I recently completed my swap on my LCI 08 550i and the difference is incredible. I sourced most of my parts on salvage yard and the internet stores, not to mention names. All came out to $2,600 in parts and my labor and coding. I highly recommend the swap!!!! You will fall in love with your car again!!!
Now that it’s a manual, it’s a perfect platform for oem+ m5 parts.. m5 brakes, suspension, interior, and intake with the higher flowing m5 dual exhaust, it’ll help her breathe better. Cool project overall
I guess smgs on non m cars are a rare sight on us spec cars, but a lot of euro 5 and 6 series from the era were optioned with the smg transmissions. Especially 650i s.
I have a 2005 BMW 545i with an SMG II transmission. They do exist!!! Disappointing the customer converted away from it it’s extremely rare. Should install it into another car
Hey Ryan, would love to see more about the detent pin replacement on the E39 transmission, mine is super notchy and not pleasant to shift so I’m investigating this at the moment! Mines a December ‘98 build so I’m a bit confused on if I should be upgrading to newer part numbers... Awesome job as usual on the conversion 😉
You have a 12/98 E39 M5? As long as its an S6S420G, the parts should work. I'll do a video on the detent pins and hardware next time I do it. I would firstly start with rebuilding the shifter carrier bushings and a fluid change, though.
i have a 550i i was about to email but think i will stick to my zf8, cant justify 11,000 for a swap but it was a cool vid none the less and still a good deal at 100 HR labor
Hello, already congratulations on the work, it’s incredible! I have a 2004 e60 545i automatic and you motivated me to do the same. I have a gs6-53bz HGF lying around. Do you think that if I put it with the transmission shaft and the automatic rear axle it will work?
The automatics used a different ratio rear end, but you can likely bolt them up and get a serviceable car. I would recommend change the differential to achieve the proper gearing though.
@@E39Source Indeed, the automatic ratio uses a 3.46 and the manual ratio 2.93. The problem is that in Europe there were few manuals for finding spare parts. How can I know if at what RPM I will tighten with a rear axle in 3.46 at 130km/h in 6 speed with a GS6-53BZ against a current 6hp26 ?
@@Detoomadre Without trying, I'm not sure. There is probably a way to calculate that, but I have never tried that. The revs would be significantly higher than they are now.
great video! Ive just finished a similar swap on my 530d auto to manual. how did you connect the reverse light switch to LCM? I also have the issue of my cooling fans running at full speed.
From a potential customers perspective it will be assuring given the cost of such conversion. Just a simple drive around like 2 minute clip or less explaining the conversion along the way but i understand your position.
@@1kontrabida Ah I understand, stay tuned to the channel for part 4 of the E60 M5 conversion swap, including cost information, driving the car, "who is this for" etc. I'll get to that in June when I can get some other customer jobs completed!
@@E39Source So if the V8 and the V12 use the same flex plate, with the same bolt pattern, would it be crazy to assume a manual flywheel would bolt to the v12?
Awesome job I want to convert my e39 530i msport auto to manual, but have no one that would do the coding for the conversion. Is that something you would be interested in?
I have a 6mt e60 550i, does the e60 m5 driveshaft lineup with the 550? Been wanting to put a LSD in it and finally found m5 diff, rear axles and a driveshaft from a e60 m5 at a steal Couldn’t find a direct answer from any forums
Hey, I've always been curious and never found an answer: what happens to the dynamic driving control after a transmission swap? The pre-lci like this video has the sport button for smg, lci cars have a sport button as part of the sport automatic transmission. I haven't seen a manual e60 with it, but the manual e63 6 series seem to have a sport button. Can this functionality be kept when doing a manual swap?
This is an excellent question. The manual 6-series did retain a sport button with a manual, but it appears as if the E60 discards it. Did sport mode make an adjustment to the throttle/engine, or did it adjust the transmission settings?
