3.0 csi Rad question

The easy answer to your question is the radiator from any E3 or E9 should fit. The part you are looking for is 17111102866. If you are handy, I would imagine you could easily adapt something from an E12, E28, E23, E24 and the like. The biggest problem is the depth of the radiator since with the E9 room is scarce - especially if you wish to retain the stock fan. The next problem is attaching the radiator to the chassis this would require making brackets to cradle the radiator. Naturally, automatic transmission cooling lines and air conditioning and cowling complicate things.


If its of any help, I adapted a plastic and aluminum radiator from a newer model - but that was a long time ago. I believe it was from an E28, but I couldn't say for sure. I know I had to do some cutting of extraneous plastic on the radiator, add some brackets and cut a hose or two, but it was a satisfactory effort. Others may have much more current
information. For comparisons sake, E9 is the top illustration, E28 below.

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If you still have your original one consider having it triple recored - no fitment issues and will be more efficient than oem
 
I had mine done at a local radiator shop - call a few and ask them if they can recore an old car radiator, if so they will remove the old core and have them replace it with a 3 row core with more fins per inch. They will repaint it so it looks new. The cooling efficiency will improve by 30% or so and it will fit right back in and look stock. Cost is around $350 or so.

adawil2002 said:
Where does one have a radiator triple cored?
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Also, keep in mind that the radiators are different for cars with air conditioning. There's a spot near the bottom hose connection on the radiator where the electric fan switch screws in. I think that the ones for cars with automatic transmissions are different too.
John
 
W and N seem to do a rad for about 200 euros that fits e3/e9 so will probably go with one of those . Thanks guys for the detailed replies,
Paul
 
Then rad for the automatic version is slighly bigger / has higher capacity. W&N used to have both man and auto rad, but recommended using the auto version to me as to never have to worry about cooling capacity again. The price difference was negligable. If they still have the auto version, I recommend it.
Been running it with stock fan since two year and all and never had an issue with overheating (granted, I´m not in Florida and don´t have auto and A/C...)
 
Tierfreund said:
Then rad for the automatic version is slighly bigger / has higher capacity. W&N used to have both man and auto rad, but recommended using the auto version to me as to never have to worry about cooling capacity again. The price difference was negligable. If they still have the auto version, I recommend it.
Been running it with stock fan since two year and all and never had an issue with overheating (granted, I´m not in Florida and don´t have auto and A/C...)[/QUOTE


I have always believed that the E9 radiator's considerable width aka "frontal area," compared to other similarly sized engines and cars, is more than adequate for most applications, including Florida and air conditioning. I am familiar with both. But I question the size differences between the auto and manual radiators. First, the shop manual says that the capacities, including heater are all "approximately 12." I would also expect that on the "automatic" radiator, some of any additional capacity might be attributable to the area used to cool the auto trans fluid. On a manual transmission model, this area would be unused and possibly leave you with slightly less coolant capacity. Again, I have never measured, so I am speculating.

The shop manual suggests a possible difference in "ribs" with the inclusion of "oil cooler." Whether that refers to an auto transmission oil cooler or an engine oil cooler, is hazy. Equally unclear (to me) is whether the term "ribs" refers to the additional cooling surface or actual coolant capacity of the radiator core. The picture makes it look like both radiators have the same number of horizontal tubes. Yet, one radiator has more metal area between the tubes to convect heat. But my eyesight is not as good as it used to be. :???:


Per the manual:
"The cooling efficiency¹ depends on the number of radiator ribs."

Ris per dmDesignationwith oil cooler 561 109 661 01 109 662 0previously 501 102 866 01 012 100 0
"

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This is one of those modern technology deals - auto/manual, ac/non-ac, it doesn't matter - if you get it recored you'll have more fins per inch and another row and you can forget about overheating issues from a radiator designed for a bavarian summer. Mine can handle 98 degree heat and high humidity with ac on without going above halfway idling in traffic - 1/4 when moving - before I recored it would hit close to the red zone very quickly under the same conditions.
 
And my 73 with auto rad and defunct A/C has no switch/sensor at the bottom for the A/C. The auto rad is wider only because of the tranny cooler tank, and requires the shorter mounting bracket on passenger side.
 
