[jwzimm]

Hey all,

I know there has been a lot of discussions on this board regarding oil temps and oil coolers. I wanted to give you all a heads up on something I found on ebay that looks very promising. AR Designs has an "add an oil cooler" kit that taps in to the OEM lines and allows you to add a second core (For $800+). Well it looks like someone has made a VERY similar kit for a helluva lot cheaper: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E90-E92-...6b6ff9&vxp=mtr

I found this while looking for an adapter block similar to AR's that I could use for a project to turn the 335is's aux radiator into a second oil cooler. Here is the thread where I describe what I am going to do: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1047905

Hope this helps someone!

[Cloud9blue]

Looks a cheap add-on oil cooler for those who decide the keep the driver side fender free for aux radiator. However, I am curious about how the oil lines are routed to the front of the radiator. On the AR ones, you have to remove the stock front intake ducting to have the opening to route the oil lines... Not someone I want to do since I want to keep the stock intake box.

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by Cloud9blue

Looks a cheap add-on oil cooler for those who decide the keep the driver side fender free for aux radiator. However, I am curious about how the oil lines are routed to the front of the radiator. On the AR ones, you have to remove the stock front intake ducting to have the opening to route the oil lines... Not someone I want to do since I want to keep the stock intake box.

Yeah, I am not sure on the routing but that can be done similar to the AR one I am sure.

My plan is a little different. I am going to use the Aux radiator core and turn it in to a second oil cooler using the adapter block from this kit (they sell it separately). The only thing I need to do is have some AN -10 fittings welded to the tubes for the radiator and then just fab up the lines.

[tke344]

I'm curious about this as well, I've noticed it before and it seemed pretty good for the price. I imagine you could just mount it behind the grill, shouldn't have to permanently remove the intake duct. Or, if the lines are long enough, driver side fender liner.. that would work well with the fog light delete.

[Cloud9blue]

What transmission do you have? For AT, you are actually better off use the core for coolant rather than oil. The cause of limp mode for AT is usually too high of coolant temperature due to the transmission heat exchanger that goes into the radiator.

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by Cloud9blue

What transmission do you have? For AT, you are actually better off use the core for coolant rather than oil. The cause of limp mode for AT is usually too high of coolant temperature due to the transmission heat exchanger that goes into the radiator.

That's just it, I am a 6MT so I should have plenty of water cooling capacity. My ideal would be to find a replacement oil thermostat that will open at around 210F rather than the OEM 240ish. To be honest, I do not race the car but I like little projects like this and I figure the extra cooling will only help the engine.

[Cloud9blue]

Originally Posted by jwzimm

That's just it, I am a 6MT so I should have plenty of water cooling capacity. My ideal would be to find a replacement oil thermostat that will open at around 210F rather than the OEM 240ish. To be honest, I do not race the car but I like little projects like this and I figure the extra cooling will only help the engine.

Well, who pay $$ to go to HPDE and take it easy? Not me. Plus, it is always fun to show up in a stock looking non-M BMW and put down some serious lap time.

[jwzimm]

Well in case anyone comes across this later, this will not work on an N55. BMW changed the routing of the A/C pressure line to the condenser which now interferes with the block. :-(

[Spectre]

Since I do like to track my car doing HPDE and Autox events.
I've been toying around with the idea of making a custom dual oil cooler setup or just getting the ER dual competition kit. ($1500 ). The ebay listing makes me think its really worth a shot since it is only $258 which is 1/6 the price of the ER kit. However, I emailed the seller on ebay regarding some questions I have. I want to be able to mount the new cooler in front of the driver tire (opposite of the stock oil cooler). If that is possible, I think i'm going to pull the trigger on the kit and see how it goes.


..anybody else want be a guniea pig?

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by EJB1990

Since I do like to track my car doing HPDE and Autox events.
I've been toying around with the idea of making a custom dual oil cooler setup or just getting the ER dual competition kit. ($1500 ). The ebay listing makes me think its really worth a shot since it is only $258 which is 1/6 the price of the ER kit. However, I emailed the seller on ebay regarding some questions I have. I want to be able to mount the new cooler in front of the driver tire (opposite of the stock oil cooler). If that is possible, I think i'm going to pull the trigger on the kit and see how it goes.


..anybody else want be a guniea pig?

I doubt the ebay seller will be much help. They are basically copying the AR/ER kit and don't seem to know a lot about the particulars of the car.

Mounting it there is possible but could be a challenge. My plan was similar to that but it required getting the OEM bracket from the 335is installed which gave some mounting studs for the radiator. You will also need to figure out the ducting to the cooler as well. It would be a fun project though.

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by jwzimm

I doubt the ebay seller will be much help. They are basically copying the AR/ER kit and don't seem to know a lot about the particulars of the car.

Mounting it there is possible but could be a challenge. My plan was similar to that but it required getting the OEM bracket from the 335is installed which gave some mounting studs for the radiator. You will also need to figure out the ducting to the cooler as well. It would be a fun project though.

Agree. I doubt they will answer all my questions. I guess my main concern is that the hoses will be long enough. Im not too worried about the mounting/brackets because I can fab up something with some spare L-brackets and steel bits I have laying around. I tend to find those sorts of projects fun. Another reason I want to mount it in front of the driver tire is because i can utilize my M3 air ducts to channel air to oil cooler. I read somewhere on the forum that I'll have to cut a lot of but i'm not worried.

I will post pics once i get started of course!

[B.J.C.]

This Ebay kit is definitely tempting at that price. Please do keep up us posted!

[jbass524]

I had this years ago and it did almost nothing. A big reason why our cars overheat is the cooling system with the oil temps being a result of that not working very well. Although I would recommend a huge oil cooler in the fender well with proper ducting adding an auxiliary radiator in the driver's side fender well will get you further down the road.

The AR was a waste of time although the company was very helpful and I would buy from them again.

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by jbass524

I had this years ago and it did almost nothing. A big reason why our cars overheat is the cooling system with the oil temps being a result of that not working very well. Although I would recommend a huge oil cooler in the fender well with proper ducting adding an auxiliary radiator in the driver's side fender well will get you further down the road.

The AR was a waste of time although the company was very helpful and I would buy from them again.

I think your experience will be different than mine though. Since I am 6MT my main radiator is fully utilized for coolant (no embedded transmission cooler core). That should allow the coolant temps to stay in check.

[B.J.C.]

Any updates?

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by B.J.C.

Any updates?

I am waiting to install the adapters and plumb the system until after my last schedule service appointment on the 9th. I don't want to give them any excuse to piss and moan about modifications. I am thinking I will point out the oil leak around the thermostat housing and get them to replace the gasket before my factory warranty is up.

[B.J.C.]

Good idea! Will keep an eye out for your update. Cheers.

[jwzimm]

Well I give up. That A/C line is directly in the way of the oil lines. I couldn't even make a different adapter with a 90 degree AN fitting on it work. This would not be a problem on an N54 I think since that line is routed differently.

[B.J.C.]

You are right. There are no a/c lines in that vicinity on my N54. What are you going to do with the kit?

[jwzimm]

I am selling the parts I had already bought. I did not buy the whole kit in the link though. I only got the adapter block.

[B.J.C.]

Ah, okay thanks. How was the quality of the block? Any apparent corner cutting?

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by B.J.C.

Ah, okay thanks. How was the quality of the block? Any apparent corner cutting?

The adapter block is top notch. I am an engineer so I tend to be pretty critical but I could not find anything wrong with it.