@@E39Source That's another question I've never been able to find a solid answer for. Quoting the owners manual, (LCI e60), the DS for both the standard and sport auto trans activate the sport program, which in my experience adjusts transmission shift RPM only. The dynamic driving control (sport button) does the following: "The speed range of the engine is optimally utilized," "Gearshifts are faster," "The engine responds more spontaneously to accelerator pedal movements," "The steering will operate in an even sportier mode," "In the automatic mode, the 6th gear is not engaged." From just the owners manual, I'm guessing that DS just changes when the transmission shifts, and only that. Sport mode does that, and shift times, along with engine response and other things. I have not had enough time or space to test every combination of all these settings out on the road yet though. 😅
Just question ! I have a 2008 M5 I watch one of you're vlog way back, I remember you had mentioned about the steering or something issue on your M5, my issue is that I have replace my wheels and tire got it alignment and the steering wheel shakes around 50 to 70 mph.
It's amazing 👌 I did the same to my 645ci but i have this issue which i really couldn't solve, the car can't pass 5000 rpm Any suggestions would be appreciated, thank you!
You know the safety rev cut or limiter when the car on park (automatic trans or smg in N) for example it will cut around 4500 or 5k rpm if u rev it,,, it sounds the same in my car, even while driving can't pass the 5k even on N the same it just cut.. It's like the engine thinks that I'm on N all the time..
E39Source any thoughts on leaving the 3.38 auto rear diff in the car instead of the 2.93 manual diff? I have a 2006 550i with factory 6sp and I like the long gears but have always thought the car would be quicker with the auto diff gear ratio. I just picked up a 2008 550i auto this week, mileage is much lower than my 2006 and it is much higher optioned. I have already sourced the manual trans, clutch/flywheel, drive shaft, pedal assembly, shift boot but I am considering leaving the auto diff. Any drawbacks to this?
I have just completed a manual conversion on a 2004 545i with a 3.62 M5 diff installed. The accretion is definitely quicker, but highway revs are ~3,500 for cruising, using 1/2 of the tach. It also feels like you have to shift through the gears more quickly to get up to any speed (using 4th just causing around in neighborhoods). This all comes down to personal preference and driving style. There shouldn't be any additional drawbacks, assuming the input flange is the same on the automatic and manual differentials.
I recently got a salvage title 6spd 545. Has a whole load of electrical problems from water getting in through the vapor seals in the interior but mechanically it’s solid. Thinking I might want to use it as a donor car but and find a really clean low mileage auto to swap with the parts I have on hand. How much of a pain in the dick was it to get the electronics working? Sounds like you did a lot of re-flashing of modules
Hi, see if you could help me, I'm from Spain and I have a bmw 645 ci that has been converted to manual but it won't let me upload more than 5,000rp. I don't know if I have to modify any wiring or something, it also gives me stability failure.
Can you directly swap the engine of an BMW m5 e60 v10 into the BMW e60 550i that comes with the stock 6 speed manual 2008 - 2010 models if you can do that I would like to have that work do to make my 6 speed manual 2008 550i an m5 v10 with the 6 speed manual and please make video about and explain also if that can also be done with the e60 535i 6 speed manual as well I am sure this would once and for all answer many BMW owners dreaming about this type of swap Please do a video you have the best platform to answer this correctly Thank YOU in advance I believe in you and trust your experience and intelligence and if you have not done this before then make a video so we can all learn something new
Hi, Thanks for the video! Do you know by any chance if e60 550i 6SP MT is interchangeable with F10 550i? Or even better if F10 M5 MT is interchangeable with F10 550i? They look the same. The reason I'm asking is I need a new trany for my 2013 550i. BMW Parts department says that cannot get it for me, so I'm trying to find alternatives. Thanks!
The E60 550i uses the N62 V8, where as the F10 550i uses the N63 V8. I am not sure if the bell housing design/shape changed between engines, as I don't specialize in the newer BMWs (2010+). The F10 M5 however uses the S63 which is based on the N63. so that transmission may very well work. BMW parts is telling you that your factory manual transmission is NLA (no longer available)?! That's completely unacceptable for only a 10 year old car.
@@E39Source thanks for the reply. Their websites say it’s available. However, when I call a lot of different locations all say the same: they don’t have any in stock either in the US or Germany. They can put order to build it, but it will take forever. They don’t have ETA. I found a used one from M5. On pictures it looks the same. As well as n62 engine 6SP MT(GS6-53BZ). However, the part numbers are different.
