S52 Oil Cooling Options thread

[BMWBergy]

Admins, this is a resurrection of my previous post of the same title, which was incorporated into the DIY thread, and therefore lost some searchability. I've extracted it to help enhance search returns.

S52 Oil Cooling Options thread

As most folks who have been around these cars long enough already know, US-spec 98-00 M Coupes/Roadies with their lovely S52 motors didn’t have factory oil coolers. Those of us that own these cars get a little concerned by the oil temps we see on the track (sometimes 260+), and usually opt to do something to rectify BMW’s short-sightedness.

The first things I found in my research when I bought my first M Coupe years ago (2003) were arguments that the oil temperature sensor placement is not optimal, and that the gauges themselves – for all the precision of German engineering – are not uber-accurate. Either way, you’ve probably already convinced yourself you want an oil cooler for your S52…

There are many options/configurations. This thread is an attempt to consolidate knowledge on what’s available (not necessarily install DIYs, but those can be found and linked in if desired), and give interested drivers some info on cost estimates. I'm posting this because I've seen quite a few thread pop up lately asking questions on this topic, and believe this will be helpful. I'm also posting this from experience, as I've gone through three different cooler configurations with three different types of feed mechanisms/methods, hoses, ends, and even cooling units. I currently have a SETRAB cooler, Euro housing, VAC adapter, Forbes adapter block (or was it Stygar?), Aeroquip hoses (OPTION 2, below). Additionally, I have a Zionsville Autosport aluminum fan shroud/expansion tank, SPAL fan, Stewart High-Performance water pump, and an S54 radiator (See NOTES and ADD-ONS, below). Here is one of the earlier threads on my third set-up. Another note here: I was one of the few who owned an early version of the VPD adapter cap (see OPTION 3, below) on my first M Coupe back in 2003, but had very poor luck with it; however, the original/previous owner of my current car had a VPD cap set-up, and it seemed fine, though I did opt to replace it with what I have now.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any options involving an S50 or S54 oil filter housing on an S52 will require the relocation of the VANOS line. There are several adapter blocks available (I used Randy Forbes' version) which enables the line to share the port that the temp sender is connected to on the aft side of the filter housing. This is not an issue for any of the 'cap' options.

CAVEAT 1: I DO NOT WORK FOR, OR RECEIVE MONEY FROM, ANY OF THE VENDORS LISTED HERE! I have bought parts from all of these companies, however, and have had good success with most.
CAVEAT 2: Links and vendors below do not come close to covering all of the available vendors. Research these on your own to possibly lower the costs even more.


A few notes on aftermarket hoses and hose ends:
1) There are many options, from socketless, quick-fitting types to braided nylon, kevlar, or stainless sleeved hoses. The key is always to ensure that the hose you opt for is designed to handle OIL, and rated well above the specs for pressure and temperature.
2) Make sure that your hoses and hose ends are properly matched by manufacturer and type. This should be a 'no-brainer' but it needs to be said. Do not use socket-type fittings with socketless hose!
3) Develop a plan for how you plan to route your hoses - this includes verifying that you will not exceed the MINIMUM BEND RADIUS of your hose type when routing. This will help you when you are preparing to order ends. You will want to pay attention to the exit angle from the filter housing (must account for the length/depth of the fittings before measuring your bend radius), clearances (under the airbox/air filter heat shield, fan blades, belts), and then bend radii and entry angles for your hoses routing to the cooler unit, whether aftermarket or factory.
4) Racerpartswholesale, JEGS, and Summit Racing are all great sources for hoses and fittings, and have assembly tools should you need them. You can also find oil coolers here.

