e vs i radiators

[CorvallisBMW]

So in the process of building our LeMons car I've run in to a very strange situation. We decided to swap the stock radiator in our 325e for an 'i' model with great cooling capacity. That of course meant an 'i' water pump and hoses too, no big deal. But then I went to drop in the 'i' radiator, it didn't fit between the frame rails. WTF? Obviously the unibody is the same between 'i' and 'e' cars, the frame rails didn't change. The rad I was using happen to be from an autotragic 'i' car, so it has the fittings for the ATF cooling lines, but why would that matter? It fit just fin in my convertible both when it was AT and MT. And obviously there were AT etas out there too, so how does that work?

So, why won't it fit an eta? Am I missing something here?

[call me jack]

thats really weird. take a picture.
i'm running a auto "i" radiator in my 325e, and i have no problems.... but i also didnt' have to change pumps or hoses either....

[StereoInstaller1]

Is this a rear battery car?

[call me jack]

Is this a rear battery car?

i thought only 4 cylinder, and verts were front battery?

[SpecM]

i thought only 4 cylinder, and verts were front battery?

yes, but some very very early eta's were front-battery

like '84ish

[KenC]

It's an '87. Rear battery.

[CHIF8008]

you can put the battery in front or in back. but that doesnt have anything to do with the radiator fitting

[StereoInstaller1]

you can put the battery in front or in back. but that doesnt have anything to do with the radiator fitting

oh ye of tiny experience, you may STFU now.

Early ETA 2 doors have different frame rails, and are radically different in the trunk... so it might have a different core support...does my question make a little more sense to you now bucko?

[CorvallisBMW]

It's an 87 eta, so not too early. I'll try to take some pics in the next day or two

[call me jack]

It's an 87 eta, so not too early. I'll try to take some pics in the next day or two

thats even weirder, because mines an '87 too, that was in a front end accident, which made it a little harder to fit at first, but still fits perfectly fine, now.

[CorvallisBMW]

I know.... it's weird as shit. The old 'e' radiator fit just fine. it wasn't in there tight or anything and all the mounts were intact and straight.

[call me jack]

yeah, man get a picture or 2, other wise this thread is about as effective as listening to a porno written for the deaf

[u3b3rg33k]

measure e rad, measure i rad
compare dimensions
????
profit

[StereoInstaller1]

measure e rad, measure i rad
compare dimensions
????
profit

Darin, don't you just fucking hate those dumb-ass engineering students?

[u3b3rg33k]

Yeah, they suck.

Oh, wait.



^^^^ is very complicated.