MyE28.com

My car runs at 168-170F cruising around, but anytime I sit idling for any length of time it starts to creep up. I don't really know what's too hot, but my car will easily get to 195 sitting in a drive-thru and I've seen as high as 215 in traffic in Atlanta.

I'm not running a mechanical fan (fitment issue w/ the EDIS trigger wheel), but I've got the original electric fan on front and a SPAL 3000 CFM fan on the back.

I'm wondering if having the W/A heat exchangers mounted in front of the radiator is hurting me any, certainly some of the frontal area is taken away. Do I need to upgrade the radiator?

"GregATL" was looking into radiator cores the other day, I think he was planning on doing a custom setup for his S1. You may want to touch base with him.

I was also having cooling problems running 10psi air/air intercooler. The engine just wasn't running as cool as it was before the turbocharger.

The car was running strong when ambient temps were below 55degrees. As soon as temps crawled up to 75 plus, the engine would run a lot hotter than I am used to. I am in the process of doing a headgasket swap now, but I am curious if I need a bigger radiator too.

I am running a mechanical fan with a bad clutch, so the fan is stuck on high mode all the time.

TCD Manifold
TCD Turbocharger
Custom Air/Air intercooler
Megasquirt II

Mine never got above 210F. It would usually hang around 185F. It did have a relatively new, stock radiator, stock mechanical fan and a Spal electric (don't recall the cfm) up front.

I'm having similar issues. I've replaced the radiator, t-stat, coolant pressure cap, and water pump thus far. Gave the thing a hell of a flush, too.

I think it's really just begging for me to get an oil cooler on the damn thing. It creeps up to 215-220 in traffic or sitting at idle on a hot day. Cruise can be on the warmish side on a really hot day as well. (200-205)

Sweeney, you had an oil cooler, correct?

Jeremy

Jeremy wrote:I'm having similar issues. I've replaced the radiator, t-stat, coolant pressure cap, and water pump thus far. Gave the thing a hell of a flush, too.

I think it's really just begging for me to get an oil cooler on the damn thing. It creeps up to 215-220 in traffic or sitting at idle on a hot day. Cruise can be on the warmish side on a really hot day as well. (200-205)

Sweeney, you had an oil cooler, correct?

Jeremy

hmmm, that's a good point. I just got my oil temp sender in the mail the other day, so I'll have to hook it up. I'm sure mine runs a little hot as well. I assume you replaced the radiator with a stock unit?

My TCD S1 runs nice and cool while cruising, but when sitting it gets about half way up he gauge if sitting for a few minutes. When this happens, it runs like shit, especially in hot muggy Southern weather. I hate it. Damn thing only runs good with the gauge at or below the 1/3 mark and the ambient temp is below 80F....

I have replaced the water pump pulley with one from an E32 735i that is substantially smaller, turning the pump faster thus increasing flow. The radiator is a tropical unit, and when the pulley and rad were both swapped in I noticed a general reduction in idle and cruising temps in a shorter period of time. i.e. The high and low temps are about the same, but it recovers from the heat soak much sooner now. You used to have to cruise for about a mile or two to bring them down after sitting at a light. That really blew balls because it meant you fell on your face if you wanted to run someone from a light.

I'm thinking I might go to this radiator (it will need some modifications), but I like the idea of an oil cooler too. I wish there was a better way to get cool air to the HEs w/o taking air from the radiator, but I can't figure a way out.

Somthing like this for the e28 or e23 745 would be nice.



Are the HE's mounted in front of the condenser?

Vance

Are you guys running clutch fan or pusher fan in front on rad.I am running a 2 stage fan with a thermostat swtich . i have a relay running low speed at all times and at 190 switches relay from 87 to 87a to high speed.So far am having no cooling issues.Fanis from fwd volvo and fits perfect,but i have no condenser or aux fan

Skeen wrote: I wish there was a better way to get cool air to the HEs w/o taking air from the radiator, but I can't figure a way out.

I have been talking it for weeks now and I will be doing it starting Monday. Move the battery to the trunk and use the battery box to mount a 11 X 11 HE (that 2X the size of the ones in the s2 kit) with a 9" aux fan that is mounted on the bottom to pull air through at low vehicle speeds. Cut the bottom and back of the battery box out, mount the HE at and angle and then build a lid for the HE "box" that will close it off from the engine compartment. Air will flow through the headlight area - HE - then out the back by the front left wheel.

<img src="http://e28-535i.com/upload/HE1.JPG">

<img src="http://e28-535i.com/upload/HE2.JPG">

I am also mounting a plastic formed air ducts in the fog light area that will feed additional air to the HE and the CAI box on the passenger side.

