E30 Zone

Just went to fit my power steering pipes to my newly installed M50 (wooooo hooooo!) and the pipe from the resevoir to the pump isnt long enough. I'm assuming there is an off the shelf bmw one to go for, anyone got any suggestions as to which one it may be?

It sounds like your trying to use the E30 position for the bottle.
You need to use the E36 mounting point which is on the n/s engine mount,unless you get a new hose made to make it long enough for the E30 mount point.

oh rite, how does it mount to the engine mount then? i would have thought that would be too low, the car isn't in front of me to look at tho! Do you have a pic?

Not the best of pics but you can just see the mounting bracket for the bottle.
It is a bit of a pita to fill but i use an oil syringe to make things easier and cleaner.

Ah nice one, so is that where bmw mounted them on the e36 or just a handy place for it to go? I spose i'll need to get the bracket to go between the bottle and the mount as well then

Yes thats where bm put it on the E36, the bottle/mounting bracket is all one piece.

bimanut wrote:Not the best of pics but you can just see the mounting bracket for the bottle.
It is a bit of a pita to fill but i use an oil syringe to make things easier and cleaner.

Yeah it was a PITA indeed.

So if i get the e36 mounting bracket i'll be able to use the standard e30 steering hoses no problem?

I dont know about using the E30 pipes.
I`ve got an E36 rack and "tweeked" the E36 pipes a bit to suit.

How easy were they to "tweek"?

Im trying to get some custom pipes made this week, will start a thread in group buys when ive got a price back

Estimated price Dan?

No idea yet, I can tell you the pipe I had made at Pirtek on Saturday cost £45, according to their computer it should have been £90 but he gave me discount and didnt charge labour as ive used them before.
Hopefully I will be able to get the pair of hoses (pressure and return) for around this price

handy, i had to "tweek" mine quite a lot.

Tweak is defo an understatement

DanThe wrote:Tweak is defo an understatement

There was plenty of sqawking rages now and then but after a few bends and tugs it fits

bimanut wrote:

DanThe wrote:Tweak is defo an understatement

There was plenty of sqawking rages now and then but after a few bends and tugs it fits

both of mine were well and truly butchered into place, and they still don't fit right. particularly the return with the cooler loop.

only temporary until i find something else.....or just buy it off dan....again.

Pics of my "tweeking







In hindsight,before the rack went in i would`ve drilled and tapped a new hole just under where the factory one is.

I did similar with my first M50 but didnt like the idea of a pipe under the car open to damage from stones etc, will post some pics of the pipes ive had made later

DanThe wrote:I did similar with my first M50 but didnt like the idea of a pipe under the car open to damage from stones etc, will post some pics of the pipes ive had made later

same here, i left the feed running round the back of the subframe and bent the hell out of it to reach the pump. the return is just bent a bit and left hanging lower than the sump ATM.

Pics





Secured to the subframe with a P clip

I've just had the exact same problem fitting an S50 in an e30. Its the larger of the two pipes coming off the reservoir which is too short, its not under pressure, so I just bought a short length (0.5m) of equivalant size oil line (17mm inner diameter) a coupler and some jubille clips, about £5, job done.