[srbarnes4ever]

Just ordered all the goodies to go FBO for my 07 E90 A/T. It is an early build (10/06) so does not have the oil cooler installed. Anyone else running this as a DD with no oil temp issues? I would hope that if not tracking, I will be ok with a high quality oil but looking for data. If and when i do add a cooler, is ER the only retro fit option....seems very expensive but clearly high quality also.

[altostratus]

Yeah...you are gonna want an oil cooler. She gets toasty even with the stock one.

[KeepRidingDirty]

Originally Posted by srbarnes4ever

Just ordered all the goodies to go FBO for my 07 E90 A/T. It is an early build (10/06) so does not have the oil cooler installed. Anyone else running this as a DD with no oil temp issues? I would hope that if not tracking, I will be ok with a high quality oil but looking for data. If and when i do add a cooler, is ER the only retro fit option....seems very expensive but clearly high quality also.

If you're not tracking it or going extended lengths at WOT then you'll be fine. I am FBO (except downpipes) and have no oil cooler and I'm fine, I don't track it but I do my local autocross and the occasional WOT acceleration and I have had no issues.

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Originally Posted by srbarnes4ever

Just ordered all the goodies to go FBO for my 07 E90 A/T. It is an early build (10/06) so does not have the oil cooler installed. Anyone else running this as a DD with no oil temp issues? I would hope that if not tracking, I will be ok with a high quality oil but looking for data. If and when i do add a cooler, is ER the only retro fit option....seems very expensive but clearly high quality also.

If not road tracking the car and only using as a daily driver with the occasional short spirited run you should be okay but I would monitor oil temps and see if they start to creep up over half. Really depends on your climate. May have some issues in the dead of summer, but you won't know until you run it. So I would monitor and then revisit the decision once it gets hotter out.

Mike

[CHECKERED]

Originally Posted by srbarnes4ever

Just ordered all the goodies to go FBO for my 07 E90 A/T. It is an early build (10/06) so does not have the oil cooler installed. Anyone else running this as a DD with no oil temp issues? I would hope that if not tracking, I will be ok with a high quality oil but looking for data. If and when i do add a cooler, is ER the only retro fit option....seems very expensive but clearly high quality also.

I have no oil cooler in 100F SoCal weather and drag racing in ~70F weather and I have no issues what so ever.

As long as you can keep the water temp (by using max cool mode on JB4) low you won’t have issues with oil temp.

You can get an auxiliary radiator (from a PPK stage 2) for about $300 to keep the temps even lower.

If you are going to have a dedicated track car, then yes you would need an oil cooler.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

As other said, if you start creeping past 250F oil temps then it's time for an oil cooler. If you can stay under 250F in your hardest driving and hottest temps then you are OK.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by srbarnes4ever

Just ordered all the goodies to go FBO for my 07 E90 A/T. It is an early build (10/06) so does not have the oil cooler installed. Anyone else running this as a DD with no oil temp issues? I would hope that if not tracking, I will be ok with a high quality oil but looking for data. If and when i do add a cooler, is ER the only retro fit option....seems very expensive but clearly high quality also.

Keep an eye on the oil temps, if they get too high start considering the oil cooler.
It really depends on your driving style and if you track your car or not

[spxxx]

Just buy an oil cooler, it's not fun having to monitor your temps on a DD when you're trying to carve the twisties. One can build a retrofit for <$400 on eBay

[chepy24]

Originally Posted by srbarnes4ever

Just ordered all the goodies to go FBO for my 07 E90 A/T. It is an early build (10/06) so does not have the oil cooler installed. Anyone else running this as a DD with no oil temp issues? I would hope that if not tracking, I will be ok with a high quality oil but looking for data. If and when i do add a cooler, is ER the only retro fit option....seems very expensive but clearly high quality also.

i dont have one and am fbo iv never gone into limp but i did get my oil temp up to ~250 at a meet doing run after run. Really looking at getting one even though i wont ever track my car

[sirdaft1]

I was in the same boat as you, FBO and no factory OC. I frequently worried about oil temps when it warmed up because my temps were consistently sitting at 240+ regardless of how hard I was driving. After reading about how higher oil temps can start shearing/breaking down the oil viscosity, I didn't need much more convincing.

