Oil Cooler????
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Stage I
Joined: Dec 2006
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Oil Cooler????
Just trying to get an opinion on whether the $400+ dollar oil cooler for my twin cam road king is worth the money. Different opinions for everyone I ask. I live in Cal. and plan to do some desert riding and some stop and go in hot weather. I'm running synthetic oil and carry an average load, (not a heavy rider or passenger with minimal gear when touring). Anyone out there with good mechanical advice on the cooler. Thanks
Banned
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
RE: Oil Cooler????
antalamo, I think it would be a waste of money for the conditions you describe. Your bike will run cooler with Syn oil compared to Dino anyway, and an oil cooler is only marginally effective without air flow, like in stop and go traffic. The bike will also take alot longer to warm up in cool weather, you may even need to cover the cooler.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 897
Likes: 0
From: South-Central Minnesota
RE: Oil Cooler????
It is a fact that the engineers who designed the twin cam motor with the piston jet oilers, wanted an oil cooler standard on the twin cam motors, due to the larger ammount of heat transferred to the oil through the pistons. The reason they didn't get their oil cooler is Willie G's styling department said "no way".
If you are running a near stock 88" build, but with proper air/fuel mixture (not the ultra lean factory settings), then I wouldn't expect much additional benefit; but if you are running increased displacement (95,96,98+) and other 'hot rod' upgrades, I'd recommend you get an oil cooler...especially for desert riding. I can't think of any place I'd rather not be stranded more than a desert.
The good news is you don't have to spend all that money on an oil cooler. It cost me about $75.00 to convert my engine guard into an oil cooler. This mod is proven, and holds about an additional quart of oil. With a thermostat, oil does not flow through the cooler, so it doesn't take any longer to warm up, but when the cooler opens up your hot motor is treated to about a quart of nice cool oil which really helps when you are stuck in stop and go traffic.
This past July, I was on vacation, riding in 100+ degree temps at 80+mph for hours at a time, then slowing down for some back road exploring....While underway, my oil temp never exceeded 200*....and once I was stopped for atleast 10 minutes in a road construction zone at idle; and the temps never climbed higher than 210*.
$40.00 for a remote thermostat
$20.00 for a machine shop to drill and tap my engine guard
$15.00 for fittings and a few feet of oil line and clamps
If you are running a near stock 88" build, but with proper air/fuel mixture (not the ultra lean factory settings), then I wouldn't expect much additional benefit; but if you are running increased displacement (95,96,98+) and other 'hot rod' upgrades, I'd recommend you get an oil cooler...especially for desert riding. I can't think of any place I'd rather not be stranded more than a desert.
The good news is you don't have to spend all that money on an oil cooler. It cost me about $75.00 to convert my engine guard into an oil cooler. This mod is proven, and holds about an additional quart of oil. With a thermostat, oil does not flow through the cooler, so it doesn't take any longer to warm up, but when the cooler opens up your hot motor is treated to about a quart of nice cool oil which really helps when you are stuck in stop and go traffic.
This past July, I was on vacation, riding in 100+ degree temps at 80+mph for hours at a time, then slowing down for some back road exploring....While underway, my oil temp never exceeded 200*....and once I was stopped for atleast 10 minutes in a road construction zone at idle; and the temps never climbed higher than 210*.
$40.00 for a remote thermostat
$20.00 for a machine shop to drill and tap my engine guard
$15.00 for fittings and a few feet of oil line and clamps
ORIGINAL: antalamo
Just trying to get an opinion on whether the $400+ dollar oil cooler for my twin cam road king is worth the money. Different opinions for everyone I ask. I live in Cal. and plan to do some desert riding and some stop and go in hot weather. I'm running synthetic oil and carry an average load, (not a heavy rider or passenger with minimal gear when touring). Anyone out there with good mechanical advice on the cooler. Thanks
Just trying to get an opinion on whether the $400+ dollar oil cooler for my twin cam road king is worth the money. Different opinions for everyone I ask. I live in Cal. and plan to do some desert riding and some stop and go in hot weather. I'm running synthetic oil and carry an average load, (not a heavy rider or passenger with minimal gear when touring). Anyone out there with good mechanical advice on the cooler. Thanks
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,317
Likes: 11
From: Tucson, Az
RE: Oil Cooler????
It gets pretty hot where I live and the last big twin I bought (88b) the sales manager told me that MoCo did NOT recommend an air cooler. I've never had one and have never had a problem.
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