Option 1 (FULLY [S54] OEM):
This is really the most straightforward approach, because it’s all just plug and play. No worries about non-factory parts, or building your own hoses or anything like that. However, some have added that both this option and 1a (below) are not the best if you plan to eventually add Forced Induction to your car. Keep in mind that you'll have to transfer your expansion tank and fan shroud over to the S54 radiator, and there may be some nuances involved.
PARTS:
Euro S50 oil filter housing ~$570 at VAC
Forbes VANOS adapter block (?)
S54 oil cooler lines ~$150-200 (from realoem.com: Oil Cooling Pipe 17212227235 $178.23 +core)
S54 oil cooler ~$200 (from realoem.com: Oil cooler 17212244084 $426)
S54 radiator (slightly shorter than S52 rad - brackets needed on next line) $200 from Turner or Pelican (P/N 17-11-2-227-281)
S54 oil cooler bracket/hangers (1x 17512243659 @$4.12/ea plus 1x 11652243770 @$1.07/ea)
Cost (self-installed): ~$1080


Option 1a (OEM-ish, maintaining S52 radiator):
Mostly as above, only using the S52 radiator with a pair of brackets from Turner Motorsport ($79) to hang the cooler – OR – the VAC Motorsports full kit has adapter brackets.
PARTS:
Euro housing full kit for S52 setup:
VAC ~$880 - OR - Turner Motorsport ~$1000
Forbes VANOS adapter block (?)
Cost (self-installed): ~$750-1000


Option 1b (S54 OEM+):
PARTS:
Euro S50/Global S54 oil filter housing (~$570 at VAC)
Forbes VANOS adapter block (?)
S54 oil cooler lines ~$150-200 (from realoem.com: Oil Cooling Pipe 17212227235 $178.23 +core)
Zionsville Autosport high-performance S54 oil cooler ~$400
S54 radiator (P/N 17-11-2-227-281)
S54 oil cooler bracket/hangers (1x 17512243659 @$4.12/ea plus 1x 11652243770 @$1.07/ea)
Cost (self-installed): ~$1280

Option 2 (Housing only, everything else aftermarket):
This option is best if you have a custom all-aluminum radiator setup. However, this is what I opted for, even with a BMW radiator (S52 originally, then mounted S54 radiator three years later). The reason for this is that the aftermarket radiators for an S52 don’t have a place for the oil cooler. I can’t confirm that aftermarket radiators intended for the S54 do have oil cooler accommodation… feedback appreciated.
PARTS:
Euro S50 oil filter housing ~$570 at VAC
Forbes VANOS adapter block (?)
VAC Motorsports line adapter (INCLUDED ABOVE – but you may need it depending on how you source the housing)
Custom -10 AN lines and hose fittings
SETRAB (or other aftermarket) oil cooler
Angle stock for crafting a bracket to mount the cooler to the bumper.
-OR- VAC does sell a kit with all included: ~$850
Cost (self-installed): ~$800-850


Option 3 (all aftermarket using adapter cap):
Victory Product Design (VPD), now out-of-business, used to sell an oil filter COVER/cap that replaced the factory oil filter housing ‘lid’ with a machined aluminum piece tapped for 1/2” NPT. This allowed for owners to use NPT-to-AN (-10) adapters to connect custom hoses to a custom cooler. It would be possible to use a factory cooler with a set of line/hose adapters, but the angles for mounting and routing hoses would really be quite awkward.

It appears as though Ireland Engineering has taken over this product type, and it’s available for ~$150 here.
**(UPDATED April 2016) Similar units are now also offered by RallyRoad and Bimmerworld.

YOU WILL NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE VANOS LINE on this setup, BUT you must be aware that you will NOT have an integrated oil thermostat with this setup. If you need a thermostat, you’ll have to source one, figure out where to mount it, and account for extra hose fittings. T-stats are recommended in order to ensure that your oil gets up to an appropriate operating temperature, especially on short drives.
PARTS:
Cap ~$150
1/2" – AN-10 adapter fittings ~$40
Custom -10 AN lines and hose fittings ~$100-$300
Aftermarket oil cooler ~$150-$500
Cost (self-installed): ~$500-750


ALTERNATIVE:
1) Zionsville sells a full kit, with all-aluminum radiator for $1500.


