M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: swiss318is on March 18, 2008, 05:10:24 AM

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 18, 2008, 05:10:24 AM

we all know that the oil-pump on a m42 engine is not the best one... is there any possibility to upgrade..?? better flow... etc... maybe the pump out of an other engine?? please dont tell me "drysump blabla ..."  ;-)

did you have any failure with the stock pump?? post pics...

i want to know anything BEFORE i begin to rebuild my engine..

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 18, 2008, 10:44:01 AM

hmm...it seems that everybody is thinking on more power, strokers, turbos, NOS?, bigger, better, faster, stronger etc... but this small rotating thing.. called oilpump...??one of the weakest points...

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: kowalski on March 18, 2008, 11:39:35 AM

i'm not really sure what you could do besides an externally mounted unit. I'm not sure why your so hell bent on changing it..? mine's lasted almost 300,000 km's so I don't see the huge fuss? if anything you might want to upgrade the plate that the oil pump sits in so that it doesn't crack.

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 18, 2008, 12:00:16 PM

i heared about problems with highreving engines.  Under long high-RPM runs the stock oilpump-gears spin so fast that the gears expands, which destroy the oilpump and if the pump is spinning too fast it cant transport the oil anymore... its called cavitation

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 18, 2008, 12:02:13 PM

i dont want to change the oilpump, but perhaps there is something to improve it...

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: DRtothE on March 18, 2008, 12:39:09 PM

start with the basics, i can't figure out whether it's driven by the timing chain or belt driven.....

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 18, 2008, 12:44:34 PM

the crankshaft goes directly through the oilpump... no chain, no belt...

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 18, 2008, 12:50:37 PM

(http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/swiss318is/oilpump.jpg)(http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/swiss318is/oilpumpgear1.jpg)
(http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/swiss318is/oilpumpgear2.jpg)  NOT GOOD AT ALL!!!!!!!!

Title: yea yea
Post by: DRtothE on March 18, 2008, 01:33:32 PM

i'd imagine that the conditions for that broken set rotor were an extreme incident with a ridiculous amount of heat and friction (nowhere near what i think the average driver would put on their M42). I can also see how addressing problems before these babies become classic, and the years afterward, cause i'm not getting rid of mine. But, that's all beside my point, and i don't know the inner workings of the pump enough to give you an answer, external mounting sounds like an idea.....

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: gearheadE30 on March 18, 2008, 01:45:03 PM

I'd call Metric Mechanic; they seem to have the best working knowledge for info on modifying this motor.

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: D. Clay on March 18, 2008, 04:36:49 PM

Longitudinal movement of the crankshaft due to thrust bearing wear has been known to damage the oil pump.

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: Cobra Jet on March 18, 2008, 07:33:29 PM

The pics above of the oil pump gears - there are two different sets of gears pictured, is one set a revised set?

I understand wanting to protect the engine or upgrading the oil pump, but it seems many folks hardly ever have issues with the oil pump (unless the car/engine was abused or had a lack of maintenance), especially a daily driver.  The busted gears above had to have occured under EXTREME and constant RPM & MPH...

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 19, 2008, 01:55:14 AM

Quote from: Cobra Jet;45050

The pics above of the oil pump gears - there are two different sets of gears pictured, is one set a revised set?.......The busted gears above had to have occured under EXTREME and constant RPM & MPH...

the pics are only examples of different cars...

yes, i am speaking of extended high rpm runs...!! ever driven in the swiss mountains? 20 to 30min full throttle to the top ... and then a small beer! ;-)

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: DRtothE on March 20, 2008, 05:44:47 AM

now are you just asking for a replacement part that won't break under stress, or a better way to deliver more oil?

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 21, 2008, 04:00:06 AM

i found a solution... will post some pics when finished..

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: tim_s on March 21, 2008, 04:17:26 AM

lol tease! what've you done?!

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 21, 2008, 04:23:08 AM

i ordered a brand new oilpump from bmw...
the plan is to polish the oilpump-case and every part of the oilpump and round every edge..!to lower the friction and improve the flow of the oil.. after that perhaps i send the parts for lowfrictioncoating..!!

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 21, 2008, 04:23:52 AM

i think thats the best i can do with the stock oilpump..

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: swiss318is on March 28, 2008, 07:03:49 AM

(http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/swiss318is/28032008001.jpg)
(http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/swiss318is/28032008.jpg)

a brand new oilpump is the basic for my modification... :-)

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: colin86325 on March 28, 2008, 01:04:21 PM

Maybe you can send the plunger to be coated with Moly or some other low friction coating. It seems like this part tends to wear.

Title: oil-pump upgrade
Post by: sheepdog on March 29, 2008, 12:55:34 PM

Far as I know, MM is using a stock pump.

As for the broken one I can assure you, something got into that pump. Just looking at a few nicks in it tells you that. Mine was exactly the same way. Nothing is wrong with the stock pump as far as I know, just a poor oiling system built into the block.


I would rather coat the pump housing than the pump itself, being that it is aluminum and therefore more prone to wear.