Radiator mounting issue

[Motorhole]

Using a standard (new) E36 328i radiator, having trouble getting it to sit nicely on the mounts. As per advice, have fitted 2 x E30 offside radiator mounts. Radiator only sits half on/half off and it's not hard for it to slip off one mount!



Is this normal? What's the best way around this? I was going to bin the plastic mounts and make up some little steel brackets that will bolt to where the plastic mounts normally clip in and will clip onto the mounts for the rubber bushes on the bottom of the rad. Any forseeable problems with this?

Would also be interested to see how people have mounted their E36 electric fans! Mine's in and secure but not happy with it. Looks far too pikey.

Also, M52 radiator top hose is way too long! Is it normal to have to cut these to size?

[DanThe]

I doubt it will fall off, but a 318iS nearside mount will fit perfectly

The rad hoses always need trimming yes

Any pics of the fan bodgery?

[Motorhole]

Thanks for the pointers

Only one pic of the fan and it's not the best due to the light:



As you can see, it's fitted upside down, with two bolts through the cowling into standard holes in the front panel. Fiddly, but I have no probs with that. What you can't see is the angled L-shaped ally bracket I folded on the offside. This is bolted into a standard hole in the front panel and holds the offside of the fan cowling in place (bodge 1). A ridge in the cowling at the top fits snugly in a recess in the underside of the top part of the front panel.

I havn't yet thought of a neat and tidy way to secure the nearside! It's not going anywhere, but the nearside upper corner may vibrate against the front panel at speed, which would be annoying (imminent bodge 2).

[DanThe]

Im sure I could screw through to the underside of the slam panel when I fitted one a few years ago, or you could use some motorsport bonding agent to stop any flapping about

[Motorhole]

Okay, got this sorted this weekend. Swallowed my un-willingness to bodge on a couple of things for the sake of getting this thing on the road - there may have to be some rolling improvements! Nevertheless, it's in the updated build thread.

Knocked up another aluminium bracket for the nearside. Radiator is mounted solidly. I butchered the stock M40 nearside radiator mount so it could be bolted to the chassis in the right place for the M52 rad. Radiator is also mounted solidly!

Not pretty but - well, I'm sure you guys have seen a lot worse.

Offside fan mount:


Nearside fan mount:


General fan mounting:


Radiator mount: