Any thoughts, experience, advice on oil coolers for the Sportster?

 

Doubt you even need one. I've done 75mph for hours in 100 degree heat and still don't come close to needing one.

 

I'd save my money, I agree with the above advice. No need for a cooler.

John

 

Sportsters seem to run cooler than the big twins. I have the thermometer-dipstick in my Sportster's oil tank. A hot temp for it is about 200-210F... not enough to justify a cooler. So before installing an oil cooler, I'd want to see some evedence that the bike was running hot.

 

No, especially if your location is "Spokane, WA"
Never had need for one in Florida, where summers are hotter and longer. Just another source for problems and leaks IMO.

 

Here is some advice on oil coolers for any air cooled V-twin. They always benefit the motor. A cooler motor runs stronger and lasts longer.

I have added them to any bike that did not come with one. They do keep the temps down. The lower the temp the more expansion of the incoming charge which translates into power.

Metal wears faster the warmer it is. So the cooler the motor temps the longer it lasts.

It is just plain simple good sense to add a cooler to the motor. HD's coolers are around $180 or so. Less at the online HD discount sellers.

Then go for the next compliment to get the bike running cooler go to 12.8 to 1. That afr will cool the intake valves, heads, cylinder walls and piston more than any other afr. Particularly the lean burn afr that comes with the bike. 12.8 to 1 will ignite faster, burn more complete thus provide more power.

Having a cooler has nothing to do with were on a map you are located. It is simply a stronger running motor (who does not want that?) And a motor that will potentially last longer. Why do you think HD went with oil coolers standard on the big twins.

None of my 10 bikes with coolers have had a leak ever. The oldest is a 07 FXSTC bought in Aug 06 and I put the cooler on when I got it home.

 

I have an oil cooler on my Iron and I've been happy with it and so far no complaints, issues...

 

I've had the Harley one on my Nightster since 2007.

Thoughts:
OP, you probably don't need one unless you live in high heat areas or experience a lot of bumper to bumper traffic so you could spend money in another area.
I like that it adds an extra 1/2 quart or more/less of oil to the system.
I like the looks and purpose, writing as a gear-head.
Without a crash guard, it could strand you if you crash and damage the cooler.

Experience:
No issues.
I suppose it increases warm up time.
Where the fittings screw into the case, there can be oil seepage, so use plenty of Hydromar (sealing product) on those fittings.
OEM Harley filter fits/ installs perfectly.

Advise:
Buy it if you want.
I'd write that the OEM cooler, as opposed to an aftermarket or universal, is easiest to install.

Lastly, I have no issues with this cooler in any aspect.

 

Most of this is inaccurate.

1) "Here is some advice on oil coolers for any air cooled V-twin. They always benefit the motor. A cooler motor runs stronger and lasts longer."

This is not the case. Oil coolers can and have been very detrimental in air-cooled engines when not applied properly. The oil needs to be between 180F-220F for ideal operation. Oil coolers, especially those without thermostats, can drop the oil temps too low. This leads to much more wear, parasitic drag, and overall inefficiency.

2) "Metal wears faster the warmer it is. So the cooler the motor temps the longer it lasts."

You can have really hot metal wear similar as cold metal. The more important factor is friction. Heat is a byproduct of friction. That's what the oil is for, to prevent friction, and thus why you need proper oil temps. Nearly ALL engine wear comes from when the oil is not at proper temperature, not related to a hot/cold engine.

3) "Then go for the next compliment to get the bike running cooler go to 12.8 to 1. That afr will cool the intake valves, heads, cylinder walls and piston more than any other afr. Particularly the lean burn afr that comes with the bike. 12.8 to 1 will ignite faster, burn more complete thus provide more power."

Blatantly stating this without any qualifications is criminal. An AFR of 12.8 should really only be seen at mid to high engine load. My bike doesn't cross into the 12's until it's at about 3/4 throttle under load. That is the proper location.

Here are some typical AFRs that one should run on a Sporty:
cruise/idle: 14 to 14.7
medium throttle: ~13's
WOT: 12.2-13.0

Outside of those ranges make for a poorly tuned motor. That's not opinion; that is fact. It's been proven in hundreds of studies on gasoline ICEs.

Not to mention that an overly rich AFR, especially at cruise, will kill mileage and carbon up your motor right quick.

4) "Having a cooler has nothing to do with were on a map you are located. It is simply a stronger running motor (who does not want that?) And a motor that will potentially last longer. Why do you think HD went with oil coolers standard on the big twins."

The first part is right. Engine temps do not really have to do with geographic location but it does play a factor into your oil temps. My oil will stay damn cold in the winters here vs. Florida winters, on equal amounts of warmup/long rides.

And in fact, motors run stronger when they have more heat in them, and a cooler intake charge. Higher engine temps mean more thermal efficiency. Lower intake charge means higher density. The balance is getting both of those to maximize, the tuner's holy grail.

They went with oil coolers on the big twins because they put so much heat into the oil due to their displacement-to-surface area ratio being low. The Evo Sportster motor is not a BT, and does not face the same situation.

 

The HD oil cooler for Sportsters does have a 185* F thermostat, so that's a good thing.