Having installed a 117" in my trike the Harley 6 row oil wasnt enough to keep the oil temps down to a acceptable range. I didnt think the 10 jagg would be enough either. So, I decided to spend the money and purchased the Oil Bud oil cooler. It has more surface area and after its installed I like that its hidden

I installed the Oil Bud cooler 2 days ago but life and the rain kept me from being able to ride till today. Installing it isnt bad, they left out one step in the instruction about having to remove the bracket below the frame under the voltage regulator.

I got a chance to ride about 50 miles before the rain today. The oil temp got no higher then 195 degrees on my oil temp dash gauge cruising at 70 mph in 6th gear in 85 degree temps. The oil temp sensor is now under the oil filter since the oil pan location were I had the temp sensor was in the way of the cooler installation. Harley and the Oil bud company say this is the correct place to measure your temperature. So far Im happy with what Im seeing for temps and hopefully the oil temps will not be any higher then the 220 range later this summer when its 95 plus degrees here.

I have purchased the Harley parade fan ( found a smokin $200 deal on Ebay for new in the box gloss black one ) that I will be installing with a manual on/off switch after I get the new mounting brackets for the 08 and newer touring models that are on order. I figure to use the fan when Im in town or getting stuck in stop n go traffic.

 

Thanks FLTR2008 for the information on the Bud Oil Cooler. I have to admit that I never heard of Bud before your post so I went on line and checked them out; I watched the videos and they seem to place a great deal of emphases on the cosmetics of the product and how indestructible this thing is but little explanation of how effectively it cools.

In one of the videos, two guys ride down Las Vegas Blvd. side by side in stop & go traffic; the guy with the Bud Cooler has engine oil readings of 35 degrees less than the other but they never said if the other guy had any oil cooler at all or what the outside air temperature was. That makes me question the validity of the test but the bigger question is: does placing the temperature probe in the small tube behind the oil filter rather than sensing the heat of the oil in the pan automatically guarantee a lower temperature reading? Is this the most accurate place to take an engine oil reading from?

FLTR2008, I know that you do your homework and most likely did a lot of research so I would be curious as to why you choose the Bud Oil Cooler as opposed to an Ultra-Cooler or a larger Jagg cooler. I’m also wondering if because of all the add ional plumbing on the Bud, if you have to add any additional oil and what if any effect it had on your oil pressure.

 

I really tried to use a Earls oil cooler that is made for cars and was able to use the Harley 6 row oil cooler mounting plate for the Earls cooler. It looked good mounted there in place of the Harley 6 row. The 10 row Earls cooler is twice as thick as the jagg or Harley cooler but is no wider then the stock Harley 6 row I had on my trike. Unfortunately the oil line fittings ( 10an to 6an 90 degree ) I needed to make the Earls oil cooler work hit my right foot shifter linkage that crosses right over the voltage regulator. Earls makes a wider cooler but the measurement of it width wise was too wide to fit between the lower mounting tabs of the engine guard so I had to go a different route.

The same problem exists with my right foot shift linkage that keeps me from being able to use the Ultra cool oil cooler as well. Plus I dont think it would be enough cooler for my 117"


The oil bud cooler offered more cooling surface area, which should give you better cooling. While jagg makes both a 10 and 14 row cooler the 10 row I looked at didnt look like it would be enough cooler for 117" also. I had no desire to hang a 14 row cooler on my frame.

The oil bud cooler only has two braided stainless steel lines. They have aircraft grade type fittings and the cooler is well made and is as durable as the video shows. The housing for the thermostat is made from billet aluminum and the two sections are sealed using o rings instead of a paper type gasket. The oil filter is now a little higher and closer to the outside of the frame for installation and removal which I like alot.

I did have the sensor in oil pan but I wasnt able to leave it there because of design of the oil bud cooler. The Harley oil temp gauge kit according to Harley suggests the sensor to be installed in the oil line from the oil cooler. Oil bud says the same thing, that you get a true oil temp reading from the cooler not the pan.

Oil bud machined the billet thermostat bypass housing for the sensor to be screwed in that. Its not in the oil line so no worries about a possible leak with hose clamps

I am using Amsoil 60wt synthetic Racing oil and my oil pressure cruising is 40lbs . Now I am running a LMR #2 spring and I have TMans 3 stage oil pump in my Axtell/Tman 117" engine . The LMR #2 spring adds 15% more pressure according to Baisleys website.

I have a new gloss black Harley parade fan in the box waiting to be installed. I ordered the newer mounting brackets for 08 and newer. I have the wiring in place on the trike already to turn it on and off manually.