@@oleksandrdiachuk2978 In the case of the E39, the 540i and M5 use an identical transmission except for an additional gear position sensor that was added on the M5 version for the M5's more advanced computers. This caused the part number to change. If installing an E39 M5 transmission on an E39 540i, you simply let the temperature sensor sit (unplugged) and it works fine. I cannot confirm if this is the case for the F10. If I were you, I think I'd purchase the M5 transmission and give it a go.
Hi im liang from malaysia, can u share the smg 2 paddle shift control bmw part number please? My E60 M54 525 SMG paddle shift left control is no function, im looking the part number to buy replace it, do u sell it?
So I'm guessing the smg isn't a real manual car? There's a guy selling one he says the clutch is toast. Looks exactly like this but I saw paddle shifters also. So what's the deal I'm lost.
The SMG transmission IS a manual transmission, but instead of being controlled by your left foot, it uses hydraulic cylinders and electronics to shift gears. These transmission shift slightly quicker than you can manually, but are very clunky and extremely unreliable in application.
@@pacspeed8041 Changing the clutch between the SMG and a factory six speed manual car is virtually the same job, though there are a few minor differences and the part itself may be different.
@@E39Source thanks for the info. I'm watching one now that has a trans issue he says the clutch is done. Wants 2k for the car due to not being able to afford maintenance.
Conversion kits are not sold, they need to be pieced together using both new and used parts from multiple vendors. If you're able to get your 550i to our shop, we can complete the conversion for you.
What’s the price on for this swap? And where are you located. Unfortunately I can’t trust just any mechanic working on my 550i but no worries when it’s in your hands!!
I reply to all emails within 24 hours, and did not see one regarding this. Do you mean what is this car worth, or how much does this conversion cost? Email me at ryan@e39source.com please.
Hey Ryan I live in UAE and I have access to some oretty cheap BMW Scrapyards and parts stores. If you send me photos and part numbers I could possible find your parts here. Hit me up if you need help. Love your content and hopefully one day I’ll join in on the M5E39 train.
Ryan is the MASTERMIND of BAVARIAN MOTOR WERKS BMW! What a talented mindset...Very grateful for you and your videos!
I recently completed my swap on my LCI 08 550i and the difference is incredible. I sourced most of my parts on salvage yard and the internet stores, not to mention names. All came out to $2,600 in parts and my labor and coding. I highly recommend the swap!!!! You will fall in love with your car again!!!
Did you do an auto to manual? Or smg to manual? Really curious about this swap haha thanks!
@@NorVack hey! I did sport auto to manual.
Can u email the parts I need please
@@kenovyrt have same year and model and I’ve been debating to do this. Your comment has now motivated me to join the 3 pedal gang
@@kenovyrt But SMG is way different than the automatic sport
if I win the lottery I'd drive my e39 down from Canada for a manual swap I'd have no worry trusting this worksman ship
Now that it’s a manual, it’s a perfect platform for oem+ m5 parts.. m5 brakes, suspension, interior, and intake with the higher flowing m5 dual exhaust, it’ll help her breathe better. Cool project overall
Glad to see the activity. Been missing you guys. !!
Now this car is a masterpiece
Nice one. BMW used to weirdly experiment with SMGs and DCTs in the past.
I guess smgs on non m cars are a rare sight on us spec cars, but a lot of euro 5 and 6 series from the era were optioned with the smg transmissions. Especially 650i s.
That's awesome!!
I have a 2005 BMW 545i with an SMG II transmission. They do exist!!! Disappointing the customer converted away from it it’s extremely rare. Should install it into another car
Hey Ryan, would love to see more about the detent pin replacement on the E39 transmission, mine is super notchy and not pleasant to shift so I’m investigating this at the moment! Mines a December ‘98 build so I’m a bit confused on if I should be upgrading to newer part numbers... Awesome job as usual on the conversion 😉
You have a 12/98 E39 M5? As long as its an S6S420G, the parts should work. I'll do a video on the detent pins and hardware next time I do it. I would firstly start with rebuilding the shifter carrier bushings and a fluid change, though.
i have a 550i i was about to email but think i will stick to my zf8, cant justify 11,000 for a swap but it was a cool vid none the less and still a good deal at 100 HR labor
Nice job!!!
Good luck 👍
Hello, already congratulations on the work, it’s incredible!
I have a 2004 e60 545i automatic and you motivated me to do the same.
