e36 m42/44 water cooling diagram

[danlolasdad]

Hello everyone im new on here ill do an intro later and show my build thread before i do i need some info ive started a thread on bimmerforums regarding m42 water cooling system have a look and feel free to comment here thank you.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1782894

[DesktopDave]

I don't mean to hotlink (and it's not the best image quality), but this was the best I could find.  Here's the whole story.



I've always suspected that coolant flows from the lower rad hose, up to the thermo housing, down the profile gasket to the pump, the pump pressurizes it through the block, head and heater core, then it returns via the side pipes and the head back to the expansion tank and upper rad hose.  According to this diagram, the return hose can flow both ways.  So I'm not sure...good question you have there.

[danlolasdad]

Thanks for the diagram ill blow it up and play with it for a bit. im not doing a swap yet but if i do id mount the engine upright (ive the experience) and simplify the cooling it seems a mess to me euro cars are disasters in this area always pissing water via cracked plastic water pipes pumps etc and overheating usually to their detriment first time round whereas a toyota for example will always get you home thats my experience anyway (im proficient with toyota hence the comparisons).So im building a 316i touring ive got a 318is engine in a breaker. im considering a N/A m42 mounted upright with custom exhaust header, itbs probably from 20v toyota as ive several sets lying about or a custom plenum because the m42 inlet is crap all this with stand alone ecu. long term ill have more cylinders but thats the easy way to get power and im oldschool

the project


the proposed donor


the car im aspiring to style wise