LS Swap guide

[jalopi]

You can make it work as long as you've got a salvo's close by (since they keep all their rad hoses on a big wall). Hose setup will look dumb as fuck but the rad will drop right in.

[shiboujin]

Z3 still has the hose outputs in the same place as the factory late model E30 though.

[CLM21]

Hm.... seems tempting rather than mock up new mounting points.

[shiboujin]

Z3 rad bolts in but still has the factory hose locations. The LS gives you much more space to work with. Though it depends on your water pump and accessories.

[CLM21]

Does the z3 rad bolt in?

Any LS should be a decent amount shorter than a straight 6, whats the fitment issue with?

[jalopi]

If you can figure the hoses out a z3 mishimoto rad has more than enough cooling capacity. Might make you hate life with fitment, but it does cool well enough.

[CLM21]

Right. I figured any bmw rad would have the hoses on the wrong side and not enough cooling capacity anyways.

Pictures would be awesome though.

[shiboujin]

So I'll get some pix for ya then.

I mean, the E36 rad will fit. any E30 rad really. I dunno if it'll cool well enough. The main issue is that the hoses on the LS are both on the passenger's side (iirc).

[CLM21]

Nah, pretty much everything else on the car is custom. Why stop at the radiator.

Is there even a drop in solution for an ls swap?

[shiboujin]

Can get pictures if you want but I have a feeling you want a drop in solution.

[CLM21]

Cool thanks. Is that something they did from the factory? Or you guys modified the outlets?

[shiboujin]

It's a mishimoto race radiator. 3 inches thick or something redic like that. The end pipes were modified to better fit the bay though. So it isn't 100% off the shelf. It does not fit the factory mounting locations. There are tabs on the bottom of the core support and sides that support it that were welded on.

[CLM21]

I mean I figure the mounting had to be modified, but thats a given. Why would the actual radiator be modified?

I've never just bought a loose radiator before based on custom dimensions. Wouldn't know where to go.

[jalopi]

I don't think you can buy that exact rad, pretty sure it's been modded in one way shape or form.

[CLM21]

Hey shiboujin.... where did you or sikky get the radiator from?