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      11-24-2013, 07:47 AM   #1
MarleyBarley
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Oil cooler upgrade

Looking for an oil cooler upgrade for my 2012 Z4 E89 35i with N54 engine. I've contacted a number of manufacturers (ER, HPF,Stett,AR), but haven't received a confident response regarding fit. Has anyone successfully upgraded?
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      11-24-2013, 11:45 AM   #2
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Since you're going for an upgrade, you're going for a bigger oil cooler and since it's bigger therefor It's not a direct fit.
Cutting will be required to get it onto place plus new mounting brackets/tabs. I saw an ER oil cooler getting installed on a 335 just need to cut some interior plastic from the bumper (to let the air run to the coolers surface), the mounting tabs were provided by ER so i guess it will be the same for the z4.
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Last edited by Constant.S; 11-24-2013 at 11:51 AM..
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      11-24-2013, 12:05 PM   #3
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Thanks. I just ordered the ER intercooler, so I'll take a closer look at the ER oil cooler.
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      11-24-2013, 03:59 PM   #4
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Constant.S, I forgot to mention that I just installed Dinan stage 1 last week and would like to work my way up to stage 3. Dinan was on sale this month. Unfortunately, the Zed will be undercover until spring. Then I plan to upgrade the intercooler and, hopefully, find an oil cooler. Only had the car a month. Can't wait!
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      11-24-2013, 05:30 PM   #5
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oh man, congrats im sure you're excited. It's gonna seem like a long winter.
To be honest, an additional oil cooler will only benefit you if you track the car (and track it hard). A bigger Intercooler, a proper LSD such as Quaife and better flow downpipes should be higher on your list in my opinion.
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      11-24-2013, 05:54 PM   #6
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Sounds great. I don't intend to track it at this point, so your advice on the oil cooler is very helpful. I like the LSD and down pipe suggestion. Any specific down pipes you'd recommend?
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      11-24-2013, 06:40 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarleyBarley View Post
Sounds great. I don't intend to track it at this point, so your advice on the oil cooler is very helpful. I like the LSD and down pipe suggestion. Any specific down pipes you'd recommend?
The only DP's available for the Z4 are from AR Design.
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      11-24-2013, 07:42 PM   #8
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Yep, AR Design. Which is good cause they are basically top quality.
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      11-24-2013, 09:28 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarleyBarley View Post
Constant.S, I forgot to mention that I just installed Dinan stage 1 last week and would like to work my way up to stage 3. Dinan was on sale this month. Unfortunately, the Zed will be undercover until spring. Then I plan to upgrade the intercooler and, hopefully, find an oil cooler. Only had the car a month. Can't wait!
Doesn't Dinan make an oil cooler specifically for the Z4 35i?

http://www.dinancars.com/products/Z-...dels-only.aspx

Quote:
Originally Posted by Constant.S View Post
oh man, congrats im sure you're excited. It's gonna seem like a long winter.
To be honest, an additional oil cooler will only benefit you if you track the car (and track it hard). A bigger Intercooler, a proper LSD such as Quaife and better flow downpipes should be higher on your list in my opinion.
I tend to agree, though the oil does run very hot on even a stock N54. On my stock Z4, I regularly see oil temps of 260 degrees, whereas my tuned M3 rarely gets above 210. That's a 50 degree difference!

Dinan requires an oil cooler for the Stage 3 and, I believe, the Stage 2 tune as well, for what it's worth. (Maybe not much, since they have a vested financial interest in requiring one.)

But as I said, I agree that, other than a tune, the big money items for putting power down would be FMIC, downpipes, and an LSD.

If the Z4 wasn't my wife's DD, I'd be all over this stuff. Hell, if money frees up, I might just do it anyway!
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      11-25-2013, 05:20 PM   #10
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Unfortunately, the Dinan oil cooler is for 09-10 Z4s. Dinan says that they don't intend to make an oil cooler upgrade for my 2012 E89 model. I checked with ER, Stett, HPF and several retailers for ideas. Most have suggested that their respective coolers MIGHT fit, but I'm not really interested in being a guinea pig. Several have also suggested that other E89 owners have successfully installed their products. Anyone out there done this.
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      11-25-2013, 06:40 PM   #11
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Listen, a lot of N54 powered BMW's out there with larger twin's or single turbo conversions are pushing from 500+whp to 600+whp and are utilizing the stock oil cooler and it works just fine for them. Even BMW, for its performance kit for the N54, just upgrades to an additional radiator and a more powerful fan, not an additional oil cooler... BMW tech's know something seems like it.
About limp modes now.. Even on track they happen rarely and if they do is most of the time from the transmission (talking about my case, DCT, since our transmission is the same one as BMW uses for the M3 but doesn't have a dedicated cooler such as the one on the M3's tran).
My opinion? Dont sweat on it. Especially for the over priced Dinan oil cooler. If you wanna learn more try searching for "setrab oil cooler 335". Stett uses that brand.
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      11-25-2013, 07:23 PM   #12
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Great advice (again), Constant.S. Next time (or first time) you're in my neighborhood, beers are on me!
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      11-26-2013, 03:09 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarleyBarley View Post
Unfortunately, the Dinan oil cooler is for 09-10 Z4s. Dinan says that they don't intend to make an oil cooler upgrade for my 2012 E89 model.
What would be the difference between 09 and 12 year models? As far as I can see the part numbers for the oil cooler are the same.

