Cooler(s)

[gooten1]

Ok, tossing around another idea. I've seen oil coolers and tranny coolers. They just bolt on and splice into the existing fluid lines. (In the case of the tranny, I believe you have to drill two holes in the housing to run the lines, but I may be mistaken.) Any thoughts on adding one of these to my car? Which would show the most benefit? I'm thinking of the transmission cooler...anyone done this?

[TiPerformance]

It really depends on what temperatures the fluid is getting to. Honestly most coolers are used on bigger truck and cars. Another thing is you are splicing into lines, which may let go later, and drain the tranny causing it to lock up. From what I have seen TI's don't really have a problem in the tranny department. Most of the ones that I have heard about that needed a tranny had very high miles, which can be expected of a high milage tranny.


Not too sure about the oil cooler, but these engines seem to be pretty tough.

[GDB]

I've never heard of putting a tranny cooler in a manual.

[ZeroG]

I've never heard of putting a tranny cooler in a manual.
I have an Oil Cooler on my 95 318IS. Acording to my oil temp gauge it knocked a good 50 degrees of my oil temperture on a hot day.

I did it the right way:

Taped the oil canister housing on the pressure side, and then tapped a drilling a fitting on the oil and ran the lines to a mocal oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator.

-Chad

[GDB]

I have an Oil Cooler on my 95 318IS. Acording to my oil temp gauge it knocked a good 50 degrees of my oil temperture on a hot day.

I did it the right way:

Taped the oil canister housing on the pressure side, and then tapped a drilling a fitting on the oil and ran the lines to a mocal oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator.

-Chad

that's an oil cooler, not a trannsmission fluid cooler

[gooten1]

Yeah, he said that. But really my question would be which would have the most benefit. In a manual transmission (or an auto when you drive it like a manual) the upshifts and the difference between the low rpms and the hi wheel speeds would seem like it would produce heat. Of course, matching RPM's would get rid of this problem...so the oil cooler. Doesn't have to be anything fancy. Doesn't have to say AC S or Hamann on it for it to work... Actually, I think they sell one at napa for like 30 bucks.

[gooten1]

Thoughts?

Actually, I was underneath the car to do a little homework, and came across two interesting things. One is that the transmission already has cooling fins to help dissipate heat. So BMW obviously already has the tranny temp issue under control.

The second thing I noticed as I was laying on my back in the dirt looking at the bottom of my engine was this: there is a U shaped pipe (looks like a simple fluid cooler pipe) running out of a round black bottle. It is mounted in front of the steering rack. What is this? The pipe is metal, with rubber hoses running off the ends of it. One hose goes into the bottle, the other disappears somewhere. Movement under the car was rather limited, considering my jack stands are pretty short...

Just curious as to what this cooler is. BMW apparently saw fit to cool off some fluid by putting a metal pipe in the slipstream of air going under the car. What is this fluid, and wouldn't lowering the car eliminate the effectiveness of this part?

[bimmerboi318]

I THINK the hose you see is a power steering hose. It's the only one I can think of that would be going to a black bottle. Personally, I dont see a reason to put a tranny oil cooler on a manual trans. I dont even think they have pumps...the fluid is just splashed around. An engine oil cooler would probably help in EXTREME conditions like at the track in the middle of July. One of my plans is to get oil pressure and temperature guages. I dont think I have issues with temp...I would just like having those guages :8-)

[gooten1]

LoL...of course, you've probably never endured a South Carolina summer...when the ambient temperature is 100+ it really puts a strain on the radiator trying to keep the car cool.... I kinda like to have a cool engine during "spirited driving" during the summer. (=

[bimmerboi318]

Hey, I admit having an oil cooler would be...cool <= incredibly lame usage of pun. Less wear and tear, AND you'll have a little extra oil supply. And that alone will keep your engine cooler. (not sure how much..)

[GDB]

If you have an automatic trannsmission, then heat is your biggest enemy. So getting a tranny cooler is a good idea. I really don't know if one that says fluidyne is any better than the ones they sell at napa. I've only had one car with an auto tranny and it came with one stock. I would ask around on the Ford or Chevy forums since they are more likely to have experience and knowledge of tranny coolers.

[bimmerboi318]

I'd like to think that all cars with auto trannies have an oil cooler up with (or part of) the radiator. Although there are ALWAYS exceptions and I'm not sure how ti's are. But all autos I've seen have a cooler.

[ZeroG]

I'd like to think that all cars with auto trannies have an oil cooler up with (or part of) the radiator. Although there are ALWAYS exceptions and I'm not sure how ti's are. But all autos I've seen have a cooler.

My friends had a 318 IS Auto until he did a tranny conversion and his had a Tranny cooler. Interesting that the TI did not have one.

As for the oil cooler, the cost was a little on the expensive side, I think parts were like $200.00 (Using Aero fittings, S&S lines) and then labor was like $600.00. But Like I said I lost 50 degrees on a hot day. So it just depends my set up was $16.00 / Degree dropped.

-Chad

[gooten1]

Any particular brand you went with, zero?

[ZeroG]

Any particular brand you went with, zero?

The cooler I went with was made by Mocal a company in Europe, they have a distibutor out here called BAT Performance, I think. You can get the lines a fitting all from them.

-Chad