My "new" '91 535ia, chocolate milk + no "D"

[Rigmaster]

I just picked up a '91 535ia, black with black interior- pretty good shape overall (body and interior). The coolant looks like a chocolate milkshake, but oil is clear, and the tranny won't go forward, but goes fine in reverse.

I'm figuring the tranny is toast, and the head is cracked OR headgasket is blown. Guess I need to start looking for a 535i parts car (wrecked) with good engine + tranny.... :)

OR........

If anyone is in the market for a potential engine/tranny swap project car and you're willing to come to NC to pick it up- let me know. I have about $1250 in this car and would sell it for what I have in it.


Bret.

[iNomis]

I need a good black hood if you end up with one...

[genphreak]

I just picked up a '91 535ia, black with black interior- pretty good shape overall (body and interior). The coolant looks like a chocolate milkshake, but oil is clear, and the tranny won't go forward, but goes fine in reverse. I'm figuring the tranny is toast, and the head is cracked OR headgasket is blown. Guess I need to start looking for a 535i parts car (wrecked) with good engine + tranny.... :) OR........ If anyone is in the market for a potential engine/tranny swap project car and you're willing to come to NC to pick it up- let me know. I have about $1250 in this car and would sell it for what I have in it. Bret.Sounds like a sweet deal, I wish you guys were here in Oz with us! I'd take a drive up to the farm more often! Try not to part it Bret, someone will be after it regardless... even though I was after some parts, Black on Black e34 is a cool project in anyone's book. Perhaps Whit has still that ZF4HP22 hanging round the workshop? :) Nick

[Kalevera]

Hey Bret, I've got a block and a tranny for it :)

You should rebuild it...then you can have 3 e34s for two drivers :)


best, whit

[Rigmaster]

Hey Bret, I've got a block and a tranny for it :)

You should rebuild it...then you can have 3 e34s for two drivers :)


best, whit


Hehe, very funny..... :P

Seriously, I'm not motivated enough to do a full rebuild on this car. If I can find a wrecked parts car with good M30 + tranny, I'll do the swap, but that's about the limit of my motivation on this one. I might pull the head and see if it's completely FUBAR'ed and just redo the head and/or head gasket.......

Whit- do you know which 5 speed trannies are compatible with this '91 535i?? I've got the parts from another parts car- EXCEPT the tranny.....


The slushbox in my 525iT has been dropping out of gear more frequently lately, so I think the 5 speed swap for that is getting closer and closer.....


Bret.

[DanDombrowski]

Still interested in a black rear bumper if you scrap it. Sell the hood to that other guy, the bumper to me, some odds and ends, and you'll be making more than you paid for it.

[Bill R.]

see no signs of coolant in the oil and there are trans problems.. you might pull the trans pan and see if its full of rusty sludgy gunkhttp://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/volvotranscooler2.jpg







I just picked up a '91 535ia, black with black interior- pretty good shape overall (body and interior). The coolant looks like a chocolate milkshake, but oil is clear, and the tranny won't go forward, but goes fine in reverse.

I'm figuring the tranny is toast, and the head is cracked OR headgasket is blown. Guess I need to start looking for a 535i parts car (wrecked) with good engine + tranny.... :)

OR........

If anyone is in the market for a potential engine/tranny swap project car and you're willing to come to NC to pick it up- let me know. I have about $1250 in this car and would sell it for what I have in it.


Bret.

[Rigmaster]

Hey Bill,

excellent idea!! I really haven't spent any time on it at all yet- I'll check that and see- could be the root of all problems.....

And sorry guys, but I'm not gonna part it out. It will either be fixed or sold complete as-is.


Thanks!
Bret.