This is for all you guys that are mega technical.

There are apparently 2 different types of the M50 VANOS engine. Both having the same engine code (20 6S 2) But one has the oil sump at the front the other at the rear (the earlier model is at the rear) but on the later version of this model they moved the oil sump to the front to fit in a new power steering box!

My '94 M50 VANOS engine sadly died, it took me a month or so to source a new engine with the same engine code to make a straight swap possible, but when it arrived it was the newer version and doesn't fit because the sump is at the front and is too deep to fit in the '94 chassis. A BMW specialist has told my mechanic that by swapping the old sump from the dead engine with the new one and connecting the pickup pipe accordingly (apparently this is straightforward as well) it will work 100%

Does anyone know if this is possible/true, or can anyone shed any light on the subject. My main thought is why would they give a different engine the same engine code if it wasn't possible it would fit the chassis???

Thanks in advance...

Not  too sure about the engine codes that you are talking about, but it seems to me that you are talking about the difference between the sumps fitted to E34 and E36 engines.

The engines are the same, but the sumps are different and are a straight swap.

i see no issue, i ouwl be most supprised if and significant changes would have been made to theengine to accomodate this, although i would advaise a through visual check.

cheers

donk