm the car up before driving off & even though its 7 miles each way its a 17-20 minute commute. My C63, E90 m3, Audi S6 all had no trouble getting to operating temps during the drive in and home. Not too worried about it. The CCV and all hoses were all replaced already by the previous owner. All the vacuum lines were replaced with upgraded silicone as well.

Update 10/17/22

Car arrived from Indiana safe and sound. I got a chance to go register it & drive it a few hundred miles on Saturday.

-Ordered KW V3 Coilovers. The combination of Bilstein shocks/struts & H&R lowering springs is a bit too jarring for my liking. The V3's should help lower it a little and play with dampening to help the ride quality.

-Ordered a full oil change kit (10W40 Liquimoly w/ MoS2)
-Ordered NGK plugs & (snake oil) Dinan coils
-Bought a set of Style 87 wheels w/ winter tires on them, now just need to find a set of rears so I can run them squared after the winter.
-Bought a Dinan exhaust that needs some love and came off a 4.8is. Ordered new tips from Dinan & I'm going to redo the piping connections with my stock 4.6is link pipes w/ Vbands to be able to swap between stock and Dinan.

Still need to figure out what direction I want to go with the head unit. I want carplay & each system (Dynavin, Avin, Eonon, Xtron) has it's own downsides. I can't help myself, I don't want to look at the stock screen with the burn ins. Does anyone have a screen that isn't shot they would be willing to part with?

Rarely during the trip I noticed a hard 2-1 downshift when the car was warm & approaching a light. I did a bunch of reading up and found multiple answers to this problem. First thing I'm going to do that could help the situation or at least help the overall health of the transmission is grab a universal transmission cooler & go from there.

Otherwise, I'm loving the new truck & it's a great upgrade from the 3.0i I had been daily driving.

Pictures!

I did some research on the Zionville setup for my 4.6 swap and came across enough less than glowing feedback on other BMW forums.
that I settled on adding a big CSF oil cooler and kept the coolant system stock. The car runs hot, as designed, but the oil runs roughly 10 to 15 deg cooler which can only be good I think.

looking great!

Looks gorgeous! Love the stance!

Just need to 'lose' those wrong model and color wheels, put the stock back on and that's a sweet ride.

Style 87s are bomb, but I sure do love my 168s on the e53. The silver does set it off really nicely though. BMW has always done a great silver.

Thanks for the love guys, I have a set of style 87's that have winter tires on them (unfortunately powdercoated matte black) which I will run this winter and refinish in silver in the spring. I'm not a fan of the E70 x5m wheels either, especially in black. I'll either sell them as is or have them refinished in silver as well.

I still don't understand the obsession with matte black. I have never seen a car wrapped, painted, or otherwise finished in matter black that doesn't look like its primer'd. My 87s are powder coated gloss black and they look awesome but the car is Sapphire Black Metallic so it works. I've actually been exploring different options for my e90 wheels and have found a couple powders that get close to the BBS brilliant silver. Let me know if you're interested, I can find/post the links.

I agree, I don't get why people like a wheel that always looks dirty :-(, I have a bunch of options that we use for our customers at my shop which can get super close to OEM / BBS silver. Thank you though for the help!

Here is the color used when refinishing my Style 87s.

https://www.prismaticpowders.com/sho...525/bmw-silver

The BBS brilliant silver is the shiny looking finish they use. I have a set of old RXs on my e39 and am absolutely bonkers for that color. I'm looking to get my style 162s on the e90 in prismatic super chrome plus with clear.

New To Me 4.6is
 

I believe “PropellerHead” did a zionsville rad and the fitment was off a little and they had to do a minor modification to make it fit. Reach out to him for specifics.


Sent from my iPhone using Xoutpost.com

Thank you!

Update 11/15/22
*KW V3's arrived today, I ordered some new OEM strut mounts & such to go in with the coilovers

*Dynavin 8 Pro D8 arrived this week, I grabbed some RCA's as well to run to the amps that were installed by the previous owner in the trunk. This is what is currently installed. Not impressed with the current sound quality so the upgraded head unit & possibly the JL Stealthbox Sub should help get some great sound out of the truck.
-Kicker CX800.1 mono amp for the sub
-Kicker CX360.4 for the front and rear speakers
-Wavtech link8 LOC
-Infinity Kappa speakers front and rear
-SkarAudio 1" tweeters
-Earthquake SWS 6.5inch shallow woofers in the OEM DSP box

*My LeMans front flares should be showing up any day now from the dealer.

*I have 2 full sets of style 87 wheels now. One is powdercoated black with snow tires on them. I'll run those through the winter before refinishing them in factory silver & run square rears in the summer, square fronts in the winter with the snow tires.

