Cooling Upgrade. What Am I missing?

[DerProjektZ3]

So one of the first things I'm upgrading on my Z3 is cooling components.
So far I've purchased:

1) Mishimoto MMRAD-CON-99X X-Line Performance Aluminum Radiator
2) Stewart High Performance Water Pump
3) New Upper and Lower Rein Radiator Hoses
4) BMW OEM Thermostat and Housing
5) BMW OEM Coolant (blue)

So.. What am I missing? What am I not thinking of that I REALLY need to do while this area is being worked? While this is torn apart I will be replacing the gasket between the oil filter housing and block, valve cover gasket, spark plugs.. but cooling is my focus tonite. Hit me up with the Cooling Upgrade MUST DO's! Appreciate your experience in advance!

 

[Grumps]

We did my viscous fan and fan coupling, belt pulley and tensioners aswell. Makes sense while your working in that area.

 

[DerProjektZ3]

We did my viscous fan and fan coupling, belt pulley and tensioners as well. Makes sense while your working in that area.

Thanks Grumpy! I will research those items. I had not thought of those but will definitely check them out.

 

[Dino D]

What about expansion tank? They get brittle.
And don't forget a fresh expansion tank cap (get a genuine BMW one).

You can delete the viscous if you have an aircon fan (but looks a bit sunny where you are so maybe run both).
The viscous blades are worth changing, they can and do start losing blades, not common but I've had it happen, twice!

Be interested to hear if the Mishimoto is a direct fit, last I saw they didn't do direct for the Z but did for e36.

 

[raymond]

After two plastic thermostat housing failures would suggest an aluminium one

 

[DerProjektZ3]

After two plastic thermostat housing failures would suggest an aluminium one

Hi Raymond: my intent was to go with the aluminum housing but kept reading all these horror stories about them and bad reviews. Scared me into going back to the oem unit. What brand did you go with?

What about expansion tank? They get brittle.
And don't forget a fresh expansion tank cap (get a genuine BMW one).

You can delete the viscous if you have an aircon fan (but looks a bit sunny where you are so maybe run both).
The viscous blades are worth changing, they can and do start losing blades, not common but I've had it happen, twice!

Be interested to hear if the Mishimoto is a direct fit, last I saw they didn't do direct for the Z but did for e36.

I have been looking for a viscous fan and was hoping to find something a bit more stout than the unit I have. I do have the air con fan as well. No luck at finding a nice upgrade on the fan so far. Same goes with the expansion tank. I really would like an upgrade not just a replacement unit. Googling and more Googling here lol! If it's worth it I'll do a write up on the Mishimoto swap!

 

[t-tony]

Hi Raymond: my intent was to go with the aluminum housing but kept reading all these horror stories about them and bad reviews. Scared me into going back to the oem unit. What brand did you go with?

I have been looking for a viscous fan and was hoping to find something a bit more stout than the unit I have. I do have the air con fan as well. No luck at finding a nice upgrade on the fan so far. Same goes with the expansion tank. I really would like an upgrade not just a replacement unit. Googling and more Googling here lol! If it's worth it I'll do a write up on the Mishimoto swap!

Quite a few people have done the "fan delete" David, which as the title suggests gets rid of the viscous fan and solely runs the AC fan to cool the motor. There are several Write ups about this, however I can't recall someone doing this in an area with temperature like you will have in Al.

Tony.

 

[Dino D]

After two plastic thermostat housing failures would suggest an aluminium one

Oh yes I had one go on me, reminds me need to order a metal one.

Hi Raymond: my intent was to go with the aluminum housing but kept reading all these horror stories about them and bad reviews. Scared me into going back to the oem unit. What brand did you go with?

I have been looking for a viscous fan and was hoping to find something a bit more stout than the unit I have. I do have the air con fan as well. No luck at finding a nice upgrade on the fan so far. Same goes with the expansion tank. I really would like an upgrade not just a replacement unit. Googling and more Googling here lol! If it's worth it I'll do a write up on the Mishimoto swap!

I don't think an upgrade is necessary but we just have to 'life' the parts. The last fine for around 15 yrs so if we replace every 10 we should be fine (that said I was unlucky with both viscous and the fan in that a new viscous failed after a couple years and the fan lost blades, again only a couple years old).

I saw the same for the metal thermostat housing but at the track yesterday I saw a 2.8 running one. I belive the suppliers are all US based and there was lots of discussion about which was best. The issue was the quality of casting and if not smooth on the mating surfaces it would leak (as with Mishimoto radiators but they swap the radiator if you have that issue).

Re the fan delete you'll find more discussion here including a link to Bimmerforums were many US based Zedders do it so you might find someone who has done it in temps like yours. https://zroadster.org/threads/fan-delete.7136/

And this thread where Randy (rfk900rw) experimented extensively with the cooling system, he's based in Miami or Florida I think.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2122705-An-experiment-in-S52-cooling

 

[DerProjektZ3]

Oh yes I had one go on me, reminds me need to order a metal one.