I started keeping my eyes open for a used oil filter housing and the other parts for the retro. I found a used housing for under $80 on eBay and picked up a Setrab core, lines, fittings for another couple hundred bucks. And I had a shop do the install of the OC housing while they were doing my walnut blasting since both require the removal of the intake mani.

Keep in mind, if you do decide to retrofit, that since you're driving an early model, you would also need a special factory bracket to hold the oil cooler in the fender that us early model guys did not get. Part #: 51647975360 (it's more or less this part but for the passenger side - this is of the bracket on the drivers side)


Be glad to chat more if you plan on retroing. I remember it being a bit tedious when I was piecing it together on my own.

[CHECKERED]

Originally Posted by spxxx

Just buy an oil cooler, it's not fun having to monitor your temps on a DD when you're trying to carve the twisties. One can build a retrofit for <$400 on eBay

It’s not that easy on a car that doesn’t have an oil cooler at all. You would need new oil filter housing, lines, brackets, core, even a different fender liner, all can cost a grand easily, throwing 1K at a problem that doesn’t exists seems pointless, an Aux radiator can be made for about $300 and will come with everything.

Originally Posted by sirdaft1

I was in the same boat as you, FBO and no factory OC. I frequently worried about oil temps when it warmed up because my temps were consistently sitting at 240+ regardless of how hard I was driving. After reading about how higher oil temps can start shearing/breaking down the oil viscosity, I didn't need much more convincing.

250F is not horrible over 280F is when you start having problems, a decent (full synthetic ester based) oil (not that crap Castro that’s factory filled) will do just fine at 250F

[spxxx]

Originally Posted by CHECKERED

Its not that easy on a car that doesnt have an oil cooler at all. You would need new oil filter housing, lines, brackets, core, even a different fender liner, all can cost a grand easily, throwing 1K at a problem that doesnt exists seems pointless, an Aux radiator can be made for about $300 and will come with everything.

250F is not horrible over 280F is when you start having problems, a decent (full synthetic ester based) oil (not that crap Castro thats factory filled) will do just fine at 250F

I bought a used OEM retrofit for $450. Just sold it for $500. You can easily piece it together for $400 used. You'll likely be running over 250* without one during canton drives or auto-x... For engine longevity I'd suggest installing one. It's something you can always resell for around $400-500 so it was a no brainer for me.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Normal operating temp on stock vehicles with the oil cooler is ~238F +/- 10. I've seen some non oil cooled stock vehicles tip over to 255-260 on hot days normal driving.

Most other vehicles (High Performance and exotics) barely tip over 215F when pushed to their limits.
BMW designs these cars to run hot and for 1 reason only and that is emissions purposes.

Every other performance vehicle runs an average of 170F oil temps up to 215F max.
Keeping that in mind it's really up to interpretation and your feelings if the 238-250F range is "normal" or not. It's normal for your stock BMW for emissions purposes but from a performance and longevity standpoint I'd beg to differ if its the ideal temp.

I for one would at least tell guys with the oil cooler to run the thermostat by pass which means I'm partial to seeing lower temps then factory recommended specifications.

I'd tell the OP to get an aftermarket oil cooler and thermostat bypass but I really don't want to sound like a salesmen. I genuinely do believe that it should be done though.

[srbarnes4ever]

Originally Posted by CHECKERED

It’s not that easy on a car that doesn’t have an oil cooler at all. You would need new oil filter housing, lines, brackets, core, even a different fender liner, all can cost a grand easily, throwing 1K at a problem that doesn’t exists seems pointless, an Aux radiator can be made for about $300 and will come with everything. 250F is not horrible over 280F is when you start having problems, a decent (full synthetic ester based) oil (not that crap Castro that’s factory filled) will do just fine at 250F

Thanks all for the feedback. Consensus is monitor but no urgent need if temps and driving style don't demand otherwise. I use Motul or Redline oil so should be as good as it gets in terms of heat/shear stability. I am not against the auxiliary radiator from the PPK down the road regardless...I wish these had aux transmission cooler to help with that heat load but is what it is.

