As part of our expanding BMW product range, AIRTEC Motorsport are proud to launch our uprated DCT and manual gearbox oil cooler for the E9x M3 models, suitable for track or fast road use.
The Issue
During extended periods of track or even fast road use, particularly for cars with increased power, the DCT's oil operating temperature can climb too high to offer sufficient cooling protection properties. As a result, there is risk of damaging the transmission, so the car's ECU will automatically limit the engine's torque output and put the car into a limp mode. It can even cause permanent damage, if it persistently overheats.
The Solution
Making full use of all the available space behind the bumper, the AIRTEC Motorsport transmission cooler utilises a core design that is a massive218% biggerthan standard and91% tallerthan original, which equates to a frontal areaincrease of 118%to help cool the extra capacity.
Proven to work on track, the AIRTEC Motorsport cooler was tested to offer a huge100% increasein heat rejection, allowing the new cooler to provide improved cooling, preventing the overheating issue.
The comprehensive kit also comes with a real carbon fibre air scoop that matches the profile of the new bigger core, as well as an aluminium vent to fit in the inner wheel arch to help extract warm air, creating an improved air flow to further aid cooling the new, larger core design.
Finished in a high-quality powder-coated black finish, the cooler is a direct replacement fit and comes complete with detailed fitting instructions.
TESTED ON TRACK
In May 2025, we ventured over to the iconic Nürburgring in Germany to complete a two day, back-to-back test in order to collect data as part of the track testing programme for our newly developed E9x M3 cooling package; in particular the engine oil cooler DCT gearbox oil cooler. For this, we used ourAIRTEC Motorsportdemonstrator vehicle, which is equipped with an uprated exhaust system and sports cats, a remap, KW V3 suspension, AP Racing brakes and a semi-slick tyre set up, among other modifications and driven by this season'sTime Attackdriver Alan Shepherd.
The first day would entail a day of data logging with the standard coolers in place, before swapping over to ourAIRTEC Motorsportcoolers for the next day and repeating the same process.
On the first day we saw that as the day went on the gearshifts started to slow down and we experienced on one occasion downshifting to third gear for it not to respond first time, so decided to take the rest of the lap to cool down before causing any lasting damage to the transmission.
When looking at the data gathered from the oil temperature sensors we had installed in the inlet and outlet of the DCT cooler, we noticed the standard DCT oil cooler had an overall maximum thermal efficiency of just16%, removing just 12 degrees of heat, whereas the AIRTEC Motorsport DCT oil cooler measured36%by removing up to 24 degrees of temperature from the gearbox oil in comparison, which is an impressive100%more than the standard oil cooler was able to do.
FULL VIDEO OF THE TESTING AVAILABLE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
Dimensions:
OEM DCT Cooler
Height: 120mm
Width: 220mm
Depth: 28mm
Volume: 0.73-litres
Frontal area: 264cm²
AIRTEC Motorsport DCT Cooler
Height: 230mm
Width: 250mm
Depth: 41mm
Volume: 2.35-litres
Frontal area: 575cm²
This cooler makes up part of BMW E9x M3 cooling package, which includes:
- AIRTEC Motorsport Oil Cooler
- AIRTEC Motorsport Radiator
- AIRTEC Motorsport Power Steering Cooler
- AIRTEC Motorsport Under Tray
Features:
- Comprehensive kit designed specifically for the E9x M3 platform -fits both DCT and manual cars
-
218% largercore compared to standard DCT cooler
-
118% increasein frontal area compared to standard DCT cooler
- Improved capacity and oil cooling ability
- Proven to work; tested on track with100%heat rejection improvement
- Genuine carbon fibre scoop to improve air flow into the cooler
- Aluminium vent to improve air flow out of the cooler
- Direct replacement that fits in original location
- Easiest to fit kit on the market
- Features detailed fitting guide
