CSF Radiator Questions

[scratchgolf135]

1) What are these tabs on the bottom for?

2) What is the lower screw for on the driver's side?

[scratchgolf135]

Also, why is part 14 omitted from https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=17_0380? My car doesn't have it and I'd like to seal the gap between the rad and condenser. Anyone know this part number by chance? I looked in the e90 diagram and it's the same there, no part #.

[amg6975]

The tabs are to hold the bottom of the fan in place. It looks like you missed them with your fan.

The bolt is to hold the heat exchanger for an automatic car.

I haven't seen that part on any car in my experience. It looks like it's to seal to the top of the rad to the radiator support structure, maybe look in that diagram.

It kind of looks like you may have the wrong radiator for your application but I'm not totally sure.

[scratchgolf135]

Originally Posted by amg6975

The tabs are to hold the bottom of the fan in place. It looks like you missed them with your fan.

The bolt is to hold the heat exchanger for an automatic car.

I haven't seen that part on any car in my experience. It looks like it's to seal to the top of the rad to the radiator support structure, maybe look in that diagram.

It kind of looks like you may have the wrong radiator for your application but I'm not totally sure.

Thanks. The tabs at the bottom of the fan go into the back of the intercooler. The radiator is some 5" shorter than the fan shroud and the shroud continues down to pull air through the IC. Every video I've watched has this configuration and in each video the tabs on the actual RAD aren't doing anything so I was just curious if anyone on here might have known what they're for.

That diagram makes it clear that the part sits on the RAD since it has the two tabs that would slot into the top of the RAD, presumably to seal the massive gap between the rad and the exchanger but the part is greyed out and there is no part number in the listing. Anyone else ever sealed this gao and if so what did you use?

[fe1rx]

Originally Posted by scratchgolf135

Also, why is part 14 omitted from https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=17_0380? My car doesn't have it and I'd like to seal the gap between the rad and condenser. Anyone know this part number by chance? I looked in the e90 diagram and it's the same there, no part #.

I initially addressed this omission as noted in the following post:

https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show...1&postcount=21

I later added the part you mention, keeping my earlier seals as well. Anyway, the part you are looking for is this:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...l/51647134102/

RealOEM link is here:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...32#51647134102

It is more a seal between the radiator and the radiator bracket as opposed to between the radiator and the condenser. To some extent it reduces the ability of air to bypass the radiator over the top. Not sure how well it works on the original radiator, but it is not tremendously effective with the CSF radiator, which is why I have also retained the orange firesleeve seals.

[scratchgolf135]

Originally Posted by fe1rx

I initially addressed this omission as noted in the following post:

https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show...1&postcount=21

I later added the part you mention, keeping my earlier seals as well. Anyway, the part you are looking for is this:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...l/51647134102/

RealOEM link is here:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...32#51647134102

It is more a seal between the radiator and the radiator bracket as opposed to between the radiator and the condenser. To some extent it reduces the ability of air to bypass the radiator over the top. Not sure how well it works on the original radiator, but it is not tremendously effective with the CSF radiator, which is why I have also retained the orange firesleeve seals.

Thanks! That thread is massively helpful. I’m also having a fitment issue between the csf Rad and my VRSF intercooler. Tried searching threads but couldn’t find anything. The inlet to the IC is interfering with the bottom of the radiator so the IC won’t go all the way up where it should, it’s ~1/4” low.

[scratchgolf135]

Is this a typical fitment constraint and is leaving the IC slightly low the solution?

[scratchgolf135]

Originally Posted by scratchgolf135

Is this a typical fitment constraint and is leaving the IC slightly low the solution?

Has anyone else had this fitment issue?

[houtan]

Which intercooler are you installing?

[scratchgolf135]

Originally Posted by houtan

Which intercooler are you installing?

It’s a VRSF 7.5” competition. It was already on the car, installing the csf Rad now and it’s hitting the inlet to the IC.

[houtan]

It doesn’t fit.

I made spacer out of 1/8 or 1/4 inch sheet of plastic that worked (I’ll try and find them), but decided to go back to the stock radiator instead before putting my car back together. The competition intercooler takes up every mm of available space and I didn’t want any fitment issues with my bumper.

With the stock radiator, fitment of the intercooler is perfect.

[scratchgolf135]

I wouldn’t go that far. The IC inlet inlet is likely to interfere on any model of intercooler and it “fits”, it just touches at that one spot which I’m sure I can find a way to work around with some tweaking. I was just curious what other folks had done. I’d venture to say the vast majority of people running the CSF rad are for sure running an aftermarket IC so this has to be a common problem and as such there have to be common solutions.