I have Cobb AP coming, not JB4 so no max cool mode for me.

Waiting for parts to arrive and for a warm day to start installing! Got 11" of friggin snow yesterday....ain't doing poop til I get a 50F day minimum!

[srbarnes4ever]

Originally Posted by spxxx

I bought a used OEM retrofit for $450. Just sold it for $500. You can easily piece it together for $400 used. You'll likely be running over 250* without one during canton drives or auto-x... For engine longevity I'd suggest installing one. It's something you can always resell for around $400-500 so it was a no brainer for me.

Under $500 sounds reasonable for a future project to me. I have seen 250F on the trip from Lexington to Atlanta many times.

[srbarnes4ever]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

Normal operating temp on stock vehicles with the oil cooler is ~238F +/- 10. I've seen some non oil cooled stock vehicles tip over to 255-260 on hot days normal driving.

Most other vehicles (High Performance and exotics) barely tip over 215F when pushed to their limits.
BMW designs these cars to run hot and for 1 reason only and that is emissions purposes.

Every other performance vehicle runs an average of 170F oil temps up to 215F max.
Keeping that in mind it's really up to interpretation and your feelings if the 238-250F range is "normal" or not. It's normal for your stock BMW for emissions purposes but from a performance and longevity standpoint I'd beg to differ if its the ideal temp.

I for one would at least tell guys with the oil cooler to run the thermostat by pass which means I'm partial to seeing lower temps then factory recommended specifications.

I'd tell the OP to get an aftermarket oil cooler and thermostat bypass but I really don't want to sound like a salesmen. I genuinely do believe that it should be done though.

Jeff, is that a cooler thermostat or is it truly one fixed in a partially open state? I would love something that runs cooler.

Thx
Srb

[CHECKERED]

Originally Posted by srbarnes4ever

I use Motul or Redline oil so should be as good as it gets in terms of heat/shear stability.

both are good choices, I prefer motul myself since I had oil consumption issues with redline in two separate cars...

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by srbarnes4ever

Jeff, is that a cooler thermostat or is it truly one fixed in a partially open state? I would love something that runs cooler.

Thx
Srb

BMS Oil cooler thermostat bypass is open all the time. The only downisde would be for someone who lives in temperatures that are always cold as the car would take longer to warm up. I think Stett made a lower t stat but I don't much about it or if it's still available.

The T stat bypass typically sees a 15F drop in average oil temp.

[srbarnes4ever]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

BMS Oil cooler thermostat bypass is open all the time. The only downisde would be for someone who lives in temperatures that are always cold as the car would take longer to warm up. I think Stett made a lower t stat but I don't much about it or if it's still available.

The T stat bypass typically sees a 15F drop in average oil temp.

I like the avg drop but suspect I would not like the delta T to operating temps. Grp IV or V synthetics should mitigate the concern somewhat though....I am I. Central Ky so 10 or 11 mos of the year I almost never see sub freezing temps.

[robc1976]

My car stays at 180 with my cooler.

[sirdaft1]

Originally Posted by robc1976

My car stays at 180 with my cooler.

Are you sure that's a good thing?

Consensus from a number of other threads on the subject suggest that optimal oil temp is +/- 200F.

180 might be a little too cooled off for the N54/55 platform IIRC

[robc1976]

Originally Posted by sirdaft1

Are you sure that's a good thing?

Consensus from a number of other threads on the subject suggest that optimal oil temp is +/- 200F.

180 might be a little too cooled off for the N54/55 platform IIRC

100% sure its fine, 180 degree by temp sensor is actually a lit warmer. 140,000 miles and ticking.