Windage tray? Which to use...

[golde30]

ok so instead of drilling out the windage tray on my e34 oil pan, i just unbolted the one offa the s50. is this ok to just run the tray on the oil pan? thanks!

[gazellebeigem3]

yessum, that is the consensus

[golde30]

cool. just wanted to make sure before i torque everything down.

[Mr.SWISS]

That's what I did, mine went right on I dunno what some guys are talking about having to shave them down. :roll:

[LINUS]

That's what I did, mine went right on I dunno what some guys are talking about having to shave them down. :roll:

Because we did have to shave the area around the bearing cap to fit it without bending the tray when torquing down the pan, Mr. :roll: .

It happens and it happened with my '97 S52, who knows or cares why, but it's valid that some of us had to do so. I don't know what the pan was off (year-wise), but I'm betting some pans aren't quite built to the same spec as some others. No big, but just because yours fit doesn't mean they all do.

For any newbs reading this - If you pan doesn't lay flat entirely on it's own - don't worry, all you need is a Dremel. Grinding is a lot better fix than bending the windage tray.

[gazellebeigem3]

mine dropped right in (95 s50)

[erik325i]

I had to grind off part of the tray when I bolted my oilpan to my old s50 in order to get it to fit right.

-Erik

[golde30]

I had to grind off part of the tray when I bolted my oilpan to my old s50 in order to get it to fit right.

-Erik

in addition to removing the stock windage tray offa the s50?

the only part that didnt clear on mine was a tab for the old oil P/U, which i just bent off b/c it isnt needed for the e34 oil P/U.

[erik325i]

in addition to removing the stock windage tray offa the s50?

the only part that didnt clear on mine was a tab for the old oil P/U, which i just bent off b/c it isnt needed for the e34 oil P/U.

Yep. I removed the s50 tray and broke off that oil pickup bracket thing, but the pan still wasn't fitting on right. Part of the windage tray was hitting the motor, so I had to grind part of it off.

-Erik

[golde30]

ic. i didnt notice anything hitting when i mounted up the pan. but i also havent tightened it down yet. i guess i will see when the time comes. thanks erik.

PS: i still hate u, u damn parts whore. LOL

[erik325i]

ic. i didnt notice anything hitting when i mounted up the pan. but i also havent tightened it down yet. i guess i will see when the time comes. thanks erik.

PS: i still hate u, u damn parts whore. LOL

Well, you're probably going to be fine. I couldn't even get the pan to sit flat on the block with the bolt holes lined up even by hand. There is no way I could have even tried to tighten it down.

-Erik

[LINUS]

^^^ Same scenario I had. Wasn't a lot of grinding either for me - did you solve yours with 1/16" - 1/8" in the 'U' areas on the far edge of the tray?

I never even looked so if this had been covered already where & how much everybody is grinding, my bad.

It might just be nice to quantify the grind situation so all those non-grinders can see that we aren't a bunch of delusional drunks. Well, at least not for this reason anyhow.

[FredK]

Grinders, what production date 525i pan did you use?

I used a non Vanos 1992 525i pan, and the other pan I'm not sure of the production date.

[erik325i]

^^^ Same scenario I had. Wasn't a lot of grinding either for me - did you solve yours with 1/16" - 1/8" in the 'U' areas on the far edge of the tray?

I only had to grind off 1/8 to 1/4 inch in one spot on the edge of the tray.
I can take a picture of it as a reference to everyone else, since i sold the motor but kept the oilpan.

Grinders, what production date 525i pan did you use?

I'm not sure what year my pan was from.

-Erik

[LINUS]

Grinders, what production date 525i pan did you use?

I used a non Vanos 1992 525i pan, and the other pan I'm not sure of the production date.

Sorry man - I got a pan from that big wrecker in NorCal, didn't state what year it was off on my receipt, just that it was a 535i, and the car # in the wrecking lot, IIRC.

If they put that circular production code on the pan, someone tell me where it is and I'll look - pan's on the block already, so if it's inside I can't get at it.