[houtan]

Sounds like you are ok with the fitment and trying to get it to work. Best of luck.

To be clear for others, the vrsf race and a csf radiator for an auto/DCT car do not fit correctly. The vrsf race with the stock radiator fits correctly and there is sufficient clearance at the hot side connection. The vrsf race has a 3inch inlet and outlet.

My helix intercooler had plenty of clearance to the csf radiator at the hot side connection. That intercooler had a 2.5” diameter inlet. I believe the big intercoolers with a 2.75” clear as well. The smaller diameter is probably why it clears the csf connection vice the vrsf race.

First two pictures are the vrsf race with csf radiator and you can see the inlet is pressed against the factory radiator hose like the op mentions. Last picture is vrsf race with stock radiator.

[scratchgolf135]

Originally Posted by houtan

Sounds like you are ok with the fitment and trying to get it to work. Best of luck.

To be clear for others, the vrsf race and a csf radiator do not fit correctly. The vrsf race with the stock radiator fits correctly and there is sufficient clearance at the hot side connection. The vrsf race has a 3inch inlet and outlet.

My helix intercooler had plenty of clearance to the csf radiator at the hot side connection. That intercooler had a 2.5” diameter inlet. I believe the big intercoolers with a 2.75” clear as well. The smaller diameter is probably why it clears the csf connection vice the vrsf race.

First two pictures are the vrsf race with csf radiator and you can see the inlet is pressed against the factory radiator hose like the op mentions. Last picture is vrsf race with stock radiator.

Ah I see your challenge. You're an auto so you have the lower hose to contend with. I would agree, I wouldn't mess around with that. My issue is solely the bottom of the rad sitting on the IC inlet which I think I can mitigate with some adjustment. I would like to delete my AC and move the rad forward into the condenser's position but changing the rad fan is proving to be a challenge. That would solve the problem but it's not looking like it's going to pan out.

[houtan]

My bad. I totally missed that. I just assumed your issue was similar to mine. I will clarify in my post that my issue is when you have an automatic transmission.

Honestly, I don’t recall having contact where you are. I was able to tighten up the intercooler mounting points flush to the car but I had that issue with the connection where the automatic cooler hoses attach.

Have you tried to put the front bumper on to see if it clears on the bottom side of the intercooler?

One other thing you may want to do is replace the screws they provide with studs. I provide some information here. The screws are probably fine, but the studs seem to be much more sturdy. https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1935221

[houtan]

Found some pictures of the little spacers I made before deciding to go back to stock radiator. Maybe it will help.

[scratchgolf135]

Originally Posted by houtan

My bad. I totally missed that. I just assumed your issue was similar to mine. I will clarify in my post that my issue is when you have an automatic transmission.

Honestly, I don’t recall having contact where you are. I was able to tighten up the intercooler mounting points flush to the car but I had that issue with the connection where the automatic cooler hoses attach.

Have you tried to put the front bumper on to see if it clears on the bottom side of the intercooler?

One other thing you may want to do is replace the screws they provide with studs. I provide some information here. The screws are probably fine, but the studs seem to be much more sturdy. https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1935221

Thanks! I haven't yet, it might fit with the intercooler 1/4" low. Funny you say that, because of this I just got studs in the mail yesterday just in case I do have to hand it low. And agreed, after running them all the way into the rad support, they're much more stout.

[JRUSH]

So studs should help some? What size? I'm having major fitment issues with my VRSF 7.5" as well with the hot side corner hitting my piping. How did you guys get the fan shroud to fit as well, there's not even a centimeter to spare. I wish I had seen these posts before I bought the CSF, I would have just gotten another OEM one. I made a post with a few pictures

https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=30532557

[houtan]

I don’t think studs will make a difference by themselves to be honest. You need to make a spacer out of plastic or some sort of material. And honestly the race intercooler takes up every single millimeter of space so your bumper is going to be pushed down if you do that. Some people wouldn’t mind, but that would drive me crazy so I went back to the OE radiator.

[iminhell1]

I went studs on mine simply because it will hopefully help to not strip threads from removing the intercooler from time to time. Also use nyloc nuts.
It was some dual thread stud. #6 course to ? bolt thread I think?

[scratchgolf135]

Yep I went with studs to improve holding strength as well as ensuring that I'm fully threaded into the core support even if the intercooler is dropped lower with spacers. I ended up using spacers myself and all is well. However, my car is converted to 1m (full car, not just rep bumper) so I had quite a bit of room to drop the IC without touching the bumper.