*Eibach 20mm front & 30mm rear hub mounted spacers going on with the style 87's

*I have a brand new OEM heated sport steering wheel I installed in my 3.0 (Facelift) before grabbing the 4.6is. I bought the correct clock spring with connection for heat to swap into the 4.6is.

*Autotecknic hatch spoiler is currently being painted titanium silver & will be installed when I find time to head over to the body shop.

*New exhaust tips coming from Dinan for the 4.8is Dinan exhaust I picked up. Going to cut off the old beat up tips, weld on the new ones. also will need to swap flanges from my stock exhaust to the Dinan one & clean up the piping to the mufflers.

*Install the Dinan throttle body I have sitting on my shelf & tune.

*After the winter I'll do a full paint correction & ceramic coat the truck CSL + Exo V4 combo.

*I have a set of gloss black front grills, Should I install those or keep the factory ones?

I'm still looking for a Dinan Intake & MAF, Dinan Strut bar, MTex full interior.....

Can't wait to see the progress. Here is the engine bay of my DINAN S2https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...7685976b73.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...afc2757324.jpg

I'm jealous, sell me all those engine bay goodies!!!!

Lots of ambitious tasks ahead OP, good luck!

One of the things I did, while cosmetic, when I was doing valve cover gaskets was powder coating valve covers. They came out fantastic, the vendor loved the outcome/color it then became a standard offering for them. The engine bay then came to life with the Dinan CAI and strut bar eye candy added.

Thank you! plenty of work ahead for sure. The previous owner replaced both valve covers when doing the gaskets with new & had them powdercoated black before installing them. I agree they look great in the engine bay!

UPDATE: 12/9/22

*Dynavin 8 Pro D8 Installed! This setup is LIGHTYEARS better than my Avant4 in my 3.0i. The boot up is fast, Carplay is fast and reliable, Easy to navigate interface, Incredible support from Dynavin. This is why I spent more to go with a known great product. Also, The slim mount license plate frame backup camera offered from Dynavin is excellent.
-Kicker CX800.1 mono amp for the sub
-Kicker CX360.4 for the front and rear speakers
-Wavtech link8 LOC *Removed*
-Infinity Kappa speakers front and rear
-SkarAudio 1" tweeters
-Earthquake SWS 6.5inch shallow woofers in the OEM DSP box *Removed*
-Lanzar Vector 10" subwoofer (Had it sitting around, still performs well)
*Note, I just finished testing this setup out so while its not the finished product, I know it works really well.


*Mounted the black style 87 wheels with snow tires on them, 30mm eibach spacers in the rear and 25mm front. Once the winter is over i'm going to run square rear style 87's in factory silver

*Autotecknic hatch spoiler is now painted, just waiting on a small AC schnitzer badge to put in the emblem recess then on the truck.

*Finally scored a Dinan Airbox w/ MAF, just need to refinish the box lid & install with the throttle body. I'll be able to put the dinan software on the truck then.



Next up for the winter
-Install KW V3's
-Install the trunk hatch spoiler
-Install the Lemans front fender flares
-Install the Dinan airbox & MAF, Install Dinan TB & Tune
-Find a higher quality 10" sub & finish off the box
-Install Dinan Mufflers w/ new tips
-Oil change, Spark plugs, Dinan coils, Transmission service
-New front window regulators w/ motors
-Re tint the truck in 45%

*Find a Dinan Strut tower bar
*Find an excellent condition MTEX interior set
*Find a black Rolling trunk cargo floor

You need some more screws in that sub box. Put one in between each 2 while you are listening and you will hear the difference. I'm assuming the top is removable and the rest is all glued?

Yup that is correct! I plan on securing it better for sure. I threw it together quickly one night this week to test it out. I plan on changing out the sub to another when I make up my mind on that.

Holy crap?! LOL, I've been building sub boxes with less screws than that for years. Always screwed/glued/caulked. Never too old to learn I suppose. Thanks for posting. Wish I had read this before just finishing my E53 box. :rofl:

Attachment 82846

Nice work Mr. Couch. I really enjoy the Infinity Kappas. Especially with the mid range added. How is your signal? Have any whine? I still have to diagnose some in mine. I think it's originating from the Android head unit but won't know until I actually spend time on it. LOL, I just turn it up to where I can't hear it anymore. :D Tempted to switch to a Joying head unit with SPDIF optical output.

From what I've read, if you use Android Auto or Carplay, Dynavin is the superior product. If you don't, then the Avant 4 is. I've been fine with my cheap 10" 8 core Ebay special since I don't use those features.

New To Me 4.6is
 

You are chipping away at putting that thing together!

That tucked away real nice!


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

Thank you! Signal is good & no whine. Tough to say where you are getting it from. I made sure to space the harness for the headunit as far from the battery cable as possible to eliminate any type of interference. I'm very impressed with the Dynavin d8 Pro. The Avin Avant4 I have in my 3.0i has just been too buggy & laggy to be reliable enough for me to be happy. When it works, its great, when it works....

