e34 m50 oil pan questions.

[Ali//325i]

K so from the searching I have done it shows to me that you need an e34 m50 oil pan, for the swap, not only that but the oil pickup tube?

Does anybody have the exact part # i would need for the oil pickup? or whatever else i'll really need?

I am also under the assumption that you can either use a e34 m50 or e36 s52 oil pan gasket?

Thanks in advanced.

[Mike B.]

You need the E34 oil pan, pick-up and dipstick tube. Gaskets would include oilpan gasket, pick-up gasket, and dipstick tube o-ring. Part #'s can be found at realoem.com.

You will also need some sealant for (4) seam areas on the block. The E36 Bentley shows exactly where the sealant goes.

I would also locktite, retorque or safety wire the oil pump nut at this time as well.

[03IRM3]

OK - so I want to ask this. I have searched and searched but haven't found a sufficient answer. Why exactly is the E34 pan needed? What is it that doesn't clear? Everyone seems to regurgitate that it is needed and that there is a clearance problem, but what and where is the clearance problem? Anyone have photos?

[CorvallisBMW]

The pan doesn't clear the steering rack. There's a good picture out there somewhere comparing the two, the sumps are in completely different places.

[FredK]

The oil sump won't clear the front subframe if you use an E36 oil pan. The E34 has the sump in the front, and the E36 has it in the rear. Everyone "regurgitates" it because quite frankly, it's obvious that the oil pan as-is will not clear the E30 front subframe.

[Teaguer]

OK - so I want to ask this. I have searched and searched but haven't found a sufficient answer. Why exactly is the E34 pan needed? What is it that doesn't clear? Everyone seems to regurgitate that it is needed and that there is a clearance problem, but what and where is the clearance problem? Anyone have photos?

[03IRM3]

The pan doesn't clear the steering rack.

This is closer along the line of what I am looking for. I know where the sumps are. I know a Chevy II Nova also needs a front sump pan with a SBC, but I know why it does too.

We know the sump placement on the E36 is rear and E34 is front. And by looking at the M20 and/or M5x/S5x, the motor mount ears bolt on roughly in the middle of the block. If you look at the shape of the pan(s), both have clearance for the crossmember in the middle. roughly.

The crossmember is not very wide on the E30 so the relationship of it to the pan in both front or rear sump configuration is what I want to know. The rear sump seems like it wouldn't be near the rack so it seems that would not be an issue. If I recall, when MITE46 was doing the S54 transplant it seemed that the crossmember from the E30 bolted to the motor but the problem appeared to be interference with the sta-bar. Is this the case? Does anyone know?

What would be a real nice thing to do is measure the distance from a known place on the motors to a location on the crossmember, then measure the different pans so there is a reference. Unfortunately I don't have an M5x around or an E34 pan. I could get measurements of my S54 but I don't know how that would fit in relation to the E30 crossmember although I might be able to figure it out eventually. Possibly go from the engine mount centerline to the front edge of the block to get a reference?

I'm sure some of you may ask why because everyone knows the E36 pan won't work. Maybe it won't. Maybe it will with some other changes. That is why I want the tech - not just the gospel. If someone could help me out by maybe making some measurements that would be greatly appreciated.