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Thread: To Zionsville the 540i or not to???

  1. #1
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    To Zionsville the 540i or not to???

    Just as the title says... Should I get the Zionsville radiator, shroud, expansion tank, and electric fan or not?
    Convince me of it or steer me away from it, I'm just looking for a little advice on the subject.



    I recently found some debris in the road which tore through my front bumper and knocked the radiator into the mechanical fan. Some idiot didn't keep a good eye on his boat trailer and had one of the aluminum guide poles fall off and left it laying in the road. With the rain and traffic on the highway it was unavoidable, the truck in front of me swerved to avoid it but clipped it and knocked it directly into my path. Needless to say, I need replacement parts. It's a daily driver and naturally aspirated.... for now. I'd really love to SC it in the future, just haven't justified it yet.






    Stupid freakin pole!

  2. #2
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    Do it, it's pricey but you won't have to deal with the crappy replacement plastic side tank radiators.
    Delivery isn't quick, think they build them as ordered. Stuck may still be waiting for his.
    Haven't had any issues with mine.

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    Jim... How long have you had yours? Thinking of doing it my self as well

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    Mishimoto are you listening?

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    I've held Zionsville in high regard but ordered the radiator from them 46 days ago.

    It took them just shy of a month to deliver a radiator to me (website says 2-3 days lead time) and when it showed up it had an unrequested fitting and it was badly warped from being welded and not clamped down would be my guess.

    Zionsville blames UPS and now I'm waiting for another one to be fabricated while Zionsville pursues UPS for damages.
    Tenured Automotive Service Professional - Avid BMW Enthusiast

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    IMO it's not worth the $$$, since you could buy several replacement radiators for the cost of one Z-ville. ... It's really not that hard to replace the radiator on these cars, anyway.
    Last edited by spencercat; 03-19-2015 at 04:36 PM.

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    I agree, I thought about a Zion, but the lead time and overall cost was not worth it.
    I chose another cheep radiator and when it fails (2 years) I will still have money to spend
    after fixing that eventual problem.

    However, if you really love and possibly track your car, it would be a good upgrade.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by spencercat View Post
    They aren't as bulletproof as they seem, judging from some stories around here.
    Please enlighten us on the failure stories. Links?

    Delivery seems an issue of late, but failures are not an issue from what I can tell.
    98 540i 6, 525 whp, 120 mph 1/4, V3 Si S/C'er @16 psi, W/A I/C, Water/Meth, Supersprint Headers, HJS Cats, 3" Custom Exhaust, UUC Twin Disc, Wavetrac LSD, GC Coil Overs, Monoball TA, AEM FP, Aeromotive FPR, AEM Failsafe AFR/Boost, Style 65's w/275's, M5 Steering Box, Eibach Sways, M3 Shifter, Evans Coolant, 85 Deg Stat, PWM Fan, 10" Subs, B.A. speakers, Grom Aux/BT, Still Rolling as my DD!

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdnaik View Post
    Jim... How long have you had yours? Thinking of doing it my self as well
    I bought it in April 2007, almost 8 years ago, didn't think I had it that long.
    It was either $629 or $639 back then with free shipping for car club members.
    I only bought their radiator. Got a new expansion tank from BMW when they were made in Germany, it's still not leaking.
    I mounted a 16" Flex-a-Lite fan in the fan shroud.

    Stück, good luck with yours. Was that unrequested fitting on the pass side for the non vanos temp sensor?

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    Yeah Jim, also early m52(non tu) have a sensor there too. They said they put it on them all not regardless of which of the 5 or 6 dropdown box options you specify in case you want to add an electric fan later. Sounds like they just make one universal variant now. I get that, and understand the reasoning... but its a plug with another potential leak spot where I'm concerned. Why bother asking the application if you're going to send the same thing anyway?


    I still want the radiator but damn... I want it over a month ago.
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    I agree that OE/OEM are cheap and easy to replace, but the issue is when will it fail? When you're on a family road trip in the middle of BFE? You know how these things work - they fail at the absolute worst time. Having something bulletproof is worth its weight in gold IMO.
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  12. #12
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    I hear ya, shouldn't take that long. I screwed a pressure gauge into the temp sensor port.

