Question

[Fox]

OK... are the m20 and m50 engines a dry sump system? Ive never been able to get any articles if they are or not but from the looks of the set up of my engine it looks like a dry sump. But on the e36 the setup looks a lot different but still similar to a dry sump. If it is a dry sump setup why did they put it in such an ineffecient place? It could be a lot smaller, lower, and more to the front for better wieght distribution and lower center of gravity. Anyone know?

[triggrhaapi]

I don't know those specific engines too well, but I can't imagine a dry sump system on a stock street car. It just doesn't make sense.

[Fox]

Sure it does. Honda does it in most of their JDM and mugen motors. I figure BMW would do it too, if your gonna have a car that handles as good as possible, then your gonna want to have a dry sump so you have a lower center of gravity.
If you look at the bottom of an e30 the pan is mounted at the extreme front(bottom) of the engine bay and is only 5"x 5" x 5" Maybe its not but then again im just trying to find out

[triggrhaapi]

I was thinking more in terms of engine reliability, because you get oil starvation issues with dry sump systems under heavy lateral G-loads. The race cars that use them have an auxiliary oil pump that pressurizes the sump to eliminate that problem, but it's a much more mechanically complex and therefore potentially unreliable system. you don't get enough of an advantage on a street car in terms of improved polar moment and such to warrant that kind of system.

just my $.02

[Fox]

True.... ok... yea now it just bothers me why it looks so much like it. Bah i gotta go find a write up somewhere. Thanks trig

[triggrhaapi]

no prob dude