Triple Core Radiator versus Zionsville

I know most folks feel the triple core radiator is the way to go with the coupe. I went down that route, double core to triple core. But there were still times when my 3.5 liter high performance engine would overheat. So I went to an aluminum radiator made for an e30 from Zionsville. It fixed all my problems. The temperature gauge is now rock solid and never moves. It was an easy install. It was less expensive than all the other things I did (new radiators, high performance fans, water pumps, pulleys and thermostat. Highly recommended. If anyone is interested I can fill in all other particulars on installation and hoses which were pretty much bolt on after I figured out what to use.
 
Jan

Jan,

I would be interested in your e30 solution Jan, summers in Adelaide (Australia) are usually highlighted by a week of days over 40degrees (104F).... cool cars are very important...

Cheers
Chris
Aussie 3.0CS
 
Zionsville Aluminum Radiator Details

One day when I was frustrated that everything I had tried had not fixed my overheating problem, I happened to see a Zionsville ad in the Roundel. I didn't know if a new radiator would work (I had tried a new two core, and later three core) but I had tried every other option I had heard about (M5 pulley, high performance pump, upgraded fans and thermostat). So on a lark I called Zionsville (www.zionsvilleautosport.com) and determined they made a radiator for the e30 that should fit the coupe.

I was very impressed with the quality of the radiator (versus new OEM) when it arrived. I removed the mounting bracket on the side of the coupe radiator and pulled the old radiator. I put a half inch strip of rubber on the front sheet metal around the edge of the radiator hole to protect the new radiator and set the new radiator in the coupe lower rubber mounts. (In retrospect I should only have added the rubber on the sides not the top of the hole.)

I cut a two short pieces of strap aluminum, drilled a hole in the end, wrapped them in rubber electrical tape, and dropped them into slots in the top of the Zionsville radiator and bolted them to the sheet metal at the top of the radiator hole.

To my knowlege the radiator has never moved in 40K miles or so with this mounting. The old coupe side bracket went to the trash.

The Zionsville has a nice bung for the temperature sensor. That left finding the right hoses. Searching through BMW parts manuals and trial and error led me to these two:

Upper hose: 11-53-1-708-499
Lower hose: 11-53-1-276-647

If memory serves, they are from a 325i.

Since moving to the aluminum radiator, I have only used BMW coolant and distilled water.

This for me has been the perfect solution. Sometimes you only understand the problem after it has been solved. I had moved to a high performance 3.5 liter engine (ported headers, sport cam, hi flow exhaust, LJet) without realizing it could overwhelm the original coupe cooling system.

My temperature guage has never moved above its set point in the half dozen years since inspite of some hot California weather and being stopped at a standstill for long periods in traffic.

I have kept the M5 pulley and upgraded engine fan but all else is stock except the radiator and hoses. I no longer need or use the auxliary electric pusher fan that was part of the coupe's AC system (or its high volume aftermarket replacement I tried). I removed it and put it in the trash.

Here are some pictures.
 

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nice work...

Jan, your coupe is very tight- nice mods and well executed. It makes me want to live in a climate where I could make an E9 a daily option.
 
I recently replaced my AT radiator with an MT version for an E12 528i, sourced from www.partsgeek.com (no affiliation) for pretty close to $255 including shipping insurance. Lo and behold, it is Behr, copper, not aluminium, nor aluminum.

Lo and be d*ammed, the first one came with the inlet neck partly squashed. I had insurance and they told me I'd be made good, so I ordered another one on the spot, also insured. The second one arrived with the inlet neck more squashed than the first. In both cases, the box was trashed on arrival, though the radiator cores in both cases were okay. I shipped back the second one. Note that both arrived in two days via UPS Second Day Air - veryvery unusual for a part to come so quickly across the pond. The shipping invoice reveals both actually came from CA tho' the phone is answered in NJ. No problemo. It took all of three minutes with a large dowel and hammer to make right the neck on the first, then a few more to install.

The MT radiator is narrower by maybe 3" than the original AT version (obviously, since the larger right hand tank on the AT version has the trans oil cooler in it and the MT version lacks this). However, Hans und Fritz saw this coming, and the body on the right side has the holes to re-set the mount in the narrower position. Alles gut!
 
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