    For the others that want an all aluminum radiator here is another much less expensive one $200, however it's made in China.
    A shroud is $70, which is cutout for a 16" fan.
    Some modding for the hoses, mounting, and expansion tank will be required.
    The one that is 19" tall x 27.5" is almost the same as my old "OE" (thank you Stück) 540 radiator.
    I'm not buying into the 24° temp drop because it's a 3 row radiator. That would require more water pump pressure to keep the flow the same as a single pass core. Net result would most likely be the same cooling capacity.

    http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/03/prweb12566450.htm

  13. #13
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    The bigger issue for us HO8 guys is the high temp thermostat cooking all our plastics and hoses and reducing performance. Someone please make a plug and play M62TU thermostat in around 90-95 deg. C.
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  14. #14
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    There is one Redshift.

    http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...2tu-thermostat

    Here is our journey. Order it from Europe, I believe I paid around $120.00 shipped to the states.
    Last edited by Mannyf540; 03-19-2015 at 11:34 AM.

  15. #15
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    I took a spare tu stat and heated one turn of the spring to lower it's tension, which should allow it to open at a lower temp. I haven't put it in yet but will do so before I start driving it. Looking at the roads and temps (more snow coming on Fri/Sat) it may be another 4 weeks before I pull it out of the garage.
    I'll post my results when it's in, hoping it runs just below 100°C.
    I have the vanos seals from Raj and will be doing those at the same time.

  16. #16
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    Where's the best place to purchase the Zionsville units from or can you only get them directly from them?

  17. #17
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    Zionsville failures? Someone tell me more.....

    11532248542 - 88C - need resister for MAP cooling circuit (10-12ohm, at least 25W) - from those threads. I have 3 other numbers written down on my various notepads but for some reason I highlighted this one so I'm assuming this was the one....

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by dw280 View Post
    Where's the best place to purchase the Zionsville units from or can you only get them directly from them?
    Gotta go direct to them.

  18. #18
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    For the older non TU guys, a lower temp stat is P/N 11531742964 rated for 85 deg. C. Comes from Europe as well. I just installed it. Test 7 Temp runs at about 89 -92 deg C with my Evans coolant. I'm very happy with this!

    I heated it in a pot of water first to see how it opened. Just began cracking open at 85 C, and fully open at 93 C or so.
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  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by philly98540 View Post
    For the older non TU guys, a lower temp stat is P/N 11531742964 rated for 85 deg. C. Comes from Europe as well. I just installed it. Test 7 Temp runs at about 89 -92 deg C with my Evans coolant. I'm very happy with this!

    I heated it in a pot of water first to see how it opened. Just began cracking open at 85 C, and fully open at 93 C or so.
    So that thermostat is plug and play and no need for modification? The price is around $80, so why are others buying it in Europe? Maybe TU guys?

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by spencercat View Post
    It's really not that hard to replace the radiator on these cars, anyway.
    It's not about the labor difficulty of this repair. I have a BMW shop in my backyard with everything I need and the skill set from being a factory trained tech. It's the fact that they are a weak link in the dependability of the car. The plastic radiator end caps and plastic expansion tank are basically ticking time bombs. I regularly drive this car 2-5 hours from home to the docks for work and I also have no problem driving it 15+ hours to visit friends. Not having to replace a radiator on the side of the road or incure a costly tow bill is worth some extra cash to me personally.

    I appreciate your opinion though. The cost aspect is definitely a big one. With the dual stage fan it brings the cost on the website to the $1300 ballpark. That's a hefty pill to try and swallow and definitely worth hearing what others have to say about the idea as well.

    I've also seen some of you talking about the long lead times to get the product. Even though this is my daily driver, I have a friend with an E39 M5 that has graciously loaned me the car to drive in the mean time while I fix mine (he actually wanted me to drive it so it wasn't just sitting). Hehe, so the lead time isn't a big issue to me either.
    Last edited by dw280; 03-20-2015 at 12:39 AM.

  21. #21
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    Hit a large pothole on highway coming back from a trip on March 2 ( no place to swerve on crowded highway), heard a loud crack, but car kept running fine. Did complete inspection next day while changing oil and found radiator broken at bottom. Not leaking but bottom rail severely bent and aluminum fins raining down when touched. Have electric fan installed in OE shroud 2 years ago and working perfect. UGH!

    With only 52K miles on the car I thought I had at least another 48K before cooling system overhaul. After much deliberation, I ordered complete Zionsville setup with expansion tank, shroud and electric fan on March 4 as I did not want to spend time modifying plastic shroud to fit Zionsville's aluminum expansion tank-way too much cutting and pasting. Zionsville said it would be ready in 2 weeks not including shipping. That sure is a long lead time so called a week after ordering explaining very nicely that my car was down and anything they could do would be appreciated. They said they'd call factory for a completion date and let me know.

