[cleex024]

Hey guys...ive been reading up on removing the thermostat spring and valve for the oil cooler and seems very easy but has anyone tried to maybe just cut the spring maybe quarter or half a circle?

i feel like maybe then itll just open up a little early at maybe like 210-220 degrees. if anyone has tried this please comment below...recently got the er competition oil cooler but i dont want it to start cooling at 235 degrees and i dont want it to start cooling right off the bat as my car already takes forever to heat up.

thanks for the comments.

[max_k20]

Or easier some company now offer some thermostat bypass that recirculate oil properly. Read many times that removing the thermostat wasnt working properly to act as a bypass.

[NY135ivishnu]

AR design sells a thermostat delete adapter. You can install this and use a external thermostat by Mocal that activates at 180 or 210 degrees. It's a bit more expensive but it's the proper way of doing it.

[max_k20]

Originally Posted by NY135ivishnu

AR design sells a thermostat delete adapter. You can install this and use a external thermostat by Mocal that activates at 180 or 210 degrees. It's a bit more expensive but it's the proper way of doing it.

From what I read from AR you will need a new aftermarket oil cooler for it to properly run. We are now speaking 500-1000$ vs a 59$ part sold by mutliple vendor. I will swap mine out when winter come back (up here in canada) as its so easy to do.

[cleex024]

Originally Posted by max_k20

From what I read from AR you will need a new aftermarket oil cooler for it to properly run. We are now speaking 500-1000$ vs a 59$ part sold by mutliple vendor. I will swap mine out when winter come back (up here in canada) as its so easy to do.

doesnt really make sense that you would need to buy different oil coolers for a thermostat. either way stated in the OP i said that i just got the er competition oil coolers. so just looking for a way to starting cooling a little quicker.

i can see why the bypass doesnt work because if you open it up there is 2 channels obviously the in and out...and when the valve opens up it goes right in between the two making the flow only go one way. however if you pull it completely out then there is a gap there and it would interfere with flow.

however if you cut the spring to the right length it might open up a little quicker however maybe interfere with the exit side thermostat. ill tinker with it a little and let you guys know what i find out.

but more input would be greatly appreciated so we can all share some info. i dont know why people havent looked into this a whole lot.

[robc1976]

I use the 180 degree thermostat, love it!

[cleex024]

Originally Posted by robc1976

I use the 180 degree thermostat, love it!

where did you get it?

[NY135ivishnu]

Originally Posted by cleex024

where did you get it?

I got the same from racepartswholsesale.com
It's the Mocal low temp about 150$

[MDORPHN]

I must say that I don't really get this lower thermostat stuff for an N54 -- especially if it has the stock oil cooler.

Under prolonged load, the car simply does not have sufficient thermal capacity to maintain the oil temp at whatever temp the thermostat opens up.

In other words, it doesn't matter whether the thermostat is 180 or 220, your oil temp will go higher.

Perhaps if you only drive on the street and never really push, you will run a bit cooler -- but you're not really stressing the car in that case, so who cares if the oil is 180 or 230?

What am I missing?

Neil

[cleex024]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

I must say that I don't really get this lower thermostat stuff for an N54 -- especially if it has the stock oil cooler.

Under prolonged load, the car simply does not have sufficient thermal capacity to maintain the oil temp at whatever temp the thermostat opens up.

In other words, it doesn't matter whether the thermostat is 180 or 220, your oil temp will go higher.

Perhaps if you only drive on the street and never really push, you will run a bit cooler -- but you're not really stressing the car in that case, so who cares if the oil is 180 or 230?

What am I missing?

Neil

you are missing quite a bit here...I do push the car hard almost everyday and couple track and hpde events a year...and if you read the OP i just recently got the ER competition dual oil coolers.

now if i install these with the thermo set at 235 degrees then the oil will heat up to that temp then start cooling which is a problem because when pushed hard the temps climb pretty quickly...however if you start cooling the oil at say 210 degrees then the oil will most likely stay at about 210 til pushed.

if you check your car watch the gauge rise to about 235 and just stay there while you cruise...so you can imagine with 2 monster coolers and thermo start at 210 then most likely the temps will stay pretty close to that number til pushed hard.

dont get me wrong the temps might still get to 250 but not much more than that and probably will get cooled on some straight aways at a track but if the cooling starts at 235 then the temps might rise to 260-270. basically you are cooling the oil sooner so you dont reach those temps if you can sort of understand my logic. i was sort of confused too but makes sense now that ive really looked into it and thought about it more.

anyhow with the er competition oil coolers i dont think the temps will hit over 260 degrees but i still think thats a bit too high...if i could keep my temps down to about 240-250 i would be happy obviously when im pushing the car hard.

