Cooling your m30

[F34R]

Picked up the Spal fan and I am using a puller on the inside(no AC). I keep pissing coolant if I get stuck in traffic in 80+ degrees. I can grab one of those sensors from the local junkyard. Stand by for awesome cooling :D

[ThatOneEuroE30]

What do you guys think about just hard wiring a spal fan with a switch on the dash to turn it on on hot days. I got put a low temp thermostat in it and I'm also running a mishimoto radiator.

[F34R]

What do you guys think about just hard wiring a spal fan with a switch on the dash to turn it on on hot days. I got put a low temp thermostat in it and I'm also running a mishimoto radiator.

This is what I am doing with mine, I like the option to turn it on and leave it on. No one forgets to turn the fan off when the car is turned off ;D

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Yea and my car isn wired for AC so I don think I have a AC switch plus with the moshimoto I'll probably only need it on really hot days

[LagunaSecaBlue]

I want to stir some information on the following things.

Thermostats(80, 75 and 71)
Water Pumps(Metal Cast Impeller and Stamped Metal)
Radiators(E28 535i, M535iS South African, M5 Custom Aluminum and E36 M3 Aluminum)
Fan switches(80/88, 82, 91)
Electric Fans(Spal, Brushless)
Mechanical Fans(Audi and TD Clutch fans)

Does a lower thermostat opening temperature actually help in hotter environments?
Is the GMB Stamped Water pump a lot better?
Is there a definite superior radiator?
Which fan switches?(I ask because wouldn't a 80c thermostat and 80c fan switch be constantly activated)
I know Spal is a good fan but are there superior options?
Is there ANY documented cases of these fans being used?

I am approaching the build date on my M30 Swapped E30 with A/C, and the AZ Summer heat is in full effect. I only want the best possible cooling solution and will look at every option to ensure sufficient and reliable cooling.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Cooling your m30

Superior rad IMO is the mishimoto. You can use other fans but spals a good common brand there's really no high end fan.

[glnr13]

bringing this back from the dead...

upgrading my fan to a spal 16" and rethinking my wiring.
anyone run their fans with a resistor to make it 2 speed like the OEM aux fan?
or is it pointless?

[csermonet47]

Running the resistor only makes sense if you are running A/C since the low speed is for the condenser rather than cooling the motor.

With that said, I am running A/C and still chose to run no resistor since M30 E30s have a hard time cooling and I live in a hot place. No resistor seems to be fine unless I am in traffic with the A/C on and it is 98+ outside. I figured the extra air flow from being on high speed all the time wouldn't hurt anything.

[lukeADE335i]

I want to stir some information on the following things.

Thermostats(80, 75 and 71)
Fan switches(80/88, 82, 91)
Electric Fans(Spal, Brushless)

Does a lower thermostat opening temperature actually help in hotter environments?
Which fan switches?(I ask because wouldn't a 80c thermostat and 80c fan switch be constantly activated)
Is there ANY documented cases of these fans being used?

I can comment on some of these after driving my swapped car daily in a hot climate for more than 4 years... My temps are rock solid even in 100F+

1) Thermostats - the 71 degree thermostats are part of BMWs "hot climate" cooling package, Australia and Saudi Arabia had this standard, so BMW obviously thought it was worth it. Presumably it gives the cooling system some extra head room with the engine running cooler most of the time. I run the 71 degree in mine. Guage runs just over 1/4 most of the time - when stationaryin traffic the temp rises to just under half, which is when the fan kicks in.

2) Fan switches - I run the basic 82 degree switch. With the 71 degree thermostat it means the fan doesn't often come on in cold weather. I run the switch in the thermostat housing as it makes the fan come on earlier than in the position on the side of the radiator - works like a factory one would :)

3) Electric fan - I run a 16 inch e32 aux fan. Does the job fine, isn't overly loud. Only issue I've had is running them on high speed only does wear them out - I'm on my second one (first one lasted two years, this second one has been in just over 2 years and it's starting to get noisy bearings now). I pick them up for next to nothing though at the wreckers, and lets face it, they're old before I put them in.

Hope this helps with some info.

[CorvallisBMW]

Man, I still can't run mine in 90F+, with the A/C on, in stopped traffic. It still overheats after 5-10 minutes. And that's with a 16" Spal pusher and 10" puller! How is everyone else managing to keep their temps in check in 100F+? Am I just the only crazy person trying to do it with A/C?

[LowR3V'in]

Mine overheats with the stock thermostat. Going 1 colder fixed it.

[lukeADE335i]

Man, I still can't run mine in 90F+, with the A/C on, in stopped traffic. It still overheats after 5-10 minutes. And that's with a 16" Spal pusher and 10" puller! How is everyone else managing to keep their temps in check in 100F+? Am I just the only crazy person trying to do it with A/C?

I don't have AC, which could be part of it.

I think the biggest issue is running the thermo-switches in the side of the radiator - if you aren't doing it already Corvallis, try running the switch in the thermostat housing (there's a blanked off port between the temp senders for the gauge and DME). On mine, the fan wouldn't come on early enough to stop the car overheating with the switch in the side of the radiator.

I also ditched the two speed setup, it just comes on flat out at 82 degrees.

[uturn]

Been running mine with the 16" spal pusher with the 10" puller on the back. Worked fine in the Texas heat with the needle only creeping up when idling and stuck in traffic. Everything was fine until the heater core gave out.

[CorvallisBMW]

Mine overheats with the stock thermostat. Going 1 colder fixed it.

How cool are you running? like 76C?

I'm wary of running the engine at a colder temp than it was designed for. Besides, if my 80C thermo opens up at 80C, and I'm still seeing temps reach 100C, how would going to a cooler thermo help? Sure, it would open earlier, but it doesn't provide any more cooling capacity.

I don't have AC, which could be part of it.

I think the biggest issue is running the thermo-switches in the side of the radiator - if you aren't doing it already Corvallis, try running the switch in the thermostat housing (there's a blanked off port between the temp senders for the gauge and DME). On mine, the fan wouldn't come on early enough to stop the car overheating with the switch in the side of the radiator.

I also ditched the two speed setup, it just comes on flat out at 82 degrees.

I tried going that route, but of course with an 80C thermo and an 80C low switch, it stays on 100% of the time, even when cruising on the freeway when it's 20C outside. I think the reason BMW puts the switches on the outlet side of the radiator is because that's the best place to measure. If the outlet of the radiator is not cooler than the operating temp of the engine (80C), then it's not doing enough cooling, so the fans need to come on. At least that's how I envision it.

[CorvallisBMW]

Yea and my car isn wired for AC so I don think I have a AC switch plus with the moshimoto I'll probably only need it on really hot days

What Mishimoto model number/part number are you running?