E34 oil pan baffling tips? Anyone have pics of the VAC baffle installed?

[butters]

Well I finally figured out that I need to replace my oil pump. Car is down at the shop this week while parts come in. While the oil pan is being pulled out I really would like to eliminate the worry (I'm going to be OCD about oil pressure now) of lateral-load pressure loss, so I'm looking into baffling solutions.

VAC actually makes a baffle specifically for the E34 pan intended for swapped E30s. It's $200, but I consider that worthwhile.

http://store.vacmotorsports.com/vac---e34-oil-pan-baffle-fits-m50-m52-s50-s52-s54-p2136.aspx

I'm wondering how tricky the installation is. I've heard of one guy who ended up tacking it and adjusting 3 times before getting it right. Has anyone done this, any words of wisdom? Fitment good? Photos?

[FredK]

I bolted mine in with a single bolt in the pan. It needed to be clearanced a little bit on one edge so that it'd sit flat to the bottom of the pan, and the two tines would fit into the holes cast into the pan.

I'd be interested in installing a crank scraper at the same time, the next time I do something like this.

[cormier]

Has there been a lot of issues with running the pan? Do you have pressure readings at all?

[butters]

I bolted mine in with a single bolt in the pan. It needed to be clearanced a little bit on one edge so that it'd sit flat to the bottom of the pan, and the two tines would fit into the holes cast into the pan.

Thanks for the tips.

Has there been a lot of issues with running the pan? Do you have pressure readings at all?

Search, it has been discussed at length on bimmerforums although E36-specific.

A handful of track guys have experienced intermittent pressure drops due to long corners, as evident in lifter noise and/or datalogging. If you have a very healthy motor and don't drive super aggressively, it might be overkill. I spent an exorbitant amount of money rebuilding and swapping my S50.... not so that I could drive miss daisy. Right now I'm going through a period of "should have when I had the chance" and this is one of those things I want in order to have peace of mind that I can hit the track or auto-x without wondering if my engine will fail that day. In a perfect world I'd have a modified subframe with E36 pan and S54 dual pickups.... but for $200 a baffled oil pan isn't a bad alternative.

[gobuffs]

I ran a Euro 3.2 in a race car with the E34 pan for years with no baffle and no oil pressure issues.

[lbreevesii]

I decided to go cheaper than the vac baffles. I got a crank scraper for my S50. Should help negate any issues I could have. ran about $75.

[butters]

I decided to go cheaper than the vac baffles. I got a crank scraper for my S50. Should help negate any issues I could have. ran about $75.

I've heard about the crank scraper but haven't seen one, don't honestly know how it functions. Is it a bolt-in item?

[CoreyZ]

From what I understand, the e34 pan eliminates a lot of those issues by itself. My car has seen years of track use with no issues.

[burkey001]

Mine is tig welded in in 4 spots.

I had to trim a few edges to make it sit flush and I had to cut quite a lot away on one side so it would clear the oil pump chain and sprocket on my euro s50.




FYI I still spun a big end with this and VAC's upgraded oil pump on track. Next stop dry sump.

[butters]

FYI I still spun a big end with this and VAC's upgraded oil pump on track. Next stop dry sump.

VAC's "upgrade" consists of a hardened sprocket & shaft if I understand correctly. Won't really help flow, which is what I was hoping. Have you considered S54 dual pickup? I would be curious if it's cheaper to go dry sump vs. modified subframe, E36 pan plus baffles, S54 pump and S54 dual pickups.

[AlarmedBread]

His problem is that the oiling system doesn't work so great upside down...

You guys really track cars without an accusump for backup?

[Eric]

I have the VAC baffle in my euro S50B30 and my oil pressure does not move on the gauge.

[etxxz]

I too installed a VAC in mine. Got rid of the ticking valves during hard cornering (track events specially, sometimes even on the street given its always on r-comps and track comp brakes : p). I now consider a baffle necessary for the 24V swap. If i had to do it again thouhg, i'd probably make my own out of sheet metal and hinges spending prob less than $20 vs $200

His problem is that the oiling system doesn't work so great upside down...

You guys really track cars without an accusump for backup?

YUP, for many years and even through ticking lifters regardless of how much extra oil i ran.

[lbreevesii]

I've heard about the crank scraper but haven't seen one, don't honestly know how it functions. Is it a bolt-in item?

Info here- bolts to the main caps.

http://www.crank-scrapers.com/

[burkey001]

His problem is that the oiling system doesn't work so great upside down...

You guys really track cars without an accusump for backup?

I really hoped the baffle would be enough. My old M20 ran like a champ without even a baffle. Poor old S50.... never had a chance at life.

Briefly consider an accumped for this rebuild, but I'm 'not doing it again' so just going to go the full monty and dry sump it.

VAC's "upgrade" consists of a hardened sprocket & shaft if I understand correctly. Won't really help flow, which is what I was hoping. Have you considered S54 dual pickup? I would be curious if it's cheaper to go dry sump vs. modified subframe, E36 pan plus baffles, S54 pump and S54 dual pickups.

There are two ways to go for drysump for M/S50 motors; billet or folded pan. A folded pan setup w/ a Peterson pump I figure going to cost about $4.5-5k all in with fittings and hose. The VAC billet pan w/ Auto verdi pump is $6.5k just for those items. So that's probably closer to 8k all in.