Little History

I had recently installed a 120R in my 09 FLHX Ultra and have discovered that there is plenty of heat being generated from the motor even though I have had it professionally tuned. On its maiden voyage I put her through a 3000 mile road trip, 2 up with bags loaded from Texas up into New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah and then back into Texas where temps on the highway with the cruise set on 80 mph I saw engine temps on my HD in-dash gauge to read 255*-260* and when I would do 65 mph I saw temps hovering at 230*-235* and on average I saw temps in the area of 230* for basically all around riding providing I wasn’t doing any Interstate riding at 75 plus MPH along with the ambient temps outside in the low to mid 90’s. Texas and Utah was the most brutal when running on the interstate seeing those temps hovering right below the 260* slash on the gauge. I found myself watching the gauge all the time.

So I have been looking at the oil coolers that are available and trying to do all the reading on them and asking what I hoped were the right questions. It can be over whelming to try and figure out which system is the right one for me and one that will stand up for a lifetime of usage and abuse that the roads can dish out. There are the horizontal models the vertical models, I looked at the Jaggs system, Ultra-Cool system and the Oil Bud system, 2 of which has been highly discussed and reviewed and 1 of which had very little discussion.
The Ultra-cool which was the latest in which I had heard about works like a radiant heater with the cooling tubes running vertical, while the Jaggs tubes run horizontally and works more like a radiator on your car. Both run with the available fans to help cool the fluids when needed but if one chooses to go with the Jagg it could be installed without the use of a fan. I could only assume that the Ultra-Cool could be run without the Fan installed as well. However its design was to be used with a fan to kick on.

I had a Harley Cooler on my 06 Ultra that seemed to do quite a job in cooling the motor with just a download from Dynojet. It seemed to run 15*-20* cooler on average then my buddy’s temps who had gotten their bikes tuned and also running a cooler (brand I don’t recall). However the Harley Oil cooler wasn’t going to be an option here since I had so much trouble with the adapter constantly rotating when I was removing the oil filters as needed, also with the design and location of the hoses looking like an afterthought on location placement hooking up to the adapter.

I had the cooler on the bike for about 1.5 years with @ 20,000 miles on it before I took the oil cooling system off and got rid of the bike,( with no problems at all) however when I examined the cooler before I put it up for sale I noticed quite a bit of wear on the front face leading edge of the fins of the cooler where the fins were damaged (bent or folded over) as well as the paint had been blasted away in a circular pattern (this was apparently done from all the debris that the front tire was able to pick up and throw at it). Although the cooler worked just fine and this was no more than cosmetic it to had something to be considered when I was making a decision. Then after seeing and reading about coolers that have been subject to failures due to something on the road being right in the way of the back side of the front tire I was leery of this style. Then to add the addition of a fan on the unit if I was to go with the fan model was something that I would have to take in consideration. I am not sure that the charging system would be adequate for the additional fan, perhaps plenty however I do run a lot of electronics powered up when I’m on a trip and wasn’t sure I wanted another electrical component running all the time with the opportunity for failure.

There were pros and cons to both the Jaggs and the Ultra-Cool I was seeing. Then I found the Bud Oil Cooler which was made here in the USA. The inventor Bud Clarke designed and built the cooler for people like me that are **** about the OVAL appearance of their scooter and who by the way is in the same field I am in. Knowing what little I know about the aircraft materials to build an aircraft in which our lives will be dependent on, I was seeing this to be positive and then to boot it had come with a lifetime warranty and was completely concealed. I figured this was a win win for me. I will try and buy US made over China made when I can and don’t mind paying a bit more to help support the US businesses. Then there was the cost of the Oil Bud cooler, I could buy 2 for what this one was going to cost me. So I read all I could find about the Bud Cooler and found very little from members/folks on the internet as far as how well it actually cooled until I saw the videos on his web site. Until I actually saw it I thought it was more like a radiator with brass/steel tubes and aluminum fins and this had not interested me at all. But then I got familiar with his web site and soon got educated to the quality of the materials used in the Bud Cooler and realized this is a well-made piece of art. It has more surface area than any other heat exchanger available. Very interesting and then to see the shotgun being used and a big hammer on it was a huge factor I wanted to address when making my decision on just which cooler I was to seriously consider. Not that I foresaw a shotgun or hammer being used on the cooler in my application. But just the added mental peace of knowing that it wasn’t as fragile as I first thought it was.
Aircraft 6061 T6 Aluminum, shotgun test, 35* difference in running side by side in Las Vegas, no fan, heck if I could see 20* temps cooler I would be happy. Plus as an added bonus and I’m **** about my baby I personally did not care for any of the coolers mounted to the front of the bike, let alone with a fan assist unit on it so if I could have it tucked away this appealed to me more so than having a cooler hung on the front of the bike. For me this just seemed to look out of place IMO.

