I spent about 70 mins tearing the front of my engine apart yesterday afternoon. Today, I was greeted by this. A Zionsville Super Duty Cooling Kit:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_0953Large.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_0955Large.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_0956Large.jpg

Dog approves:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_0957Large.jpg

Other items that came with the kit. I purchased the two speed fan upgrade:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_0958Large.jpg

Making a mess - as usual:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/Picture116Large.jpg

OEM water pump:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/Picture117Large.jpg

Not pictured (from the AWESOME Max @ www.oembimmerparts.com):

HEPU water pump
New Continental belts
New OEM coolant hoses
New thermostat/housing
New brake pads

Went from this:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/957166_46.jpg

To this:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/Picture114Large.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/Picture115Large.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/Picture118Large.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/Picture119Large.jpg

More to come... I'll finish it up tomorrow evening.

That's beautiful. How much did it run you? With all these blow ups I've been hearing about, it sounds like a good idea.

Goods nice...but, looks little heavy tho..

www.zionsvilleautosport.com

Check prices for your specific application.

Suffice to say, it's a lot. However, if you plan to keep your car, I think it's great insurance.

Purty tig welds FTW!

Plus, losing the plastic fan and fan clutch is a plus in my book.

50+ HP at the wheels - no bs. :rolleyes <sarcasm intended>

Goods nice...but, looks little heavy tho..

You're right, all of the factory pieces are a whopping 3.5 lbs lighter than the new stuff going in. I just weighed it all. Maybe I should send it back? :eek:

Nice radiator. I put one in my 7. Love not hearing the clutch fan all the time in traffic.

FYI. The expansion tank on mine failed. It cracked along a weld. Good news though, it wasn't a catastrophic failure like the plastic tank could have been.
I called Zionsville to let them know. I sent my tank back to the last Friday. It came back yesterday all nicely rewelded and I was back in business.
I was a little disappointed in the failure but the customer service from Zionsville was excellent.

Hope you don't have a problem. Enjoy.:cool

Nice radiator. I put one in my 7. Love not hearing the clutch fan all the time in traffic.

FYI. The expansion tank on mine failed. It cracked along a weld. Good news though, it wasn't a catastrophic failure like the plastic tank could have been.
I called Zionsville to let them know. I sent my tank back to the last Friday. It came back yesterday all nicely rewelded and I was back in business.
I was a little disappointed in the failure but the customer service from Zionsville was excellent.

Hope you don't have a problem. Enjoy.:cool

Good to know they took care of you. Thanks for the info bimmerfixr.

The Zionsville product looks indestructable!

If this is not pronographic, then I don't know what is!

PS. I found the perfect antifreeze on e-Bay for you. :buttrock


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_0953Large.jpg


http://www.antiquemystique.com/images/7671_jpg.jpg

Wow! Is that a Vizsla in the pic?

great radiator and great photos.

how many miles do you have your 540?
what made you take the plunge towards a Zionsville?

OMG it looks great! Let me know how you like it.

Wow! Is that a Vizsla in the pic?

No, she's a Yellow Lab. Her kind is referred to as a Dudley. That's a yellow lab with Chocolate pigmentation. For some reason, it gives them the pink nose and yellow eyes. She's about 18 mo old. Both of her parents were chocolate.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Picture085Medium.jpg

Here she is with her brother and sister - LOL Boston Terrorists... er Terriers.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Picture069Medium.jpg

great radiator and great photos.

how many miles do you have your 540?
what made you take the plunge towards a Zionsville?

40k miles.

Well, I went with the Zionsville after getting spooked by all of the failure rates of a flawed OEM design (whether it be Behr or Nissens - you can argue for either of them). I don't want to do anything but flush coolant for the next 6 yrs.

That thing is sweet. I would have done it if I did not also do my new diff,... and lights... and ... arg, spending too much money.

I did my entire cooling system for half the cost of that kit, but that kit is probably worth it... next time I may at least to the rad.

awesome man...

nice job, those welds are a thing of beauty...