I have a gs6-53bz HGF lying around.
Do you think that if I put it with the transmission shaft and the automatic rear axle it will work?
The automatics used a different ratio rear end, but you can likely bolt them up and get a serviceable car. I would recommend change the differential to achieve the proper gearing though.
@@E39Source Indeed, the automatic ratio uses a 3.46 and the manual ratio 2.93. The problem is that in Europe there were few manuals for finding spare parts.
How can I know if at what RPM I will tighten with a rear axle in 3.46 at 130km/h in 6 speed with a GS6-53BZ against a current 6hp26 ?
@@Detoomadre Without trying, I'm not sure. There is probably a way to calculate that, but I have never tried that. The revs would be significantly higher than they are now.
great video! Ive just finished a similar swap on my 530d auto to manual. how did you connect the reverse light switch to LCM? I also have the issue of my cooling fans running at full speed.
Thanks! You'll need to refer to the wiring diagrams at NewTIS.info to determine exactly how the reverse switch is wired on the 530d.
Very nice 👌!!! I have a question how much will cost will to change manual to Automatik gear box?
We do not offer that service.
Nice video I enjoyed it
Nice work on the conversion, do you have driving videos of the conversions you did? Thinking of going this route as well. Thanks for vid
No driving videos, as there wouldn't be much to gain from that. It drives just like a factory manual car would! Thanks :)
From a potential customers perspective it will be assuring given the cost of such conversion. Just a simple drive around like 2 minute clip or less explaining the conversion along the way but i understand your position.
@@1kontrabida Ah I understand, stay tuned to the channel for part 4 of the E60 M5 conversion swap, including cost information, driving the car, "who is this for" etc. I'll get to that in June when I can get some other customer jobs completed!
Sorry if I missed it, but what bmw did the manual you swapped in come from and is it a direct bolt on or require modification?
We use the GS6-53BZ from the E9X M3. The only modification is blocking off the cooler lines (M5 does not use a cooler).
Did you find any differences from the auto engine to the manual? Complete bolt up?
Same engine, no differences there once the manual flywheel is installed.
@@E39Source So if the V8 and the V12 use the same flex plate, with the same bolt pattern, would it be crazy to assume a manual flywheel would bolt to the v12?
@@jonny_skatez Not crazy... certainly worth a shot!
Awesome job I want to convert my e39 530i msport auto to manual, but have no one that would do the coding for the conversion. Is that something you would be interested in?
Yes, I could handle the conversion and/or just the coding portion. Please email me at ryan@e39source.com
I have a 6mt e60 550i, does the e60 m5 driveshaft lineup with the 550?
Been wanting to put a LSD in it and finally found m5 diff, rear axles and a driveshaft from a e60 m5 at a steal
Couldn’t find a direct answer from any forums
According to RealOEM, the manual E60 550i uses a 1615mm driveshaft. The manual E60 M5 uses 1526mm (SMG) and 1557mm (manual).
Hey, I've always been curious and never found an answer: what happens to the dynamic driving control after a transmission swap? The pre-lci like this video has the sport button for smg, lci cars have a sport button as part of the sport automatic transmission. I haven't seen a manual e60 with it, but the manual e63 6 series seem to have a sport button. Can this functionality be kept when doing a manual swap?
This is an excellent question. The manual 6-series did retain a sport button with a manual, but it appears as if the E60 discards it. Did sport mode make an adjustment to the throttle/engine, or did it adjust the transmission settings?
@@E39Source That's another question I've never been able to find a solid answer for. Quoting the owners manual, (LCI e60), the DS for both the standard and sport auto trans activate the sport program, which in my experience adjusts transmission shift RPM only. The dynamic driving control (sport button) does the following: "The speed range of the engine is optimally utilized," "Gearshifts are faster," "The engine responds more spontaneously to accelerator pedal movements," "The steering will operate in an even sportier mode," "In the automatic mode, the 6th gear is not engaged."
From just the owners manual, I'm guessing that DS just changes when the transmission shifts, and only that. Sport mode does that, and shift times, along with engine response and other things. I have not had enough time or space to test every combination of all these settings out on the road yet though. 😅
Just question ! I have a 2008 M5 I watch one of you're vlog way back, I remember you had mentioned about the steering or something issue on your M5, my issue is that I have replace my wheels and tire got it alignment and the steering wheel shakes around 50 to 70 mph.