I had talked to Ultra-Cool and was weighing their product against the Jagg. Then I spoke to Bud Clarke. Bud seemed to be just a down to earth man who had a love and passion for building a quality product. And after discussing his product in extent I had even more information to weigh out. Again this was what I felt I needed to help me make an educated decision on the best system for my application would be. Bud and I talked about the components that went into his unit and what his warranty would cover and what I would really see as far as reduced temps. Since the motor was a 120R he had no actual facts to base the numbers on but felt he/I should see 15*-20* reduced temperatures. This is somewhere in the neighborhood I was expecting/hoping to see.

So after Months of deciding on which oil cooler I was going to go with I decided to go with Bud Clarkes Oil Bud System. The JPG 123 TR-09B 09 Harley Touring Black Powder Coat
Several factors came in to play here: in no particular order
A) It was basically undetectable when installed
B) It stood up to several dead blows with several hammers
C) It stood up to a shotgun Blast and still kept its integrity
D) Life time warranty (yes each will be addressed individually but I don’t feel that Bud Clark will leave me stranded if I needed his help)
E) The quality of the materials used IMO were far superior over the competitors, one of which has acknowledged made in China
F) Made in the USA
G) Temperatures possibly being reduced more than I/we are hoping for

ARRIVAL

The day has come and the Oil Bud Cooler had arrived. The Oil Bud System came in its own box with Oil Bud identified all over the box in its tape. Each part was individually wrapped and protected from the abuse the delivery company’s put the parcels thru. The box and components arrived at my door unscathed.
The Oil adapter I requested had been the black powder coated rather than polished or brushed finish. The finish looked as though it was going to be an exact match with Harley’s matte finish.
Very well finished. (After the installation of the adapter it’s a very, very close match) The instructions are the same as the ones on his web site and seem to be very informative as to exactly how and in what order one needs to install the cooler as well as what tools and tool sizes are going to be needed.
The fittings all look to be of high quality components and the bradded lines are something that will be worry free as far as deterriating and rotting for a long time.
The finish of the welds was done very professionally and if one did not know better they looked as though they could pass for robotic assist.
All in all the finish was right up there at the top for a quality finish one would expect from a well-made piece of work. The powder coating on the cooler is really well applied and uniform in application. The machining of the adapter was very well thought out and designed. It also appears that on the side of the adapter machined into the material there are some cooling fins designed perhaps to help dissipate any heat. Very cool looking for whatever reason they are in there.


Installation

After reading the instructions several times just so I felt assured that there would be no hiccups during the installation I preceded with the install. Drove the bike up on the table lift and began the OIL Cooler installation all went well during the installation until I tried to install the forward cooler section. After wrestling with it for some time I made a call to Buddy and he assured me it would fit, that it all had to do with the way my head was turned. So after a general conversation with him I continued the installation only to find that it did have to do with the way I held my head and it slipped right into the section of the frame and motor it was supposed to. During the phone call buddy educated me that the thermostat was supposed to go forward of the bung fitting and NOT aft of the bung and forward of the head where I had it originally. So after this slight hiccup I relocated the adapter and having done that it made a world of difference in the way everything fit and the OVAL cosmetic looks. Very clean installation. I have a set of D&D Bosszilla aftermarket exhaust on the bike and everything fit like it was designed to.
NOTE: while routing the lines from the front to the rear of the motor I was thinking it would have been much easier with another set of hands and eyes however with a bit of patience I was able to accomplishment this. Perhaps if I was to do another I might be able to get around this particular portion of the installation easier but since it was my first I would have liked to get a bit of assistance. Just be patience and all will work out. Follow the instructions to the letter and installation will be smoother.
Another observation since I was doing the install on a lift table I did notice that my standard length 11/16” open end wrench was long. I happened to have a set of the shorter ones which worked like a champ. In the table the front wheel is fixed and getting to the nuts on the adapter was challenging due to the fender and then we have the table it’s self-getting in the way at times. Another was the 5/32” allen wrench, working with the small allen heads when the adapter was in place I made a extended length one to help with the tightening of the 4 allen heads in which I cut one down, however one that was perhaps 6” long would have been just the ticket, however if all one has was the standard allen wrenches they will work just fine with a bit of patience.

