Is an oil cooler worth the $
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 12
From: Arizona
RE: Is an oil cooler worth the $
i live in bullhead city, arizona where temps can get to 122 degrees. i will ride in 100 temps and my bike runs 180 degrees. i do have a oil cooler with a thermastat but was told by a harley mech that the therm. more than likely doesnt open and i dont need a cooler with a evo motor. i know on the laughlin run i hardley get above 180 in stop and go traffic. would i take the cooler off, no. would i buy one yes but i would install a thermastat.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 12
From: Arizona
RE: Is an oil cooler worth the $
well xxxflhrci thats what my temp. dipstick says and it new. i dont really see how i can up my oil temp. as i remember oil temp is about 20-30 degrees above the water temp. using that math 180 oil temp woulf be 160 water temp. my 911 runs 190 or a little above. i would feel better with temps at 200 degrees but it is what it is and seems fine. and if the therm, is set at 185 then 185 would be ok.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,281
Likes: 8
From:
RE: Is an oil cooler worth the $
Boil a pot of water, it woun't go over 212* and see what the temp gauge reads when you test it in the water
Should verify if your temp guage is reading wrong like they are prone to do sometimes, especially with the digital ones.
Should verify if your temp guage is reading wrong like they are prone to do sometimes, especially with the digital ones.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,033
Likes: 29
RE: Is an oil cooler worth the $
ORIGINAL: hotrod351
well xxxflhrci thats what my temp. dipstick says and it new. i dont really see how i can up my oil temp. as i remember oil temp is about 20-30 degrees above the water temp. using that math 180 oil temp woulf be 160 water temp. my 911 runs 190 or a little above. i would feel better with temps at 200 degrees but it is what it is and seems fine. and if the therm, is set at 185 then 185 would be ok.
well xxxflhrci thats what my temp. dipstick says and it new. i dont really see how i can up my oil temp. as i remember oil temp is about 20-30 degrees above the water temp. using that math 180 oil temp woulf be 160 water temp. my 911 runs 190 or a little above. i would feel better with temps at 200 degrees but it is what it is and seems fine. and if the therm, is set at 185 then 185 would be ok.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 12
From: Arizona
RE: Is an oil cooler worth the $
i know exactly what your saying. ive thought about it myself. but say my gauge is correct and im running 180-190 in 100 or say i ride in 60 degree weather and never hit anything above 180, i dont see how i can increase my temp. but ive always figured that 200 in normal weather and maybe 210 in hotter weather would be a lot better.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,033
Likes: 29
RE: Is an oil cooler worth the $
My Ironhead is similar. It has a HD branded Lockhart 500 oil cooler on it. It has a cover specifically made for it. If I ride without the cover on in temps under 90*, the oil never gets above 180 or so. I can tell that the oil is fouled, because it is thin looking and may smell of gasoline. If I run the cover, the temps climb on back up above 210 or so. Of course, this does you no good since they don't make a cover for your cooler.