Do I need a cooler?
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 589
Likes: 93
From: Stockholm
Last edited by OakMountainRider; Feb 15, 2023 at 11:29 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,129
Likes: 1,981
From: Ottawa, CANADA
My view is that any air cooled bike can benefit from an external oil cooler with a thermostat. On my bone stock 2008 Heritage Softail it lowered the oil temp from 270 F to 250 F under the same high heat conditions. That may not sound like much but it is a significant reduction. On my old 98 Electra Glide, I managed to find a brand new old stock HD factory oil cooler for a good price, so I installed it this winter.
The climate I live in is similar to yours and it is my opinion that you should install one, just make sure it has a thermostat. That way the oil temps won't get too low when its cold. You've gone to all that work and your engine will thank you.
The climate I live in is similar to yours and it is my opinion that you should install one, just make sure it has a thermostat. That way the oil temps won't get too low when its cold. You've gone to all that work and your engine will thank you.
Cheers!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,925
Likes: 8,027
From: poway
The highest temps I've seen on my 2000 FXDX was about 235F, 90 degree days and no traffic but could be running the bike hard, out of the open road. It was a high compression (11.3 to 1) 116. Never really had any heat issues but did run synthetic and no cooler.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 1,219
From: Dubuque, IA
I built my 103. It is now a 107 with 590 cams, 5.3 injectors, a 30 tooth solid primary sprocket keeping my rpms higher, blah blah and its doing close to 130hp and torque. I ride it hard every time it's out. I have no oil cooler and my oil temps rarely see 240°F even on a 95° day.
I do have a 3 stage oil pump and cam plate. This helps more than an oil cooler by it's scavenging abilities and keeping the oil circulating and not sitting in the engine getting hotter imo.
So does not lugging your engine.
I do have a 3 stage oil pump and cam plate. This helps more than an oil cooler by it's scavenging abilities and keeping the oil circulating and not sitting in the engine getting hotter imo.
So does not lugging your engine.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 589
Likes: 93
From: Stockholm
I built my 103. It is now a 107 with 590 cams, 5.3 injectors, a 30 tooth solid primary sprocket keeping my rpms higher, blah blah and its doing close to 130hp and torque. I ride it hard every time it's out. I have no oil cooler and my oil temps rarely see 240°F even on a 95° day.
I do have a 3 stage oil pump and cam plate. This helps more than an oil cooler by it's scavenging abilities and keeping the oil circulating and not sitting in the engine getting hotter imo.
So does not lugging your engine.
I do have a 3 stage oil pump and cam plate. This helps more than an oil cooler by it's scavenging abilities and keeping the oil circulating and not sitting in the engine getting hotter imo.
So does not lugging your engine.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,129
Likes: 1,981
From: Ottawa, CANADA
Cheers!
Last edited by Clammy; Feb 18, 2023 at 02:28 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 1,219
From: Dubuque, IA
Last summer, I was cruising the highway, in Texas, at around 75 mph. It was around 100 - 110 F. When I would come to a mild upgrade in the roadway, I had to drop a gear (even 2 a few times) or the engine would ping like crazy. I do have a Baker DD6 gearset, but except for those crazy hot days, I never have to downshift to simply climb a mild upgrade in the highway. On some steep grades in the mountains, I would have to drop at least to 5th, but I wasn't in the mountains when that was occurring. I don't know what the actual oil temperature was, but it was high, for sure. I always run full synthetic oils, and at the time, and have the S&S cam TC3 oil pump (and cam plate). Reaper's engine was 98 ci @ 10.5:1. That was not the first time I've experienced pinging from high ambient temps. I'm hoping the cooler will solve that, or at least minimize it. We'll see this summer.
Cheers!
Cheers!
An oil cooler will help to some degree with oil temps.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
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From: South Carolina
Detonation is caused by high engine temperatures, usually lean mixture or improper ignition timing.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Ottawa, CANADA
Cheers!