Oil sender adapter plate for M20

[bmwpower]

I would not be hanging that heavy oil pressure sender off of an aluminum block...you're just asking for trouble. Remote mount is good of course the but one purpose is to specifically avoid something like this. Not good practice.

What we've done us use the temp sender location on the bottom along with the VDO distribution block for temp. For pressure we simply drilled and tapped the bolt that holds the filter head onto the block. Cheap, easy, very effective.

Cheers.

What do you mean by the "temp sender location on the bottom"? Do you mean the factory pressure sender location?

And do you have the part number for the VDO distribution block?

I like the idea of drilling the bolt. I think I may just do that. And idea how it comes out of the housing? I'm having trouble. Just yank on it a bit?

[lifeiskaos]

http://www.speedograph-richfield.com/html/oil_pipe_lines.html

i used part number tp6 for my turbo oil feed. ~16 shipped. it'll work just fine for a gauge too

[Elephant]

What do you mean by the "temp sender location on the bottom"? Do you mean the factory pressure sender location?

And do you have the part number for the VDO distribution block?

I like the idea of drilling the bolt. I think I may just do that. And idea how it comes out of the housing? I'm having trouble. Just yank on it a bit?

Sorry, I switched those around. The temp sender comes out of the drilled/tapped bolt and the oil pressure comes out of the factory location off the VDO block.

Since I use the SPA gauges (SPA Technique Dual Gauges) they have their own warning light (either internal, external, or both) so I don't need to T for a warning light additionally. If you want to do that you'll need a T in there which is easy.

Get some AN stainless braided line and remote mount the pressure sender on the fender or somewhere away from the engine. This assumes you use the typical style as pictured previously which are uber heavy.

I don't have the VDO block P/N on me and I'm not sure if I have them in stock right now. I normally keep a couple in stock but I'd have to check. I'm out of town until later today so I wouldn't know for sure until I return.

Cheers.

[ScottL]

Does anyone know who sells a bypass adaptor that fits the M20 block? I want to ditch the stock filter and run braided hose to a remote 4-port filter mount (2 large ports for cooler lines, 2 small ports for senders).

The remote mounts are easy to find, but I can't find seem to find a bypass adapter that fits the ring and bolt hole on the block. Trans-Dapt has a selection of adapters, but I'm not seeing what I need.

[Elephant]

Does anyone know who sells a bypass adaptor that fits the M20 block? I want to ditch the stock filter and run braided hose to a remote 4-port filter mount (2 large ports for cooler lines, 2 small ports for senders).

The remote mounts are easy to find, but I can't find seem to find a bypass adapter that fits the ring and bolt hole on the block. Trans-Dapt has a selection of adapters, but I'm not seeing what I need.

I'll check, my partner has been running a remote filter on his M20 for many years. I think the filter set up he uses is Canton but not positive.

Cheers.

[ScottL]

I forgot about Canton. I'll be installing an Accusump at some point and it was the Canton installation notes that got me to thinking about this. They do have a 22mm adaptor, which is what I think I need. Much better looking stuff than what Trans-Dapt sells.

The confusing part for me is that the M20 (the ones equipped with oil coolers anyway), have a hole in the block - not a hollow stud. I'm thinking I'd have to cut the head off the hollow BMW bolt and screw it into the block so that I can attach one of these spin-on adapters?

[mach schnell]

Does anyone make something like this for the M42?

[moatilliatta]

I has canton.



I forget what the adapter is from, i believe a Chrysler something?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/CruceE1Rubicon/d5471448.jpg

[Hallen]

I would not be hanging that heavy oil pressure sender off of an aluminum block...you're just asking for trouble.

Really?
The mount points he used with that bracket are for the A/C compressor which is a heck of a lot heavier than an oil pressure sender and vibrates a heck of a lot more. Why would hanging a little pressure sender using those mount points be a problem?

[ScottL]

Thanks for those pics. That's almost what I want. I'd prefer to get rid of the stock oil cooler adapter, too, so the Canton piece would attach directly to the block.

What adapter size is that?

[jvanhouten]

I forgot about Canton. I'll be installing an Accusump at some point and it was the Canton installation notes that got me to thinking about this. They do have a 22mm adaptor, which is what I think I need. Much better looking stuff than what Trans-Dapt sells.