    They called today and said they had the kit in hand and would ship today so I should have it in a few days. So the lead time turned out to be about 2 weeks with shipping. The price is steep but there was no way I was going to buy a BMW radiator. As someone said above the radiator and expansion tanks are ticking time bombs. So I "bit the bullet" and bought the whole setup. I'll use my present fan controller to run the Zionsville's fan and try to sell my electric fan in the OE shroud to defray some cost.

    In the end I'll have a bullet proof cooling system. 8 years and counting sounds good to me, Jim. That kind of longevity and peace of mind makes the price (about $1235 with shipping) worth it, not ideal but worth it.

    Stuck, I hope your new radiator gets to you soon. Your experience with a huge lead time and then a bent/warped radiator is terrible and it is arrogant of Zionsville to blame UPS and put you in the middle of their argument. Plus my experience is that UPS never pays damage claims. That may have changed in that there was no competition (FedEx) when I dealt with them. My experience with Zionzville is not over and I do have another vehicle to drive while my Touring sits but I hope there are no issues with shipping.

    To the OP I'd say do it. There is no point in buying a BMW radiator/expansion tank especially now since the latest word is that even the dealer supplied parts are of poorer quality than in the past. Plus they must cost about $600 these days. That's not worth it even with my 20% BMW CCA discount. $480 for a bunch of junk-no!!!
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    John

  22. #22
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    While there is no doubt that Zionsville is overall superior to OEM, it's not worth almost 4 times the price IMO. I've actually had good luck with BMW genuine radiators, 540 has had one for 10 years now, installed just before I bought it and I put one on 528 about 7 years ago.

    BMW genuine radiator for 97-98 540/528 is $315 shipped from my favorite dealer.

    Also, somebody mentioned M62TU thermostat. While it's not direct fit, M62 95C conventional thermostat which is around $80 shipped can be installed on M62TU with minimal modifications. I've had it for about 6 months on my X5 4.6is with great results.
    http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-part-2-a.html

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by BMW540san View Post
    I've actually had good luck with BMW genuine radiators, 540 has had one for 10 years now, installed just before I bought it and I put one on 528 about 7 years ago.

    BMW genuine radiator for 97-98 540/528 is $315 shipped from my favorite dealer.
    I'd agree with you but BEHR moved production to SA and the quality has gone down. The German made BEHR's were pretty damn good, but what you get at the dealer now is a SA BEHR and it is the exact same radiator you get in an aftermarket BEHR box but without the part number ground off. I know... I bought both a few months back and returned the OE BMW BEHR.

    http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...tor-ponderance
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  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stück View Post
    I'd agree with you but BEHR moved production to SA and the quality has gone down. The German made BEHR's were pretty damn good, but what you get at the dealer now is a SA BEHR and it is the exact same radiator you get in an aftermarket BEHR box but without the part number ground off. I know... I bought both a few months back and returned the OE BMW BEHR.

    http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...tor-ponderance
    This is precisely the problem. With all the effort (time) I put into installing my current electric fan in the OE shroud, I had a hard time deciding to make the jump to Zionsville. Cooling systems that live in Maine don't have to work very hard as we probably average about 10 days a year with temps in the 90s F but I still don't want to buy a product that HAD a bad reputation but now have a VERY TERRIBLE one.

    BMW540san-your radiators bought years ago are probably fine as was the OE radiator in my Touring until "death by pothole".
    Much modified VF Supercharger Kit tuned by Tuning Tech FS, M5 front sports seats, CVV to catch can conversion, Boost Gauge, Schmiedmann header to rear muffler high flow exhaust, Header Ceramic coated inside & out, Exhaust heat wrapped from flanges after header to before CATs, Kicker sub with dedicated 200 watt amp, CCFL angel eyes, CF facelift kidney grills, Quaife LS diff ,Super duty cooling kit, Electric fan controlled by temperature adjustable 2 speed controller (JimLev design)

    John

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stück View Post
    I'd agree with you but BEHR moved production to SA and the quality has gone down. The German made BEHR's were pretty damn good, but what you get at the dealer now is a SA BEHR and it is the exact same radiator you get in an aftermarket BEHR box but without the part number ground off. I know... I bought both a few months back and returned the OE BMW BEHR.

    http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...tor-ponderance
    The one I bought from my local dealer in 2007 is made in South Africa and it has been on 528 ever since and it has 60k+ miles at the moment. The reason I remember it well is that I initially didn't like it being not made in Germany but I needed it that day and took the plunge.

    I strongly believe that one of main reasons that radiators crack or whatnot is that people don't bleed the system properly and many times overfill it causing extra pressure on plastic components.

    As proof, I can take the picture of receipt and the actual RSA made radiator installed on the car. I agree with you that German built radiator is probably better quality but in my case at least, radiator is holding up well.

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