Oil Bud Oil Cooler
 

Anyone have any experience with these. How was the install? What did you see in oil temp reduction? Any issues changing filter post installation? Do you use an oil temp gauge or........?
They have an adapter on the adapter for a HD gauge to plug into. Is this the appropriate place to measure the temp or...?
Would appreciate any feedback from those that have experience with them.
Thanks

more oil capacity and cooler oil ( within range) is good.

I have a few reservations with this.

1.) it's the lowest point of the system where water and crud would collect, can it be drained

2.) rocks

3.) air flow is going past it, not through it

4.) they make great mention of airplanes and "how could..turbo charged.." etc.

The air at 10000 feet is about 40º cooler than at sea level. Cooler ambient temperatures will help to cool oil- so I'm not sure what they were getting at. An aircraft will also be travelling at greater speed, and the motor running within a narrower RPM range, allowing for best design


Probably better than nothing.

The jagg and H-D seem to be working fine for alot of riders.

some years ago it was "fashion" to plumb the crashbars to flow oil through them for "cooling". Problem is the inside of the crash bars are nasty rusted and full of manufacturing dirt grit and grime. Becaase nobody ever thought it would be used to flow oil for the motor- and nobody was ever paid to make it nice and clean in there

Mike

The correct location to measure oil temp is in the pan. Just don't put any stock in the Feb AIM article about the Oil Bud, their review is completely bogus. They put one on a 2012 touring bike, and replaced the OEM oil cooler. As measured with a laser temp gun, before the change they claimed 180F oil temp, 200F front CHT, and 225F rear CHT (at those values there is no point to seek better cooling), then after the change still 180F oil temp but 170F front CHT and 200F rear CHT. So by that report you can expect to pay $645.00 for the same oil temp and 25-30 degree CHT drop. I'm sure the Oil Bud is a fine product built of superior materials and more surface area than any other heat exchanger available, but AIM did them no justice with that BS write up, and faking the funk with the numbers, the product will stand on its own merit. Been working with cooling projects for a long time now, and I can assure you there is no way a stock 2012 is legitimately running normalized oil temp and CHTs that low.

My big question with it is can you still use a bike lift since it's mounted under your frame? Is it tucked up enough so your bike would still be resting on the frame tubing or the oil cooler?

I put one on my 06 ultra classic which is now my wife's ultra classic. I never saw oil temp above 232 in the sump. You can use a lift no problem. If a rock or something else hits it hard enough to puncture it, it would have put a hole in your crankcase anyway. It's a very sturdy American made product that in my experience works well. I might still put one on my 2012 ultra classic. I'll see how the factory installed one works next summer.

Thank you for the info. I like the fact it's under the frame, should still allow me to put a chin spoiler on my SG.

Thanks again.

I put one on my 2008 FLHTCU last summer. Install is fairly straight forward. I have Rhinehart TD exhaust, and the 02 sensor position on the headpipe conflicted with the thermostat on the oil bud filter adapter. I spaced my rectifier up about 1" so I could rotate the Oil Bud filter adapter enough to clear the 02 sensor. This wouldn't be an issue with a stock headpipe. I installed a HD oil temp gauge at the same time I installed the Oilbud. The sending unit for the temp gauge goes into the Oilbud filter adapter. Temps are 180-225* depending on outside air temps. Remember how hot last summer was? 105* was common here in Texas. I didn't have a temp gauge before installing the Oilbud so I can't quote pre install temps. I can say before install the bike would feel alot hotter at redlights, and really lug and ping when the light turned green and I was taking off as if it was going into engine management mode. Much better after installing the oilbud. I lift the bike on my j&S jack all the time. No problems, don't even look at the Oilbud. Getting to the oil drain plug is a little tight with the Oilbud, but nothing that makes me mutter, cuss, scream, wish I'd went with a different cooler etc. To be fair I haven't had a HD cooler , Jagg or any other cooler on either.

If you hit something hard enough to rupture this thing, you probably just saved yourself an oilpan, and will be worried about alot of other things besides the Oilbud. It is stout. Gaskets are all O-rings, and I have seen no leaks or seep. Hoses are braided SS.

Filter changes are no harder with the oilbud than before, Possilbly marginally easier, but really a push for all practical purposes.

Thanks for the write up. I may give this product a try this summer.

FWIW, Baggers Mag did an install on a 07 RG. The write up was positive and they felt it was worth the $645.00 price. http://www.baggersmag.com/tech/1108_...l/viewall.html