Curious to know the type of radiators you guys using?

Upgrade to the S54 radiator, thats a drop in fit for the E36.

from what year? and where can i get one for a good price?

from what year? and where can i get one for a good price?

I forget the bmw part number, but the lowest price comes from the supporting vendor, Bimmerzone, and their sku# is: G1000-125984

priced around $275.

Fluidyne

Zionsville autosport. Good price compared some others out there. Stock fit, and very effective. For a turbo car, I would recommend it over the S54.

http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/shop.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=6134&Category_Code=CCS

Zionsville autosport. Good price compared some others out there. Stock fit, and very effective. For a turbo car, I would recommend it over the S54.

http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/shop.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=6134&Category_Code=CCS

please tell me thats not your car.

please tell me thats not your car.

Is there a problem with it?
I know about the bumper. I figure a few more zip ties and I will get it straight.

I went with the 55 PWR. I didnt have any fittment problems with it. I havent driven the car with it yet tho

Nevermind, I just realized I was in the "Forced Induction" forum... :rolleyes

Is there a problem with it?
I know about the bumper. I figure a few more zip ties and I will get it straight.

:lol sorry about my OT post :nono but couldnt resist:alright

:lol sorry about my OT post :nono but couldnt resist:alright
don't mess on the man's whip, son. :stickoutt

---

does the S54 rad carry on bmw's horrible tradition of plastic necks?

Most everyone I know runs a Zionsville and Fluidyne. Unless you want to pay near double the price and buy a AA Tuning one..

Most everyone I know runs a Zionsville and Fluidyne. Unless you want to pay near double the price and buy a AA Tuning one..

which is probly a fluidyne one

I have the fluidyne sucker works great. I got it when they became available. No problems so far.

GGray, how much did it set you back?

Errrr I can't really remeber I don't save reciepts:D Don't want to know the total! I think in the 400-500 range. It took 1/2 hour to put in since I have an electric fan. It never gets hot even in with our Humidity, including running at Barber in July! never moved above normal.

I'm running a Spearco unit- but it was their prototype. Too bad they never made it into production.

http://jonsibal.com/radiator1.jpg
http://jonsibal.com/radiator2.jpg
http://jonsibal.com/radiator3.jpg
http://jonsibal.com/radiator4.jpg

Fluid capacity is increased but I think I'll mod it to add some baffle inside the end tanks to make it triple pass.

PWR 55mm from absoluteradiator.com

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/iflytii/radiator-1.jpg

S54 M Roadster Radiator still has the plastic necks, but comes in at $275.

Zionsville is $460, but doesn't have the plastic necks.

I honestly hate the plastic neck tanks on our radiators, but to be honest they tend to last 60-90k. And I don't mind replacing my radiator at the $275 price every 60k versus at $460 at every 60k. Especially since buildup past 90k is more of a concern to me then the plastic tank issue...

Decisions decisions...

S54 M Roadster Radiator FTW

Oem

S54 M Roadster Radiator still has the plastic necks, but comes in at $275.

Zionsville is $460, but doesn't have the plastic necks.

I honestly hate the plastic neck tanks on our radiators, but to be honest they tend to last 60-90k. And I don't mind replacing my radiator at the $275 price every 60k versus at $460 at every 60k. Especially since buildup past 90k is more of a concern to me then the plastic tank issue...

Decisions decisions...
I thought the purpose of getting an all aluminum tank was that it'll NEVER crack a neck meaning no replacement.

just got in the s54 rads made by behr, 17 11 2 227 281, Radiator $268, free shipping for now

Chris,

I might be up for one near the end of the month, how long do you think you'll be keeping that price for? would you be interested in making a hose kit (for e36s) to go with that?

-Ron

S54 M Roadster Radiator still has the plastic necks, but comes in at $275.

Zionsville is $460, but doesn't have the plastic necks.

I honestly hate the plastic neck tanks on our radiators, but to be honest they tend to last 60-90k. And I don't mind replacing my radiator at the $275 price every 60k versus at $460 at every 60k. Especially since buildup past 90k is more of a concern to me then the plastic tank issue...

Decisions decisions...


Exactly.... the S54 doesnt compete with the others mentioned.. AT ~$275, its a whole different price category. Its more of an alternative to putting in another stock one. Differences are, larger fill capacity while taking up no more space, and better quality plastic used. I had very little room to play with, as with the stock one, I only had under an inch between the fan blades and the radiator.. So, even a little thicker would have been too thick.. Thats why , for the price, this S54 was a really good answer to the space/functionality problem I had to deal with.

Yup, your right! No cracking or worring about end tanks blowing up. The added volume is just a bonus.

MAN that PWR looks EXACTLY like the zionville radiator! I bet they make them for Zionville.

which hoses? upper and lower add $14.00

yep, those two since they take the most abuse.

Any more ideas? I'm switching radiators soon.

S54 $285.10
http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/zygmunt/wizard.jsp?partner=zygmunt&clientid=bimmerparts.com&baseurl=http://www.bimmerparts.com/&cookieid=1SK0OYG3D1SK0PJ6AC&year=2006&make=BM&model=M3--004&category=G&part=Radiator

Fluidyne $519.96 http://www.groupbuycenter.com/product.aspx?id=87038&f=1

Zionsville $459 (I'm guessing this one? http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/shop.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=6134&Product_Code=NP-ALLOYRAD&Category_Code=CCSE36)

What should I get? It's hard to justify the higher cost above the S54 if I really won't benefit from it.

Dave, I'm using the stock sized radiator with no ill effects. unless you NEED to change radiators due to an old unit, I wouldn't touch it.

Cool. Wiseguy brought up the idea. I'm just going to leave mine and save $$ till it pops.

On the other hand, the car is at 58k.... :dunno

Cool. Wiseguy brought up the idea. I'm just going to leave mine and save $$ till it pops.

On the other hand, the car is at 58k.... :dunno
maybe he got the idea from me. :devillook

I'm upgrading to an S54 since I'm using a borrowed radiator, borrowed from MSR. Since I need a new rad, it'll be an s54.

maybe he got the idea from me. :devillook

I'm upgrading to an S54 since I'm using a borrowed radiator, borrowed from MSR. Since I need a new rad, it'll be an s54.
cool. I'm not going to say anything about it to them. In the end, it'll be up to Bill. I know he runs the S54 in his M3 so we'll see how mine looks to him.

I'm running a PWR 57mm,

Þitch is huge! Don't have any cooling problems though!

fwiw i have the zionsville comp kit. if you are the original purchaser and have the reciepts to prove you have used bmw coolant atleast once every 2 years it has a lifetime warranty. http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/shop.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=6134&Product_Code=E36CCKI&Category_Code=CCS

Stock radiators are at 130 a piece though, right? I think Bimmerparts has that price right now. If the S54 doesn't go out like our stock ones, then it is worth the price bump. Else, it would be better to drop 130 down every 80k miles.

I got mine from Ron Davis Radiators: http://www.rondavisradiators.com
They're a pretty big name in circle-track, drag racing & hot-rods....and they're local in AZ.
I have their universal 22x19x3 'Chevy-style' radiator with custom 1.25" outlets (it probably more than triples the capacity of the OEM radiator).
They also make radiators for the E36 m3 (link to pic, uses 2 rows of 1" wide tubes (http://www.rondavisradiators.com/m-3%20rad%20copy.jpg)), and I know they've done one for an E24 635.