US Z4 35i http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...19&hg=17&fg=05

EU 2008 Z4 35i: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...19&hg=17&fg=05

Anyway, I agree that installing the extra coolant radiator from BMW PPK or perhaps change the software to increase circulation is a better place to begin. Getting a 6MT Z4 will probably help as well, but then the clutch might not like the extra tq from the Dinan tune...
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      11-26-2013, 08:23 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Asbjorn View Post
What would be the difference between 09 and 12 year models? As far as I can see the part numbers for the oil cooler are the same.

Anyway, I agree that installing the extra coolant radiator from BMW PPK or perhaps change the software to increase circulation is a better place to begin. Getting a 6MT Z4 will probably help as well, but then the clutch might not like the extra tq from the Dinan tune...
Because the kit was designed for some early n54 models that came without a factory oil cooler.
about the transmission, the DCT is, by far, the most superior. The only thing you need to do is limit the boost in first and second gear to around 15-18psi to prevent slipage thats all, well and also not rape the launch control.
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      11-26-2013, 08:26 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarleyBarley View Post
Great advice (again), Constant.S. Next time (or first time) you're in my neighborhood, beers are on me!
No problem man next time im around ill let you know
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      11-26-2013, 04:40 PM   #16
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FYI, have received responses from the following that their oil coolers wouldn't fit without some engineering:

Stett
ER
Advan
Dinan
Vac
Still waiting on response from HPF.
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      11-26-2013, 10:49 PM   #17
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I wouldn't say limp mode is 'rare' (for a stock car). As others have said, it depends on how hard the usage is, and other stuff like track layout (i.e. is there lots of time for the full throttle) and where the track is located (i.e. Socal desert in summer time vs. Ohio in fall, for example)

OP, you mentioned you don't plan to track it, so a FMIC and downpipes would be good enough. You can definitely do some 1/4 runs, a few highway pulls and dyno runs with the stock radiators

As an aside, Cobb is having a sale right now too. Not sure how important #s are to you, but do some searching on dinan vs. cobb vs. JB4 power levels. Seems like Dinan is consistently more conservative (i.e. makes less power) using the same fuel and parts
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      11-27-2013, 01:53 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Constant.S View Post
Because the kit was designed for some early n54 models that came without a factory oil cooler.
about the transmission, the DCT is, by far, the most superior. The only thing you need to do is limit the boost in first and second gear to around 15-18psi to prevent slipage thats all, well and also not rape the launch control.
Yup, what I meant is that the 6MT makes the car less prone to high oil temps.

BTW please show me an N54 Z4 that hasn't got the aux oil cooler. A picture of the engine bay would be sufficient. I still don't believe they ever existed.
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      11-27-2013, 05:52 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Asbjorn View Post
Yup, what I meant is that the 6MT makes the car less prone to high oil temps.

BTW please show me an N54 Z4 that hasn't got the aux oil cooler. A picture of the engine bay would be sufficient. I still don't believe they ever existed.
Maybe, but logic implies that a 7 speed such as the DCT will have a better overdrive because of the extra gearing therefor lower rpm's @ cruising speeds > lower oil temps. I might be wrong...

Sure, here you go:

First with out oil cooler second with oil cooler. You can tell by the lines near the oil filter housing.
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      11-27-2013, 12:42 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Constant.S View Post
Maybe, but logic implies that a 7 speed such as the DCT will have a better overdrive because of the extra gearing therefor lower rpm's @ cruising speeds > lower oil temps. I might be wrong...

Sure, here you go:

First with out oil cooler second with oil cooler. You can tell by the lines near the oil filter housing.
Where are those lines going? Are they going to the driver's side?

I'd always assumed the oil cooler was behind the side vent on the passenger side of the front bumper. There is definitely a heat exchanger in that location, though I suppose it could be for the power steering fluid or the DCT.

The M3 has a heat exchanger there for the power steering, and the oil cooler is a long, slender heat exchanger that sits in front of the radiator across the front of the car.
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      11-27-2013, 01:13 PM   #21
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While we are on the topic of oil coolers, check out this N54 thread. apparently there is a thermostat that allows oil to flow through the oil cooler only when the temperature is >240F (i.e. BMW has made the decision to operate the engine at 240F oil temperature)

http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18470


The vendor also posted a link to the thermostat bypass, and that result in ~15F temperature reduction

Here's another thread referencing the Setrab oil cooler that was mentioned earlier

http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10753

Seems like the 'net gain' from the aftermarket oil cooler is ~25F temp reduction (because bypassing the thermostat on the stock cooler gets ~15F reduction)
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      11-27-2013, 04:18 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hujan View Post
Where are those lines going? Are they going to the driver's side?

I'd always assumed the oil cooler was behind the side vent on the passenger side of the front bumper. There is definitely a heat exchanger in that location, though I suppose it could be for the power steering fluid or the DCT.

The M3 has a heat exchanger there for the power steering, and the oil cooler is a long, slender heat exchanger that sits in front of the radiator across the front of the car.
Correct. Oil cooler is on the passenger side. On the M3 if im not mistaken its the gearbox oil cooler that sits in front of the radiator, no?
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