Result’s While on Test Ride

Let me tell you, I am very happy with the findings
On my in HD in dash gauge I have temps printed at 185* in bold stamped print and then there are 2 slashes and 230* printed then 2 slashes and 260* stamped and more slashes
In the first set of slashes the marks are 15* apart so the first slash would be 200* and the 2nd would be 215* and then the 230* number would be identified in bold stamped print. I’m sure they (HD) are all alike.
The ride when I started after the motor warmed up stayed pretty much hovering just above the 185*and under the 200* stamped slash so it was @ 190*- 195* pretty much kept the temperatures in the neighborhood of the T-Stat operation.
This portion of the ride was in town for about 30 minutes with varying speeds and some stop and go traffic…
As I continued the needle did change due to the bike getting warmer along with getting on the highway where I really wanted to see what the temperature‘s would do. So off I went and got the speed up to 80 mph and set the cruise and rode for 30 miles and monitored the temp gauge. I pegged at the 2nd slash and stayed there at 215* for the entire time I rode on the highway…whether it was 70 or 80 mph it did not matter the needle was almost stuck on the 2nd slash indicating 215*ish
I proceeded to get onto an Interstate Highway and found the temperatures were climbing just past the 2nd slash, about the width of the point of the needle not much and still well within what I was hoping for. As I was getting into a more congested portion of the interstate where the traffic was heavier and the temps in the air was noticeable hotter along with business’s and interstate walls of concrete were on both sides of the freeway I did notice yet another slight increase in temperatures. The needle had moved between the 2nd slash and the 230* stamp while I was in this area of slower moving traffic on the interstate coming into the city.
However once I got back up to cruising speeds the temps continued to decline and rest just between the 1st and 2nd slash or @205*-210* while I was doing 50-60 mph, once the air got to flowing under the cooler it started to cool better and it did not take long either for the temps to start being reduced.
The cooler did as it was advertised and what Buddy and I were hoping for and more
For me I was hoping to get the temperatures lowered when I am on the highway with the cruise on and to get a 40* difference in cooling was what I could have only hoped for.
I town where I was hovering around the 230* I am now seeing as much as a 20* decrease in temperatures.
I’m getting all this without a fan assist mind you and I don’t have that big ugly Cooler in front of the voltage regulator, it’s tucked real nice and neat under the motor and transmission and if one wasn’t looking for it you would not even notice it being there.
To summarize:
I never got anywhere near the 255* temps in which I previously had seen while on the bike while cruising at 80mph
The cruising in town were considerably lower than what I had experienced in the past
All in All I am extremely pleased with the Bud Oil Cooler and I’m sure my better half will notice a substantial decrease in heat as well.

Borrowed for a man who constantly amazes me all the time with his vast knowledge.
Remember the Bernoulli principle? As the air rushes around the tire it accelerates and the pressure drops which is endothermic and the air temps drop. The increased velocity and cooler air make the lower mounted oil cooler work better.

Ride safe

 

Bowhunter that is a great write up on the cooler. I have been thinking of installing one on my bike as well. I have too much time a monet to trade and already have around 19,000 miles on the clock and will keep this bike quiet awhile.
Where did you buy from and what was the cost?

 

If you want to cool it down you may want to consider Jason Ward's Forced Convection System aka FCS. Jason is a sponser and offers a discount to members. Many, including myself, believe Jason's system is superior to all others. Excellent reading concerning cooling down the Twin Cam at Jason's site WardsPartsWerks.com also a thread within this forum that provides lots of info. The thumbnail is mine and I'm thrilled with it's performance.

 

Tn.
I got the cooler directly form Buddy
As far as I am aware of there this is the only place to get one...Online here
http://harleyoilcoolers.com/index.html
enjoy
paul

 

I have an oil bud as well.
It is a quality product.
Pricey, yes...but it has @ least three times and then some the cooling space of the other coolers.
I generally run temps of 215-230 and on a rare (very hot) occasion have hit temps right @245 or there-bouts.
Bud is a great guy..bar none.
I recommend the OBC.

 

So how do you jack up the bike or change the oil? Does the cooler have to be dropped each time to get to the drain plugs? Sorry if I missed reading this if it sounds redundant.

 

Great write-up! I also am running a 120R, but I'm using the Ultra Cool. Basically, I've given up tracking my oil temp. I have Dakota Digital Gauges and I now track my Head Temp instead of oil temp. Example: 90 degree day on interstate riding 70mph oil temp is 250ish and Head Temp 270, more than acceptable. Same day in traffic oil temp 225 w/cooling fans holding it at that temp and head temp 325ish. Seems as if the Ultra Cool is more effective @ slow/stopped speeds.