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?
I built a mount and am running a small block Chevy aluminum radiator.
Instergrams: @davemakepictar
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.
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.
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
My build isn't done but I'm using mishimoto
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.
I went with KoyoRad and a custom shroud with a 16" spal.
mishimoto with Euro coolant overflow
98 Estoril ///M3 4/6
S54 swap CSL
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.
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! :-)
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.
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.
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.
2001 E53 X5 - 5.3 Procharged, 4L80E RWD, Brembo, 20" alloy, EBC race, Forge, A2W intercooled, Alcantara interior, 3.62 LSD and more!
2005 E53 X5 - 6.0TT, 4L80E RWD, 20" alloy, EBC race, Forge, A2W intercooled, Alcantara interior, 3.62 LSD and more!
1996 E36 335ti - N54b30, A2W intercooled, ZF 6speed rwd, 4.10Lsd, Speedline magnesium rims, Brembo, S55 exhaust, 245/40/17-295/30/18, idrive, Forge, logic 7
1999 E36 360ti - 6.0, ls6 springs, ls6 cam, hardened pushrods, trunion, racing baffle, t56, ls7 clutch, m3 brakes, 4.10lsd
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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