Great looking radiator. You can see why it's so expensive.

Sidebar. The instructions tell you to wire the relays to ignition(term 15) power. I wired mine to B+(term 30). That way when the engine gets shut off and engine temp is high, the fan will keep running and hopefully lower cooling system pressure. Was worried about battery voltage and restart, 8 months and never a problem. Just a thought. Maybe more 540/740 owners should get this and get the price down. too late for me but, what the hell?

congrats on the upgrade. looking forward to pix of it installed

IT's.....beautiful.

Sidebar. The instructions tell you to wire the relays to ignition(term 15) power. I wired mine to B+(term 30). That way when the engine gets shut off and engine temp is high, the fan will keep running and hopefully lower cooling system pressure. Was worried about battery voltage and restart, 8 months and never a problem. Just a thought. Maybe more 540/740 owners should get this and get the price down. too late for me but, what the hell?

Funny you should mention that. The instructions I received are just a wiring diagram that tells you what wires connect to what and to give it a switched 12v power. No mention of where to get that power.

So, with that said, I like your idea. Are you referring to the power under the passenger side microfilter housing?

Thanks.

40k miles.

Well, I went with the Zionsville after getting spooked by all of the failure rates of a flawed OEM design (whether it be Behr or Nissens - you can argue for either of them). I don't want to do anything but flush coolant for the next 6 yrs.

I'm not allowed to do much mods because we accepted the extended 100K warranty for our wag.

Believe or not in two of three routine visits, for a basic oil change, it was requested that my radiator be changed for a new one. That's two radiators in less than 10 months!

Are the Behr or Nissens that problematic or are we lacking sufficient BMW techs that can do an install correctly ?! Regardless of the issue, the Zionsville is hot - figuratively speaking!

-D

nice investment

I'm not allowed to do much mods because we accepted the extended 100K warranty for our wag.

Believe or not in two of three routine visits, for a basic oil change, it was requested that my radiator be changed for a new one. That's two radiators in less than 10 months!

Are the Behr or Nissens that problematic or are we lacking sufficient BMW techs that can do an install correctly ?! Regardless of the issue, the Zionsville is hot - figuratively speaking!

-D

I'm not sure what the deal is but that's just crazy. Unfortunately, your story is not the only one I've heard like this.

So, I got it all wired up today. It took awhile because I was meticulous about it. I transferred all of the sensors over and realized I was short a couple of hose clamps. So, off to the auto parts store tomorrow to get a few. I also managed to fold my gasket in half so I'll be visiting the dealership parts counter tomorrow too. I hate when stuff like that happens. Oh well, it could be worse!

nice investment

I'm hoping so Thizz... <fingers crossed>

OK, I finished the project this evening. No leaks and the two-speed Zionsville kit works as advertised. It was another E39 adventure. :rolleyes

Pics will be posted tomorrow.

First of all, thoughts on the kit and the project:

1. The Zionsville build quality is top notch. However, this kit isn't exactly plug-n-play. It helps to have a good understanding of vehicle electronics, how temp sensors work, how relays work and how to wire them up. The kit comes with a schematic but that's it. It's not tough but it may be for some - just something to think of.

2. Lubricate ALL O-rings before you install them. I used a product called "Magic Lube" and it's sold at pool supply houses. It's specifically made for lubricating O-rings (rubber) in harsh environments. I ended up with no leaks - even though those connectors make me nervous. :) I'm learning to trust them though - they certainly don't appear to be the weak point in these cooling systems. :rolleyes

3. Zionsville shows the relays screwed to the inner fender liner on their website. I thought this was a little ugly and subjects the electronics to a more harsh environment than necessary (even though the relays are all weather). You'll see in the pics below that I installed the relays along with the factory ones underneath the passenger side microfilter housing.

You'll see them here with "H for High" and "L for Low" marked on them.

