ChampCar Tech Desk

Official channel for ChampCar technical questions, interpretations, and VPI requests.

Before you submit a ticket

The Tech Desk is for rules clarifications and technical questions. It is not a post race tech line, a place to protest results, or a place to fish for how other teams built their cars.

Most questions can be answered by reviewing the current BCCR Rulebook. Please read the applicable section before submitting a ticket.

If your question is already covered clearly in the BCCR, your ticket may simply be answered with a reference to the rulebook section.

VPI request checklist

For all Vehicle Performance Index (VPI) requests you must include:

Year, make, model, and trim level
Engine size and engine horsepower
Drive type: FWD, RWD, AWD, or 4x4
Transmission type: automatic or manual
Car weight and all factory options that affect performance
A link to the vehicle on automobile-catalog.com or another site with full specifications if it is not listed there

Requests that do not include all required info and research will be denied without review.

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.

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