[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by maxnix

So it is a gravity flow through the cooler.

Mr.5, please post pictures before they put the body back on.

Sorry but these are the best I can get.
These pictures were taken from a Blackberry.

[DesertDude]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

Edit, the thermostat being open when the engine is cold?
I believe that's wrong, and it doesn't say that on page 46. It's saying the oposite.

I think you need to read that more closely.

"The thermostat can reduce the resistance opposing the
oil by opening the bypass line between the feed and return lines of the engine-oil cooler."

Notice it says that it opens the bypass "between the feed and return lines". Take a look at the diagram as well. The thermostat sits between the feed and return lines and opens up a path directly between them which has less resistance than the path through the oil cooler so the oil flows through the bypass instead of through the oil cooler when the bypass is open.

That's the way I read it anyway... Take it for what it's worth...

[Joshboody]

Originally Posted by DesertDude

I think you need to read that more closely.

"The thermostat can reduce the resistance opposing the
oil by opening the bypass line between the feed and return lines of the engine-oil cooler."

Notice it says that it opens the bypass "between the feed and return lines". Take a look at the diagram as well. The thermostat sits between the feed and return lines and opens up a path directly between them which has less resistance than the path through the oil cooler so the oil flows through the bypass instead of through the oil cooler when the bypass is open.

That's the way I read it anyway... Take it for what it's worth...

I agree, that means if Brian takes the t-stat out, bypass would be open, and oil should run hotter. It's a closed loop to the OC when oil's hot, and bypass open when below temp.

[BrianMN]

Originally Posted by Joshboody

I agree, that means if Brian takes the t-stat out, bypass would be open, and oil should run hotter. It's a closed loop to the OC when oil's hot, and bypass open when below temp.

The first thing we need to do is get a better understanding of the venturis and channels within the oil filter housing and thermostat housing. Nobody knows what is connected and where....

Pictures and examining the thing with it off will answer our questions; its' just a matter of one of us doing it. I'll be doing it early this week.

I don't know if FBIS has a perfect understanding of the venturis and oil flows, but I would assume he's not going to steer people away from buying the Stett OC kit.

[Joshboody]

Originally Posted by BrianMN

The first thing we need to do is get a better understanding of the venturis and channels within the oil filter housing and thermostat housing. Nobody knows what is connected and where....

Pictures and examining the thing with it off will answer our questions; its' just a matter of one of us doing it. I'll be doing it early this week.

I don't know if FBIS has a perfect understanding of the venturis and oil flows, but I would assume he's not going to steer people away from buying the Stett OC kit.

good point, with the stett plate it looks like the bypass is eliminated. I wonder how this effects flow and filtering in colder temps.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by Joshboody

I agree, that means if Brian takes the t-stat out, bypass would be open, and oil should run hotter. It's a closed loop to the OC when oil's hot, and bypass open when below temp.

How can this be?
Maybe we're using differen vocabulary.
Look at the picture below.
In the picture the thermostat is closed. You can see the diaphragm closed on the right.
When the oil heats up then the diaphragm will move to the left (of the pic) and let the oil pass through to the OC.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by Joshboody

good point, with the stett plate it looks like the bypass is eliminated. I wonder how this effects flow and filtering in colder temps.

This is a given though. This is why they came up with their own thermostat.

[Mr. 5]

Here is a post that I found with the following pics:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...8&postcount=47

[Joshboody]

I was mainly going off the wording. Man, I can't decipher the pics... good find. you have the t-stat off your car now, so we should be taking your explaination.

[jzchen]

Originally Posted by BrianMN

The first thing we need to do is get a better understanding of the venturis and channels within the oil filter housing and thermostat housing. Nobody knows what is connected and where....

Pictures and examining the thing with it off will answer our questions; its' just a matter of one of us doing it. I'll be doing it early this week.

I don't know if FBIS has a perfect understanding of the venturis and oil flows, but I would assume he's not going to steer people away from buying the Stett OC kit.

You don't need to do this. I have had this sitting around since the AR oil cooler group buy... I didn't remember I could remove the AR adapter plate without breaking any seal I didn't want to have to replace, but I found it loose anyways. (I'm afraid I have 3 of the 4 major oil coolers around, probably would have gotten the VK one if they offered a retrofit kit as well...) It is late at night when I have the chance to get stuff done and I'm not always very sharp. I also have the pressure of having my car partially disassembled and people wanting me to get it over with so they can park their car in the garage again. (Anyone know how to remove the bottom connector from the throttle body so I can remove it? I don't want to break it...)

1st Pic is looking up through the holes in the thermostat housing, (where the hoses go.)

Pic 2 to Pic 3

top large chamber to smallest chamber
middle large chamber to largest chamber
lower right chamber to lower left (medium chamber)

[Mr. 5]

Wow man. That is excellent stuff.
Do you think you can take some more pics with different angles?
That's really cool where you have the entire assembly off the car.
Now, we can try to figure out where the coolant is flowing.

Great stuff!

What would be really cool is if you could take apart the actual thermostat from this picture and snap some more photos.

Originally Posted by jzchen

You don't need to do this. I have had this sitting around since the AR oil cooler group buy... I didn't remember I could remove the AR adapter plate without breaking any seal I didn't want to have to replace, but I found it loose anyways. (I'm afraid I have 3 of the 4 major oil coolers around, probably would have gotten the VK one if they offered a retrofit kit as well...) It is late at night when I have the chance to get stuff done and I'm not always very sharp. I also have the pressure of having my car partially disassembled and people wanting me to get it over with so they can park their car in the garage again. (Anyone know how to remove the bottom connector from the throttle body so I can remove it? I don't want to break it...)

