Coolant, Oil and Step overheating at the track

[Little1er]

Hey Everyone,

I have started tracking my 135i and have had some cooling issues while at the track.

Please see my signature for mods, but at the track I normally run map 0 or 5 on my JB4 while at the track with 91 or 100 octane.

I just replaced the stock oil cooler with a 34 row cooler which has seemed to help as far as excessive oil temp, but I am still having trouble with my coolant temps and Step auto box getting slow and reluctant to shift. I'm thinking about adding a 25 row transmission cooler for the step box and deleting the transmission cooler from the radiator. I'm hoping that this will help take load off the radiator to help with water cooling.

Has anyone installed a tranny cooler or have opinions on making it a stand alone cooling system?

Ideal option would be a 6MT swap, but getting the car coded to act normally is my concern.

[Ginger_Extract]

What are your temps looking like, what are the track conditions, and at what track(s) is the issue showing up?

Have you flushed the cooling system with distilled water versus coolant? On my 6MT, my water temps stay right around t-stat value (205F), unless idling in hot pits (~215), but switching to mostly distilled water was good for a 10*F drop in oil temps on track, from 270 to 260*F.

[Little1er]

Originally Posted by Ginger_Extract

What are your temps looking like, what are the track conditions, and at what track(s) is the issue showing up?

Have you flushed the cooling system with distilled water versus coolant? On my 6MT, my water temps stay right around t-stat value (205F), unless idling in hot pits (~215), but switching to mostly distilled water was good for a 10*F drop in oil temps on track, from 270 to 260*F.

I have not touched the cooling system, but am aware that running a 70/30 water/coolant mixture can help, I just don't believe it'll be enough to help my step transmission from getting hot.

On track at laguna during a 60F day 2 weeks ago, I saw oil temps over the 300F mark. The new oil cooler has taken care of any oil overheating issues as my oil stayed below 265F at a 90F thunderhill day this past weekend.

[Elsabor67]

Have you thought of setting up another oil cooler on your left side where the BMW performance cooler would go for the Trans cooler? Also, where do you have that 34 row cooler mounted at and how? I normally run 2 coolers during track season and remove 1 for the winter season.

[Little1er]

Originally Posted by Elsabor67

Have you thought of setting up another oil cooler on your left side where the BMW performance cooler would go for the Trans cooler? Also, where do you have that 34 row cooler mounted at and how? I normally run 2 coolers during track season and remove 1 for the winter season.

I'm thinking of either a 25 or 34 row for the tranny, with a 180F thermostat.

As for the 34 row oil cooler, I used a setrab series 6, 34 row. I also bought their mounting hardware which made life much easier than fabbing a bracket. You will need the m22 to -an10 90 fittings so it will clear the bumper. I had to cut the bracket for old oil cooler out to make it fit and mounted it to where the bumper crash structure connects to the frame, same place the Stett kit attaches. It was fairly easy and cost about 600 for all the materials.

I'll post some pictures here soon.

[paradoxical3]

I was having the same problems and the CSF Racing radiator fixed all of them. Since the auto is cooled by the radiator as well you will kill two birds with one stone. I have several track days on the radiator now at mid ohio and putnam park and coolant temps just don't move. Check out my review of it :http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...&highlight=csf

[spxxx]

I built a tranny cooler, 9 row cooler post heat exchanger with an10 fittings.

[John_01]

Nice. Where did you locate it?

...in for pics

[onefastsvt]

70/30 distilled/coolant, Water wetter = helped on my track m3. Also good oil changed 1x per season helped keep my oil temps down. (#1 Amisol or #2 Mobil 1 full synthetic) Next mod for me is to install the oil cooler diverter valve to removed the thermostat in the oil cooler.

[dcaron9999]

I keep my oil/water temperatures under control at the three tracks I visit. I run a BMS Oil Thermostat bypass valve ($50 part), and turn the heater on at max heat + speed, with the side vents opened pointed at the outside with windows opened. Windshield, floor, and center vents are all dialed off ...

Im running an agressive custom tune on my N55 too. Oil temp hardly creeps above middle point (120*C or 250*F). Sometimes on a really hot day, I may reach 255-260*F ...

Stock N55 oil cooler, and coolant mixture does just fine. Using Castrol Syntec 0w40 European Formula oil, which also helps dissipate some heat. I change the engine oil every 6 track days (when it starts breaking down and becomes too thin, and I notice oil consumption on the e-gauge). Im an instructor at two tracks, so drive the card pretty hard two evenings/week during the summer.

A couple of my students with N54's have run into heat issues and limp mode at the track. I have shared my experience with them but I cannot confirm if they did try my suggestions to solve their issues ...

[spxxx]

Originally Posted by John_01

Nice. Where did you locate it?

...in for pics

I am fine with 36oz of Watter Wetter and distilled water + my Dinan oil cooler, meth at high Psi only & my custom 7 row cooler, it's running post heat exchanger mounted in front of my oil cooler for now (lack of routing options for driver side but it's eventually going over there) - install is a breeze, finding a mounting spot on an e82 is not.

[spxxx]

A picture of my current ghetto placement