NOTES and ADD-ONS:
If you want to increase your overall cooling efficiency, think about upgrading your cooling system. You will need to remove your radiator when you install these oil cooler parts anyway, so why not take care of the weak spots while you already have things taken apart?
Typical upgrades include:
1) Stewart High-Performance water pump $180-$215 (various vendors)
2) Aluminum fan shroud and integrated overflow tank. This kills off one typical problem area for our cars (plastic expansion tank failure) $275 from Zionsville.
3) S54 radiator – several of us have seen further drops in OIL temps using this more efficient radiator (3-row vs. 2-row S52 rad). Available from Pelican and Turner for under $200.
4) ZA all-aluminum radiator. $$$, but their products are totally worth it.


RESERVED FOR LINKS TO HELPFUL THREADS AND RESOURCES:

[BenFenner]

Added to the Manifesto (again).

[BenFenner]

I just saw this thing for sale. http://www.gutenparts.com/economotor...x-s50-s5x.html

Do you mind trying to merge that into your recommendations?

[mpire]

The only difference between your oil filter housing and the euro filter housing is the thermostat and the holes are drilled and tapped for a different thread. I am sure you could whip up something pretty easy and much more inexpensive if you got out the jegs or summitt catalog.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-25719

[BMWBergy]

I just saw this thing for sale. http://www.gutenparts.com/economotor...x-s50-s5x.html

Do you mind trying to merge that into your recommendations?

I was initially curious where the filter housing was on this module... then figured out that this piece was probably sandwiched between the standard housing and the block - confirmed by the link.

I wonder if I can dig up some threads about people who've used it...

[BenFenner]

I have no intention of using it (well, not at the moment). This would simply be for FAQ/HowTo completeness sake.
One day I will be putting an oil cooler on my car and this is likely the first place I'd end up for research when that happens.

[rf900rkw]

I have been looking into oil cooler options for some time. I don't particularly want to go the S54 route; a lot of money to lose ~60 square inches of radiator surface. The plate above appears to be quite the bomb... if the alternator positioning was not so critical. But the blower mounts rely on the stock alternator bolts. So I'm still pondering....

[Randy Forbes]

I have been looking into oil cooler options for some time. I don't particularly want to go the S54 route; a lot of money to lose ~60 square inches of radiator surface. The plate above appears to be quite the bomb... if the alternator positioning was not so critical. But the blower mounts rely on the stock alternator bolts. So I'm still pondering....

+1

Reinventing the wheel, or at least everything that's attached to it, with this one. I suspect it was conceived for racing applications...

You know, you can still use the S-54 oil filter housing and an alternative matrix...

[Sacrebleu]

I think the most economical route would be an adapter cap coupled with a oil to water cooler that gets it's water supply from the throttle body.

[peterdawolf]

For my kit, I went with the Rally Road adapter cap with the E46 330 filter in the -10AN version, and bought some black plastic-coated braided Earl's line and -10AN fittings.

For the stock Euro cooler, we fabricated some tabs for the cooler to hang just just below the Mishimoto radiator, with basically no overlap (1/4" or so), in direct flow behind the "M3" grill. It stays very cool. Takes a long time to heat up past 150 if I'm only on the freeway. A hard run up a windy mountain road can get me up to 150, but doesn't put me above 160 and it takes at least 60-90 of that to normalize the temps to ~160-180 for oil and coolant. Oil is almost always cooler until it's extremely thoroughly warmed up.

Looks relatively stock(ish), most expensive part of the kit was the cap, but it's a really sweet unit, IMO.

Mind you, mine is on an S50B30US, but it's I *think* it's not substantially different for the S52.

Working on a brake option prior to testing it on a track, along with a dedicated set of R888's or something similar.

Might end up with Rally Road's and shaved 996 calipers, although for the front, wilwood's from UUC are mildly tempting.

For the rears, I have a strong desire to keep the parking brake.

Peter

[MartyBtoo]

Peter,

It may sound counter-intuitive, but you might want to consider adding an oil temperature thermostat to get you oil temp up. At 150 it's not hot enough to boil off any condensation that your oil picks up overnight. There are lots of compact oil thermostats that use AN fittings.

Marty

[peterdawolf]

Peter,

It may sound counter-intuitive, but you might want to consider adding an oil temperature thermostat to get you oil temp up. At 150 it's not hot enough to boil off any condensation that your oil picks up overnight. There are lots of compact oil thermostats that use AN fittings.

