E36 Radiator mounting

[Beej '86 325es]

I have a hard time believing I'm the first to have this issue...

I'm running an E36 PWR radiator, and supposively the late E30 radiators and E36 radiators are interchangeable. The mounting of the PWR looks similar to the factory radiator, so how do you mount the bottom of this sucker?

[Bmjpv]

radiator

Had the same problem at work today, that's a late radiator and you've got an early car.The brake off is 9/87 between the two types. joe

[FredK]

Yup. You can scavenge the brackets from a late model E30 and weld them on, then add the plastic receiving ends for the rubber bumpers that you've installed on the radiator.

[Beej '86 325es]

Well damn, that sucks. I'll have to try and fab up some brackets of my own since I don't have a welder.

Thanks for the responses. I can't believe I've never heard this before.

[E30_pilot]

Hey Brandon,

I'm also going thru the same problem for my euro e36 rad.
If you end up fabbing up your own brackets, mind sending me a picture of it?

Thanks.

[PiercedE30]

what hoses are you using? just the normal e36 hoses?

[Beej '86 325es]

what hoses are you using? just the normal e36 hoses?

Yes. I thought about the Samco hoses, but didn't see the point since I've never had an issue with the OEM hoses.

[Beej '86 325es]

Anyone gotten something like the early E30 lower mounts to work?

[Tom944]

Just get a strip of aluminium and fab some brackters for that mofo. Shouldn't be too hard, just use some rubber maybe on the bottom against vibration.

[Beej '86 325es]

You know, looking at it more closely last night, I don't think it's going to be bad. When you set the radiator there, it's only 3/4" from the higher of the lower brackets. I went to Home Depot last night and bought 2 3/4" rubber plugs that I'll drill a hole through and mount to the bracket. It should work well. I'll post pics if it works in the next couple of days.

[Beej '86 325es]

Solution:

M8 bolt, washer, nut, 1" wide, 3/4" long rubber stopper from Home Depot.
Drilled a 3/8" hole, 5/8" counterbore.

[FredK]

Ahh, the simplest solutions are always best, eh! Nice.

[PiercedE30]

OT: how did you remove all of the cosmoline?

[Beej '86 325es]

OT: how did you remove all of the cosmoline?

No cosmoline when I bought it. But I've also cleaned the sh*t out of the engine bay and touched up paint in some areas.

[Beej '86 325es]

Solution:

M8 bolt, washer, nut, 1" wide, 3/4" long rubber stopper from Home Depot.
Drilled a 3/8" hole, 5/8" counterbore.

I probably don't have a photo anymore, but here's a quick diagram. You're basically just bolting something rubber to the top of the two brackets for the radiator to rest on...see attached diagram.