1st Pic is looking up through the holes in the thermostat housing, (where the hoses go.)

Pic 2 to Pic 3

top large chamber to smallest chamber
middle large chamber to largest chamber
lower right chamber to lower left (medium chamber)

[jzchen]

Here's one more angle on the oil filter housing. I'm afraid I don't want to open the stock thermostat because the housing notes the part is made from Al. I don't really want to have to buy new bolts because I read somewhere they are single use only.

[vasillalov]

Good info guys! I just dug through my Bentley manual and, unfortunately, they used a 335 without an oil cooler for creating the book. So naturally, there is no information in the Bentley manual for the oil cooler system.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by jzchen

Here's one more angle on the oil filter housing. I'm afraid I don't want to open the stock thermostat because the housing notes the part is made from Al. I don't really want to have to buy new bolts because I read somewhere they are single use only.

i understand but if the bolts don't have blue paint on the bolts then they aren't AL.
Thanks for the other pic.

[jzchen]

Originally Posted by vasillalov

Good info guys! I just dug through my Bentley manual and, unfortunately, they used a 335 without an oil cooler for creating the book. So naturally, there is no information in the Bentley manual for the oil cooler system.

Hmm. That's funny, mine seems to say all N54 engines come with the oil cooler. I sent them a note on their site to say that not all do. While they don't give info. on how to remove/replace the oil filter housing, you can kind of figure it out if you have the new housing and take it with you to look at where the bolts are in the car. (Sadly, one bolt is under the intake manifold requiring a lot of work to remove the oil filter housing!)

Mr. 5, alright, I'm going to let that sift in my mind a little bit. (I confess I remember this note about blue paint, but since I'm torq anal and don't have the torq specs. for the screws I'm still reluctant. When I change oil in our cars I use a torq wrench for the filter and the drain bolt.) I'm not sure what you'll see extra by taking more pics of the thermostat though...

[BrianMN]

Here's what I *think* I'm seeing in the pictures:

There are 2 channels near the diaphram-like thermostat mechanism (plunger on the passengers' side), and the plunger is determining which pathway the oil should go through; over or down. Now if I were to take out the entire mechanism, both channels would be open and the oil would essentially take the path of least resistance to flow. So the idea of gutting the housing probably won't work.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by jzchen

Mr. 5, alright, I'm going to let that sift in my mind a little bit. (I confess I remember this note about blue paint, but since I'm torq anal and don't have the torq specs. for the screws I'm still reluctant. When I change oil in our cars I use a torq wrench for the filter and the drain bolt.) I'm not sure what you'll see extra by taking more pics of the thermostat though...

No worries. I understand.
I have the TIS manual and have the torque specs but have no information about how it flows. BTW, the torque settings are 22 Nm and that also goes for the bolts that connect the thermostat to the housing (what you already have apart).

Originally Posted by BrianMN

Here's what I *think* I'm seeing in the pictures:

There are 2 channels near the diaphram-like thermostat mechanism (plunger on the passengers' side), and the plunger is determining which pathway the oil should go through; over or down. Now if I were to take out the entire mechanism, both channels would be open and the oil would essentially take the path of least resistance to flow. So the idea of gutting the housing probably won't work.

I think that plunger that we see in this picture is not related to the thermostat. It's where the oil flows up the canister to go through the filter.
Is this what you were talking about?

[Mr. 5]

I've changed my mind about the plunger.
Do you think that it may be the thermostat for the coolant?
If you follow the pipe in that is carrying the coolant, it might go to that plunger.

[BrianMN]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

I've changed my mind about the plunger.
Do you think that it may be the thermostat for the coolant?
If you follow the pipe in that is carrying the coolant, it might go to that plunger.

Haha this is starting to give me a headache lol.

I don't think you or I will really know it until we have it out and in our hands.

[jzchen]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

I've changed my mind about the plunger.
Do you think that it may be the thermostat for the coolant?
If you follow the pipe in that is carrying the coolant, it might go to that plunger.

I highly doubt the coolant goes to the plunger. That big hose that goes into the housing ends at that big chamber, and that's all. No way for it to go around. I've got to run right now...

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by jzchen

I highly doubt the coolant goes to the plunger. That big hose that goes into the housing ends at that big chamber, and that's all. No way for it to go around. I've got to run right now...

OK, thanks for clearing that up.
It was just a thought.

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Originally Posted by BrianMN

The first thing we need to do is get a better understanding of the venturis and channels within the oil filter housing and thermostat housing. Nobody knows what is connected and where....

Pictures and examining the thing with it off will answer our questions; its' just a matter of one of us doing it. I'll be doing it early this week.

I don't know if FBIS has a perfect understanding of the venturis and oil flows, but I would assume he's not going to steer people away from buying the Stett OC kit.

BrianMN, that is awefully presumptive. I have never told anyone to buy a single product on the forum. I made the best choice for my needs and I suspect you will do the same.

Fluid dynamics and thermodynamics are not subjects I am a rookie to.

Personally I think this forum tends to over-analyze simple concepts sometimes. Oil coolers are not rocket science and have been used on hundreds of other cars. Based on the confirmation that coolant is going to the oil thermostat housing, I just think you are looking at BMWs way of warming the oil to a usable temp faster.