Lowering woes/sump info...

General E30 related discussions -
Please put technical questions in E30 Tech Help forum below

Moderator: martauto

Post Reply
User avatar
CpnSpankyPantz
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Down South

Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:59 am

Hello,

I've had my car lowered 60/40 and love the way it looks and drives, however I've already shattered my 318is lip spoiler (was a fibreglass replica) and now I struggle to get up my driveway without something scraping (am guesing the sump?)...

So, how easy/delicate are the sumps, I'm really rather paranoid about mine now, so much so I'm debating getting a spare or even a sump guard, or am I just paranoid?
ross_jsy
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 7307
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Jersey, C.I.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:03 am

From what I have read on hear it is fairly easy to smash a sump, although I have not had a problem with 60mm all round and sump doesnt have a mark on (m20)
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49353
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:09 am

Sumps are made from thin alloy, and smash very easily if you're daft enough to run the car scraping the ground.
The oil pump sits very low in the sump as well, and is quite likely to get smashed, and there's also the small matter that you might well run all the bearings in your engine while it's running dry of oil.
trimmer
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: The North

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:13 am

Get a sump guard.

I'm lowered 60 all round and went through a couple of sumps in the first few months. The sumps made of really soft aluminium so every time you hear a scrape thats a little bit more wearing down. Eventually you get this: :D

Image
User avatar
CpnSpankyPantz
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Down South

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:22 am

Ouch...

Are there any recommended sumpguards?
trimmer
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: The North

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:29 am

If found them hard to come by tbh... bought mine off a zoner, one-off steel jobbie. Try sticking a post up in the wanted section. All the ones ive seen people have had them made specially. I dont think there's an off the shelf solution unfortunately.
SimonBlythe
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:00 pm

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:33 am

There is a BMW one, I know I have one however, they are very rare and don't come up often. Get the cash together and move quickly when one comes up.
pacerpete
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 18168
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Iver heath. South bucks.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:42 am

Darwin......
Morat
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 8943
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: The Peoples Republic of Yorkshire

Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:59 am

......is watching
E30 Touring 0.35 cD - more slippery than prison soap :)

Image
Praise the Lard... and pass the dripping!
User avatar
CpnSpankyPantz
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Down South

Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:04 pm

...?
pacerpete
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 18168
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Iver heath. South bucks.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:28 pm

Is a town in the northern most part of Australia......with lots of speed bumps .....
User avatar
CpnSpankyPantz
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Down South

Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:32 pm

pacerpete wrote:Is a town in the northern most part of Australia......with lots of speed bumps .....
Clearly.

Anywho if anyone can point me in the direction of one that would be grand

:cool:
pacerpete
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 18168
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Iver heath. South bucks.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:33 pm

My wit and wisdom are truly wasted here :(
DanThe
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 28640
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Staffs
Contact:

Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:53 pm

pacerpete wrote:Darwin......
The naturist bloke?
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49353
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Tue Apr 06, 2010 1:36 pm

pacerpete wrote:My wit and wisdom are truly wasted here :(
A few of us understand!
User avatar
CpnSpankyPantz
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Down South

Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:47 pm

I've just purchased one, so shall be fitting it this weekend weather permitting... :D
trimmer
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: The North

Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:59 pm

Good man! Out of interest what type, the BMW one?
User avatar
CpnSpankyPantz
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Down South

Tue Apr 06, 2010 3:33 pm

I got the one RPM are advertising on the group buy page:
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=157796

It looks good :)
trimmer
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: The North

Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:43 pm

Ah ya, thats what i've got. No probs with mine, and its taken plenty of stick. Solid bit of kit :D
Coops90
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 994
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Sheffield

Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:46 pm

Mines a lot lower than -60 and still on the first sump. Just have to be sensible with bumps!
Malachite uber alles
Morat
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 8943
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: The Peoples Republic of Yorkshire

Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:00 pm

I bet it isn't a LOT lower than -60! Pics or ban!
E30 Touring 0.35 cD - more slippery than prison soap :)

Image
Praise the Lard... and pass the dripping!
stup86
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 485
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Clevedon, Near Bristol

Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:07 pm

Anyone had issues with sumps on M50's/M52's?
Parts needed:

M40/M20 ignition coil with high voltage lead
trimmer
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: The North

Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:28 pm

Morat wrote:I bet it isn't a LOT lower than -60! Pics or ban!
+1
ross_jsy
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 7307
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Jersey, C.I.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:48 pm

there was a cracking (badum dum tsshhhh) thread on stance works about sump cracking and a majority of posters were e30 owners.

just cant find it now
Coops90
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 994
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Sheffield

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:58 pm

I take it back. not a lot lower, but a bit.
Image
Nowhere near where i want it, another inch will do.
Malachite uber alles
Nay
Channel Island Crew
Channel Island Crew
Posts: 3988
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:00 pm

Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:12 pm

Sumps are bitches for the home mechanics to replace... unless you have some form of engine winch or crane, or a lot of brute strength.
Image

Uni is killing the project.
trimmer
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: The North

Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:25 pm

Mines supposed to be -60 but looks lower to me? must be my cheap-ass suspension kit 8)

Image
trimmer
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: The North

Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:27 pm

Nay wrote:Sumps are bitches for the home mechanics to replace... unless you have some form of engine winch or crane, or a lot of brute strength.
Piece of piss on an m40... but then thats the only good thing about the m40
Nay
Channel Island Crew
Channel Island Crew
Posts: 3988
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:00 pm

Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:16 am

trimmer wrote:
Nay wrote:Sumps are bitches for the home mechanics to replace... unless you have some form of engine winch or crane, or a lot of brute strength.
Piece of pee pee on an m40... but then thats the only good thing about the m40
:lol:

Was trying to get my M20 sump off all last week to look for any rogue materials inhabiting it. Turns out there was nothing :?

Was a bitch, even with the rack off. Couldn't get it out without lifting the engine in some way. So we used the extra 2 inches clearance that the removed rack gave us to poke around. It will have to come off soon though, as the sump gasket is perished...

If the OP is gonna buy a replacement, I'd recommend spending the required pennies on a gasket to horde with it. Nothing like putting a clean sump onto something that will possibly leak oil everywhere.


Oh, and accessing all the bolts is a true PITA...
Image

Uni is killing the project.
Coops90
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 994
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Sheffield

Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:00 pm

trimmer wrote:Mines supposed to be -60 but looks lower to me? must be my cheap-ass suspension kit 8)
Being on 14s will make mean it'l be lower to the ground. But with more arch gap no doubt?
Malachite uber alles
Post Reply