I don't think an upgrade is necessary! but we just have to 'life' the parts. The last fine for around 15 yrs so if we replace every 10 we should be fine (that said I was unlucky with both viscous and the fan in that a new viscous failed after a couple years and the fan lost blades, again only a couple years old).

I saw the same for the metal thermostat housing but at the track yesterday I saw a 2.8 running one. I belive the suppliers are all US based and there was lots of discussion about which was best. The issue was the quality of casting and if not smooth on the mating surfaces it would leak (as with Mishimoto radiators but they swap the radiator if you have that issue).

Re the fan delete you'll find more discussion here including a link to Bimmerforums were many US based Zedders do it so you might find someone who has done it in temps like yours. https://zroadster.org/threads/fan-delete.7136/

And this thread where Randy (rfk900rw) experimented extensively with the cooling system, he's based in Miami or Florida I think.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2122705-An-experiment-in-S52-cooling

Thanks Dino! I followed the link to Randy's thread which was an informative good read. I did not plan on doing the viscous fan delete but have been digging into it a bit deeper. I think if I'm pushed into this by the new Mishimoto radiator I may swap and go with the double slim powered fan unit that is also sold to go with the new radiator.
A Hot Engine phreaks my grits! All this may be coming at a good time. When I pulled the Z3 out of the garage yesterday to clean the engine bay, not only did I find the expected oil droppings but also a small pool of antifreeze.
I must say I think the kid I bought the car from does not deserve to own one.
Once the engine bay was clean I ran the engine for about 15 seconds and it was apparent where the oil leak was located. There was no O-ring under the oil filter housing cap. The filter was a disintegrated FRAM unit. I had to cut the bottom of the FRAM filter out of the oil housing as it had become one with the housing. Good Part is.. The oil leak was a cheap fix for me. Can't imagine how much money he spent constantly topping off the oil just to have it pump back out and cake the engine.

 

[t-tony]

Thanks Dino! I followed the link to Randy's thread which was an informative good read. I did not plan on doing the viscous fan delete but have been digging into it a bit deeper. I think if I'm pushed into this by the new Mishimoto radiator I may swap and go with the double fan slim powered fan unit that is also sold to go with the new radiator.
A Hot Engine phreaks my grits! All this may be coming at a good time. When I pulled the Z3 out of the garage yesterday to clean the engine bay, not only did I find the expected oil droppings but also a small pool of antifreeze.
I must say I think the kid I bought the car from does not deserve to own one.
Once the engine bay was clean I ran the engine for about 15 seconds and it was apparent where the oil leak was located. There was no O-ring under the oil filter housing cap. The filter was a disintegrated FRAM unit. I had to cut the bottom of the FRAM filter out of the oil housing as it had become one with the housing. Good Part is.. The oil leak was a cheap fix for me. Can't imagine how much money he spent constantly topping off the oil just to have it pump back out and cake the engine.

For some people even basic maintenance is too much David which for enthusiasts like us is sad really, but that's life mate.

Tony.

 

[DerProjektZ3]

For some people even basic maintenance is too much David which for enthusiasts like us is sad really, but that's life mate.

Tony.

Amen!! While I'm waiting for the radiator, today is a air and fuel filter swap, new Manual transmission fluid and differential fluid swap. If I can get to it I'll run a compression test on the engine and put in the new sparkplugs.

 

[DerProjektZ3]

Ok! Shopping is Done for Now on my Cooling System Upgrade.
Will put off the reservoir tank replacement for now because it's an easy swap later. Ends up I have no choice but to do the Viscous fan delete because the new radiator is much thicker and deletes use of the fan shroud.
So... My purchases:

Stewart High Performance Water Pump
OEM Water pump (I know.. shoulda gone alum but it already arrived) will swap it next round.
Mishimoto All aluminum Radiator
Mishimoto Electric Slimline Fan
Mishimoto Fan Controller/Relay (Adjustable) and Fan Mount kit
New Tensioner Pulley, Idler Pulley, Belts...
New Upper and Lower Hoses
BMW Antifreeze (blue)

Appreciate your valuable input!! Cheers!

 

[t-tony]

Please show us some pictures along the way when you start the work David, always interesting.

Tony.

 

[DerProjektZ3]

I'll definately do a write up on this and a follow up on how the car is reacting to the upgrades. I was not able to find any info with pics of the Mishimoto installed in the Z3. I was uncomfortable with not replacing the viscous fan with the electric one so I added it into the mix. The fan controller allows you to adjust the temp that you wish the fan to kick on. This will be helpful in fine tuning things. Now.. waiting for packages!!

 

[t-tony]

Years ago, over here, and before electric fans were common place you could buy a Kenwood electric fan which you mounted outside the rad to blow cool air through. This was originally controlled by yourself via a manually operated switch mounted on the dash, when the temp. gauge rose. These days you get a thermostatically operated one which is variable. How times change.

Tony.

 

[Cooper]

Can someone please advise the BMW part number for the Auxiliary Fan Switch 80-88C and advise if I can plug in the existing wiring plug without modification? Everyone talks about it but I can't seem to find anyone giving the part number! I have the M54B30 engine 2001. Cheers.