[kenneth]

Let us know what solution ends up working for you!

[MDORPHN]

Originally Posted by cleex024

you are missing quite a bit here...I do push the car hard almost everyday and couple track and hpde events a year...and if you read the OP i just recently got the ER competition dual oil coolers.

now if i install these with the thermo set at 235 degrees then the oil will heat up to that temp then start cooling which is a problem because when pushed hard the temps climb pretty quickly...however if you start cooling the oil at say 210 degrees then the oil will most likely stay at about 210 til pushed.

if you check your car watch the gauge rise to about 235 and just stay there while you cruise...so you can imagine with 2 monster coolers and thermo start at 210 then most likely the temps will stay pretty close to that number til pushed hard.

dont get me wrong the temps might still get to 250 but not much more than that and probably will get cooled on some straight aways at a track but if the cooling starts at 235 then the temps might rise to 260-270. basically you are cooling the oil sooner so you dont reach those temps if you can sort of understand my logic. i was sort of confused too but makes sense now that ive really looked into it and thought about it more.

anyhow with the er competition oil coolers i dont think the temps will hit over 260 degrees but i still think thats a bit too high...if i could keep my temps down to about 240-250 i would be happy obviously when im pushing the car hard.

Yes, that's why I qualified my post with a statement about a N54-motored car with a stock oil cooler and stock thermal capacity.

You (and I) have much greater thermal capacity, so a lower thermostat could produce benefits.

FWIW, before I replaced the stock oil cooler on my 1M with an RRT-fabricated Setrab-based system, I would see as much as 280-290 on track (time trials/instructor run groups) on hot days (VIR, MidOhio, Summit Point, etc.)

My temps have dropped approx. 25 degrees, though I must point out that my temps still exceed my thermostat's full open setting so I wouldn't realize significant benefits from going with a lower temp thermostat.

Neil

[cleex024]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

Yes, that's why I qualified my post with a statement about a N54-motored car with a stock oil cooler and stock thermal capacity.

You (and I) have much greater thermal capacity, so a lower thermostat could produce benefits.

FWIW, before I replaced the stock oil cooler on my 1M with an RRT-fabricated Setrab-based system, I would see as much as 280-290 on track (time trials/instructor run groups) on hot days (VIR, MidOhio, Summit Point, etc.)

My temps have dropped approx. 25 degrees, though I must point out that my temps still exceed my thermostat's full open setting so I wouldn't realize significant benefits from going with a lower temp thermostat.

Neil

Right I understand that your oil temps exceed your thermostat full opening point however if you start cooling sooner then you might not reach those temps as you might be on the straight away to start cooling again

[cleex024]

Also I've been doing the bypass one where you just put the spring on the other side of the valve and just did 4 pulls to 130 and damn temps just won't go up pay 210... but when I'm just sitting here idling for about 10 minutes my temps get up to about 222... ambient temp is 53 and cloudy

It obviously works but I wouldn't want to drive on the interstate with temps that low cruising as I'm sure I'm going to lose mpg plus I'm pretty sure bmw engineered the engine oil to run at 235.

It's not that our engines run hot is just that bmw made it that way. .. all engines produce pretty much the same amount of heat relative to power produced.

Anyhow I'm going to cut the spring little by little till I get the thing opening right where I want it as that is the only thing really that determines when the valve opens and close

[cleex024]

So I've done more cruising and my temps stay at 200 degrees lol...way too low in my opinion.

Oh and this is on my factory oil cooler haven't put in my er yet

[N8N]

Personally I like to see oil temps over 100C/212F but not much over. This keeps any moisture out of the oil. So 220-230 = good

[cleex024]

Originally Posted by N8N

Personally I like to see oil temps over 100C/212F but not much over. This keeps any moisture out of the oil. So 220-230 = good

Yup 220 is going to be the magic number I'm going to shoot for

[Red_Bean_Bun]

Originally Posted by cleex024

Yup 220 is going to be the magic number I'm going to shoot for

So how much did you cut ?

[Julian2485]

So did u ever get your temps to stay around 220 I have a 335xi 6 spd and am planning on retrofitting the oem oil cooler which I have all the parts already. So please give whatever info you have on keeping the temps around 220 thanks in advance

[Astephens94]

I did the BMS T-stat replacement back in the fall. I drove from Philadelphia to New York today (approximately 130 miles) in 60 degree weather + rain. 70-75mph. Temperatures were consistently 200 - 205 F

I typically see oil temperatures 15-20 degrees lower compared to the regular T-stat in temperatures above 75 degrees (so 220-225)

Very happy with this $59 investment.

[taylors335]

i pulled my T-stat out completely , have no issues