E34 vs E39 getrag 6 speeds - what's the difference?

[Ferret]

Trying to find compatible 6 speed boxes and I keep finding people yelling on the net about E36 6 speed getrags not being compatible with E34s...

Bolt pattern doesnt match or some such crap.

However when you punch the part number into RealOEM it cross-references to compatible with almost any car...

Am I cracking up or what?

What 6 speed boxes are compatible - do the M5* and M6* engines have all the same bolt configurations?

Help here would be much appreciated... I'm currently eyeing a 6 speed box out of a 525i, but unless they standardised it wouldnt be strong enough would it?

[yaofeng]

The sixes have the starter on the opposite side of the engine so the bellhousing must accomodate this.
The 5 spd. ZF box I recently removed from a 530(V8) had accomodations on both sides.

The 6 speed gear box has two bumps on the bell housing to take the starter on either side of the engine. My guess is for the right or left hand drive model.

[Ross]

The sixes have the starter on the opposite side of the engine so the bellhousing must accomodate this.
The 5 spd. ZF box I recently removed from a 530(V8) had accomodations on both sides.

[Paul in NZ]

i beleive the e 34 M5 six speed is huge beast(and the 540)

[pgrindstaff]

As far as I have been able to tell, the Getrag S6S 420G is the same transmission between the e34 540 and e39 540/M5. I think the only difference could possibly be the bell housing but from the looks of it, they are the same as well. One of these transmissions pops up on ebay every once and a while.