What's the *best* radiator for M50?

[325Projectz]

use the m50 hose and cut it to size.

[dude8383]

By increasing the cap pressure, and therefore cooling system pressure, the heat capacity of the cooling system is increased. The M42 outputs less power, and most likely does not throw out as much heat as an M5x. That's probably why the M42 has a 1.4 bar cap, and the M20 and M50 have 2.0 bar caps.

The Euro E34 525i actually shared the same 440mm radiator as found in the 318is, but used a 2.0 bar radiator cap. So, you'll want to also use a 2.0 bar cap on your car.

Fred, the bmw p/n's aren't matching up with the info you've mentioned above...would you happen to have the correct part number?

[Fusion]

I think this sentance

That's probably why the M42 has a 1.4 bar cap, and the M20 and M50 have 2.0 bar caps.

should be

That's probably why the M42 has a 2.0 bar cap, and the M20 and M50 have 1.4 bar caps.

Question would then be: is it ok I'm using 2.0bar on an M50 motor?

[Jand3rson]

Can anyone clarify this a little more? Do you need the 2.0 or the 1.4 with the M50? Mine has the 1.4, and I need to know if I need to order the 2.0 cap.

[dude8383]

Can anyone clarify this a little more? Do you need the 2.0 or the 1.4 with the M50? Mine has the 1.4, and I need to know if I need to order the 2.0 cap.

I haven't been able to track down a 2.0 bar cap on realoem anywhere...I think they only sell a 1.4 nowadays?

[bataangpinoy]

i pulled a 2.0 off of an m42 powered 318ti.

[merrrr]

i have an m42 radiator on my s50 swap. i like it because you dont need the external expansion tank. makes the engine bay look a lil nicer.

[Jand3rson]

Guys, I just checked all through this thread, and I'm trying to get my last parts order together. I need to know what all hoses I need for the M42 radiator on an M50. I did see that people are using the stock M50 upper hose and cutting it to fit, but what others do I need?

[FredK]

M50 bottom hose
M50 expansion tank hose with 75% of it chopped off <-- works, not that pretty.

[JGood]

Guys, I just checked all through this thread, and I'm trying to get my last parts order together. I need to know what all hoses I need for the M42 radiator on an M50. I did see that people are using the stock M50 upper hose and cutting it to fit, but what others do I need?

Good luck. Figuring out the hoses was the hardest part of my swap. Everyone said to use various stock hoses. It didn't work for me, not even close. I spent hours behind various parts counters trying to find hoses that would work. I ended up with random Dayco hoses at autozone and cut them down. It's not perfect, but I'm at 30k+ miles and 2 years with no problems.

My thread with no resolution:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=125728

Another thread with good fitting Dayco hoses:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=164955

Looks like he used the same hose for upper and lower, Dayco 70440.

[Jand3rson]

Awesome, thanks. We don't have an Advance, but I have a Napa 3 blocks from my house, and they've let me go searching for hoses before. Looks like those 2 Dayco hoses that turbo325i used worked fine, did you use the same ones?

[Fusion]

Same here. For some reason the hardest was finding the top to tstat hose. I ended up going to a guy who parts out wrecked cars, he had boxes full of hoses, and the hose that fit was e36 325tds, irc, cut down just a little.
This because before the m42 rad, I had an e28 535M rad.

[straight6pwr]

Another thread with good fitting Dayco hoses:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=164955

Looks like he used the same hose for upper and lower, Dayco 70440.

the post with the Dayco hoses is the wrong radiator, so irrelevant to the topic lol. i'm installing the m42 rad as well, so looking for part numbers too.

[Jand3rson]

They should still work tho, because the hose inlets are in the same locations on an M42.

[straight6pwr]

They should still work tho, because the hose inlets are in the same locations on an M42.

oh. so if i already have my m50 + m20 rad installed, i can use the same ones eh?