Check for worn steering components, and Check tire balance,
@@IntegraDIY already check all steering component and tire balance. still have the a little shake..
Sounds like a worn control arm bushing, bent wheel, or bad tire balance to me.
It's amazing 👌
I did the same to my 645ci but i have this issue which i really couldn't solve, the car can't pass 5000 rpm
Any suggestions would be appreciated, thank you!
I'd need to see the car, can you bring it by my shop in San Diego?
@@E39Source i wish but I'm not in the US
You know the safety rev cut or limiter when the car on park (automatic trans or smg in N) for example it will cut around 4500 or 5k rpm if u rev it,,, it sounds the same in my car, even while driving can't pass the 5k even on N the same it just cut.. It's like the engine thinks that I'm on N all the time..
@@CaptDom-zf9hy Sounds like you have the wrong DME tune to me.
@@E39Source yeah, i have an appointment with the tuner here again tom, will see what will happen 🙏 thank you.. I'll give you an update after..
E39Source any thoughts on leaving the 3.38 auto rear diff in the car instead of the 2.93 manual diff? I have a 2006 550i with factory 6sp and I like the long gears but have always thought the car would be quicker with the auto diff gear ratio. I just picked up a 2008 550i auto this week, mileage is much lower than my 2006 and it is much higher optioned. I have already sourced the manual trans, clutch/flywheel, drive shaft, pedal assembly, shift boot but I am considering leaving the auto diff. Any drawbacks to this?
I have just completed a manual conversion on a 2004 545i with a 3.62 M5 diff installed. The accretion is definitely quicker, but highway revs are ~3,500 for cruising, using 1/2 of the tach. It also feels like you have to shift through the gears more quickly to get up to any speed (using 4th just causing around in neighborhoods). This all comes down to personal preference and driving style. There shouldn't be any additional drawbacks, assuming the input flange is the same on the automatic and manual differentials.
@@E39Source Thanks for the quick reply. I will try it and compare it to my 2006.
I recently got a salvage title 6spd 545. Has a whole load of electrical problems from water getting in through the vapor seals in the interior but mechanically it’s solid. Thinking I might want to use it as a donor car but and find a really clean low mileage auto to swap with the parts I have on hand. How much of a pain in the dick was it to get the electronics working? Sounds like you did a lot of re-flashing of modules
You want to convert it to an automatic? Anything is possible... but I certainly wouldn't waste the time doing so.
Hi, see if you could help me, I'm from Spain and I have a bmw 645 ci that has been converted to manual but it won't let me upload more than 5,000rp. I don't know if I have to modify any wiring or something, it also gives me stability failure.
There are a ton of wiring and coding changes that need to be done...
Can you directly swap the engine of an BMW m5 e60 v10 into the BMW e60 550i that comes with the stock 6 speed manual 2008 - 2010 models if you can do that I would like to have that work do to make my 6 speed manual 2008 550i an m5 v10 with the 6 speed manual and please make video about and explain also if that can also be done with the e60 535i 6 speed manual as well
I am sure this would once and for all answer many BMW owners dreaming about this type of swap Please do a video you have the best platform to answer this correctly Thank YOU in advance
I believe in you and trust your experience and intelligence and if you have not done this before then make a video so we can all learn something new
the v10 drops right in at the very least, the subframes on all e60's are identical, you just use the mounts for the engine that you're installing.
Hi,
Thanks for the video!
Do you know by any chance if e60 550i 6SP MT is interchangeable with F10 550i? Or even better if F10 M5 MT is interchangeable with F10 550i? They look the same.
The reason I'm asking is I need a new trany for my 2013 550i. BMW Parts department says that cannot get it for me, so I'm trying to find alternatives.
Thanks!
The E60 550i uses the N62 V8, where as the F10 550i uses the N63 V8. I am not sure if the bell housing design/shape changed between engines, as I don't specialize in the newer BMWs (2010+). The F10 M5 however uses the S63 which is based on the N63. so that transmission may very well work. BMW parts is telling you that your factory manual transmission is NLA (no longer available)?! That's completely unacceptable for only a 10 year old car.