From the Zionsville website:

http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/graphics/images/E389SDCK_3.jpg

4. Bleed the system! This is the most important step. I found that with the air introduced during the swap out, the only way I could get the thermostat to open was to drive at 3500 RPM for almost a mile. At that point, the needle fell right to the middle where it belongs and hasn't budged since. I'll check it and top it off as necessary over the next couple of days.

If anyone decides to tackle this project, feel free to ask bimmerfixr all the questions you have. Just kidding. ;) I'll be glad to assist.

OK, bring on the pics!

OEM vs. HEPU wasserpumpe...er... water pump:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/OEMvs-1.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/OEMvs.jpg

Wiring the SDCK relays (High on upper left, Low on lower right). The HIGH and LOW relays are the ones with the light blue connectors on them. Red, Yellow, Orange, Gray wires coming out of them.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKrelays2Large.jpg

Running the wiring down the fender. The low side has a resistor inline with it. You can see it in the picture.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKwiring1Large.jpg

Closeup of resistor.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKwiring2Large.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKwiring3Large.jpg


By the way, can I just say that my engine compartment is DUSTY! Detail time. :|


Drilled a hole and inserted a rubber grommet where the wires pass into the relay area:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKgrommetwiringLarge.jpg

Front of the engine reassembled. New water pump, new thermostat/housing, new belts, reinstalled harmonic balancer and water pump pulley, etc.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/FrontassembledLarge.jpg

A shot of the ANL fitting that attaches the heat exchanger hose to the bottom driver's side of the radiator - sorry so fuzzy:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/ANLfittingtoHeatExchangerLarge.jpg

Removed the shroud/fan and the expansion tank to make installing the radiator easier:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/ShroudFanremovedforinstallLarge.jpg

All finished!

Here is a good shot of the wiring after it was dressed:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKfinished-view1Large.jpg

View from the top:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKfinished-view2Large.jpg

Overall view:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKfinished-view4Large.jpg

And another:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKfinished-view3Large.jpg


Gotta love this stuff:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IRCompressorLarge.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/CrafstmanStorageLarge.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/HoseReelLarge.jpg


If you guys have any questions, let me know.

P.S. I took the pics of the engine compartment with the belly pan removed so that you can make out the details - contrast is your friend in a relatively dark environment.

Superb job. :buttrock

Thanks elton.

I just went out and looked at it. No leaks over night. I cracked open the system and topped it off - so far, so good. I guess I'll put the belly pan back on. I have a new RH lower engine cover to install too (splash shield).

Off to the garage (no kids screaming out there)!

Very cool. :)

I am envious of your garage. :shifty

Nice write-up, it should be stickied for anyone interested.

I am envious of your garage. :shifty

Nice write-up, it should be stickied for anyone interested.

That's my third compressor in the last 18 yrs. They keep getting bigger. :) I'm VERY happy with this one though.

The toolbox was a long time coming. I had so much stuff crammed into my old one that I couldn't find anything. This one is 61" high by 40" wide. Lovin' it. Thanks for the compliments.

great follow up.

Your insight, including the photos and comparisons, helps answer alot of my questions.

Now if I could just get you to transplant an M5 engine...

Thanks!
-D

great follow up.

Your insight, including the photos and comparisons, helps answer alot of my questions.

Now if I could just get you to transplant an M5 engine...

Thanks!
-D

That's cool - I'm glad it helps. I do this for you guys ya know. ;)

It takes time and energy to take pics and make these posts. It doesn't do much for my health or well-being. I know that I love to find posts like this. They're great to 'fill in the blanks' so to speak.

Cheers.

how did you fasten the resistor to the body, if at all? double-sided foam tape? great write-up!

how did you fasten the resistor to the body, if at all? double-sided foam tape? great write-up!

You are correct sir! It's the least invasive way to do it. I just cleaned the surface with some denatured alcohol and stuck away.

More impressions after getting to drive the car yesterday.

The car is much quieter and seems to want to rev quicker (that could be B.S.). It's awesome not having that big fan and heavy fan clutch hanging off of the water pump. No doubt this alone will increase the life of the water pump bearings. It's a much lower load on the bearings. Speaking of bearings, I noticed the factory one had play in it after only 40k miles.

