Dinan High Performance Heat Exchanger - BMW F87 M2 Competition / F80 M3 / F82 M4 (2015-2021)
SaleAnyone who has tracked an S55 car knows the pattern. The first pull is violent, the second is strong, and by the third the car feels flat. That is heat soak. Intake temperatures climb, the ECU pulls power to protect the engine, and your M3 or M4 is suddenly slower than it was a minute ago.
The Dinan High Performance Heat Exchanger for the BMW F80 M3, F82 M4 and F87 M2 Competition attacks the problem at the source of the intercooler's cooling water. In Dinan's testing the stock system heat soaked after only 3 pulls. With the Dinan heat exchanger the car did not heat soak even after 7. That is more than twice the effectiveness of the factory setup, plus a gain of 10 HP and 20 lb-ft with no change to the engine tune.
Why a Dinan Heat Exchanger and Not a New Intercooler
The S55 uses a water-to-air intercooler fed by a main heat exchanger up front and a smaller secondary cooler by the front passenger wheel. Dinan tested all three parts in multiple combinations and found the best performance per dollar came from a larger heat exchanger. The Dinan core has 60% more volume and 19% more face area than stock, and it is 40mm thick against the factory 24mm. Dinan could have made it thicker, but that would choke airflow to the main radiator directly behind it and hurt engine cooling. At 40mm it cools harder without that trade-off.
The payoff is measurable. Water going to the intercooler runs an average of 9° cooler across the rev range, and that lets the intercooler drop intake air temperatures by a further 6° on average. Cooler charge air is what holds power on pull after pull.
Dinan Heat Exchanger Fitment and Legal Status
This part is built for the S55 engine. It fits the M3, M4 and M2 Competition. It does not fit the base 2016-2018 M2, which uses the N55 engine. No tune is needed for the gains Dinan published. Before you order, know this: it is not legal for sale or use in the State of California. It is sold under the EPA Tampering Policy for other states, and CARB testing is pending. Dinan part number D780-0001A. Sold by AutoTecknic, an authorized Dinan dealer.
What's Included
- Dinan High Performance Heat Exchanger
- Rubber isolation mounts
Key Features
- Dinan-tested +10 HP and +20 lb-ft with no tune change
- No heat soak after 7 pulls, versus 3 pulls on the stock system
- 60% more core volume and 19% more face area than stock
- 40mm core vs 24mm stock, sized to protect radiator airflow
- Average 9° lower water temperature to the intercooler
- Average 6° lower intake air temperature vs stock
- Rubber mounted for vibration isolation
Vehicle Fitment
Fits the following S55-powered BMW M models:
- BMW M3 / F80 Sedan (2015-2018): M3, M3 Competition, M3 CS
- BMW M4 / F82 Coupe (2015-2020): M4, M4 Competition, M4 CS, M4 GTS
- BMW M4 / F83 Convertible (2015-2020): M4 Convertible, M4 Competition Convertible
- BMW M2 Competition / F87 Coupe (2019-2021): M2 Competition
Exclusion: the base F87 M2 (2016-2018, N55 engine) is not compatible.
Installation Notes
Dinan rates this at about 3.5 hours of labor. The heat exchanger sits at the front of the car, so the bumper has to come off and the intercooler coolant circuit has to be drained, refilled and bled. A well-equipped DIYer can do it. Most owners will want a shop that knows F8X M cars.
- Raise and support the car safely and let the engine cool fully.
- Remove the front bumper cover and drain the intercooler coolant circuit.
- Disconnect the hoses and remove the factory heat exchanger.
- Install the Dinan heat exchanger on its rubber mounts and reconnect the hoses.
- Refill and bleed the intercooler coolant circuit as described in the Dinan instructions, then check for leaks before reinstalling the bumper.
