[Marshalltj]

I drive my car pretty hard and was wondering is anyone has come across a good after market oil cooler option that is designed for setup in our cars?

[LittleBlackHawk]

I would like to know, too. Where i live the BMW sells the Europe version instead of the US version, so we don't get the extra oil cooler as the US M sport do. It would be great for me to know this, too. I always wondered if it is possible to buy the US model M Sport oil cooler and install it on the cars which don't have it.

[ji99lypuff]

I remember reading that the extra radiator on the USA version of the m sport was for cooling the brakes and not the oil.

[crono06]

Originally Posted by ji99lypuff

I remember reading that the extra radiator on the USA version of the m sport was for cooling the brakes and not the oil.

I believe one is an auxiliary rad and the other is an oil cooler. Brake cooling piping is there regardless of fogs or not.

[Stubok]

Originally Posted by LittleBlackHawk

I would like to know, too. Where i am live the BMW sells the Europe version instead of the US version, so we don't get the extra oil cooler as the US M sport do. It would be great for me to know this, too. I always wondered if it is possible to buy the US model M Sport oil cooler and install it on the cars which don't have it.

The entire cooling system (including the extra radiator on hot climate pack) is water based. There is no oil radiator per say.

The oil is cooled through an oil to water - plate type heat exchanger.

Also looking at the schematic of the engine cooling system, it looks like the left side (looking at the engine bay) rad is more directed towards the turbo cooling loop (keeping turbo cool), while the right side additional rad in the hot climate M-Sport version is more directed to the transmission cooling loop.

[ngbernie]

There is a small aluminum radiator for cooling engine oil attached directly to the oil filter housing. P/N 11427525333 for all N20 engines regardless of market.

There are some universal oil coolers that provide an upgrade, but may not mount directly to the N20 Engine. You can try http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-F30-328...ng/Oil_Cooler/

[Stubok]

Yes that is a water to oil heat exchanger.

Although it looks small it is very effective in rejecting the heat in the oil to the Water cooling circuit.

Also the water to oil HX is counter flow which is much more effective at exchanging heat than a cross flow Oil to Air HX.

So it is essentially like having a much bigger surface area of oil to air radiator to reject the heat. Since water has 4 times the specific heat capacity than air there is an advantage in rejecting the heat in the oil to the water. It is also a lot more consistent since the dT between the oil and water can be managed much more consistently.

The heat in the water is then rejected to the ambient air. Since the equation for convective heat transfer is Q=Hc.A.dT, as the outdoor temperature rises the engine will run hotter to a point, from there the dT will start to diminish. To keep below dangerous temps you can either add more surface area (like Hot Climate pack on M-Sport in US) or since Q=M.Cp.dT you can increase mass flow rate to reject the same amount of heat.

Surface area is obviously tough to increase (past that of the M-Sport Hot Climate pack) so that leaves mass flow, and not much can really be done there.

I guess an oil cooler could be added, but it may not really do much to reduce the oil temp, based in this system design and the operating points. Also since the oil temp is tightly controlled based on water temp and load, adding an oil cooler (oil to air HX) may mess with the control algorithm. Installation would have to be right. You would hate to be confusing the ECU and have it think the oil temp is actually cooler than it really is, and reduce the heat rejected to the water circuit.

[Marshalltj]

I'll have to look on etk.cc to see what parts would be required to retrofit the oil to water cooler.

[LittleBlackHawk]

Hi interesting points. So even when installing the M-Sport hot climate extra coolers also need to code the ECU for these mods right? By the way, what is the extra radiator used for in a M-sport hot climate version? Thanks.

[Stubok]

Originally Posted by Marshalltj

I'll have to look on etk.cc to see what parts would be required to retrofit the oil to water cooler.

It's already fitted you shouldn't need to do anything.

[Stubok]

Originally Posted by LittleBlackHawk

Hi interesting points. So even when installing the M-Sport hot climate extra coolers also need to code the ECU for these mods right? By the way, what is the extra radiator used for in a M-sport hot climate version? Thanks.

I have no idea about retrofitting the hot climate pack. Check realoem for the difference in parts and piping. It may be a huge job replacing the piping network so the hot climate add on radiator can be installed. Plus engine management etc.

The extra radiator just adds more surface area (ie heat rejection capacity). Since the dT reduces in hot climates the surface area must go up to match the overall Q.

I believe it is piped close to the transmission fluid heat exchanger. Yes there is another HX that takes the transmission fluid and rejects it's heat also to the water cooling system. So maybe the extra rad just helps keep the trans a little cooler.

There is a schematics on f30post or here somewhere of the different setups and how they all operate.

[Marshalltj]

Originally Posted by Stubok

It's already fitted you shouldn't need to do anything.

I don't have an M-sport model, so it is not fitted. This was further confirmed when I replaced my front bumper.

[Stubok]

Originally Posted by Marshalltj

I don't have an M-sport model, so it is not fitted. This was further confirmed when I replaced my front bumper.

The oil cooler is the lump (oil to water plate heat exchanger) on the oil filter. The extra radiator is the added water cooling surface area I was talking about.

[BunkerJ]

Originally Posted by Stubok

Yes that is a water to oil heat exchanger.

Although it looks small it is very effective in rejecting the heat in the oil to the Water cooling circuit.

Also the water to oil HX is counter flow which is much more effective at exchanging heat than a cross flow Oil to Air HX.

So it is essentially like having a much bigger surface area of oil to air radiator to reject the heat. Since water has 4 times the specific heat capacity than air there is an advantage in rejecting the heat in the oil to the water. It is also a lot more consistent since the dT between the oil and water can be managed much more consistently.

