Are all Z4 e89 radiators/intercoolers the same??

562daybid

Member
I've tried googling, looking up part numbers but they don't match however, it does look like all the radiators and intercoolers use for the e89 z4s look the same in all diagrams and aftermarket radiators do work with all e89 Z4s regardless of engine.. Can anyone confirm this? I have n20 engine and want to upgrade the intercooler but most brands state only for the 35i/35is
 
No they are different but…

Most IC in their baby / starter sizes will fit the N20 easily..eg the Wagner Evo 1 :thumbsup:

That’s all you will need for the N20…it’s much better cooled / less heat stress than N54s
 
Cool thanks man! I was definitely looking into the Wagner Evo the smallest one. Sucks that they don't have many intercoolers for the z4 n20 engines. Technically, would I need an better intercooler with a jb4 tune and a vrsf downpipe? Or do you think the oem intercooler is more than enough for the n20?
 
Depends where you live ..ambient temperatures wise?

I assume uttering words like JB4 and ‘cool thanks man’ you are from the colonies? :thumbsup: :tumbleweed: :rofl:

I’m running around 300 bhp and 450nm+ torque on a Mitsubishi larger TD04 turbo and the IAT temperatures in the UK stay rock steady in the 40c ish area..

So to answer your question I think an Evo 1 is all you need unless your doing repeated pulls in the Mojave desert... :thumbsup:
 
Lol you are right I am from Southern California haha and yes the temperature does get a little hot sometimes but I don't drive or do pulls in the z4 often. Yes I was thinking about upgrading the turbo in the future but I also heard that you wouldn't need a jb4 tune kit If you simply swap the turbo and go Mitsubishi correct? I just went jb4 because it was easier haha
 
The N20 Mitsubishi turbo upgrade needs a bit of tuning by someone who knows the N20 …

Without any work AFAIK..the JB4 won’t really exploit the bigger turbo …

I assume as you are from the colonies it’s a 28i you have?

The JB4 and Evo1 will work well..

Unfortunately to get the very best you need a re-map and the BM3 and xHP , MHF type tools don’t support the N20..

The good news is that the bigger turbo makes it easier to make power and torque without increasing stress on the engine in the way that pushing the stock turbo does..so paradoxically the engine runs cooler with the higher turbo..

Either way the Evo 1 is a good match and fits easily..

Where in SoCal are you?
 
Yes I have a 2013 Z4 28i with the 6 speed transmission and M sport bumpers at 23,000 miles. I am from Los Angeles California.

Do you recommend I upgrade the turbo to Mitsubishi and find a tuner? My current set up is just a jb4 piggy back tuner on map 1 and a vrsf catless downpipe. I read that changing the air intake won't do much so I left it stock. Maybe I'll just upgrade the intercooler and change the ignition coil and spark plugs to get the most power. Right now it's a very healthy motor at only 23,000 miles

Also, should I upgrade exhaust as well or will the oem exhaust be good enough?
 
If you can afford it and get some to get a re-map done then it’s a great solution..

Mine is actually off the line / normal traffic better than a 35i for low down torque / overtaking..

Leaves a 30i for dead..

Normally coils and injectors don’t make a difference..

The N20 is easy on plugs but it’s simple to swap them out

A fresh mahle / bmw filter in the stock air box works well..
 
Yes! I use to have a 2009 bmw z4 3.0 with 6 speed and the n52 felt powerful at first but not as fast as the n20 turbo. After coming from both cars, I can definitely feel a difference. Funny you mention a air filter, I just purchased one recently but Mann filter

So you just bolted on the Mitsubishi bigger turbo and ran it that way? That seems like an easy bolt on for quickly added power!
 
562daybid said:
Yes! I use to have a 2009 bmw z4 3.0 with 6 speed and the n52 felt powerful at first but not as fast as the n20 turbo. After coming from both cars, I can definitely feel a difference. Funny you mention a air filter, I just purchased one recently but Mann filter

So you just bolted on the Mitsubishi bigger turbo and ran it that way? That seems like an easy bolt on for quickly added power!

Mann filters IMHO are good..just popped one into my N20 E89 :rofl:

Yes the big turbo is a simple bolt on..I changed the turbo oil return feed at the same time to address the possible oil leakage back into the turbo..

If you do it yourself just be very careful with the torque down sequence :thumbsup:
 
That's interesting.. for us in the u.s we can simply install a jb4 tuner kit which takes like 2 mins to install yourself, then add a catless downpipe and we get maybe the same horsepower difference as adding a bigger turbo without all the work and thats why I went this route. The car feels scary fast! Lol
 
Which firmware are you using 562daybid on JB4 ? Been using it for sometime now but for the Z4 N20 the map is not as good as those for the N20 F3. Am on Wagner IC & Cat delete. Have been looking for remote ECU remap services to optimise low to mid torque.

Cheers
 
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