After 14yrs and 194k miles...

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

...after a nice drive in the e31, I usually pop the bonnet and remove oil cap and dipstick to allow heat to dissipate from the V12. It is an ungodly heater tho in the garage. 8 hrs after it was turned off, the garage is still super hot.

Are you concerned about seals baking and oil caking from internal heat? I'm not familiar at all, concerning e31's, and don't know if there's an electric pump to move coolant, either.

I'm also not a purist, so modifying even a "classic" wouldn't be sacrilege to me, if a mod would help performance and/or durability. The last iteration of my '66 Chevelle drag car was fully modified, especially for performance.

As for cooling both the engine (427/441 cubic inch, 14+ compression) and the transmission (Trans-braked Powerglide), I used electric pumps to cool the fluids, especially on hot days at the dragstrip.

I used a Meziere 55gph 12v electric water pump (not a mechanical, belt-driven pump), and would run it and the two electric fans attached to the aluminum radiator, between rounds to keep the engine cooler. And, though I used a separate oil cooler (with fan) for the transmission, which had its' own internal pump operating while the engine was running, I also had added an external 12v pump circuit (with ball valves at each end) that I'd run in the pits, sometimes.

So, if you're concerned about static temperature, and wouldn't be averse to adding a little (and possibly hidden or with quick-disconnects) plumbing, you could quickly remove excess heat from the fluids (and engine, transmission). Just an idea to consider.