Oil Cooler Mounting Location

Davey303 · 06-10-2014, 03:22 PM

Hey All,

First off, I know there are a ton of threads on Oil Coolers, pretty sure I've read everyone of them. But I've been searching for the last few days about doing an oil cooler, following one of the DIY guides. I have an E90 n55. However, I was wondering if anyone has mounted the cooler in any area besides the stock location/passenger side fender. I was thinking about mounting it behind the Kidneys using one of the wide coolers (versus tall) with the assumption of better airflow, but worried that might block too much of the radiator?

Being that I don't have an oil cooler from the factory, I'd like to keep my fog lights.

Thank you,
David

Subaru335i · 06-10-2014, 03:31 PM

Fog light is a good location and so is the factory location in the fender.
I have an oil cooler in front of my radiator on my subaru (basically where the kidney grill is on the bmw) and it seems fine.
People block parts of their radiators with intercoolers all the time so I wouldn't worry too much.

Knonsense · 06-11-2014, 10:01 AM

Ar Design sells an auxiliary cooler which mounts behind the kidneys. http://www.ardesign.info/store/selec...t-stage-1.html
which is highly questionable, because that's where the intake air is snorkeled from on my 335xi.

the stock location is probably preferred so that, like Subaru335i mentioned, you can upgrade the FMIC. You might've lucked out of 'needing' a FMIC (I need for a tune, because i'm in GA and the summers here cause heatsoak just by being fricking outside) by your location, but dropping ambient air temps might have a better affect on overall cooling than an oil cooler.

shadow191 · 06-11-2014, 10:12 AM

I have the AR Design cooler mounted behind kidney grill. Does it block the radiator? Sure, but so does the AC condenser which covers effectively the entire radiator. Compared to that, the oil cooler is pretty small. Ideally, the best location would be the OEM one down by the foglight area. I think ER sells a cooler that fits there.

I don't know if the AR cooler blocks the intake snorkel, but it doesn't look like it on my car. It sits well below where the snorkel inlet is. It doesn't matter to me since I'm running DCI and pulled the intake piping anyways. My oil temps are usually around 230 on the hwy in summer and maybe 240 in stop and go if I'm driving aggressively. This in GA summer and ambient is 90. In winter, I almost never go over 210.

06-10-2014, 03:22 PM	#1
Davey303 Private 2 Rep 57 Posts Drives: 2012 335xi M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Colorado iTrader: (0)	Oil Cooler Mounting Location Hey All, First off, I know there are a ton of threads on Oil Coolers, pretty sure I've read everyone of them. But I've been searching for the last few days about doing an oil cooler, following one of the DIY guides. I have an E90 n55. However, I was wondering if anyone has mounted the cooler in any area besides the stock location/passenger side fender. I was thinking about mounting it behind the Kidneys using one of the wide coolers (versus tall) with the assumption of better airflow, but worried that might block too much of the radiator? Being that I don't have an oil cooler from the factory, I'd like to keep my fog lights. Thank you, David
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06-10-2014, 03:31 PM	#2
Subaru335i Private First Class 1 Rep 175 Posts Drives: 2011 335i 6MT Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Minneapolis iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 Subaru WRX [0.00] 2011 335i [0.00]	Fog light is a good location and so is the factory location in the fender. I have an oil cooler in front of my radiator on my subaru (basically where the kidney grill is on the bmw) and it seems fine. People block parts of their radiators with intercoolers all the time so I wouldn't worry too much.
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06-11-2014, 10:01 AM	#3
Knonsense Private First Class 10 Rep 107 Posts Drives: 335xi. Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: NoVa iTrader: (0)	Ar Design sells an auxiliary cooler which mounts behind the kidneys. http://www.ardesign.info/store/selec...t-stage-1.html which is highly questionable, because that's where the intake air is snorkeled from on my 335xi. the stock location is probably preferred so that, like Subaru335i mentioned, you can upgrade the FMIC. You might've lucked out of 'needing' a FMIC (I need for a tune, because i'm in GA and the summers here cause heatsoak just by being fricking outside) by your location, but dropping ambient air temps might have a better affect on overall cooling than an oil cooler.
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06-11-2014, 10:12 AM	#4
shadow191 Lieutenant Colonel 181 Rep 1,681 Posts Drives: 2017 Volvo XC90 R-Design Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: GA iTrader: (3)	I have the AR Design cooler mounted behind kidney grill. Does it block the radiator? Sure, but so does the AC condenser which covers effectively the entire radiator. Compared to that, the oil cooler is pretty small. Ideally, the best location would be the OEM one down by the foglight area. I think ER sells a cooler that fits there. I don't know if the AR cooler blocks the intake snorkel, but it doesn't look like it on my car. It sits well below where the snorkel inlet is. It doesn't matter to me since I'm running DCI and pulled the intake piping anyways. My oil temps are usually around 230 on the hwy in summer and maybe 240 in stop and go if I'm driving aggressively. This in GA summer and ambient is 90. In winter, I almost never go over 210.
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