Oil pump nut woes

[RacerJames666]

Been thinkin about the oil pump nut backing off scenario, and thought it would be cool to see just how many forum members have had this experience.
Even if it wasn't a personal issue, if you have any stories or experience with this, please describe it! When it happened, what kind of driving, how bad the failure, and the remedy(tack weld,peen nut,loc-tite etc..).
Thanks to everybody for this info, could shed light on a troubling problem!

JP

[philsans5]

Hasn't happened to me cuz I went preventative on it's @$$! I've seen it happen a bunch and you won't know without an oil pressure gauge (and then you've got 10 secs) or some electronic warning light. The stock oil pressure light comes on to let you know the engine is done if it stays on for more than a second. I run the euro pan with the double pump fancy stuff and have it safty wired. Fingers crossed.
Keep in mind, the shaft breaks next, personally I think from the metal getting heated during drilling or welding. A lot less likely to happen than the nut falling off though.

[RacerJames666]

Had to phone BMW in Anchorage Ak today to get my radio code.....fuckers before me lost the little card....
While I was on the line, I left a message with the head service guy regarding any TSB's or recalls on this problem....well suprise suprise.....they told me that they have never even heard of the problem..... Ever since I started this thread many moons ago, I have heard some pretty major horror stories on this subject from many reliable sources.....
do I smell a cover up?
smells like poop......
JP

[fourdoorfanatic]

i had a customer with a 325is once, we put an m valvetrain in the car. months later he had the nut back off the oil pump and tried to blame us. little bastard. seen it happen a few times, anytime i have a pan off now i drill a hole in the nut, safety wire it to the sprocket, red loctite it and mess up the threads on the shaft. one friend of mine, turbo'd, had the nut come off. he had me WELD it to the sproket. feel kind of bad since he blew the engine now and, well, good luck getting that puppy apart.

[hayesburrow]

god i need to check that but its a lot of work

[M3.SA]

Does the nut come of us or euro models? or both...

[RacerJames666]

From what I have heard, its related to most 6 cylinders, as the sprocket/shaft/nut design have been virtually unchanged over the ages. So that's you, me, and the dude in the 3.0csl down the street.

[M3.SA]

Dam

[BadGTho]

in reality what causes this issue more than any other thing is vibration.

if your car runs high RPM alot, has an LTW flywheel, underdrive pulleys etc. you're at higher risk for this.

i know many many people who have dropped the pan at 100k + miles only to find the night really really tight.... i also know others who track the car alot and have an LTW flywheel that have dropped the nut.

it can;t hurt to be too safe but in the case of my current M or my past.. i never did this and don't plan on it.

[PurduinaM3]

Dude, isn't it past your beditme?

[fiveightandten]

I dropped mine at about 108K and it was still at factory torque. I had to put a little muscle into breaking it loose.

The way I look at it, it costs barely any money to rectify, and I don't have to drive around with one eye on the oil light all the time. The hardest part is reinstalling and re-torquing the pan. Though I did this alone, and i'm sure it would be WAY easier with an extra set of hands to hold it in place (as opposed to me under it with my knees keeping it in the air).

I'm in agreement that it's likely due to vibration more than anything. But regardless, it's something you have to either be willing to roll the dice on, or something you want to spend a Saturday fixing. I have an engine brace, so if anyone near CT wants to do this and needs to borrow it, drop me a line.

[ANT'S M3]

i myself have not done this yet. and dont plan on doing it soon. but i believe its something that i have to get around to do

[PurduinaM3]

You haven't done this yet Ant?!?! Should have done it before the swap man...


It was one of the first things I did to my car, so glad its secured now

[ANT'S M3]

Originally Posted by PurduinaM3

You haven't done this yet Ant?!?! Should have done it before the swap man...


It was one of the first things I did to my car, so glad its secured now

yea totally slip'd my mind. this happened to be around my horrible wendys experience

[PurduinaM3]

It's not fast food. It's Wendys!