Im Going For One Today! Woot


edit: and black, yes, you're gonna get stuck installing it for me over the phone
hahahaha

-Pete

Im Going For One Today! Woot


edit: and black, yes, you're gonna get stuck installing it for me over the phone
hahahaha

-Pete


HA! Figures.

So, I have to make an update to my previous install. As you can see in this picture:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKwiring3Large.jpg

Don't do that! That resistor gets hot enough to easily melt wires. Ask me how I know.... :|

Re-route everything away from the resistor. I now have it by itself and it's screwed to the body with brass standoffs so that air can circulate around it. I just happened to notice it when I was showing a buddy the install.

Just an FYI......

I'll shoot a pic of the modified setup later.

i got mine all in today! woot
gonna do the wiring tomorrow i suppose
i really dont want to

any pointers? Those diagrams.. geez - do I use both, or use half of one diagram and stick the 2-speed option inbetween or what?

There is only one diagram you need to use.... the one that shows the two speed option (two relays and a resistor on it).

As for the resistor, don't forget to actually mount it (not double-sided tape) to the body and don't run any other wires along side of it. I used a couple of small aluminum sleeves to mount it. It allows air to flow all the way around - no more probs with heat.

so i changed this sensor on the pas side around, wired that up....
maybe i just hate diagrams and didn't study it enough, but the red/black from the fan go where exactly? I know the relays both have a red that goes to it... it goes to both... or how or what....

I really should study the damn diagram more but damn it, i hate wiring diagrams... instructions so much easier.... of which I have none...

this terminal 15 is located where for the ignition source?? lol... damn it.. and this gray wire for the sending unit.. which is the sending unit?

Center conductor on the temp sensor they sent you goes to ground. One of the other green wires (I forget the terminal number but they're marked) grounds out when the temp hits 80c. The third terminal grounds out when it hits 83c.

So, it's like this...

Temp sensor (sending unit) center conductor ---> ground
Temp sensor (80c for low speed) ---> gray wire going to low speed relay
Temp sensor (83c for high speed) ---> gray wire going to high speed relay
Yellow wires from both relays get constant fused (30amp) power.
Red wire from high speed relay goes directly to red wire on fan
Red wire on low speed relay goes to resistor - other side of resistor goes directly to red on fan as well.
Black from fan goes to ground (same as center green conductor on temp sensor).
Orange wires on both relays go to a switched 12v source - nothing big, it's not necessary - it just for the relay triggers

Also, if you look here:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/SDCKrelays2Large.jpg

You'll see a distribution block at the top of the pick with three reddish brown wires coming out of it (right behind the 30amp ANL fuse holder in the pic).

Those three wires are being fed by a large gauge constant 12v source. That's a good place to tap into with your fuse holder. The other end of the fuse holder goes to the yellow wires on the relays.

If you want to use another constant 12v source, that's fine. Just make sure it's of sufficient capacity.

Just a thought. Best 10 bucks I ever spent. Except for that time in...nevermind. www.turnermotorsport.com (http://www.turnermotorsport.com). Fan stud nut. Nice piece!

Just a thought. Best 10 bucks I ever spent. Except for that time in...nevermind. www.turnermotorsport.com (http://www.turnermotorsport.com). Fan stud nut. Nice piece!

Very nice.... added to the list. Thanks bimmerfixr. ;)

Damn, he sure solved my issue with that nut!
I was thinking ever since I got the damn radiator... "what.. oh what... can i stick on that tip?"

And thanks for those wiring insturctions... i dont see how my diagram made me know the damn sending unit goes to the other shit..... wont the car throw a CEL if i dont put the wires from the original sending unit connector together with the new one??

Damn, he sure solved my issue with that nut!
I was thinking ever since I got the damn radiator... "what.. oh what... can i stick on that tip?"

And thanks for those wiring insturctions... i dont see how my diagram made me know the damn sending unit goes to the other shit..... wont the car throw a CEL if i dont put the wires from the original sending unit connector together with the new one??