Thank you! Trying my best to get what I can done between having a 6 month old and working. I have quite the list to chip away at lol.

Nice plate. same thing I was contemplating putting on mine until I remembered that I hate the government and already pay enough for plates.

LOL! Yea, my first time ever getting vanity plates so I figured since I will actually keep this truck longer than my usual 1 year and new car habit I'll bite the bullet.

There is an aluminum SPR strut bar in the classifieds section.

New To Me 4.6is
 

I’ve been wanting to buy it, but money is a little tight right now. But, maybe I’ll get my chance.


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

I was looking at that but I prefer to stick with Dinan now that I have the MAF & Airbox. That's really the last aftermarket part I'm looking to collect. After that Just need to focus on the big reseal & Timing chain guides / VANOS seals.

Funny I used that same term when I rolled into the BMW dealer with my 4.6is in Estoril. Folks couldnt believe it was 20years old and only 48k miles.

My assertion was lost on the folks they didnt get the term OG. :dunno:

Congrats on the progress and keep up the good work!

Yup! If you know you know! Thank you!

:iagree: The Dinan strut bar looks awesome keep up that search

I love my 4.6is. 2003 model.
Red with black interior.
72K miles.
I’m planning on getting buried in it….when needed.

New To Me 4.6is
 

Dayum..! :wow:


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

:iagree:

2/3/23 Update

Having an 8 month old and working tirelessly the modifications have been slow. I have collected some parts however and have a nice list of things i'll be starting on the beginning of March.

-Install KW V3's, hammer it
-Install square rear style 87's after refinishing them in silver w/ new center caps
-Install refinished Dinan intake w/ mass air meter, New Dinan throttle body
-Install dinan ignition coils & new plugs
-Install the new OEM lemans style front flares, new oem side skirts, new rear flares all from the dealer
-Install the trunk spoiler i've been staring at for the past two months
-Install the new OEM E70 black front brake calipers, SS front and rear lines, F85 drilled front rotors, Stoptech drilled rear rotors
-Install new transmission lines connected to Quick conntect to AN fittings, to a thermostat, to a front air cooler to help keep transmission temps down.
-Install the Dinan Muffler w/new from dinan exhaust tips.
-Tune with Dinan Transmission and engine.
-Stop thinking about the parts piling up & get back to work on the Vw Caddy I have to put the supercharger on.

-I installed the LCI sport heated steering wheel and while all the buttons work including the heat, when installed I lost control to the telescopic controls as well as the drivers seat. I'm thinking the drivers seat module shit the bed, conveniently, at that exact moment so I have a new one I need to install as well.

-Picture below of the Dinan airbox I refinished which was pretty simple even with the new decal logo.

I'm hoping to have finished all these things by the summer this year so I can enjoy it and it can be the new support vehicle for my company's trip to Mpact East which we sponsor every year.


Happy 2023 ya'll!

Moar pics!!!!

I'll surely get some more pictures soon. I have a question for anyone who cares to answer. I just picked up an underride protection bar. It's chrome as it normally came. Since my car is silver I don't know if I love the idea of a chrome bar underneath. Should I have it painted? What color would you guys do? I was thinking either gloss black or color matched to the car.

If you still have all the black plastic and trimming as it came from the factory I'd say get the bar powder coated to match the rough plastic so not completely smooth flat black but with a little ripple. It'll make the bar blend into the car just enough.

Yup still have the IS front bumper and fender trim. Not a bad idea being a wrinkle black.

You'll need to be specific with the powder you use because wrinkle will produce large wrinkles, what you need to match the plastic is called something else. I don't remember exactly.

hmm, maybe a flat black paint would be similar / close enough?

https://powdercoatings.ppg.com/produ...exture-t1-7069

This is one of many

I'll echo no limit. A flat or satin powdercoat would look amazing.

Side note, I've been planning on doing the same thing but have thus far been unable to find a late model under ride, or a donor vehicle to buy that was equipped. :(

Flat black it is! Yea I was lucky to find someone selling their 3.0 with it equipped. He had purchased it from someone with a 4.6is. The 6 bar version. I paid a good amount for it but it's hard enough to find that it was worth it to me so I stop looking lol.

4/3/23 Update

So I finally had a chance to get a few things done last week / over the weekend.

-Oil change 10w40
-New spark plugs
-Dinan ignition coils
-Dinan Air intake
-Dinan Throttle body
-Square set of style 87 rears (315/35/20) (Refinished)
-E70 X5M (New oem) front calipers w/ F85 Rotors
--Rear Drilled stoptech brake rotors
--Stainless steel lines w/ Motul RBF600 brake fluid flush


*This weekend I'm finally putting the KW V3's on and sitting the truck down where I want it. Possibly going to install the Dinan exhaust as well.