That's the style adapter I use, but you need the one with 3/4-16 thread It's a lot more expensive than the cast ones commonly available, but I've see several of those split at the track which can have catastrophic consequences.

The confusing part for me is that the M20 (the ones equipped with oil coolers anyway), have a hole in the block - not a hollow stud. I'm thinking I'd have to cut the head off the hollow BMW bolt and screw it into the block so that I can attach one of these spin-on adapters?

What you do it put the adapter where the oil filter goes--you still need the oil filter/cooler manifold. To convert the stock oil cooler lines to AN fittings, I used 22 x 1.5 to AN-10 o-ring adapter in the manifold, retaining the stock oil cooler bypass.

Here's a pic of the setup attached to the block:


As you can see in the above pic, I used an M12 x 1.5 to AN-6 adapter to remote mount the oil pressure sender. With the heavy "barrel" of the sender hanging off a fairly narrow fitting, they have been known to crack/break both making the sender inoperable in the best case and dumping your oil out on the track in the worst. It's easy to relocate, so why not do it.

Here's a pic of the remote pressure sender next to the remote oil filter. I have it attached to a T fitting with a 30 psi sender for an idiot light. For oil temp, I have the sender tapped into the remote oil filter housing. The routing of the hoses is different now, this will give you an idea. I really like the rotated oil filter/cooler manifold. I don't know why I didn't think of that--duh!

[Elephant]

Really?
The mount points he used with that bracket are for the A/C compressor which is a heck of a lot heavier than an oil pressure sender and vibrates a heck of a lot more. Why would hanging a little pressure sender using those mount points be a problem?

First of all, the AC compressor mounts to the bracket via bolts which are in shear and can carry that load. The loading on the ears of the bracket are not prone to the vibration as much due the mount method and their orientation. Second, and more importantly, that oil pressure sender is a heavy item that is hanging off of the threaded aluminum...aluminum is subject to fatigue loading as we know. Third, if this fails what is the ultimate issue...loss of oil pressure plus a potentially dangerous mess. If the AC compressor bracket were to fail it would be annoying.

I didn't say it would fail but rather there is potential and it simply is not good practice period. I have seen set ups like this fail before, on many occasions actually. I'm sure there are hundreds of people who have done it with no problems, good, have at it. Again, it's not good practice, especially for a track car in that environment. The, pretty much fail safe method is to remote mount the sender to the body somewhere and keep the loading off the threads.

Cheers.

[ScottL]

That's the style adapter I use, but you need the one with 3/4-16 thread It's a lot more expensive than the cast ones commonly available, but I've see several of those split at the track which can have catastrophic consequences.

Yeah, all I see at Canton's web site are the billet adapters. They look very well made. Not cheap, but that's OK. Maybe they don't sell the cast units any more?

I assume the 3/4" thread you're talking about is the spin-on filter stud on the stock oil cooler adapter? BMW used an SAE thread on that? Regardless, see my comments on using that below.

What you do it put the adapter where the oil filter goes--you still need the oil filter/cooler manifold. To convert the stock oil cooler lines to AN fittings, I used 22 x 1.5 to AN-10 o-ring adapter in the manifold, retaining the stock oil cooler bypass.

Kind of convoluted. I'd really like to pitch the original oil cooler adapter and just run lines straight out to the CM canister filter (AN -10 O-ring as you said). Less flow restriction, fewer couplings, lower chance of leaks. But, if I can't find the parts, I'll consider taking this route.

As you can see in the above pic, I used an M12 x 1.5 to AN-6 adapter to remote mount the oil pressure sender. With the heavy "barrel" of the sender hanging off a fairly narrow fitting, they have been known to crack/break both making the sender inoperable in the best case and dumping your oil out on the track in the worst. It's easy to relocate, so why not do it.

I have the same OP sensor set up you do: Metric-AN adapter on the original pressure switch outlet with a braided line to the sender mounted on the inner fender. The AutoMeter senders are really heavy and clunky. Works well this way.

Thanks for all the info, John!

[ScottL]

By the way, John, which header are you running on that motor? Looks like 6 individual flanges. I've heard that type of design is a bear to line up and mount. Did you have any problems with it?

[bmwpower]

I like John's install. Any way to use the stock oil cooler with the AN-10 lines and some sort of adapters at the cooler end? Like a female version of the adapter you used on the OTHER end (at the bypass/mount)? I hope so...