You are not going to mess with the factory temp sensor. The circuit for the new fan kit is completely stand-alone. The car doesn't know it's there.

You are not going to mess with the factory temp sensor. The circuit for the new fan kit is completely stand-alone. The car doesn't know it's there.

eek i already cut the damn thing!!
i left enough room when i cut it at the connector tho where i might re-connect it... i guess it wont matter will it? I thought these damn cars read all the resistances and crap on everything... but if u say so, I'll take your word for it on this one Black! :) :redspot

Yeah, you don't need to cut any factory harnesses to install this. :D

Yeah, you don't need to cut any factory harnesses to install this. :D

well im sure sorted out now... ill see if i can wake up during daylight hours and finish tomorrow....

I'm in the middle of putting in a Zionsville and replacing my waterpump. Bentley says to remove the Harmonic Balancer during the process.

Is it really necessary to do so? If you don't remove it, is it still possible to get at the water pump bolts with a torque wrench or do you just have to do it with a box end or open end wrench?

If you do have to take off the Harmonic Balancer, can you do it without the special tool to immobilize the crankshaft while you loosen and then torque the bolts afterwards?

Thanks!!

I'd totally forgotten that you'd put a zionsville in your ride - I think that's the sexiest radiator I've ever seen (well I guess the only radiator I would consider sexy :))

looks good.

how did you get the water pump out w/o moving that metal bar?

how did you get the water pump out w/o moving that metal bar?

Carefully. Seriously, it can be done. Wiggle...cuss...wiggle....cuss (or something along those lines). Best bet is to remove it methinks.

I'd totally forgotten that you'd put a zionsville in your ride - I think that's the sexiest radiator I've ever seen (well I guess the only radiator I would consider sexy :))

Yeah.... so far, so good! :)

I'm in the middle of putting in a Zionsville and replacing my waterpump. Bentley says to remove the Harmonic Balancer during the process.

Is it really necessary to do so? If you don't remove it, is it still possible to get at the water pump bolts with a torque wrench or do you just have to do it with a box end or open end wrench?

If you do have to take off the Harmonic Balancer, can you do it without the special tool to immobilize the crankshaft while you loosen and then torque the bolts afterwards?

Thanks!!

You need to remove the HB pulley..... 6 or 8 bolts (whatever it is). Easy as pie. I don't recall anything remotely hard about it - certainly no special tools.

You need to remove the HB pulley..... 6 or 8 bolts (whatever it is). Easy as pie. I don't recall anything remotely hard about it - certainly no special tools.

Dude! I just got mine yesterday!
http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e39/8709081-1.html

I already bought the new water pump, main hoses, t-stat, but now that I opened the package, it seems like I also have to buy the small hose for the expansion tank and of course a new expansion tank cap - is that right?

Dude! I just got mine yesterday!
http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e39/8709081-1.html

I already bought the new water pump, main hoses, t-stat, but now that I opened the package, it seems like I also have to buy the small hose for the expansion tank and of course a new expansion tank cap - is that right?

If you a referring to the hose that goes from the expansion tank over flow over to the other side of the radiator, trim and use your OEM one.

As for the cap, that's up to you. The factory cap fits just fine and is designed to work with the system. If you want the piece of mind, get a new one - I still haven't done so.

Would it be fair to say that you don't want any more cooling system failures?

How many bad things happened before you bought all the good stuff from Zionsville? How many miles?

great radiator and great photos.

how many miles do you have your 540?
what made you take the plunge towards a Zionsville?

Dumale,

Going to show my ignorance of 540 model ID's, but what's an "M-Sport Wagon" vs. some other kind of BMW 540i Touring? or is there a difference?

My 1999 model 540iT has a sport steering wheel (with the M logo), and has one very large tail pipe. My local dealer told me it was a "Sport" model based on the steering wheel (actually, an off-hand comment by the Service Advisor).

Thanks.