I'm super happy with the Dinan Intake & Throttle body. Massive difference in sound, I guess in power as well as I haven't really pushed it due to breaking in the new brakes. Couldn't believe how little was involved installing the E70 X5M brakes. Just a trim of the backing plate and its 100% bolt on. Of course, some pictures after a wash.

looking good! how is the steering with the wider front wheels?

It's ok, heavier for sure. I haven't driven in severe rain or weather so I don't have anything on that. The look I want outweighs any negative impact I've experienced so far. Can't wait for the coilovers & the Lemans front flares.

Sweet!

I need wider wheels on mine. :bmw:

did you use wheel spacers to bring out the wheels?

I have a 30mm eibach rear spacer, no spacers in the front. The wheel clears the caliper in the front by about 3mm. I'm waiting to put the KW V3's on with the Lemans front flares to see if I want to add a spacer up front.

I happen to also have a little power steering leak. I'm going to be replacing all the inlet & outlet lines, Mishimoto universal cooler with barbs spliced into the OEM hoses, rubber hoses to the reservoir, new clamps & I'm going to use the turner motorsport baffled reservoir. May be a bit overkill but I hate leaks more than anything & don't mind the price tag for the piece of mind.

Looks really good! Did you require the DINAN DME Tune for the TB upgrade? I believe the 4.6 has the "DINAN" Intake manifold from the factory which is just a pre vanos M62 intake with the larger runners unless you meant the cold air intake? RealOEM can show the part number comparison.

Thank you!I have not yet tuned it. Not sure what you mean about intake manifold. I swapped the Dinan air intake from the stock intake & installed the Dinan Throttle body in place of the stock one. I guess the Intake is cold air?

Sorry, yes I meant the air intake cone style filter as the CAI but may not be a CAI. Some 4.4s require the intake manifold swap as well because the 4.4 vs 4.6iS intake manifold is also different. The stock 4.6iS intake manifold is the same one DINAN uses for their 4.4 upgrade.

Ahh gotcha, yes, the full Dinan air intake system w/ MAF. Yea the 4.6is Intake manifold is indeed it's own version. I wasn't aware the 4.4i dinan cars got the 4.6is manifold.

And the 4.6iS manifold is the same used on a pre Vanos M62 like a 96-98 E38 740 had from the factory AKA DINAN Intake Manifold.

Update 4/18/23
So I've had a bit of time getting some of the parts installed. After installing the square rear 87's it was time to move on from lowering springs w/ Bilsteins to coilovers.

I installed KW Vw coilovers and WOW! I cannot believe how wonderful this system is. The spring rates are PERFECT for this truck and soaking up bumps and road imperfections is a night and day difference. I install superpro adjustable sway bar end links as well. The truck is much, much lower than it was before. Adjustment wise, the front still has 1/3 room to go down and the rear still has 1/2. No riding bump stops at a very low ride height. I have some bump steer to deal with but more than likely is just adjusting the end links & alignment. I have put coilovers on my past 5 cars (Audi S6, F80 m3, S2000, Golf R, E90 m3) and I can confidently say this was the largest difference for the better I have felt. At this same time I installed the new OEM front LeMans fender flares to help with the poke of the massive front wheels.

I installed the dinan mufflers that I have had sitting around but didn't have time to install the new tips for them so that will be in the next few weeks.

I was able to score something I have been searching for for a while now. A Full Mtex interior popped up in Long Island so I ran out there to grab it. I have an upholstery shop that my company deals with who will pick it up, clean it up, and recondition some of the wear to the bolsters.

I think I have collected everything I really wanted for this truck to make it perfect. Now I just need to finish installing it all & getting some of the not so fun maintenance things dealt with. For those of you that go to Mpact at Pocono raceway, my shop is the headline sponsor there & my truck, as with years past is always hidden behind the booth as our support vehicle. I'm excited for everything to be complete before the event.

I'll post some pictures once it's all cleaned up, the rain this weekend and driving to Long island and CT dirtied it up a bit.

Can't wait to see the new stance!

Fantastic work, love the car.

I totally missed where you put an air cooler in for the transmission. Have you followed the temps while driving, and what t-stat did you use? ZF says the low end of the 5HP24 operating range is 170, so that’s what I’m going to aim for when I do this swap to a CSF universal air cooler. I’m not sure what size to use tho yet as this is new territory for me. My torque converter is undersized for the 4.6, and I know my tranny runs on the hot side of the official ZF range (190) so I want to get the air cooler sized right so I can cool the fluid to 170 reliably.

Can I trouble you for some pics of the install when you have the car in the air next time? Would love to see how you mounted it, fabricated the lines, etc.

