E34 radiator differences....

[KingJerd]

Ok we have a 1993 Brilliantrot 525iT

It;s got a blown radiator. We got a new radiator and the two are identical except for the new radiator has two brass fittings on the drivers side of it. Does this mean I had a manual radiator all along? What are these nozzles for?

[ltflint]

My touring had a separate transmission cooler mounted on the front of the radiator. When I swapped to a manual, I just removed the trans cooler. Same radiator works great.

[KingJerd]

These go into the radiator core itself...The seperate cooler was unbolted from the old one and will be refitted to the new one.

[russiankid]

My touring had a separate transmission cooler mounted on the front of the radiator. When I swapped to a manual, I just removed the trans cooler. Same radiator works great.
I left mine in place, just plugged the holes in the cooler. :stickoutt


OP, it is the same radiator. Some 525i models did not have an external transmission cooler thus they used the radiator. It will be perfectly fine using either or.

[KingJerd]

Can I just cap off those brass fittings?

[russiankid]

Can I just cap off those brass fittings?
You can, but no need. Nothing will be connected to them.

[KingJerd]

coolant will run out of them if i dont. they go into the core.

[russiankid]

coolant will run out of them if i dont. they go into the core.
No. Those fittings are made for transmission fluid to be cycled through the radiator in order to cool the transmission fluid. Coolant does not enter the channels designed for the trans cooler. Leaving those unplugged will not cause any problems.

[upallnight]

coolant will run out of them if i dont. they go into the core.

If you got coolant coming out of those fittings you got more problems.

I have a Brand new Behr radiator for a 1993 and later Touring (no brass fittings for trans). $125.00 ship to any where in the lower 48 states.

[KingJerd]

Ah, nevermind. i was simply going off the wife's description. I just ran home to look and throw it in.....we're gooooood. Those fittings were just as you guys described, totally unused. Thanks guys, sorry for sounding so newbish....I didnt have the part right in front of me.

However....how difficult would it be to hook those lines up if I didnt have them before? Too much of a pain to even be worth it for daily light use? We dont do alot of heavy duty stuff.