 

Heres two pictures of my right foot shifter linkage so you get an idea of what Im talking about>>

 

I ride a 2008 softail heritage. Through the summer I would always see oil temps reach 240 to 250 F. There were times I could even smell the oil it was so hot (East Texas).

After a lot of research using Google I decided to purchase the oil bud in May of this year (2010). I believe this will turn out to be the best decision I have made for the bike.

I put 17,000 miles on my bike without the oil bud and a little over 3,000 miles with the oil bud (Oil bud was on my bike all summer 2010). I am very adamant about taking care of engines so I have watched my oil temperatures since the bike was new. The first 2 summers would produce oil temps as high as 250 with one 260 reading. This would keep me awake at night. After a 50 plus mile ride in the summer I would never see oil temps below 220 and the 220 had to be late evening riding. Any Day riding produced 240 minimum.

POST OIL BUD:
After riding 3000 plus miles this summer in temperatures ranging from 85 and below (evenings / night) to plenty of 95 to 103 day riding I can say the oil bud works for me. I have not seen any oil temperatures above 205 this summer and that was a 55 mile ride at 75 mph down the interstate with the outside temp at 105 degrees in east Texas. Most of my oil temp readings now are 200 and below. My legs may still get warm but they don't fry like eggs amymore. I don't believe I will ever see another 250 to 260 degree oil temp reading. Certainly the money I spent on the oil bud is an investment not an expense. I have changed my oil anywhere from 1000 miles to 1500 miles in the summer because it got so hot (oxidized). I have no problem going 2500 to 3000 miles now without changing oil (summer time included).

One note about installation. Bikes are different so if a person's bike requires a hose being bent to make connections my suggestion would be don't do it that way. Go to a hardware store and get a 90 degree elbow or two but don't "kink" your hoses; the oil must flow freely through the cooler. Take your time installing the unit and it will work properly.

One more note here. My wife told me when she bought me the bike that I wasn't going to put an ugly oil cooler on it and ruin the looks. Well, she hasn't noticed the Oil Bud under the bike all summer and she has rode most of the miles with me. She did see the thermostat and ask me whtat it was. I just told her it was "the thermostat that controlled oil temperatue" and she said "Oh". She thinks it come from the factory that way. Further more I've had to point it out to my friends that ride with me. I will tell her next summer if she hasn't noticed it by then.

We are going to the east coast Sept. 30th to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway with a group of eight bikes and I would bet that my oil temperatures never get above 195 degrees. My oil temperature will stay at 185 to 190 degrees anytime the ambient temp is 85 and below.

JB

 

I just got back today from a 2 day 700+ miles round trip to Kittyhawk NC to see the start of the Pre-1916 Vintage Motorcycle Cannonball Run. The oil temp never got above 210 in traffic and cruising was sitting right at 190 in 90 degree temps.

I drained my straight synthetic 60wt racing Amsoil and tried Redline 20-60wt before riding to Kittyhawk. The Redline hot at idle doesnt keep the same oil pressure as the straight 60wt. I had 10lbs at idle and now have around 8lbs. Oil temps were even so time will tell if the Redline will hold up for the rest of the warm weather we have here

 

Well...I don't have an Oil Bud and I am sure mine is not as efficient....but I could shoot it with a shot-gun and not hurt it and I can whack it with a hammer too. The add almost reminds me of those infomercials that come on TV around 3:AM in the morning. I wonder if you can peel a pineapple with it?

The Oil Bud looks like a well engineered unit. It's a bit pricey by the time you purchase what you need and some folks won't like all the plumbing, but if it's as effective as they say it is, it may be worth the price.

 

LOL, it was like a infomercial, but it does work as advertised. The price of it is to be considered but for me after spending $6500 to rebuild a failed stock HD assembly engine, it will help insure the longevity of my engine investment.

The system isnt difficult to install and one of the features I do like compared to the stock HD cooler is the aircraft grade fittings on the stainless steel braided lines. I also like the height of the oil filter now. I have alot more clearance to get under the filter to catch any oil that leaks out of the filter when Im removing it.

You do have to reverse the front engine mounting bolt direction to install the cooler which isnt difficult to do

As far as the plumbing goes, there are 4 pieces, the thermostat bypass, 2 braided stainless steel lines and the oil cooler. No more then the stock HD touring oil cooler or the Jagg cooler. See attached pictures

 

Oh..I agree it has to be a very good cooler and I despise any rubber line or hose clamp myself. All my fluid connections are AN type aircraft hoses and fittings. Here is a picture of my crash-bar cooler. It's surely not as efficient as the Oil Bud, but it's bullet-proof.

 

I was wondering how much extra oil did the engine guard take to fill?