You may want to look at the CSF e39 M5 radiator. All aluminum, significantly more cooling capacity and now that you don’t have the water tranny cooler it should be plug and play as far as hoses. Size-wise I’m not so sure, but I bet it’s very close, or can be made to be. https://csfrace.com/csf_products/dir...oling-systems/

Thank you! You didn't miss anything, I'm in the process of planning out the transmission cooler as I'm going to have to do multiple repairs all at once to cut down on time. Here is what I need to attack.

Power Steering
Since I have a slight power steering leak I came up with the idea to upgrade that system a little bit.
I have a turner motorsport baffled power steering resevoir ( https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-9...traight-mount/ ) which I have all new lines and hoses for. I'm going to remove the factory power steering cooler and add a Mishimoto universal cooler, the same one that I will be using for the transmission cooler. ( https://www.mishimoto.com/mishimoto-...ooler-kit.html )
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=32_1347
Using this diagram for reference, #14 is the cooler. I have confirmed that the quick disconnect line for the return on the cooler & return line to the rack are the same quick disconnect that the transmission lines use. I have adapters that connect to the quick disconnects ( https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-5...ooler-fitting/ )

So here is the plan,
Install new baffled power steering resevoir
--New OEM suction hose from resevoir to pump
--New OEM return hose from resevoir to quick disconnect adapter (-10an) to mishimoto universal p/s cooler tucked in front of the pusher fan in front bumper (Aligned to drivers side)
--From Mishimoto universal p/s cooler (-10an line & quick disconnect adapter) to New OEM return pipe to rack.
--New OEM pressure hose
--Fill & make sure no leaks


The reason I am looping this together with the transmission & cooling system work is because I would like to only take the bumper off once, mount the universal coolers, install the new radiator, etc. One and done

Transmission cooler
I have the notorious 2-1 bump after driving for a bit and the transmission temps (I assume) get to high. I have not yet done a reading on the temps but the previous owner had installed a low temp thermostat & termostatically controlled puller fan which do indeed keep engine temps down. Here is the plan I have for the transmission cooler upgrade.

Install new OEM supply and return lines. Instead of them connecting to the stock BS cooler and then to the radiator I have come up with two ideas.

BMW E39 Radiator & transmission cooler
This is the first idea which would consist of installing an e39 (Up to 09/98) transmission cooler which is an air cooler PN 17221740798. If I used that cooler & the support bracket that holds it to the back of the radiator PN 17111740796 I could essentially just delete the 4.6is transmission cooler & not have to fabricate anything. This would also allow me to use an upgraded CSF e39 radiator (if the same as a 540i m62) or just use the oem radiator PN 17111702969. So for this plan to work...
-Install new 4.6is supply and return transmission lines
--New OEM early e39 transmission cooler lines can be spliced with New OEM 4.6is transmission cooler lines at the soft rubber portion of the line.
--Transmission cooler mounted in support bracket to radiator
--New OEM radiator from early e39 540i (Which is the same manual or auto)
--New CSF upgraded radiator
--Full transmission service and pray it lower temps, doesnt leak, eliminates the bumping downshifting from 2-1 when hot.

Option 2, Install a universal cooler
With this option I'm still installing new OEM supply and return lines for the transmission. I would then use the quick disconnect adapters from above in the power steering section to mate to (-10an) lines to the same mishimoto universal transmission cooler, mounted directly next to the power steering cooler & lines running to the passenger side of the truck. The only issue with this is now I need to figure out a radiator solution so that I can properly delete the BS transmission cooler that comes standard on the 4.6is. It's possible to run the same transmission I listed above but I have not yet confirmed this to work. With this option I have already purchased a thermostat that would work in line so that I can ensure the transmission warms up properly but this also might be overkill considering I wouldn't be running a thermostat for the first option & I can also just take it easy when starting/driving cold.



In conclusion,
I know I didn't answer your question directly but after doing the research I do indeed believe that both transmission cooling options will work, I just don't know which one i'm going to pull the trigger on. I think i'm leaning toward the almost OEM option (1) and see if that OEM cooler does enough to lower the temps. Realistically, anything will be better than what is currently in the truck.

Any updates on this?

None at the moment, I've been swamped with work and home life. I won't be running the power steering cooler but replacing the whole system full of lines & resevoir.

I did tune the truck (Dinan) both engine and transmission and the 2-1 downshift hasn't shown it's ugly face yet. I still plan on doing the cooler however to help keep the temps down.

I should have some time in the next month or so to start tackling some maintenance items.

Update 9/26/23
Sorry, it has been a busy work summer & lots of needed repairs done to the 4.6is. I also ended up purchasing a very clean Land rover LR3 for my wife to drive since the X1 35i is just too small for having two kids under 2. Here is what I've dug into in the past few months..

Power steering
I dove into this to refresh with new OEM parts. All lines were replaced along with the reservoir from Turner Motorsports. 2 weeks later, the reservoir started leaking pretty badly, all over my abs module below it and the Aux water-pump. I had to change the reservoir out for a new OEM one & re flush the system. Not only was this a bummer since the reservoir looked great but I soon after got the dreaded trifecta of warning lights and a fault for my aux water-pump. On top of that, I only realized this after my power steering pump started screaming at me.