I have never had any cooling issues when running stock healthy equipment.

I was a little worried about the e36 with the intercooler covering the entire front of the car and no electric fan but it never leaves the middle of the gauge. We had a recent 80F day and it idled in traffic with no problems.

Todd

Duke M535ti wrote:

Skeen wrote: I wish there was a better way to get cool air to the HEs w/o taking air from the radiator, but I can't figure a way out.

I have been talking it for weeks now and I will be doing it starting Monday. Move the battery to the trunk and use the battery box to mount a 11 X 11 HE (that 2X the size of the ones in the s2 kit) with a 9" aux fan that is mounted on the bottom to pull air through at low vehicle speeds. Cut the bottom and back of the battery box out, mount the HE at and angle and then build a lid for the HE "box" that will close it off from the engine compartment. Air will flow through the headlight area - HE - then out the back by the front left wheel.

I am also mounting a plastic formed air ducts in the fog light area that will feed additional air to the HE and the CAI box on the passenger side.

Yeah, I've read your plan and it seems like a valid one, but I'll have to look at it in more detail. Quite honestly, I think it's kinda like using a grenade to kill a mouse; I want to see if I can find a simpler option at first (laziness probably has something to do with it). Ideally, I want to mount the two HEs at the corners by eliminating the valance and using an airdam that would offer more space.

T_C_D wrote:I was a little worried about the e36 with the intercooler covering the entire front of the car and no electric fan but it never leaves the middle of the gauge.

I would install a seperate water temp gauge. BMW installed shunts in the temp gauges of the newer cars (not sure about the E36) too keep owners from coming in with cars that they think are over heating due to the temp gauge going past 12 O'clock. The gauge will eventually show an over heat condition but with the shunt, it will stay at the 12 far longer than it should.

T_C_D wrote:I have never had any cooling issues when running stock healthy equipment.

So what do you suggest? Jeremy has replaced everything. Mine is basically all new and the SPAL is more fan than the stock unit. What is the highest temp you've seen?

Jeremy wrote:
Sweeney, you had an oil cooler, correct?

Jeremy

No oil cooler but my heat exchangers were mounted low behind that big opening in the Erebuni air dam. I was also using a VDO temp gauge/sender and not the stock stuff.

Duke M535ti wrote:

T_C_D wrote:I was a little worried about the e36 with the intercooler covering the entire front of the car and no electric fan but it never leaves the middle of the gauge.

I would install a seperate water temp gauge. BMW installed shunts in the temp gauges of the newer cars (not sure about the E36) too keep owners from coming in with cars that they think are over heating due to the temp gauge going past 12 O'clock. The gauge will eventually show an over heat condition but with the shunt, it will stay at the 12 far longer than it should.

My e28 has always had a Autometer gauge. I also run the lowest temp thermostat available.

This is from Corky Bell's MAXIMUM BOOST

<img src="http://e28-535i.com/upload/HE3.JPG">

It is a E24 with the lower valance removed to expose the HEers for the picture.

Skeen wrote:

T_C_D wrote:I have never had any cooling issues when running stock healthy equipment.

So what do you suggest? Jeremy has replaced everything. Mine is basically all new and the SPAL is more fan than the stock unit. What is the highest temp you've seen?

My cars always have newer radiators, newer fan clutches, both fans and a 71C thermostat. My manifold is also ceramic coated.

That said I have never been stuck in ATL traffic. I do not see any reason that the turbo would add enough heat at idle to cause the car to over heat.

T_C_D wrote: I do not see any reason that the turbo would add enough heat at idle to cause the car to over heat.

I don't either but the A/C sure the hell does.

T_C_D wrote:

Skeen wrote:

T_C_D wrote:I have never had any cooling issues when running stock healthy equipment.

So what do you suggest? Jeremy has replaced everything. Mine is basically all new and the SPAL is more fan than the stock unit. What is the highest temp you've seen?

My cars always have newer radiators, newer fan clutches, both fans and a 71C thermostat. My manifold is also ceramic coated.

That said I have never been stuck in ATL traffic. I do not see any reason that the turbo would add enough heat at idle to cause the car to over heat.

To be fair and give full disclosure . . .

My electric fan does not work at high speed, it melt the fuse box if it does so I disconnected that switch until I can get a better fan in there.

I run the 75 degree T-stat currently.

