BMW E36 M3 Aluminum Radiator

Application: All 6 Cylinder M3 e36 94-99 and 325i

Upgrade for factory radiator 17111728908

Upgrade for factory thermostat housing 11531722531

Upgrade for factory water pump 11517527799

Upgrade for factory water pump pulleys 11511730554

Upgrade 420mm fan blade 11521712058

The Mishimoto all aluminum BMW e36 M3 radiator is an ideal upgrade, or a more reliable direct replacement for the BMW factory 17111728908 radiator.  Most people overlook the importance of installing an upgraded radiator when doing performance upgrades, or if the vehicle is operated in hot desert climates.  The heavy duty all aluminum construction will give your vehicle a cooler, more efficient running engine. This conversion adds the next level of reliability by eliminating the plastic end tanks of the factory units. The Mishimoto all aluminum radiator will increase cooling by over 30%. The added cooling system capacity will increase engine life and performance by stabilizing engine operating temperatures.

High pressure welds VS Crimped Plastic

An all aluminum radiator will consist of an aluminum cooling core along with aluminum tanks. These pieces are joined and welded at the seams, not glued or crimped. Increased cooling capacity is accomplished by using a double row core (2 oversized rows of cooling cores) stacked back to back. This design also increases the fluid capacity for a more stable temperature control.

Why select an all aluminum BMW M3 radiator, over the factory plastic/aluminum style?

Since the late 70’s all BMW radiators have consisted of an aluminum cooling core with plastic end tanks. The tanks and core are joined with an “O” ring seal, and integrated aluminum crimp clamps on the radiator core. These plastic end tanks are the weak link and will typically fail after 3-4 years of heat cycling. In some situations even sooner if the vehicle has been over heated. The rubber “O” ring seal joint also has a tendency to start leaking. 

Most BMW M3 E36 cooling system issues are the result of a failure of one or several of the plastic factory cooling system components. These include the radiators with plastic coolant tanks, plastic thermostat housings, and the plastic water pump impellers. We recommend replacing these plastic parts with aluminum designs for better stability and performance.