if you haven't shot head heat temp, how do you know it is running too hot? The HD design runs hot by nature with no ill effects.

 

Ya are just guessing if ya haven't checked temps. I'd put it back on the dyno and make sure all your "tuning" is right. Recheck oil pressure and lifter adjustment. More hp makes more heat and Some pipes throw more heat than others...

 

Do you have an oil temp gauge? It would be helpful to know what the oil or head temp is before declaring that the heat you are experiencing is excessive. One must expect more heat from a high performance motor vis a stock motor; all things being equal. Get us the oil and/or head temps before we go down a rabbit hole.

Having said that, you really only have a couple of options to reduce the heat you are experience, excessive or not. You still need to get the bike on a dyno so you know you are starting from a baseline tune that is as close as you can get to optimal; tuning a carbureted bike is a compromise. You can double up on the oil cooler. You can install a set of Jason's fans; cool the heads and cool the oil and Jason's fans work. You do get a bit of felt heat on the right side of the bike as that is direction the fans are blowing. You should also check your timing, retarding timing from what you have can also reduce heat.

I run a Jagg 10 row on my all bore 107" motor that makes 108HP/122TQ and rarely see oil temps over 230* in 90* ambient temps. I also run a fairly conservative DTT custom map. Reading spark plugs to evaluate initial and total timing is an art and, IMHO, the only way one can evaluate timing absolutely is to print the map and see what is going on. I would be happy to email you my DTT map so you can compare it with your 2/5 settings. I can tell you that from 2500 rpms up, you are running 10* more total timing than I am from 2500 rpms across the board. IMHO, that is not necessary and is gaining you nothing but could be generating more heat. Additionally, there are no dial settings that will reduce timing to the level I am running via my map.

Just a suggestion; your motor is what it is and it will generate more heat than stock. Cooling the oil and/or heads and reducing the operating heat the motor generates are the only two ways to reduce the heat you are experiencing. JMHO.

 

Technically I don't believe a 140* stat for the cooler is appropriate. You really need your oil temp to be around 165* for optional protection that's coming from my days running prostocks at dirt tracks. You also need to get those readings to make your pitch as quoted by djl. Also timing is a huge factor. Depending on what ignition you have you can change the curve and reduce heat but if it ain't pinging it shouldn't be too bad...fwiw the only time I run into heat problems is when I'm cruising through Manhattan. Yea hot and very loud and little power...

 

I used to worry about heat after exhaust, cams, big bore, etc. Watching the head temps on my powervision and the cheap oil temp dipstick made me nervous. Enter Wards FCS cooling fans. My head temps barely reach 240 and thats sitting in traffic in 85 degree weather. Highest ive seen oil temp hit is 230.

 

Actually, I would pull the Tstat; in south Texas it isn't necessary. Let the oil flow and take as long as possible to heat up. Just because there is no ping does not mean dynawg1 can't reduce heat by pulling out some timing. I used to try and run as much timing as possible without detonation but have learned that approaching timing that way does not make more power than a more conservative ignition map would without the added heat.

 

Okay, djl, hotrod, old hippie:

Couple of things:

When I say excessive heat, what I am trying to say is that I notice that the engine noises from the heads & cylinders are louder (say after a full throttle blast through the gears or after sitting in traffic) than when it is cruising on the open road at say 40-70 mph with a steady draft of cool air. I have had the bike for 13 years and have always noticed this with four different builds over that time. I just feel that the motor gets too hot at times based on the increase in mechanical sound levels. Seems to be a fact-of-life with a modified HD air cooled motor, but I sure would like to eliminate it, or at least reduce it, if possible to extend the motor's lifespan.

hotrod: the original thermostat in the Jagg cooler's adapter BEGINS to open at 185* and DOES NOT FULLY OPEN until ~220* and cannot hold the temp at 220 when ambient temps get in the 80s/90s, like what will happen soon in south Texas. By reducing the t-stat opening temp to 140*, the full open temp is reduced to ~185, giving the cooler a better chance at maintaining the oil temp in the low-to-mid 200's when the weather gets hot. It is easier to keep oil from getting too hot than to cool oil that has already gotten too hot.

I have been tuning the Mikuni and the DTT by riding and reading the plugs. There is a whole thread on my journey through tuning the carb on another forum (HTT). Bike runs fantastic, better than I have ever gotten from a dyno tune, not to say that a pull after the tuning I have done and an AFR reading would not be helpful as a validator of the tune and to make additional tweaks. djl - still planning to make the next Dyno Day at Lozano Bros. in May. Until then, I am limited to what can be done by riding and wrenching.

Reading plugs: I have used the cut lines on the ground straps to adjust the DTT, leading to reducing the advance slope from "5" to "4" to get the lower cut line at the bottom of the apex (90* bend) and the top cut line is at the top of the apex with initial timing set at "2". djl- would love to get your custom map to try. Thanks. Plugs' ceramic now looks great for correct color and the top thread shows a good fuel mix.

Adding fans may be the only way to reduce the head/cylinder temps because cooling the oil only has minimal effect on head temps due to the HD oiling system design. Just hoping to discover a simpler & less visibly intrusive way to get the temps lower when conditions get the motor hotter than optimal.

 

So, Dave, are you looking to get rid of the noise or trying to reduce the heat; two separate issues.

My map is headed your way by email. As for the noise, IIRC, you are running the Johnson lifters? First thing I would do would be to replace those with Gatermans, Woods, or S&S Premium, which IMHO are more suitable for a hi-performance application. I am not a huge fan of the LiquiMoly oil either. I know it is the current oil de jour but I stick to conventional 20W50 and if I was to switch to a synthetic it would be Redline 20W50 or 20W60. I know oil choice is very subjective and we all have our preferences; each to his own.

Until we see some data, we really don't know if the heat is excessive or not. However, you need some readings and then you can do a field test to see if reducing timing will help pull the temps down whatever they may be.

 

I'd pull the t-stat too. It does not change the operating temp of the oil. It just takes longer to reach operating temp. Any reason you are using that oil? Have you used that oil before? Some oils are loud operating. Might go back to that Valvoline oil. What type of valve springs were used? Was the clearance checked to the lower rocker box when the motor was turned over? Mine hit and had to be ground, although now SE makes pre-clearanced ones now. Have you checked your pushrods for rub marks?

 

Thanks djl. Hot motor mechanical sounds seem to be coming from the top end, primarily from the cylinders when listening from the primary side, not the lifters or lower valve train. The Johnson Hylifts haven't made a click or knock yet.

Not advancing the timing "until it pings", but using the plugs' ground strap readings to set the timing. I will try taking the advance slope down to "3" and see what happens. Will invest in a thermo gun and collect some data. Wish we were closer so you could check it out first hand.