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Thread: What are you guys running for radiators?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Irvine, CA
    Posts
    17,555
    My Cars
    97' M3 Coupe

    What are you guys running for radiators?

    Have had my LS swap in for many years now, but I think it is time to upgrade my radiator, since the car does run hot fairly quicker than I think it should whenever I do any kind of hard driving.

    Are most of you guys running stock radiators or what are you guys upgrading to that you've seen work for an E36 set up?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Stow, MA
    Posts
    737
    My Cars
    1997 328i
    I built a mount and am running a small block Chevy aluminum radiator.
    Instergrams: @davemakepictar

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Stuttgart, Germany
    Posts
    577
    My Cars
    1997 M3 / 5.3
    Mine is not running, but others have used a Mishimoto Xline radiator:



    And:



    I'm also planning to use it as the only fan, the factory pusher fan install except with the Volvo fan motor upgrade which is supposedly a good CFM increase over the stocker. Admittedly, ours will only be at the ~400 CHP level.
    Last edited by Tim Mc; 05-20-2018 at 01:16 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Metro DC
    Posts
    826
    My Cars
    79 323i, 94 325is, 13 M3
    JEGS house brand street rod radiator, size 26W x 19H, 2 row with 1" core, and a 16-pound pressure cap. My motor gets waayyy hot because it's a track car. I'm seeing oil temps as high as 260 Fahrenheit sometimes. But the water temp stays right at spec for the thermostat, no problem.

    In my case the motor is SBF, but Jegs sells them in Chevy in/out too.
    If God meant for man to motor-swap LS engines into track cars, He wouldn't have created Corvettes.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Philly'ish
    Posts
    749
    My Cars
    "Hybrid" E36 M3
    Same as Squashman on the circle track chevy radiator. I went with a triple pass setup with a 6.2L LS3 full race motor. Zero cooling issues during 90 degree races. I have a thread posted up on here somewhere you can search for. Don't have the link handy.
    John
    E36 LS3

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    367
    My Cars
    1998 328I
    My build isn't done but I'm using mishimoto

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Irvine, CA
    Posts
    17,555
    My Cars
    97' M3 Coupe
    Thanks for the info guys. I'll have to look into how much work it is to fit the chevy radiator into the BMW chassis. If it is simple enough, I may try that option. If not, maybe the Mishimoto would be a good next option to keep things simple.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    nnj
    Posts
    893
    My Cars
    Vipers, e46m
    I went with KoyoRad and a custom shroud with a 16" spal.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    UT
    Posts
    4,375
    My Cars
    98 M3/4/5
    mishimoto with Euro coolant overflow
    98 Estoril ///M3 4/6
    S54 swap CSL

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Des Moines, IA
    Posts
    1,051
    My Cars
    '97 M3/4/5.0
    I'm using a $150 eBay rad/fan combo.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/171823673851?rmvSB=true







    The fan's crap and I'm looking at upgrading it. I'd like to do a puller but there's not much space for a fan motor without hitting the water pump pulley. The fin area is 18"x18.5", so I could potentially fit a pair of 8" fans.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Stuttgart, Germany
    Posts
    577
    My Cars
    1997 M3 / 5.3
    A puller is more efficient, but as you said not much room.

    JTR suggested the Volvo fan in an OEM E36 shroud...as a pusher as it was originally designed. It appears that should be sufficient for a build...although adding more 'heat/HP' may require something more substantial. I bought a new Volvo fan from Rock Auto for ~$100.

    I have yet to try it, but hope it do the job for 400 CHP. Keeps it simple.

    I do know I tested the Volvo fan on the garage floor and it become a UAV pretty quickly! :-)

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Des Moines, IA
    Posts
    1,051
    My Cars
    '97 M3/4/5.0
    I used a Volvo fan when I first did the engine swap, but I killed that fan in the RallyCross Plow Incident of 2017, which is when I bought the eBay radiator/fan.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Springfield, IL
    Posts
    2,491
    My Cars
    '95m3(Avus)/996tt/4.8is
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-ROW-FULL-...wAAOSwTEJaTCUf

    This one. Very pleased with coolant temps during my first event. Barely crept to 195 with 95 degree ambients, and ZERO ducting. Do have fairly extensive hood venting though. For 125 bucks shipped, may get another one for a standby.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    43609
    Posts
    10,870
    My Cars
    335ti 360ti x5-6.0tt
    I use the z3M aluminum unit found on ebay. Its triple pass dual core. Never has any issues. easy opportunity to cool day on long trips. Did a cross country trip from Toledo ohio to socal, to jersey shore. Never once over heated, stable temp of 188 on the highway, 200 city, and even played in the Utah desert for an hour at 120* before temps became unstable. It is a very thick unit and doesn't leave much space, but theres really nothing moving with a solid mounted ls.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Houston, Tx.
    Posts
    5,639
    My Cars
    '10 X5, '98 M3 - 302
    302 swap. Using a cheap 150$ eBay radiator and the auxiliary fan as my cooling fan with a aftermarket controller.
    A friend of mine just bought a chasebays radiator for his ls swap. It moves the radiator forward and under the support. Similar to what others have done with their swaps

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    836
    My Cars
    1991 318is x 2
    I've been running one of those bay $150 52mm 3Row blah blah R32 Skyline radiator with a Mazda 3 efan, but in the 105' summer it still seems to get heat soaked and seems like it was only cooled when the E fan is running(controlled by the PCM)

    So I bought a new Calsonic skyline radiator which is thinner with plastic tanks and ill be mounting the same fan

    il update in a few weeks when I get it back up and going currently doing a cam and tune

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