Nice job. Really like the shop in your garage :)

James.... if I was smart enough to name this thread something different, it could have been the Zionsville DIY - :(

Very nice! I hope to upgrade to this one day.

Very nice! I hope to upgrade to this one day.

When you're ready, let me know. I'll be glad to help where I can.

When you're ready, let me know. I'll be glad to help where I can.

Thanks! I do like how you did the relays in the E-Box, very clean. Adds a GREAT touch to the engine bay also.

and I work on BMW's for a living :buttrock

I actually made my own radiator for my truck. I would venture out on an E39 one, but one is already avaliable and proven. No one made anything for my truck so I had to fabricate everything.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c10/JDM_Isuzu/pics102.jpg

I did everything minus that turbo manifold. But after that one cracked I just ventured out and made this one.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c10/JDM_Isuzu/Newsetup007.jpg

What are you plans for the 540? I'm dying to turbo an E39!!!

DO IT.

I would love to see the results.

What do you think of your FSD's vs a Dinan stage 3 set-up, sorry to derail your thread but I need to know.

What do you think of your FSD's vs a Dinan stage 3 set-up, sorry to derail your thread but I need to know.
:lol3



BS,

Nice radiator and pics!

i hope i'll sell my car before i have to replace a radiator again...

B E A utiful!!!! :woot: Would you mind giving us your final cost? At least the 540 guys will have an idea about price without going to the site. :urtheman

B E A utiful!!!! :woot: Would you mind giving us your final cost? At least the 540 guys will have an idea about price without going to the site. :urtheman

I had to go look at the site myself since this was from last year. lol

Zionsville Super Duty Cooling Kit - $1165
Zionsville 2 speed fan kit for above - $82.50
2 gallons BMW coolant - $35


Then I got Hepu water pump, OEM thermostat/housing, belts, hoses, etc..... from Max @ www.oembimmerparts.com You'd have to check his current pricing for that part.

What do you think of your FSD's vs a Dinan stage 3 set-up, sorry to derail your thread but I need to know.

I've never ridden in a car with a DS3 setup.

What are you plans for the 540? I'm dying to turbo an E39!!!

That's some damn fine work there Jack. Looks awesome!

I don't have any power adder plans for the 540 yet. I'm not ruling it out though. :evil2

I wanna try just another electric off a Ford Taurus and see how it works. I may try this over the weekend.

I wanna try just another electric off a Ford Taurus and see how it works. I may try this over the weekend.

Sounds cool - let us know how it works out.

Ugh. I'll have AGA install it for me.

Black Sapphire,
Can you post a picture of how you mounted the resistor? You posted that double sided tape doesn't get it done.

thanks,

John

Sure, let me take a picture - be back in 5.

Sure, let me take a picture - be back in 5.

EDIT: here ya go:

Buy a almunim sleeve that's approximately 1" or more long. Cut it in half with whatever you have handy - jigsaw, chop saw, die grinder, etc. Use the sleeve to space the resistor away from the factory body. This allow air to circulate around it compeltely and thereby shed heat faster.

I find it works very well now. No issues with wires getting too hot and the like. Make sure you don't run any other wires on top of it either. Otherwise, you'll have melted PVC all over your heatsink fins like I do. :)


Hope that helps.



http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_17751024x768.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_17761024x768.jpg



http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/impalaboy/Cooling%20System/IMG_17791024x768.jpg

Once again, forgive me for the engine bay being dirty. It was 12:30 in the morning!!!!!

That's a great help. Thanks. Sorry for the late response, but have been up to my eyeballs in work and a new house. I'm planning on getting a Zionsville radiator like your's before summer.

sorry to bring this back up but i have plans of doing the same thing to mine..

i got a question though..i checked the zionsville website and they said that your super duty cooling kit are only for like 525i 528i 530i..etc but not 540i..and you have a 540i..

so did it fit with no adjustments?

You looked at the wrong one.

Here you go:

http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/shop.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=6134&Product_Code=E389SDCK&Category_Code=CCSE39