BMW D-50 Oil Cooler

[Nolans38]

The oil cooler on my 38 Hans BMW D-50 motor died. An aftermarket remoted filter and oil cooler is available from V12, sole source for BMW D-50 motor parts. It ain’t cheap, but I am. A threaded adaptor in place of the unit that allows me to screw the filter directly against the block won’t work, no room for the filter itself. Aftermarket automotive remoted oil filter may be an option. Anyone done this with the D-50 and do you have the specific product info? Anyone have a stock oil cooler for the D-50? Thanks, John

[mimoza]

Have you considered having your dead unit repaired? If it is simply leaking, very often it can be soldered. It is done for automotive radiators all the time. The only problem with this is that the repair has to withstand pressures that are higher than for a radiator- so you would want someone to do it who understands these things.

Failing that, there is nothing sacred about a BMW oil cooler. Just about any manufacturer's cooler of decent quality should do.

It looks like you're in Hawai'i. It might be interesting to see how hot the oil gets running without it. Do you have an oil temp gauge? If you were in a cooler climate, I'd suggest hooking up to a Red Dot heater.

[Nolans38]

Won't work. Unit is bronze caps, aluminum body, heat exchanger integral to the unit and the oil filter screws into alluminium body, which is then mounted onto the engine with 1 banjo bolt thru the block. Aluminum body is fried, not repairable. Thus the search for a replacement which is no longer made or a remoted managerie. such a pain...

[mimoza]

That ~does~ sound painful. Sorry I couldn't help. You have my sympathy.