Sump guarding a M50 converted E30 - options?

[Gumdrop]

Howdy Folks!

I am wondering what the options are when it comes to fitting a sumpguard to a M50 converted E30. As the sump is in a different area and sits lower than the original M20 engine.

I fitting coilovers soon and will want to have the sump protected as I'll be riding pretty low!

Stainless steel plate is what I am thinking, but here are my questions:

Where to mount it?
Where to bend it?
How big?
Access for sump plug?
Holes to show if any oil is leaking?!
Cooling may be effected, if so how much?!


If anyone has done this before, I assume a lot of you have as its a popular conversion, please post what you've done! Pictures speak a million words so if you have any stick them up!


Cheers !

[Jozi]

I've got a RPM guard, there's a pick of it offered up in their sump guard thread. As far as I could tell it will fit with plenty of room to spare.

---edit---

[DanThe]

BMW South African spec E30 sump guard

[BATTS91]

I dont think there would be much clearance if i had an rpm one :/ lool

[Gumdrop]

Jozi - Is that the sumpguard in its final position?!!

Where are the mounting bolts screwing in to? On the front and to the rear?!

Im thinking of making one myself but unsure what to where to fit bolts/ drill and tap to fit bolts!

[Jozi]

It's more or less the final position, I just put a jack under it in the position it should be in.

At the rear it's bolted on through the subframe (I'll check exactly where when I get under the hood again) and at the front there's a lip that folds up and it sits against the front cross memeber with 2 long bolts going through it.

That SA one has arms on it and bolts to the chassis legs like the one that looks like its made out of fencing?

[DanThe]

Yep, because it bolts to the chassis its very strong, ive jacked the car up on it before

[Jozi]

I thought of doing something similar with a diy one but ended up getting the rmp one instead. I might yet do something though with the rpm one as the angle doesn't look quite right.

[DanThe]

Its a shame you cant buy that 'corrugated' pressed steel off the shelf, by far the strongest way to do it

[Jozi]

Its a shame you cant buy that 'corrugated' pressed steel off the shelf, by far the strongest way to do it

You know those fences you see at the side of the road I had a few engineering places look into folding strips of metal into the same shape, worked out very expensive.

[bimanut]

Got any pics dan where it bolts on to the leg,cuz i cant see any pre fabed holes on my legs.
I was going to make one a bit like the rpm one.
the SA one looks a lot stronger and i maybe able to make something similar on the presses at work

If not tranny vans use a similar pressed shape floor

[DanThe]

Anything transit is destined to turn into a pile of brown dust
I cant remember the exact thickness but its about 2mm
Riv-nuts have to be fitted to the chassis rails to bolt it up

[bimanut]

Aint that the truth,
the only reason i know about the floor is that i`ve changed that many of them.

2mm sounds about right anything much thicker an i may aswell fit an M30 lol
Got some nice stainless tube left over from a job at work sitting around not doing much
Not sure what a riv-nut is yet

[bimanut]

Thread insert

[DanThe]

[Duke137]

BMW South African spec E30 sump guard

What's that on Dan 'Jef'?

[DanThe]

Its sitting on a pile of spares at the mo, the pic is from when it was fitted to my old 4 door