Best aftermarket oil thermostat solution for N54?

[doublespaces]

I know BMS makes the Sport Oil Cooler valve: http://www.burgertuning.com/sport_oil_cooler_valve.html

I'm pretty sure this valve is simply a bypass so your oil is being cooled all the time. This can't be optimal for those who live in a cold climate or want to get up to operating temperature quickly. Perhaps @Terry@BMS could give insight on this piece. I'm worried an aftermarket oil cooling circuit like the ER may further prolong a warmup, even if it is only by a few minutes.

And RB makes the block off plate: http://www.rbturbo.com/products/accessories/rbocdelete

This seems to do functionally the same thing, but looks more appealing to those who intend to run a completely external cooling circuit which may also include their own thermostat.

And AD-E makes their low temp thermostat: http://www.ad-eng.net/store/p19/BMW_N54_N55_Low_Temp_Oil_Thermostat.html

The @AD-ENG thermostat looks to be the only one which is still a thermostat within the stock housing. Apparently it opens at 180F. Is there any good reason to go with the BMS bypass valve over this thermostat if you aren't on a road course?

 

[R.G.]

Is this for your car Dubbs?

I ran the old school BMS thermostat delete and it was too much. Car took forever to get to temp. I'm in Vegas so same type of summers. Unless you're tracking the car a secondary cooler is overkill. Best to use the space for a trans cooler or the aux radiator if MT. The OEM cooler has just needed to give me a reason to replace it with a giant seatrab but it hasn't let me down. I usually clean it (externally only) every 25k and it's been solid. I'm sure the Ad-e would exceed your expectations and would go with that before any other solution.

Good discussion tho and am interested to hear people's experiences.

 

[doublespaces]

Yeah, I know it's been talked about before but I don't go to the road course and I have the ER sport oil cooler brand new in a box in my garage. I would like to make good use of the cooler by allowing oil to circulate on the cooler side of the acceptable spectrum. The thermostat delete by @Rob@RBTurbo looks pretty neat but I don't think I really qualify for an external thermostat quite yet. Getting up to temp quickly is important to me as I don't want any more wear on the engine than necessary. I tend to drive very short distances and turn the car back off so if it's not warm fast, a lot of my driving may not be at an optimal temp.

As for the driver side, I intend to install a custom ATF cooler there. Unfortunately they don't make any PPK2 vents for the non-LCI so I'll have to rethink something there.

 

[R.G.]

I did an oil change on my N52 today and that short commute (office / home) not allowing temps to get up is what I'm blaming on sludge shit starting to build up. I can see it building under the oil cap. Going to have to drink an extra cup of coffee in the AM and helmet race to my office...

 

[AzNdevil]

Everything aftermarket is a thermostat delete including the AD-E one. I remember theres a discussion of this on e90forums. The oil cooler delete plate lets you remove the outside part of the oil cooler with the thermostat inside so you can install your own fittings and connect one up yourself. If you wish to keep the thermostat after an oil cooler install/upgrade you will need an external one like the Improved Racing one.

btw @R.G. which model of setrab core did you use? how is the fitment down there?

 

[R.G.]

Yo Azn,

No brotha, never installed one! My OEM cooler is unbreakable. Super efficient and half the fins beat to hell LOL

 

[AzNdevil]

hey rg damn i thought you upgraded already...
my oem cooler isnt enough to handle the loads i put it through
need an upgrade eventually but i couldnt seem to find any measurements online to confirm sizing down there..
dont want to order two cores and have it not fit..

 

[R.G.]

hey rg damn i thought you upgraded already...
my oem cooler isnt enough to handle the loads i put it through
need an upgrade eventually but i couldnt seem to find any measurements online to confirm sizing down there..
dont want to order two cores and have it not fit..

Damn really?
Maybe cooling passages not optimal or core needs a good cleaning.

If you do swap the cooler let us know!

I believe the old Dinan kit uses larger lines so I'd use that as a reference point for the hoses.

 

[AzNdevil]

Nahh its just the shitty weather... it happens to all the N54s i run with

I will get the coolers eventually... at least after I am done with the meth kit which i still havent ordered hoses for...
but lsd is more attractive...

 

[R.G.]

As long as your up and running before May Azn! Going to be hot hot.

Dubbs, I think the go to is delete, then add an improved racing T-stat

 

[AzNdevil]

nahh..i need to do it asap... i hate have things lying around which i cant use
ive been doing some research on pre turbo injection as well and thinking if i should just do it in one go so i dont need to pay shipping again...

as for t stat delete... i'd suggest running the water pump harder through the ecu first to see if it solves your oil temp issues

 

[doublespaces]

So why do people say it opens at 180F?

 

[AzNdevil]

linky

there is a version of this copied by FTP Motorsports

 

[Jake@MHD]

If you ever drive your car in cold weather, like < 45*F, get the AD-E over the BMS. With the BMS in the winter my car was simply unable to get above 160 *F oil temp on the highway.

 

[doublespaces]

If you ever drive your car in cold weather, like < 45*F, get the AD-E over the BMS. With the BMS in the winter my car was simply unable to get above 160 *F oil temp on the highway.

And what about compared to stock warmup times?

 

[DirtKurt]

Do it once do it right, improved racing external thermostat is the only way to go.

 

[Snelson3003]

Don't people just remove the oil cooler valve plate and flip the piston around? I thought folks did that since it's basically similar to the BMS oil cooler insert.

It's not as nice or billet, but it's reversible when it gets cold and free.

 

[Idratherbesurfing]

Im in New Jersey (hot summer/cold winter). I use bms valve in the summer then switch to the stock one for winter. As stated before, my car wouldnt get up to operating temp on the highway. Stock oil cooler works just fine i see no need to upgrade unless you consistently track the car.

 

[doublespaces]

Who has experience with the AD-E valve? Andy has one on the way to me

 

[bradsm87]

The AD-E one isn't actually a thermostat but sort of works like one.

The best option is stock IMO. As long as you have "High" cooling mode forced using the DME flash, the coolant keeps the engine cooler and subsequently keeps the oil a little cooler. Let the factory thermostat do its thing and get the oil warmed up to around 100C ASAP. Mine hangs around 100C most of the time when fully warmed up now that I have "High" cooling mode permanently enabled. Previously, it hung around 110C. Once you're above the temperature at which the thermostat is fully open, the thermostat makes very little difference. There is only a very small amount of oil that gets through the holes in the stock thermostat.