My Drip Loops Are Better
I originally posted this in the M3 section since this is on my M3, but it's not M3 specific so I didn't think it could hurt to post here too. May help someone with a non-M and a similar issue.
I currently have a CSF radiator. After installing it a couple of years ago I noticed that the expansion tank sat a lot closer to the valve cover than I would have liked. Truth be told I don't remember how close it was with the original radiator but I don't think it should have been close enough to touch it. You can see from the pictures that it was close enough to slowly rub away a bit of the valve cover and the nearby bolt's O-ring/grommet. Unfortunately today I got the smell of coolant as I pulled it into the garage so I checked under the hood and I believe I have a hairline crack in the 2 year old expansion tank. I'm guessing this is from the tank rubbing against the engine over time, coupled with heat and expansion.
Motor mounts are Lemforders and Transmission mounts are E21 mounts with enforcer cups. Both about 3 years old with 10k miles on them so I think I'm fine there.
First 2 pictures were of the fresh install about 2.5 years ago. The following pictures are how it sits now that I pulled the core (I think) a bit.
1 - Does anyone else's CSF radiator cause their expansion tank to sit this close?
2 - Would an S54 Z3M radiator's tanks cause the expansion tank to sit this close as well or do you think I'd gain some clearance? I like the idea of a thicker triple core radiator but I don't want to change expansion tank every other year if it's going to keep rubbing.
3 - I've loosened the two bolts on the ends of the core support and pulled it forward while tightening to create a little more space. Not much, but every little bit helps. Any other places/panels/bolts i can play with to create a little more room between the tank and valve cover?
Thanks in advance!
Fresh 1.jpg
Fresh 2.jpg
Now 1.jpg
Now 4.jpg
Now 5.jpg
Last edited by LockDots; 05-17-2019 at 09:59 PM.
Member
So, just to share, this is a cxracing radiator, cheap off ebay, dual row like normal but it has side bolster tanks that add ~1 liter or so. Not sure if it's factory or not how I bolted the shroud to the rad. You can see there's around 3/4 inch gap from the tank to engine.
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My Drip Loops Are Better
Yeah, I'm thinking it's a combo of the end tanks being thicker and the support brackets being welded on a little too far forward. I'm going to mod the brackets for now to pull it toward the core support and toss in another Behr tank to hold me over for the autocross season. Come winter I'll toss in a genuine tank and Z3 S54 radiator.
Thanks for your pics, I appreciate it.
Member
That's interesting. Do you have a gap between the shroud and rad so that it doesn't touch? On mine it touched and I had to trim a lot of the shroud so that it didn't touch the core fins. I ended up missing an area where it ended up rubbing and after several years it leaked where it rubbed (alum core lines).
The shroud is a POS if you ask me, but we have a line that runs along the top and bottom. It will look like a mess without it though. I would almost prefer the design where the expansion is integrated into the rad and is on the divers side. That would make it more compact and those lines wouldn't have such long runs.
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Here's a post I just put up on the Z3 forum. May be of some help to you. The stock expansion tank-engine clearance was about what you show in pics. I have no idea whether the later Z3 tank could mount on your car: " I just put the CSF 3054 in my 98 Z3M. It fit fine. But... the stock expansion tank would hit the engine. I don't have this problem because I already did the conversion to the exp tank above the D.S. wheel, (stock for later model Z3). I recommend this conversion anyway. It's cheap, cleans up the area around the radiator, and raises the exp tank above the radiator."
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Where's the post zellamay?
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My Drip Loops Are Better
Ended up modding the brackets for now. Pulled the radiator toward the core support. I spaced it so there's a very small gap between the radiator and core support to prevent it from rubbing there. Just to play it safe I put some split loom along the seam of the support just in case it shakes and touches so there's no metal on metal contact. Ended up yielding me about a half inch gap between the expansion tank and valve cover. Should be fine now. And yes, I know the clip for the tank is missing. Just didn't put it in before I took the pictures.
May still switch to a Z3 S54 radiator during winter, but this will do for now.
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Last edited by LockDots; 05-25-2019 at 12:50 PM.
Member
Nice! So your current rad is 3-core?
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