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  • Oil cooler thermostat: where is it?

    The oil cooler, I assume, has a thermostat somewhere in the cooling system lines to allow the oil to come up to temp quickly and maintain 90-100deg under normal driving. Does anyone know where it is? I'm trying to ascertain why my car seems to show 100-105 degrees lately (not just due to heat wave) where it used to sit at 90 when warmed up.

    Mind you thinking about a new oil cooler as the oil temp was up to 125deg at Donington yesterday! (though it was 27c).

  • #2
    Just searched and it's apparently in the oil filter housing. There is a "divertor valve" available that bypasses the thermostat but will end just over cooling the oil in normal driving. Probably requires are bigger cooler then..

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    • #3
      Yes it is in oil filter housing and unfortunately isn't available separately. It is a common fault in out coling on s50b32... I had a problem myself... and it was tested in a boiling water, was opening enough, but obviously wasn't strong enough any more to open the valve and compress the spring. The used spare I installed had less travel, but was strong enough and it completely changed oil temperature I had on spirited drives...

      This is how it looks (a spring comes over it not pictured..):

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      • #4
        Thanks for the info! What is involve in changing this part? You mention it has to push something? I can't quite work out how it would work from the photo.

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        • #5
          You need to take the oil filter housing apart from the engine block.

          The tstat is pressed against the oil passage hole in filter housing (the right side) with a spring (over the left side from the picture), so it is closed by default. The needle you see comes out when tstat reaches certain temperature (around 100C) and pushes against the housing, compresses spring, moves the tstat and so it opens the passage hole and consequentially oil flow through oil cooler loop. I hope this is now more clear how it works.

          Are you having oil temp issues as well? Or just curios? :)

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          • #6
            Thanks for the explanation, make sense but sounds like a fairly big job to get down to!

            My oil temp is just running 10deg above what it normally does, we have a heatwave going at the moment so air temps have been around 26-28deg the past week but it's not that which is causing it because it has done it for a while now. Maybe it has gone "weak".

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            • #7
              The oil cooler from an e36 325TDS is slightly bigger and fits apparently.

              Oil thermostat is definitely difficult to get to with the engine in the car. I tested mine when the engine was stripped and it was fine. I'd check the ducting on the undertray just to make sure it hasn't come loose or something.

              Paul

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              • #8
                Got a TDS cooler on the way! From what I've read the TDS fits fine without any changes. I figure the 20% extra surface area will be a benefit plus a brand new radiator will likely cool better than the 13year old current one anyway. I did check the ducts and clean the cooler itself late last year but everything seemed fine.

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                • #9
                  Yes, I have it as well. You need to slightly modify the duct (I cut the center reinf. in two halfes so it can be extended a bit in height. But it didn't help, until I replaced the tstat... off course, in my case it didn't flow well through oil cooler at all...

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                  • #10
                    I'll see how it goes - I can't see a new slightly larger cooler doing any harm, and the cooler isn't too badly priced I thought (@ £105).

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                    • #11
                      Inside, do you know which part number your new filter housing was? I am now agreeing the thermostat is a bit faulty as although I've seen generally lower temps on a trackday I saw nearly 120degrees on Sunday on the motorway.

                      The original part number 11427833240 has now been superceeded by a new part 11427839858 (from 2007). This is same as fitted to the S54 in E46 M3 and Z4M etc so explains why there was such a late revision to the part. Just curious if anyone knows what's different, could it be the thermostat has a better design??

                      Also, out of interest how much did it cost you?

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                      • #12
                        I wonder if this would fit. number 3, 4, 5, 6
                        http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E3...em_oil_filter/

                        unfortunately production discontinued.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Wania View Post
                          I wonder if this would fit. number 3, 4, 5, 6
                          http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E3...em_oil_filter/

                          unfortunately production discontinued.

                          Would certainly have been an easier and cheaper option to change if it was!

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                          • #14
                            maybe you are ready to check out? :)


                            http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref....395&showeur=on

                            http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bmw-2-5tds...item20cc7eaa32

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                            • #15
                              From what I can see the Z3M/M3 housing also forms part of the tensioner/alternator bracket so it might be a difficult conversion, just a shame the theromstat setup is not as simple as that one though.

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