Anyone out there ever changed an M30 Oil pump?

[winfred]

cheep meaning that the $407 list e34 pump costs me $305 and the $443 list e28 pump costs me $128 from worldpac for oem parts, dealer list is only a factor if you can't source it from another place, the e28 pump has always been cheeper in the real world

True, but actually the E28 535i oil pump lists for over $100 more than the pump for the E34 535i. So, regardless of your concept of "cheap"

[Bellicose Right Winger]

It was a problem on early M30 engines in E12s and E28s including my '83 533i. Relief valve would stick shut in cold weather causing very high oil pressure that would extrude oil filter o-ring creating a massive oil leak. Since oil pressure light would go out due to the high pessure, there would be no warning until low oil level light came on. The Metric Mechanic guys had a write up on it and sold a pump with a modified relief valve. Nobody should have to change an oil pump in their driveway in January.

Paul Shovestul

i think it was a actual failure on some of the old m30 pumps, i've read about it in many different places

[genphreak]

I want to say a big thank you to everyone that has taken the time to reply to this thread. I've been trying to get Bruno to send me one of his neat remote
filter kits but can't get a response to my mails. I might call him.

Its good to know that B35 pumps are better - and in most cases bulletproof. My car just makes a dirty noise in the sump so I'm assuming its the pump.
I think I'll go a $160 pump and take a look inside the pan to see what it is. I can't imagine it being anything else. But first I'll get the remote filter mount kit, see if that solves the slight delay in the oil light when cold - taking 3 seconds at 25 degrees C.

[genphreak]

cheep meaning that the $407 list e34 pump costs me $305 and the $443 list e28 pump costs me $128 from worldpac for oem parts, dealer list is only a factor if you can't source it from another place, the e28 pump has always been cheeper in the real world

(sorry about the late response) I've been away.

Winfred is it worth risking the e28 pump in an e34? $130 sounds real good. FWIK the rebuild components for the M30B35 pump don't allow a perfect job as the main housing wears also...

[winfred]

i don't think it will fit as the e28 and e34 have the sump in a different position, what makes you think yours is bad?

[genphreak]

i don't think it will fit as the e28 and e34 have the sump in a different position, what makes you think yours is bad?

It's the slight gurgling/grinding noise that's getting to me Winfred. After I had that cold-start problem where the oil pressure light refused to go off for 10 seconds idling and I could see no oil squirting up top through the filler hole, I noticed a nasty scrounging noise down below which I described at the time as cavitation noise. After swapping to 15W/40 as you suggested it's much better (no noticable noise since) and the idiot light goes out in just on 1 second at 25 degrees C / Warm day. However the light oil makes the (new) valvetrain noisier at temperature on a hot day so I am not happy to stay with 40 weight during the summer. I am worried that if I go back to 20W/50 I the pump may not oil the engine well- and am a tad worried that it is blocked or losing pressure somehow. Using a stethascope on the motor it sounds like there's a bit of a party going on inside the block, but you have to use a stethascope- trying hard you can just hear it with an ear near the sump underneath. I guess I should swap to 20W/50 and see... and perhaps go and listen to another M30... what do you think?

[winfred]

id throw a mechanical pressure gauge on it and watch it's reactions over a week or so, just a elcheepo generic gauge taped to a wiper or the console, a possiblity could be something loose and it's sucking air or something, the difference in weight between 15w40 and 20w50 is small, my generally noisy valve trained e30 quieted down a good bit when i went from castroil gtx 2050 to the same thing i run in my big diesel, chevron delo 1540, i think it was the difference in oil quality

[genphreak]

Good point Winfred, that's a great way to monitor it. I'll do it before bothering to pull the pan... Cheers, Nick