The heat in the water is then rejected to the ambient air. Since the equation for convective heat transfer is Q=Hc.A.dT, as the outdoor temperature rises the engine will run hotter to a point, from there the dT will start to diminish. To keep below dangerous temps you can either add more surface area (like Hot Climate pack on M-Sport in US) or since Q=M.Cp.dT you can increase mass flow rate to reject the same amount of heat.

Surface area is obviously tough to increase (past that of the M-Sport Hot Climate pack) so that leaves mass flow, and not much can really be done there.

I guess an oil cooler could be added, but it may not really do much to reduce the oil temp, based in this system design and the operating points. Also since the oil temp is tightly controlled based on water temp and load, adding an oil cooler (oil to air HX) may mess with the control algorithm. Installation would have to be right. You would hate to be confusing the ECU and have it think the oil temp is actually cooler than it really is, and reduce the heat rejected to the water circuit.

Reviving this because this is something I'm currently looking at. I know we've talked about the upgraded turbo, Stubok. My concern is keeping the heat down to decrease the chance of the rods being heated up to the point of failure through torque. I know you've ran your setup and haven't had any issues, but curious if we could cool the engine some more and push it a little further.

Looking at the design, I'm wondering if we could put the oil cooler before the filter and have it cooled before entering the stock cooler. Looking at a cooler through HEL Performance, it's thermostat controlled and only opens when a certain temp is reached.

My two concerns with this is:

1. Does this affect the stock cooler and ECU?
2. Will there be a sudden drop in oil pressure as this is activated?

[Alpine3s]

Any links for us to look at the products being talked about? I would be interested in this too since I live in FL. I can probably do it when I do oil change.

[BunkerJ]

Originally Posted by Alpine3s

Any links for us to look at the products being talked about? I would be interested in this too since I live in FL. I can probably do it when I do oil change.

First one seems like a universal, but they'll send you the parts to ensure connections fit: http://au.helperformance.com/bmw-f30...oil-cooler-kit

Then there is this one. A bit more expensive (+$800 on eBay): http://www.katecool-motors.com/engin...0-f31-n20.html

Mishimoto offers a universal one as well that's not too expensive.

[Alpine3s]

Originally Posted by BunkerJ

First one seems like a universal, but they'll send you the parts to ensure connections fit: http://au.helperformance.com/bmw-f30...oil-cooler-kit

Then there is this one. A bit more expensive (+$800 on eBay): http://www.katecool-motors.com/engin...0-f31-n20.html

Mishimoto offers a universal one as well that's not too expensive.

Very nice, thank you.

Whats the temperature our oil should be at which would require the additional cooling. Ive notice my oil usually hovers 200f or so (JB4 with BT gauges). When I get on the highway it seems to climb a bit, once I get back into road driving it goes down (oddly enough).

[BunkerJ]

Originally Posted by Alpine3s

Very nice, thank you.

Whats the temperature our oil should be at which would require the additional cooling. Ive notice my oil usually hovers 200f or so (JB4 with BT gauges). When I get on the highway it seems to climb a bit, once I get back into road driving it goes down (oddly enough).

These things can run hot and according to the training docs, these things won't kick in emergency mode till 300 degrees F. According to how the map control works, it appears that the engine will allow ~228 when in "Economy" and attempts to get it down to ~176 on high operation. That's for coolant temps I believe, not oil. The oil flow adjusts based on temps as well, which then corresponds with the coolant temp.

I average 200 to 225 or so (225 after some spirited runs), but getting it closer to 200 after runs would be ideal. I'm pasting a link to the doc I'm reading out of. Go to section 4.2.3 for more on this. http://www.bimmerpost.com/goodiesfor...BIMMERPOST.pdf

[BunkerJ]

I'm trying to figure out what would be the best for flow. Do we put it before or after the water/oil heat exchanger? If you put it before, it may not help because temps would be lower going into the exchanger and result in a lower coolant temp and lower flow. If you put it after.. Not sure of the pro/con for that.

[Stubok]

I'm currently trying an inexpensive G-Plus unit. Was easy to install and seems to be working well in cooler ambient temps. My engine temps have been hovering just above the 160F tick on the gauge. I haven't monitored them on bootmod3. It will be interesting to see what happens as the ambient gets hotter.

Yesterday it was 88F here in Austin and the gauge change much than normal.

Here ares a few a pics of the unit installed.

[BunkerJ]

Originally Posted by Stubok

I'm currently trying an inexpensive G-Plus unit. Was easy to install and seems to be working well in cooler ambient temps. My engine temps have been hovering just above the 160F tick on the gauge. I haven't monitored them on bootmod3. It will be interesting to see what happens as the ambient gets hotter.

Yesterday it was 88F here in Austin and the gauge change much than normal.

Here ares a few a pics of the unit installed.

Did you install yourself? Mind either shooting me a PM or post in here your experience and install? Want to jump on this with you and maybe try a diff manufacturer to test those waters.

[Alpine3s]

Originally Posted by BunkerJ

Did you install yourself? Mind either shooting me a PM or post in here your experience and install? Want to jump on this with you and maybe try a diff manufacturer to test those waters.

Sorry if I may be asking ignorant questions, probably something I can get answer by some spirited "google-ing" or a simple forum search. Wouldnt the oil need to be kept at a particular temperature for proper operation? Meaning, too cool or too hot is obviously not ideal, but in order to reach the oils viscosity (ie 5w30) are we intervening and may try to keep things "too cool" for operation? I understand number is upon start and the other is after its reached its heat points (viscosity).

I would like to hear it from the Gurus on the forum. If I keep the temps between 190-230 even after runs, back to back, etc, would an oil cooler be necessary? I log with the JB4 BT module realtime via iPhone and havent seen anything over 225 on a 88f ambient.