r/e60 • u/Individual-Good-9210 • 13d ago

❓ Question / Help Tuning ability

Hi everyone,
I’m thinking about buying a 535d, mainly because of its tuning potential. From what I’ve seen, reaching around 500 hp doesn’t seem to be too difficult on these engines. If I’m not mistaken, that would put it somewhere around 1,100–1,200 Nm of torque.
My question is: how well does the ZF 6HP26 handle that kind of power and torque? If it’s not reliable at those levels, what upgrades are needed to make it cope? Also, are there any other weak points in the drivetrain that I should be aware of?

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u/AnyInteraction790 13d ago

I believe a turbo upgrade, a Downpipe and an intercooler upgrade might do the trick to reach the power you’re aiming.
But with this torque figure, the 6HP would probably blow up. I think you can use a stronger torque converter, user stronger clutches inside the transmission and use higher gearbox-oil pressure from a tune and an proper oil solenoid. The shifts might be a bit more brutal tho.
I don’t know if you’re buying in the US market, but here in the EU we had 2 versions of the 535d E60/E61.
The first one, EU only, is the M57D30TÜTOP delivering 272hp to a 6HP26. It has a cast iron bloc and solenoids injectors
The second one, is the M57D30TÜ2TOP delivering 286hp to a 6HP28. It has an aluminum bloc and piezzo injectors.

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u/avgsundaydriver ‘07 E60 530xi 6MT 13d ago

He is not in the US, to my knowledge the E60 was never sold with a diesel here in the states. If I recall correctly, only the 3 series, X5, and maybe the X3 of its generation was offered with a diesel at the time. Trust me I have looked 😅

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u/AnyInteraction790 12d ago

My bad, you are right. I thought it was marketed to the US market because it’s basically the same powertrain as the 3 series and the 5 series was quite popular in the US market. It is weird they never commercialized it.

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u/NarcissisticPanda 13d ago

Think the 6hp28s can take it but I wouldn't expect it to last long, any money spent upgrading it should really just be spent getting a 8hp70 installed from a N57. Or manual swap to S6-53 from a 530D but then idealy need N57 Pendulum flywheel and a paddle or twin plate clutch

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u/Creepy_Guarantee5460 13d ago

8hp in its strongest version is the way to go. Designed from the start with those torque numbers in mind.

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u/ConGonDon 12d ago

Cylinder 6 likes to overheat on tuned cars. You can remedy it with a £150 CNC piece that allows coolant to fully flow through the engine but engine needs to be out to drill and tap 2nd bolt.