Oil Coolers...
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,334
Likes: 2
RE: Oil Coolers...
Thanks for all the input. Seeing that nobody has said anything negative about an oil cooler this has just been added to my winter project list.
1) It may lower oil pressure because oil is traveling though another hose
2) another thing that can clog or the hose can bust and will cause you to loose oil
3) it probably won't help you much in situations like traffic jams because it requires air flow to cool the oil
Other than that I would say go for it.
Administrator Emeritus
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,704
Likes: 252
From: Walker Basin, CA
RE: Oil Coolers...
ORIGINAL: 1200c
Ok, then I guess i'll tell you the downsides to it.
1) It may lower oil pressure because oil is traveling though another hose
2) another thing that can clog or the hose can bust and will cause you to loose oil
3) it probably won't help you much in situations like traffic jams because it requires air flow to cool the oil
Other than that I would say go for it.
Thanks for all the input. Seeing that nobody has said anything negative about an oil cooler this has just been added to my winter project list.
1) It may lower oil pressure because oil is traveling though another hose
2) another thing that can clog or the hose can bust and will cause you to loose oil
3) it probably won't help you much in situations like traffic jams because it requires air flow to cool the oil
Other than that I would say go for it.
1) Engineers who understand things like friction loss and laminar flow characteristics of fluids designed the oil coolers. They make the passages large enough to handle the flow volume at the given pressure to make friction loss negligible.
2) The passages in the cooler and the inside diameter of the connecting hoses are larger than the oil passages in the engine and the oil filter is there to aid in removing junk, birds, rocks and flying insects.
3) Just by virtue of the fact the oil volume is greater, the oil will take longer to heat up. The fins on the oil cooler act as a heat sink. A certain amount of heat will be dissipated by radiation. True conduction is more efficient, but the help of more oil and more surface area will keep you bike cooler longer in traffic.
HD sells oil coolers. They have not installed everything on every bike. We get to pick and choose.
Yes, I have an oil cooler on my RK. I chose to have a simple on/off valve rather than a thermostat to regulate temp. Personal choice.
Put one on your ride and enjoy the country side!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,475
Likes: 3
From: Southeast Wisconsin
RE: Oil Coolers...
ORIGINAL: 1200c
3) it probably won't help you much in situations like traffic jams because it requires air flow to cool the oil
3) it probably won't help you much in situations like traffic jams because it requires air flow to cool the oil
If HD thought it needed one it would have one.
My .02
Tourer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 378
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Oil Coolers...
I have one on my sloptail. My oil temp has never risen above 200 degrees, and that was in the dead of summer. Next time I service the bike, I'll use Mobil 1 V-twin which should drop the oil temp some more.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,334
Likes: 2
RE: Oil Coolers...
2) The passages in the cooler and the inside diameter of the connecting hoses are larger than the oil passages in the engine and the oil filter is there to aid in removing junk, birds, rocks and flying insects.
They make the passages large enough to handle the flow volume at the given pressure to make friction loss negligible.
By the way, I just put it up there as things I have heard others complain about to help present both sides of the argument.
Banned
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 802
Likes: 3
From:
RE: Oil Coolers...
ORIGINAL: Grover
.......... and the oil filter is there to aid in removing junk, birds, rocks and flying insects.................
.......... and the oil filter is there to aid in removing junk, birds, rocks and flying insects.................
ORIGINAL: 1200c
Yes, but I have still heard of people complaining about a cooler getting clogged after awhile and developing a leak.
2) The passages in the cooler and the inside diameter of the connecting hoses are larger than the oil passages in the engine and the oil filter is there to aid in removing junk, birds, rocks and flying insects.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
RE: Oil Coolers...
Well I bit on the Super Premium Oil Cooler and it does have a thermostat (bypass valve?) in it. I run a pretty decent build on my 05 Road Glide and 10.5:1 compression with Woods TW6HG cams. The bike ran hot stock 220-230, ran hotter in this trim 220-250.
It works and I run 220-230 tops, but have not done stop and go of traffic jam yet but plenty of city driving. Now here in PA I rode Saturday, 35 degrees, and could not get it over 200 no matter what, stop and go, out right WOT on my favorite play bridge, nothing would take it over that 200. Now the thermostat kicks in at 190 and opens the cooler. Every day I ride here in the winter I make sure I get my bike to 200 for a 20-30 minuet period of time to cook vapor off. Usually it is longer but I set this as MY personal time frame.
They are pricey, they DO work, the have the ability to leak as any other hose on our bikes without attention, they are in a nasty location and can catch debris, but I saw a fix with the chrome cover and a screen door insert wire cut to size and it looked slick, I don't know if you gain by convection at a stop but you do gain a slight increase in oil capacity, and did I mention it was pricey?
Install a bit of a PITA but not too bad. On a run where you are packing tools get a PVC U and two pieces of hose and throw in with your tools, then if it takes a rock or a hose breaks you can either replace the hose or use the U and hoses as a bypass off the filter mount to get home.
It works and I run 220-230 tops, but have not done stop and go of traffic jam yet but plenty of city driving. Now here in PA I rode Saturday, 35 degrees, and could not get it over 200 no matter what, stop and go, out right WOT on my favorite play bridge, nothing would take it over that 200. Now the thermostat kicks in at 190 and opens the cooler. Every day I ride here in the winter I make sure I get my bike to 200 for a 20-30 minuet period of time to cook vapor off. Usually it is longer but I set this as MY personal time frame.
They are pricey, they DO work, the have the ability to leak as any other hose on our bikes without attention, they are in a nasty location and can catch debris, but I saw a fix with the chrome cover and a screen door insert wire cut to size and it looked slick, I don't know if you gain by convection at a stop but you do gain a slight increase in oil capacity, and did I mention it was pricey?
Install a bit of a PITA but not too bad. On a run where you are packing tools get a PVC U and two pieces of hose and throw in with your tools, then if it takes a rock or a hose breaks you can either replace the hose or use the U and hoses as a bypass off the filter mount to get home.