@@E39Source thanks for the reply.
Their websites say it’s available. However, when I call a lot of different locations all say the same: they don’t have any in stock either in the US or Germany. They can put order to build it, but it will take forever. They don’t have ETA. I found a used one from M5. On pictures it looks the same. As well as n62 engine 6SP MT(GS6-53BZ). However, the part numbers are different.
@@oleksandrdiachuk2978 In the case of the E39, the 540i and M5 use an identical transmission except for an additional gear position sensor that was added on the M5 version for the M5's more advanced computers. This caused the part number to change. If installing an E39 M5 transmission on an E39 540i, you simply let the temperature sensor sit (unplugged) and it works fine. I cannot confirm if this is the case for the F10. If I were you, I think I'd purchase the M5 transmission and give it a go.
Is there any jumper wiring you can do to get it runnin like with e46s i have a 05 bmw 645ci im manual swapping non smg auto trans
Not that I am aware of.
How much would it cost to do an oil pan gasket on a 2006 525 xi? I'd tackle it myself but didn't want to take off the subframe
That's probably about 8 hours labor when all said and done, plus parts which should be less than $100.
@@E39Sourcewhat's the estimate roughly?
@@betonthis1 If you're interested in having us perform the job, please email me at support@e39source.com
Hi im liang from malaysia, can u share the smg 2 paddle shift control bmw part number please? My E60 M54 525 SMG paddle shift left control is no function, im looking the part number to buy replace it, do u sell it?
I do not sell these parts, but you can purchase them here:
Left: tinyurl.com/3enrhxyf
Right: tinyurl.com/ytb3r8pb
Hey Ryan, can this conversion be done on a 2004 645Ci using the SMG equipped transmission? @E39Source
Absolutely!
@@E39Source Can I have your email? I'd like to get a quote on the conversion. Thanks
@@stevetaeza4158 ryan@e39source.com
So I'm guessing the smg isn't a real manual car? There's a guy selling one he says the clutch is toast. Looks exactly like this but I saw paddle shifters also. So what's the deal I'm lost.
The SMG transmission IS a manual transmission, but instead of being controlled by your left foot, it uses hydraulic cylinders and electronics to shift gears. These transmission shift slightly quicker than you can manually, but are very clunky and extremely unreliable in application.
@@E39Source ok so would changing the clutch be the same process at this one?
@@pacspeed8041 Changing the clutch between the SMG and a factory six speed manual car is virtually the same job, though there are a few minor differences and the part itself may be different.
@@E39Source thanks for the info. I'm watching one now that has a trans issue he says the clutch is done. Wants 2k for the car due to not being able to afford maintenance.
How much would this cost? For a very reliable conversion
Please email me for specifics! ryan@e39source.com
I have a 2006 550i. I’m on my second automatic trans and the car has only 140k kms on it. Where would I get this kit from?
Conversion kits are not sold, they need to be pieced together using both new and used parts from multiple vendors. If you're able to get your 550i to our shop, we can complete the conversion for you.
What’s the price on for this swap? And where are you located. Unfortunately I can’t trust just any mechanic working on my 550i but no worries when it’s in your hands!!
Thanks for your comment! Please email me at ryan@e39source.com so we can discuss the conversion in greater detail. @@jamalstarnet5100
Nice 👍
How much would this go for looking to make 545i manual I emailed you guys never got a response back.
I reply to all emails within 24 hours, and did not see one regarding this. Do you mean what is this car worth, or how much does this conversion cost? Email me at ryan@e39source.com please.
Would like to swap auto to manual, on my n52 530xi and make it RWD
That's very possible! Are you local to San Diego? We'd love to work with you on this project.
👏🏻👏🏻
Would this apply to the 535i?
I would imagine it would with any SMG E60 non-M5.
😍
Anyone need a 6 speed swap?
Hey Ryan
I live in UAE and I have access to some oretty cheap BMW Scrapyards and parts stores. If you send me photos and part numbers I could possible find your parts here. Hit me up if you need help. Love your content and hopefully one day I’ll join in on the M5E39 train.
And if you need something from Germany, this guy is a Guru on BMW @M539 Restorations He's done quite a few good projects
Do you know what wheels he was running?
Vossen brand
I thought this was E39-source ;)
I’m