-Power steering reservoir, all lines, cooler, pump all replaced with a flush

Other leaks & issues
So after the power steering issues were resolved I decided to bite the bullet and tackle the not so fun stuff all at once. I have had my valve cover gaskets leaking for a few thousand miles, a little green crud just below my waterpump and lastly I needed to address my ABS, TC, Brake warning lights on the dash. I don't drive very spirited so the first time I went over 80 mph Transmission failsafe program warning as well. Here we go...


-Scanned for faults and found:

EGS speed signal n-ou (output
DSC Wheel speed sensor, Front left, transmits no signal
DSC No message from EGS control unit
DSC No message (DMER1) From DME/DDE control unit
EGS CAN timeout DME
IKE EGS signal line disturbed
IKE No CAN Identification (DME)
IKE No CAN identification (DME)
IKE No CAN identification (DME)
IKE No CAN identification (EGS)

Yea, it was a lot of faults. I started by looking at the LF wheel speed sensor and found the blue connector was broken and the wires starting to fray. SCORE! this could make my life easy and just be a wheel speed sensor. NOPE! Installed a new LF speed sensor & vehicle side connector & the faults remained.

I decided to remove my ABS control module and send it out for repairs as hopefully this was indeed the issue with all my faults. I sent it out to Matt @ Cheap-ABS.com overnight with a return overnight label. He was great to deal with, responded back to me quickly with my questions and found a few broken wires inside the unit. Car was only down for 5 days (including a weekend). Installed the ABS module this morning with a new Aux water-pump (the aux waterpump had split in two when I removed it to make room to remove the ABS module, also had a buildup or power steering fluid and coolant in the connector). I cleared the faults and voila! No more warning lights, symbols or faults. I was very happy I didn't have to recode the module either since I didn't move or start my car while the module was out for repairs.


Lastly, I wanted to get some worry free, leak free miles on this truck as it's had its weeping / leaks since I purchased it. I bit the bullet and ordered brand new OEM valve covers, gaskets, hardware, water-pump, water-pump gasket. Installed all of it with a fresh oil change & coolant flush.

Future project/needs
So now that the truck is modified the way I want it to be I'll be needing to address a few things all of which are not pressing.

-I need to get the squared front wheels refinished in factory silver and mount up a set of snow tires.
-I need to adjust the Dinan exhaust & replace the tips with the new ones I have
-I need to replace the drivers front window regulator vapor barrier etc.
-I need to install the M tex full interior I have just sitting at my shop
-I need to work on my headlight swap over to clear side markers
-I need to hunt down a rattle in my trunk after installing the trunk loading floor
-I need to replace my windshield (the top trim came off, its a bit chipped and pitted, no cracks)
-I need to re-tint the windows after the regulators are done
-I need to install that damn roof spoiler I've had sitting in front of me for months and actually spend the 5 minutes doing that
-I need two new rear all season tires & alignment
-I need to start putting money aside to get ready for the timing chain / guide replacement end of 2024

I hope all is well with everyone here on the forums & well wishes to get through the end of the year!

I have a windshield if somehow you can get from the Atlanta area. Unless you’re doing an insurance claim.

I NEED a windshield but for a e83 X3 and I'm coming from Macon.

Sent from my TMAF035G using Tapatalk

I'm a bit too far away to drive for a windshield. I'll just call the guy we use for our shop and get a new aftermarket one.

Hey guys,
Not much of an update but I'm getting close to putting together a for sale thread for this truck. It kills me to sell it after doing so much with it but It just doesn't fit my needs right now with a 2 year old and 6 month old and all the stuff I need to haul around for them and my family. Pretty wild looking back at what i've spent on it and hope that The next person who owns it can continue to carry the torch.

loved this thread and sad to see it go :(

if you do decide to part it out please let us know!

TORCH HAS BEEN PASSED. Major thanks to the previous owner for being an unreal caretaker of this 4.6iS. He took incredible care of the car and is infinitely knowledgeable. Super guy overall.

If you don't believe me - I drove the car 500 miles/7 hrs. back home, and she didn't skip a beat. Truck had Full trans assembly strapped in the rear, WITH underride bar, plus tons of boxes. Motor runs like a sewing machine. Coolant, Oil temps were right on the money.

It is a very special truck. Have put about 1,000 miles on her since picking up back in late Sept. Going to get the TCGuides & Chains done (preventatively) early-2025 by legit local indy. shop near me [LMS BMW for any N.E. Ohioans].



Here are some recent pics.



P.S. If anyone has the NLA bolts/bracketry/fasteners/parts for the underride bar - please DM me! Actively looking.

