I've seen a couple of pi$$ing matches lately here on the best HD forums on the internet, concerning cooling down hot running engines.

Do all of us get emails from HD Forums? I got one today, with a photo link to one of the advertisers, Love Jugs. While I'd rather be riding, it's been raining all day and we're currently in a tornado watch, so I clicked around on the email link and found this:

http://love-jugs.com/25k/


A challenge. Put up or shut up type of challenge. One of our other popular sponsors is targeted.

P.s. For the record, before I would invest $3-400, I would consider all factors, and appearance is a big one. As I already have a larger ProPad horn on my Ultra, with a larger footprint, I'd be checking out fitment clearances as well.

Where's the popcorn? This might be good....

 

Jason's fans keep mine cool... 2 years now.

No need to try another.... I've got the best.

 

The fans regardless of brand are all close to worthless. I have 11 HD's with all the twin cam versions from 88 to 110. I have ridden through Death Valley in the afternoon summer at 120 degrees. Also all of the south west desert states multiple times. I have never experienced any heat issues with any of them.

The engines are tested at the Arizona proving grounds that HD leases space from Chrysler. The engines have been idled for 24 hours. No warped valves or any other problem.

There are two things that the owner can do to reduce the heat from the engine. One is to have an oil cooler if not equipped. The second is to run a power AFR which cools the heads, cylinder walls, valves and pistons better than any other AFR.

HD has flat top pistons to reduce their heat absorption and high silica pistons to transfer the heat which is then removed underneath the piston by the spray of oil directed at it.

Even the heat management system is added for the ***** riding the bike and not for the motor.

The TC HD motors are the most long lasting motors the HD has ever produced.

Read the article in the current issue of American Iron that compares the various generations of HD motors along with brake in procedures and durability of the motors.

 

Interesting opinion, IH4x4. BTW, I had a '74 Scout and a '76 Traveler.

IMO, if your post was 100% true, Harley would have had no reason to introduce the waterheads. Also, an oil cooler is virtually worthless at idle, unless fan assisted.

Also, imo, I think Harley really missed the boat by not dealing with folks like Wards or Love Jugs and realizing that they maybe had the solution, instead of investing gawd knows how much in the water heads that have given them so much trouble and bad press.

 

Yes they do. They can not offer a bike that does not met EPA standards which means running the lean burn 14.7 to one AFR with out facing a $10K fine per bike. With the water cooled exhaust port the bike still will run considerably cooler with a power AFR.

The wet head is just a stop gap until the next tier of mandates come along then it will require full water jacket cooling.

The oil cooler is not worthless at idle. I still flows hot oil that RADIATES into the atmosphere. As the hot air rises it pulls cool air into the radiator. According to your belief a steam/hot water radiator in a house can not heat the house and we all know that is not the case.

In the 30K miles I ride a year I bet my idle time is way less than than a fraction of one per cent. A HD engine is tested in the Proving Grounds in the Arizona desert can idle for 24 hours with no ill affect at all.

What does not work is any fan. It will blow hot air across you calf when your are stopped. Once you go and pass 30 mph the incoming wind overpowers the fan. So it is worthless for the overwhelming majority of riding. No fan on the market could force air across the engine unless the engine was a Brigs and Stratton enclosed in a housing.

 

I'm with IH on this topic. I do run a standard HD cooler and syn oil however since my first HD in 1974 I've never wounded an engine from overheat and I don't know anyone who has.

 

+1 on the fans not doing anything for the majority of the riding I do.

 

Careful with coolers ever try to suck a milkshake through a coffee straw? Your bike has that problem with oil that is too cooled. Cover it in cooler temps... That said I do not run one on either of my bikes as they cool fine at highway speeds and an oil cooler is worthless unless getting a steady flow through it anyway. I live in AZ and we see some temps that scare folks in summer and I get no less service from my engines even on the Shovelhead from living here than I did in IL many years ago.... Tried one on the Shovel some years back and took it back off within a few months. I think there is one on the shovel in the pic in my signature actually

Not saying I am right or wrong, but sharing what I have found...

 

I've been reading about this a lot and thought about an oil cooler. But am leaning toward putting faith in Harley's R&D. That doesn't mean I won't be sweating it a bit if I find myself stuck in a long traffic jam.

 

Nugget Shooter: Son. that is why HD coolers have a THERMOSTAT in them.