The car has NEVER overheated due to this issue. It simply gets warmer than I am comfortable with. The heat stabilizes around 215-220 in heavy traffic on hot days (90-100 deg), but comes down fairly quickly once moving (~200-210 at steady highway speeds).

I'd prefer that it ran at 190 or so.

Jeremy

PS, that rad is quite nice, Mike. How far away from stock size is it?

I'm at 202-4 if the car's been idling for a considerable time and a steady 190 while driving, foot to the floor or sedately, hot or cold. We don't get the nasty heat that the southern parts get, though. I have the HE for the IC in front of the radiator and it's not posed any problems.

I'm using an Electronics Int'll unit that I got after my bro. redid the cockpit in his Cessna. It allows for 6 inputs and is pretty slick. I have probes for oil, coolant, charge air, ambient, EGT and just got a trans probe the other day. It's also pretty darned accurate.

Jeremy wrote:The car has NEVER overheated due to this issue. It simply gets warmer than I am comfortable with. The heat stabilizes around 215-220 in heavy traffic on hot days (90-100 deg), but comes down fairly quickly once moving (~200-210 at steady highway speeds).

I'd prefer that it ran at 190 or so.

Jeremy

PS, that rad is quite nice, Mike. How far away from stock size is it?

Mine will stabilize at 215 or so, but that seems high.

The rad's overall dimensions are similar to stock. The frame rails are about 26.5" apart and height is about 19.5." I think the aluminum rad is a little thicker. Ideally, a larger core could be use with smaller tanks (at least on the bottom on the driver's side).

I am sorry I missed this thread earlier but I have been putting in 14 hour days all week and so that leaves very little time for internet stuff.

To the point. Skeen I have been looking at that exact same radiator. I think I might take the leap soon but don't have time to right now.

I too have pretty much the exact same cooling issues as the rest of you. Like some of you every last component in my cooling system is 2-8 months old. Including the coolant bottle. (not green yet)

Todd and Sweeney, this is not to knock ya'll but I noticed the issue immediately after installing the TCD kit. In fact, that very night while sitting in the Popeye's drivethru. I had to shut the car off for fear of it overheating. In reality I was probably overly cautious due to it being brand new like. As I have discovered since it probably wouldn't have overheated but it sure was getting close. Too close. Additionally it was only in the low 80's that night. 100's it would have been significantly worse. Prior to the install I could let it idle for ever with the A/C on and no worries.

All this tells me is that the stock radiator (non tropical) is on the verge of being overwhelmed by the extra heat the turbo puts into the engine compartment. I personally like a higher margin of safety than I feel I have currently and so I began looking to build a radiator that would more acceptably, to my standards, do the job.

Unfortunately, finding a custom core has been fruitless. I can get someone to make me a custom sized radiator to my specs but they aren't selling cores reasonably so there's no reason to go that route.

Bill in Mn suggested to me I look for a universal that would fit the space and so I found the same one Skeen is toying with. It will need 2 threaded fittings and a small tube welded into it to work correctly on the e28.

If I go that route I'll let you know. Hell I may even get a few of them and weld the fittings in for cheap if I can turn them around. I could also weld some mounts to them. This is all speculation right now but what are the other options? None of the aftermarket guys are making a 535 radiator that I can find.

I'll have some spare time as soon as I get my car back together and it will go through the sitting in Atlanta traffic tests in the dead heat of summer. I'll start radiator searching quick if I can't run my A/C. I'll keep this thread updated throughout the next couple of weeks.

Might try these guys for a custom set-up or here.

Vance[/url]

vance wrote:Might try these guys for a custom set-up or here.

Vance[/url]

Great suggestion. That will take a little bit more investment, but it certainly would be more ideal. I may call them later today to discuss options. Anyone else interested if they can produce several at a lower rate?

I would be willing to look into this. Seems better to buy a Summit radiator and modify it.

I am interested in any viable, non cost prohibitive option.

I am also looking to reduce the amount of plastic in the cooling system.

I have the tools and skill to modify the summit unit so that is an option. But if it's not worth my time, i.e. I can get one reasonably enough to negate my interest in doing the work, I would be happy for a more plug and play solution.

T_C_D wrote:I would be willing to look into this. Seems better to buy a Summit radiator and modify it.

That would certainly be more cost effective. I was hoping the custom guys could do a wider core, with the tanks nice and small down between the frame rails. Their cores are much thicker too, so I'm worried about getting a fan on the back. Can anyone tell me how much room there is b/t the mechanical fan and the stock rad? I want to make sure this will be a drop in replacement for those that want it.

Like I said, I'll call them in a bit and see about pricing.