M52 track cooling issues?

[CraigOverton]

Im having some big problems with keeping my m52 cool on the track. The last time I tracked it we took off the bonnet off just to keep it from boiling. Im planning on handing it over to a "mechanic" once Iv tried a few things like a new metal thermostat housing, gaskets, bigger 16" fan to cover the entire rad. The oil temp was way too high as well but I cant afford to add an oil cooler.

Any tips on how I could cool properly? Waterless coolant?


Specs now are;
12" 80w fan
440mm x 440mm rad
88 degree stat

[DanThe]

Use a bigger E36 M3 radiator and separate expansion tank
Cooler thermostat
Oil cooler ideally
Larger fan would be beneficial but if you have any fan turned on while you are driving at speed it is actually slow the air through the radiator down, so make sure it is off

[rix313]

Are you running the plastic cowlings and radiator ducts? Lots of people remove that sort of thing thinking it doesn't do anything and it's 'weight saving' when what they're doing is making things very bad. A radiator is essentially a brick wall for moving air so you need to make sure it's being forced towards it, otherwise it'll just bounce off and go somewhere else. Also is the fan mounted flush against the radiator? If it is spaced away any more than a couple of mm from the surface of the core, a push fan will just waft the air out the sides (for the same reaons mentioned above) and a pull fan will just suck air in from the edges and not through the radiator.

[JungleGus]

I find my oil temps on the M52 get warm on track despite having a mishmoto radiator and (I THINK) a lower temp t-stat. I really need an oil cooler.

One thing that is perhaps somewhat related - my alternator died on the track the last time I was out - I can't be certain, but I think this may have been related to the missing alternator duct...so I'd say Rich is spot on with his advice to retain the factory cowlings where possible.