335i Oil Cooler Alternative: AR Design

[Johno]

I just bought a 2007 335I with a fall 2006 build date. It doesn’t have an oil cooler and as second owner I have zero chance of BMW help. (They already told me “no.”)

Shocked by the price of the dealer install ($3200!!!) and the expensive Dinan cooler, I searched around and “discovered” AR design. They sell a radiator and BMW parts to retrofit into the factory filter housing.

The kit arrived and it looks like just the ticket. It has a large radiator, braided hoses and all parts needed to mount the system in front of the coolant radiator. (I understand this approach reduces install time considerably and offers improved air flow vs. the wheel-well approach taken by the factory kit.)

Andrew and the others there were very patient with my questions and their customer service is first rate.

Here’s a link to their kit:

http://www.ardesign.info/catalog/ardesign335i335xioilcoolerkitstage1-p-191.html (http://www.ardesign.info/catalog/ardesign335i335xioilcoolerkitstage1-p-191.html)

If your car has no cooler you will need the bmw retrofit kit. (This is the parts from BMW that are on cars with the oil cooler factory-installed.)

I'm getting it installed this weekend.



Anybody else using this approach?

[s2kman]

Please report back when you install it. I'm actually looking to do the same thing.

[Johno]

Will do

[san6279]

What is your estimated final cost?

Does this impact either your orig BMW warranty or CPO warranty (if you have them)?

[Johno]

I paid 1400 and install will be about 4 hours.

That is compared to 3200 for the inferior dealer cooler.

A warranty must be honored unless the device causes a problem. An oil cooler can do no conceivable harm. The only way if COULD void the warranty is if a line breaks and the oil leaves the engine. That would seem to be a problem caused by the device which would defeat the warranty coverage. After all, BMW puts them on the 335 now.

I'm not worrying about it. I only have until November on the factory warranty.

[usernameunavail]

this is an interesting option. please report back.

[san6279]

$3200 for OEM. $4K for Dinan. Ouch. My dealer said he would install the ar. $1400+$600=$2K, just a guess. Not bad.

[Johno]

Gang

-- Definitely worth considering, but you will need some help beyond what is shown in the "manual." There are some significant (yet surmountable) considerations that you need to know before you jump in. Install related.

I will get back here when I have time and give a full report.

[Johno]

This worked out ok, but pm me before you proceed. I have input that you will need.

[FL335i]

Ok, stupid question. What oil temps are "too hot"? I've never really seen my oil gauge get very high. I have a '07 with a July Build date, base model and no oil cooler.

[Johno]

Pros say 240 is too hot, and the oil should be the same temp as the coolant. BMW says 240 is fine. But they also program the electric water pump to go into high gear at 240.

And they also have a thermostat in the oil cooler manifold by the oil filter housing which opens at 240 to allow cooling flow. (If true, how does dirty oil drain from the lines and the oil cooler???) BMW allegedly sells thermostats that open at 190 or 210, and I'm getting the 190 if that's true.

The reason I say to PM me is because there are a lot of things not in the instructions that you will struggle with doing this yourself. My install was accomplished by two highly skilled BMW mechanics, one of whom works for an internationally recognized engine builder. And there was a wrench turner muscle guy. It took the three of them 7 hours to get it in. Maybe subtract one hour for Taco Bell, etc.

They encountered obstacles that I would have never been able to overcome.

For example -- if you car is an Auto, you will find a transmission oil cooler right where the AR instructions say to run your lines.

Another example -- you will have to make holes that the instructions don;t mention.

Another bigger example -- if your car is not equipped with an oil cooler, you need the BMW filter housing and distribution block -- $899 or something. Then, you have to remove the intake manifold to get it in. It is a real bitch too, because there are screws UNDERNEATH the intake that you have to remove without dropping, and then you have to put them back in beneath the intake working upside down while somebody else holds it just the right distance so hidden lines you have to plug in before bolting it down are connected. Then the intake barely goes back into place, with several minutes of positioning and prayer before it is finally slid in past all of the hoses and other barriers.

In summary this is a good product at a great price backed by excellent customer service. But it is not an easy or quick install, and your installer needs to be comfortable with improvising along the way.

PS -- I found out the hard way there is a flimsy plastic nipple beneath the plastic intake manifold, which has a vacuum line attached. That nipple will break off if you look at it funny. Then you will have to either buy a new intake manifold ($$$$$) or fabricate a new nipple from an AL tube from some parts car you have in back, and glue in a replacement nipple so the vacuum line will attach. Mine broke and I would have been screwed without an installer who knew how to work around this.

[fun2drive]

I bought a factory aux oil cooler for 900 bucks and had the dealer install it. It went well and I think the install was aound 600 bucks.
My car was a 3 07 build and had BMW told me that I would not have this cooler I would have ordered the sport package but didn't because I don't like sport seats.

I ran my car in Europe to 145 mph keeping the rpms below 4500 and the oil temp on a nice 50 F hit well into 270 F.

This oil is good to over 300 F by the way and that is not what bothers me it is the affect on the gaskets and other plastic parts getting a lot of heat.

I never see my oil temps over 250 F now and I am very happy to have the cooler.
before the cooler install I didn't see much over 255 to 260 F but that was not running it very hard.

Personally I do think any cooler that drops the temps is a good thing. When changing oil I have never seen a case where it all didn't drain out. That oil and engine is very hot and stays that way for a long time.
In fact you can get badly burned with changing this oil if you are not hyper careful. I take my key FOB 20 ft from the car and allow it to sit for 15 mins before starting.

[Johno]

You got it for a steal at that price. My dealer showed me an install bill for 3200 parts and labor. And the factory cooler is much smaller than the AR one.

[LostMarine]

AR Design has the best possible hardware for the N54 and soon to be the N55's. Their Oil Coolers are top notch.

as for temps, 230-250 are normal. I have an 07 w/o oil cooler and i see 240/245 as my highest regardless of what im doing.

some people are confused by it because the earlier yrs have 210 in the middle of the guage and think that because its goin past that, that it is bad. But if you look at the 09 and newer (could be 08 and newer) the guage is centered @ 240. up to 250 is normal. beyond that, unless your on a roadcourse, is cause for concern