M52 oil cooler

Moderator: martauto

Post Reply
maf260
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 844
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:00 pm

Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:53 am

Has anyone fitted an oil cooler to their M52 conversion?

If so, what parts did you use and how did you go about it?

Thanks
User avatar
navi
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: canvey island

Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:34 am

were abouts are you? as iam currantly fitting one to my m52 powered e36 after being told cant be done!ive just got to get a couple of bits machined up then i can fit it,there is several differant ways of going about.
ross_jsy
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 7307
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Jersey, C.I.

Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:50 am

It can be done. You use an s50 filter housing IIRC.
e30-EVN
Old Skooler
Old Skooler
Posts: 3382
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: S.Wales

Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:52 am

Yeah like a bolt on s50 housing, a cooler and some piework lol
A 2 door e30 with 8 cylinders, what could be better winkeye :D
BATTS91
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1764
Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: clacton on sea essex

Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:01 am

Yup s50 Filter housing , Danthe has this setup i believe
Dave_M3
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3428
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Cork

Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:46 am

Yep. S50 filter housing and cooler is the best solution in my opinion.
This was the route I was going to take with my M52 as well.

Seen quite a lot of made up kits that use a machined oil filter cap too but it doesn't look as neat to be honest.
M42 rightness above 6500rpm, nobody can hear you scream
maf260
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 844
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:00 pm

Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:03 pm

Thanks for the replies.

Any idea what I should expect to pay for a S50 housing?
ross_jsy
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 7307
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Jersey, C.I.

Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:25 pm

User avatar
rich318i
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2393
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Brands :) :)

Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:57 pm

why didnt M52's ever had an oil cooler ??? was there any reason for this???
ross_jsy
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 7307
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Jersey, C.I.

Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:27 am

BMW would have figured out they were not needed to keep oil temperatures at good levels.

Unless you are using your car for track use or oil temperatures become a problem I would question the need for one.
Dave_M3
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3428
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Cork

Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:12 am

The quality and properties of oil has improved significantly since the days of the M20b25s needing oil coolers when used just as a road car.

With good oil, there really was no need for a cooler on an E36 328 etc. Actually, having a cooler may have done more harm than good in some cases as it may keep the oil from reaching optimum operating temperatures quickly (similar problems to dry sump system on a road car etc)
The M3 was always going to be a car that was driven harder and the S50 would have produced more heat so the cooler was fitted on that first day alright obviously.


Still, if not just pottering around to and fro from the shops, a cooler would be useful on M52 engined E30 especially if it has a few nice bits like the M50 inlet, cams, map etc to allow it to be driven even harder :D
M42 rightness above 6500rpm, nobody can hear you scream
DanThe
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 28641
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Staffs
Contact:

Thu Aug 23, 2012 12:47 pm

The oil coolers are thermostatically controlled Dave, no chance of overcooling 8)
User avatar
kevo
E30 Zone Camper
E30 Zone Camper
Posts: 1234
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: S.Wales
Contact:

Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:00 pm

you can fit an oil cooler to the standard housing if you make the parts up like i have just done so it's not the only way by using an s50 part but if you can't machine your own parts the price will probably be cheaper to do so.
kev
maf260
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 844
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:00 pm

Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:51 am

Thanks for all the replies.

S50 filter housing arrived last week and M3 oil cooler & pipes bought this weekend and on their way - whole lot sorted for just over £100. Fitting later this week!
User avatar
DMS
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 90
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:19 am

So stock cooler and lines will fit the E30?
Dave_M3
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3428
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Cork

Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:26 pm

DanThe wrote:The oil coolers are thermostatically controlled Dave, no chance of overcooling 8)
Learn something new every day :)

Still... Those kits that you get that have a hole in the filter housing cap are hardly thermostatically controlled.

Whole set for 100 quid was great value by the way. The coolers and lines can be expensive as they can be damaged reasonably easily.
M42 rightness above 6500rpm, nobody can hear you scream
Post Reply