Lets Talk Oil Coolers

[bigjae46]

Under. I think there’s something in the OE undertray that keeps it from sagging at speed. I have the underside duct taped to the oil cooler shroud.

[Slideways]

For the factory oil cooler, does the lower rubber lip for the ducting go into or under the oil cooler?

[bigjae46]

I put the temp sensor where the OEM oil pressure sensor was and moved the pressure sensor to the (previously unused) port right next to it. Super easy.

The OE sensor is in the pan so the reading will be different. If you put the sensor in the pan then it will be pretty much spot on.0

[pMak26]

Well that's disappointing. Where/how did you install your temp sensor?

I put the temp sensor where the OEM oil pressure sensor was and moved the pressure sensor to the (previously unused) port right next to it. Super easy.

[bigjae46]

Well that's disappointing. Where/how did you install your temp sensor?

I had a sensor in the oil pan, it read the same as the OE gauge.

I think it would be most useful to take a differential temp through the cooler overlaid against RPMs. IMO, when someone says my temps are at X, that mostly doesn't mean very much. I can drive the stock system to stay around 220-230. I can also drive the stock system to 300. The difference will be what gear I'm in, time on throttle, and shift points.

I took a differential temp on the radiator and it gave me data on how well the old OE radiator worked vs a new CSF and the effect of removing the fans. I wish I left the senders in place so I can measure how well modifications to the OE ducting works...might get back to that at some point.

[elbert]

Anyway, I can confirm the stock gauge is pretty much useless.

Well that's disappointing. Where/how did you install your temp sensor?

[Feffman]

...Now I just need to decide, fix the SMG or put pedal #3 in.

I'd say add pedal #3

Feff

[pMak26]

Final report, got 2 sessions on track in yesterday before the SMG decided to go all ... well, SMG.

Anyway, I can confirm the stock gauge is pretty much useless. When the real gauge shows 190 the stock gauge is passing 210. Anything beyond that and it's all over the map. I can say, even after letting the car fully rev out (I mean fully, like limiter in 3rd and 4th) all session, my oil temps never passed 215*. It was a 25* cooler day out, but still that is crazy how far off the stock gauge is. It was showing nearly 250 when the real gauge showed 210.

Conclusion, the CSF cooler along with the oil tstat delete will definitely be enough and I'm not going to change the cooler setup now.

Now I just need to decide, fix the SMG or put pedal #3 in.

[pMak26]

Well, installed the bimmerwold oil diverter thingy today and installed my oil temp gauge, except I'm a dumb and ordered an M12x1 fitting by accident. So now waiting on the M12x1.5 fitting to put the sensor in. Oops.

From what I've been told that should be enough to keep the S54 cool, so if this works I'd put $ that my oil thermostat was stuck closed or mostly closed and causing the main issue. If it doesn't work, I'm going mega big oil cooler.

[pMak26]

check with Chad at Morehead Motorsports in Lexington SC. He runs his M3 in SRO with two 8 hour races per weekend. Although his last outing #3 rod let go and windowed the block 5hrs into the Sunday race. Ugh

I talked to Chad, he runs a CSF oil cooler, the oil diverter, limits the revs to 7600rpm and detuned the s54 to 260whp. Says it stays under 210*F oil temp. For water he's running CSF dual pass rad, 55*C tstat and temps stay around 180*f.

[///Mangler]

Quiet frankly, I'm sick of shifting at 7k to keep temps down. I'll install my gauge when it arrives, see where I'm actually at because I don't trust the stock gauge now after learning more about how it works. Then seek out appropriate upgrades/changes.

Intention of this thread was to see what those who run s54s in an endurance racing setting or run the car very hard on typical 20-25min sessions have been doing to keep the oil temps in check.

check with Chad at Morehead Motorsports in Lexington SC. He runs his M3 in SRO with two 8 hour races per weekend. Although his last outing #3 rod let go and windowed the block 5hrs into the Sunday race. Ugh

T

[S14]

I'd look into removing the oil cooler thermostat. Bimmerworld I believe has a delete kit. This will allow all of your oil to travel through the thicker CSF oil cooler vs a % of hot oil being recycled right back into the pan.

[sc_tr0jan_m3]

Hmm, this is good to know. Do you have a picture of the front of your car? I want to see how much duct work is there to direct air to the cooler.

I ordered a gauge setup already, so I'm going to install that before doing anything else.

No extra ducting than what stock has to offer!


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[Feffman]

What rad are you running?

I'm running the C&R radiator from Bimmerworld: https://www.bimmerworld.com/BimmerWo...ator-42mm.html

[pMak26]

You have to keep in mind that shifting points will significantly affect oil temps. If I drop it down into 2nd gear I can peg the oil temps to 300 easily. If I shift at 7k RPM oil temps will never get above 240-250. So oil temp data points are meaningless unless you have some more info beyond ambient temps.

Quiet frankly, I'm sick of shifting at 7k to keep temps down. I'll install my gauge when it arrives, see where I'm actually at because I don't trust the stock gauge now after learning more about how it works. Then seek out appropriate upgrades/changes.

Intention of this thread was to see what those who run s54s in an endurance racing setting or run the car very hard on typical 20-25min sessions have been doing to keep the oil temps in check.