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The ChampCar Endurance Series Tech Team

2020-02-27 - Non-OE Oil cooler

Q1.
1989 BMW 325i e30 - Oil Cooler
Is it acceptable to replace the factory oil cooler with an aftermarket oil cooler of equal or lesser cross sectional area?
Primary motivation for this is moving the oil cooler from the lowest point at the front of the car and mounting it in a safer location.

A1.
Relocating the OEM oil cooler is free as oil hoses and fittings are typically considered hardware. Any additional materials used to mount or vent the cooler would be charged points per square feet as material.
If you use a replacement cooler of exact dimensions and materials i.e. single pass cooler replaced with a single pass cooler it may be approved. Submit factory cooler specs and a link to verify the spec and like for the replacement cooler.
Any cooler not pre-approved maybe charged points as a non-oem cooler.
Jay Mauney

 

Q2.
1989 BMW 325i
The stock m20 oil cooler has a frontal area of 17.25” x 2.625” = 45.3 in^2. I’ve attached pictures with measurements.
The cooler I was looking to install is a Setrab series 6 x 15 row (circled in the picture attached). http://www.setrabusa.com/pdf/ProLine_STD_Dims_112610.pdf
I use the “C” and “B” measures for frontal area. (9.53” x 3.94” = 37.5 in^2). Both stock cooler and Setrab are aluminum, single pass oil coolers.
Would it be acceptable to run this cooler?
The desire to run this cooler is moving it to a safer location.

A2.
Setrab is not the OE oil cooler and the OE cooler is still available from the dealer.
This cooler would be additional points.

Stock Oil Cooler 1

Stock oil cooler 2

Setrab Catalog

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