Marty

I think you are absolutely correct. In fact, I'm looking at options in the -10AN sizes, specifically a bypass thermostat (4 ports, 2 in, 2 out). I was searching for the last few months for a significant reason why the low temps were a bad idea. Any specific recommendations for a solid aftermarket one? I have no intention of putting the euro housing on the S50B30US

Peter

[BenFenner]

Hey Bergy, I see you list the Euro S50 oil filter housing as one good option for getting oil cooler ports (with built in thermostat).
I see a lot of mention of the S54 oil filter housing in plenty of other oil cooler threads.

I assume they are identical?

Or do they have minor differences that make the Euro S50 housing a better fit? What's the deal?

[MartyBtoo]

I don't have the catalog here at work, but I'll edit this posting tonight with a very nice compact H-shaped 4 AN port thermostat that I have for a different project.

Marty

PS This eBay listing is the right part, but I think I have a better source for it; more tonight.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOCAL-Remote...c02bba&vxp=mtr

Well, it didn't turn out to be any cheaper, but I'd still say buy it here, as it is a very neat source for tricky racecar stuff.

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...p?Product=1226

Marty

[mpire]

The Euro/S54 oil filter housing looks like the same casting as the regular one. Just needs the ports drilled and tapped. Also, it needs a thermostat.

[fmcfad01]

Just needs the ports drilled and tapped. Also, it needs a thermostat.

The original one you mean?

The Euro e36 and S54 ones are good to go with ports and t-stat. Put an S54 one on my S52 back in the day. Really the only difference between the OEM S52 and S54 housings is the presence of the thermostat.

[mpire]

The original one you mean?

The Euro e36 and S54 ones are good to go with ports and t-stat. Put an S54 one on my S52 back in the day. Really the only difference between the OEM S52 and S54 housings is the presence of the thermostat.

Right, but I don't see any reason you can't pop a thermostat into the S52 housing. Where you would get a thermostat is a completely different question.

[fmcfad01]

Right, but I don't see any reason you can't pop a thermostat into the S52 housing. Where you would get a thermostat is a completely different question.

haha, you beat me to it. You could, if you knew where to get one that fit...

[BMWBergy]

Hey Bergy, I see you list the Euro S50 oil filter housing as one good option for getting oil cooler ports (with built in thermostat).
I see a lot of mention of the S54 oil filter housing in plenty of other oil cooler threads.

I assume they are identical?

Or do they have minor differences that make the Euro S50 housing a better fit? What's the deal?

Same units, with updated part numbers (per RealOEM). I looked into this a while back, and IIRC, the filter housing P/N for the later S50s was the same as that of the early S54s.

[mpire]

You could, if you knew where to get one that fit...

I have one in the parts room.

[fmcfad01]

I have one in the parts room.

hoarder.

[Msilvia]

I think the best option is OEM. Putting full S54 parts in this weekend

[peterdawolf]

Picked up the mocal 180F unit, it's on the way, shipping tomorrow.

Along with a catch can, but that's for a different reason

Also installed a Dinan stage 1 SC kit and got it tuned @ RMS. It is more fun that the S50 was by itself. Peak torque under 4k.

Peter

[gnarfy]

I just got a really good deal on a VPD oil cap + setrad cooler, but there is no thermostat.. I believe it's important for a street car to keep a oil thermostat.. any idea for a good value thermostat, at 176$ the mocal is a bit out of my league...

[mcoupemindy]

I'll have to post up some pictures of my setup sometime. It's not elegant, however taking notes from the domestic crowd, I found something that works, and parts are easy to find / replace as necessary. I think it could do it all again for ~$425 or so. Also, there's an aftermarket company that is making in-line -10AN thermostats. I don't run one, but they are now available.

Money no object? Put an S54 filter housing with either a stock cooler or a larger aftermarket one.

- - - Updated - - -

Found the company with the inline thermostats I like: http://www.improvedracing.com/oiling-system/thermostats-c-3_34.html

- - - Updated - - -

Here's the oil filter cap I'm partial to due to it's simple functionality and relatively low cost: http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/E36-engine/e36oilcooladpt.html