Welcome to the site OGX5M.
Wow, sick ride! :bmw: On my next set of wheels and tires, I want to upgrade!

We look forward to seeing more updates on it!

@X5chemist Thank you! Style 87's are tough to beat.



Am jealous of a late-model E53 with an M54 purring under the bonnet. M5X motors are just so buttery smooth and robust. Is yours with the 6 speed manual box?

OGX5M,'
Mine has a GM 5 speed auto. The M54 is finely tuned. It runs great. It would prefer to run above 2500 RPMs. Highway speeds feel smooth and nice. A total suspension rebuild was worth time and money. The M54 does need a valve cover gasket job. It's the last oil leak to fix. I'll have parts, I just need time to get work done. Waiting is a hitch install too. About the only item that makes me nervous is an old fuel pump. @167k miles, I should buy a fuel pump to have handy for a quick installation.

Great looking X5 OG5xm! Very well done. Like the exhaust tips too. Nice size.

So how many 4.6 transmissions do you have now!?

+1 to it being worth a suspension rebuild. They are really good chassis for an SUV/SAV if you ask me. What did you decide on - OEM or aftermarket?



New OEM Fuel pump on-hand in garage or car is never a bad idea w/ higher mileage. A 'good to have' just in case she decides to go kaput.



M54 at 167k miles is just getting it's legs stretched. Wishing many happy smiles per gallon ahead to you my friend. :thumbup:

Thank you!

'Only' 2 lol. Operating one in the car and a spare one that I wanted included in the transaction. Looking at the post, it seems I have 3 but I just wrapped the spare one up.

Have researched they can sometimes be a weak-point - but I know the entire trans assembly for the 4.6 is fairly rare - i.e. bigger L51 TQ converter. So, having a spare opens up a bunch of options on what I can do, IMO. + I am a wannabe NLA parts hoarder. It is an absolute beast - weighs a shit ton and the bell housing is enormous. At least a 2-3 grown man job to lift up.

4.4 to 4.6 conversion cannot be for the faint of heart. Mega props. What trans do you have hooked up to the M62?

Nice. A spare tranny is awesome.

I hooked the 4.6 up to the OE 4.4 transmission. They are both 5HP24 gearboxes, but as you noted, the 4.6 version has a bigger torque converter and a modified bell housing that fits the TQ. It also has one more clutch.

So far so good with the 4.4 transmission though. Mine was a remanufactured transmission that was only a couple years old when I did the swap, so I figured it was worth a try to save some money. Plus, as you mentioned, the 4.6 transmissions are pretty rare.

@Henn28 Def. a smart/cost-effective play. ZF still making awesome gearboxes for OEMs.

Would love to know your thoughts on going from a 4.4 to 4.6? I've heard it really is a big difference... but you'd have a really good reference point.

+ where did you find a B46 motor?

The X5 is a beast with the 4.6 motor in it. I’m not sure how much of the huge power surge that comes in at 2800ish RPM is due to the motor, the 4.4 transmission and/or torque converter, or the fact that I’ve got the older M60 intake and N62 throttle body on it. I didn’t really think any of the mods through…just tossed them on as I was building the motor or things broke, based on what I was reading on the forums, etc. I actually tend to think BMW gets things “right” when the engineer these cars, but where’s the fun in leaving everything stock!?

The intake roar is great, the low end power in the ZF no-sport mode is strong, but a bit lacking. When i put it in sport mode it is a monster off the line however. I suspect the difference in stall speeds on the TQ has something to do with it too. Above 2800 rpm or so the motor pulls like a train compared to the 4.4.

I’ve got a line on an OE 4.6 intake that I plan on putting on the car to see if there is a difference. I’ll then use the M60 intake on the 4.4 I’m building. The X5 needs new injectors anyway so that will be an easy swap and make for a nice comparison.

I bought the 4.6 new from BMW 2 years ago. It was in stock and arrived as what we would call a long block, although BMW lists it as a short block in their parts system. The slip of paper that came with it said it had been assembled in 2017, if I recall correctly.

@Henn28 - I couldn't agree more. I've felt around that ~3K revs. you can almost feel the motor shaking the car side to side (in a good way).

Usually don't drive around in Sport-mode too often. It is for sure a bit groggy/lazy in non-Sport mode - you're right. To me, the car takes on a monster-like persona in Sport-mode.

Everytime I drive it, I realize how far ahead of it's time it was. 2002 and they put 315's on the rear of an SUV.

Do you know if BMW still sells these motors? I am jealous - that is mega you bought the B46 from the OEM. The right way to do it.

+ would like to know about your new X5? What specs? B58 is just too good. I couldn't bring myself to walk into a BMW dealer today with how far off the reservation they've gotten but the only design they haven't butchered is the X5 IMHO - thankfully. The only new model I would consider ever buying/leasing...

