Yesterday I dismantled most of my cars front end. No questions with anything really - everything came apart as expected. However the E34 utilizes a figure 8 of hard line coiled to act as a power steering cooler. Now given that my car isn't a road race car, and that I do not plan to do any autocrossing, etc., is this thing necessary? I know of a lot of cars without any sort of power steering cooling, and I don't think a couple feet of hard line coiled up would make such a great cooler to begin with. I deleted it and spliced the lines together.

Anyone have experience with this? The cooler lines sat RIGHT in front of my intercooler/radiator... and that posed serious issue :)

I'd vote lose it. Its going to be a fun go fast straight line car, pfft who needs steering?

It'll steer just fine - the thing never got warm - I am not sure the M20 cars even had one. The surface area on a 3/8" hard line isn't very much, they probably just stuck it on there for good measure - its like the E36 cooler... look at that thing!

Heres a link to a diagram for it - look how stupid it is

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD53&mospid=47404&btnr=32_0065&hg=32&fg=20

Yeah throw a union in there and lose it. Thats what I'd personally do.

M20 cars had it.
I recommend understanding heat transfer.

I see that M20 cars had it.

Good advice Techno550 thanks for the input!


Its on the garage floor. Want me to mail it to you and you and it can sit around and talk about heat transfer?

Its a heat pipe without any finned exchanger. It's relatively ineffective and it's probably really only there to hold more volume and radiate heat as the path will be longer.

I am with A32guy on this one, to ze trash it goez!

It may have been necessary on the many many OEM applications it was used in... but really, how much daily driving is this car going to see when its completed?

It'll be DD'd but I won't be auto-x'ing or anything. If its like anything else that is BMW it was put in for good measure. I guess we'll find out :) If I have issues I can swap out to an aluminum reservoir and make it hold more fluid. But I don't see any issues really - just wanted to see if anyone had experience :)

it will throw off the 50/50 balance of your car and make you less aerodynamic:stickoutt, its just science

Haha but the 25 lb intercooler won't :)

Thanks Marcelo! Always lookin out!

i love throwing stuff i find on my car out, go nuts!

:D

Jon, is it in the way of any build parts? If it is not effecting any part of the build, in the sense of you going forward with the project, leave it in, not like it's stoping you from getting anywhere! However, if it is stoping progress, give the axe!

Jon, is it in the way of any build parts? If it is not effecting any part of the build, in the sense of you going forward with the project, leave it in, not like it's stoping you from getting anywhere! However, if it is stoping progress, give the axe!
or just relocate it.

Its in the way of my monstercooler :(

or just relocate it.

Can't relocate it, its about 3' of hard line form shaped to fit in the E34 radiator support. I'd have to remake it, and at that point, I'd just do something like a finned heat exchanger. I will try without it.

I would fabricate and relocate as required. You do need it, and BMW did not put it on there just for fun :)

trash it if its an issue. you can always make a new one.

trash it if its an issue. you can always make a new one.

voted best logical answer yet.

Carl I just picked up a ton of 4" mandrel bends and I asked them if you called for a turbo he said he didn't think so.


CALL FOR A TURBO YOU NEED ONE! :)

was going to call today. didnt want to waste their time without money

Ask for Hung

I know it makes me giggle too... but he's super nice.

Ask for Hung

I know it makes me giggle too... but he's super nice.


i just did, he gave me a sweet price! hopefully purchasing real soon

Its in the way of my monstercooler :(

A trade-off. WHO WILL WIN THE COOLING BATTLE???