Did you drive the E53 on the way to pick up the G06?

I would not pass in an M3 or an M2, if someone was buying for me. The M3 is odd, but I won’t say ugly. And it’s a monster, which makes up for a lot of sideways looks!

The 50e is also a serious machine. It’s very, very quick, with upwards of 480 ho, and over 500 ft lbs combined. A bit scary when you stomp on it if you aren’t ready. The AWD keeps it planted, but really snaps your head back.

Crazy levels of who asked for it technology is my biggest complaint. But to be fair, I’m sure many would have no problem with the tech. It’s also a big car. Much bigger than our E53s. The interior is very nice, especially the front seats. I do wish it was a bit quieter, although I’ve read that the run flats can transmit a lot more road noise.

We are seeing mpg in the mid 50s, and my wife has put 13 gal in the car in 3 months. It costs us $1.80 for a full charge (44 miles), and the car needs about 3 charges per week, with her work commute and misc. driving.

All in all I’m a believer in the plug in hybrid model. It works for us though because her drive to work is maybe 7 miles.

@Henn28 - S58 is a pure monster, forsure. 3rd gear in those and over is a first-class way to jail or license revoked in US lol.

Also a big believer in hybrid model = having your cake and eating it too. It should be what's being pushed, instead of the pure EV stuff. The new M5 hybrid tech. really intrigues me.

That MPG with the weight of the 50e is mind-bending. Plus never a bad thing saving money on gas as you know with a 4.6 in your stable (although highway mileage is shockingly good I've found with them).

What color is your 50e in? I think Skyscraper Grey is a highly underrated color as well as Manhattan Green.

Hey guys -

Hope everyone doing well!

Went to fire up X5 this past Easter Sunday (04/20) and it went into 'Engine Failsafe Mode'...up until then, car was running like a sewing machine. Thanks Mr. Easter Bunny.

A a week-ish prior, I took car to shop to have new radiator installed and low/high-beam repairs for upcoming trip and the few times I drove it after - it was running really smooth.

Was planning/preparing to go to CCA MiX event in S. Carolina for b-day weekend, but I will be attending 60 Year Anniversary of ALPINA in Greer in mid-May instead. I guess this is a blessing in disguise that this all happened in my garage at home and not somewhere in Kentucky or Virginia... want to get this resolved ASAP so I can road trip with X5 down to Greer in May.

Suspecting it is a throttle body-related issue and the shop has nearly confirmed but doing some further DD & test driving to figure out.

I'll report back with what we find and gonna try to post more updates/pictures here this summer!

--- 04/27/25 UPDATE ---

Picked up car this past Friday (04/25). After a couple codes were initially cleared - No codes popped back up when putting 100+ test miles on it. The car has been feeling/running smooth.

Keeping a sharp eye on it but the guys at the shop believe it could've simply been a sort-of 'glitch' or weird technological thing-y. Of course these DINAN TB's are NLA so hoping it does not go kaput.

DME is clean/dry, no issue or concern with throttle potentiometer, etc.

Here are some pictures I took today... follow me on Instagram - @ogx5m

Very nice. I do like the body color front and rear air dam and valance on the 4.6 x5s.

I can’t recall which throttle body I have on my 4.6 motor, but its from a later v8 and just needs the plug to be wired into the loom. I’ll see if I can find which car it came from, it in my notes…just in case yours fails it may be plug and play. I don’t really notice any difference, other than maybe a better intake sound on acceleration, but my OE throttle failed and my Indy recommended this one. Been 2 or 3 years and it’s working fine.

Edit….I seem to recall it being 84mm and from the N62 powered 540i. RealOEM has the part number as 13547535308

Thanks a bunch, @Henn28. Appreciate all the replies, too. You the man!

Below is URL to DINAN TB for E53 / V8 models of the period (of course it's NLA):

https://www.dinancars.com/products/d...rts/D760-3440A
According to their site --- The throttle body is 3mm larger for an 8% increase in airflow area (Stock bore 79.5mm; Dinan bore 82.5mm).


Features:

• More Power (E53 X5 4.6is): + 8 HP @ 5500 RPM, + 7 LB-FT @ 5500 RPM (coupled w/ engine software)
• Improved throttle response
• Bored 3mm larger for a 8% increase in air flow area

I do have the OE TB that I'll travel with, just in case.

Sharing some photos I took of probably the nicest 4.6iS I will ever see. It was being shown at ALPINA 60th Anniv. Exhibit at the Ultimate Driving Museum in Greer, SC. Highly recommend to check it out before it closes in 6-8 months...

What do you guys think??

My 4.6 did so well. 1200+ mi. round-trip and no hiccups. It is really a special machine. I am planning to get TCGuides done this winter, preventatively. Crossed 130,000+ miles with this road trip. Not bad for a 22+ yr. old. V8.