HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 76
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From: Phoenix, AZ
HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
I do a lot of riding in heavy stop and go traffic and the heat here in Phoenix is just going to be getting hotter as we get closer to summer. We have already had some 90+ days in the last week or so and I was wanting to get an idea of how good the HD oil coolers really work. If anyone has any information good or bad about using them before I put out the bucks to get one I would appreciate hearing about it.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 375
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RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
the oil coolers work as you move the vehicle and air circulates thru them.
in a car , some applications have a fan to further assist this. specially when the car is at a stop with engine running.
on a bike ??????/ there is no room for a fan.............
does it help cool the oil, yes ,when mounted up front and air runs thru it.
when the bike is at a stop ? , maybe there is a cooling factor at work,maybe not..
it will not hurt ,but at rest ,it does nothing from what i can see except that maybe by routing the oil out of the engine into the cooler and back there is a reduction of the accumulated heat in the oil ????
maybe you can do a google on it and find some papers published on oil coolers and motorcycle effect ???
in a car , some applications have a fan to further assist this. specially when the car is at a stop with engine running.
on a bike ??????/ there is no room for a fan.............
does it help cool the oil, yes ,when mounted up front and air runs thru it.
when the bike is at a stop ? , maybe there is a cooling factor at work,maybe not..
it will not hurt ,but at rest ,it does nothing from what i can see except that maybe by routing the oil out of the engine into the cooler and back there is a reduction of the accumulated heat in the oil ????
maybe you can do a google on it and find some papers published on oil coolers and motorcycle effect ???
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 449
Likes: 22
From: In a van, down by the river
RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
In those hot conditions, my "opinion" is to get one. I am getting a Jagg slimline unit before summer and will have it connected to the adapter with the built in thermostat. Another thing is to run synthetic, it handles the heat better. Do some more research and you will find many opinions on it. Bottom line? It will never hurt your engine to run it a little cooler in those extreme temps....
http://www.heavydutycycles.com/oilcooler.htm
http://www.jagg.com/cooler.htm
http://www.heavydutycycles.com/oilcooler.htm
http://www.jagg.com/cooler.htm
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,751
Likes: 1
From: USA
RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
Azrider,
One thing to keep in mind... One of the significant upgrades that came out with the '07 tourers is the fully enclosed oil lines. Some may scoff but this really is a cool feature and you lose the benefit of the enclosed oil lines when you add an oil cooler. I've had a number of bikes (Buells and BMWs) with oil coolers and I had to get in the habit of wiping down the cooler fittings to clean the oil weepage off. (Buells are especially notorious for this.)
On the other hand, I ride regularly in heavy stop/gotraffic and during the Texas summer, the ambient temps routinely are in the triple digits. I've yet to have any of my Harleys overheat in those conditions (3 Dynas and an '06 Road Glide). None had oil coolers.
I'm not questioning the effectiveness of oil coolers but just pointing out that they do add another point of maintenance. MY suggestion wouldbe to firstmake the switch to synth and see if you actuallyencounter overheating issues before investing in a cooler.
Just my $.02 (and worth almost every every penny)
One thing to keep in mind... One of the significant upgrades that came out with the '07 tourers is the fully enclosed oil lines. Some may scoff but this really is a cool feature and you lose the benefit of the enclosed oil lines when you add an oil cooler. I've had a number of bikes (Buells and BMWs) with oil coolers and I had to get in the habit of wiping down the cooler fittings to clean the oil weepage off. (Buells are especially notorious for this.)
On the other hand, I ride regularly in heavy stop/gotraffic and during the Texas summer, the ambient temps routinely are in the triple digits. I've yet to have any of my Harleys overheat in those conditions (3 Dynas and an '06 Road Glide). None had oil coolers.
I'm not questioning the effectiveness of oil coolers but just pointing out that they do add another point of maintenance. MY suggestion wouldbe to firstmake the switch to synth and see if you actuallyencounter overheating issues before investing in a cooler.
Just my $.02 (and worth almost every every penny)
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,236
Likes: 95
From: lancaster, pa
RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
07 was burning hot at a short stop, added synth,oil cooler, and upgrade ecm flash and now is as cool as a cucomber. oil cooler is worse then politics or religion on forum but imo piece of mind if nothin else. As far as traffic, ussually your still moving enough for air flow unless your in gridlock?
riding around baltimore was constant traffic all the time but allways moving stop go. engine heat was nil.
riding around baltimore was constant traffic all the time but allways moving stop go. engine heat was nil.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 6
From: Omaha Nebraska
RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
For many recent opinions on oil coolers you might want to look at some of the posts here, https://www.hdforums.com/m_1405282/tm.htm.
My opinion is that most people do not need an oil cooler and if not needed, it's one more thing to give you problems and can do more engine harm then good. I read an article once about all of the testing and engineering HD did on the twin cam, including desert testing and how successful they were keeping the oil cool without a cooler. If I had a stock or slightly modified bike I would not add a cooler, insteadI would install an oil temp guage to base future decisions from,every bike should have one. This guage would, like with myexperiance, show us things we didn't know or maybe notwant to know, such as, without a cooler my oil is not getting too hot so whydo I need oneand with a cooler, my oil is not getting hot enough which is not good for an engine either. I'm looking at my two bikes with coolers and each on has a cooler problem. One has a leak that I have to pin down and the other's thermostatic valve(high failure item)is not working and HDnor anyone else so fardoes not sell replacement parts for it (older model with remote valve). On this one I am going to bypass it and monitor oil temps to see if I would have needed one in the first place, it's on my UCturbo 107" that we ride all the time, and if I find out I really don't need one, wonder who does?
My opinion is that most people do not need an oil cooler and if not needed, it's one more thing to give you problems and can do more engine harm then good. I read an article once about all of the testing and engineering HD did on the twin cam, including desert testing and how successful they were keeping the oil cool without a cooler. If I had a stock or slightly modified bike I would not add a cooler, insteadI would install an oil temp guage to base future decisions from,every bike should have one. This guage would, like with myexperiance, show us things we didn't know or maybe notwant to know, such as, without a cooler my oil is not getting too hot so whydo I need oneand with a cooler, my oil is not getting hot enough which is not good for an engine either. I'm looking at my two bikes with coolers and each on has a cooler problem. One has a leak that I have to pin down and the other's thermostatic valve(high failure item)is not working and HDnor anyone else so fardoes not sell replacement parts for it (older model with remote valve). On this one I am going to bypass it and monitor oil temps to see if I would have needed one in the first place, it's on my UCturbo 107" that we ride all the time, and if I find out I really don't need one, wonder who does?
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 301
Likes: 1
From: Miami, Fla.
RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
and upgrade ecm flash and now is as cool as a cucomber.
thanx, Jim
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 572
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From: under the bridge on the sunrise side
RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
Had one on my 01'. Stone took it out, oil leak 70MPH rear tire behind leak, you do the math. I think if I ever end up in the desert again I would consider one of the parade fans HD sells for stop and go riding.
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,058
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From: Omaha Nebraska
RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
ORIGINAL: ppilotmike
Had one on my 01'. Stone took it out, oil leak 70MPH rear tire behind leak, you do the math. I think if I ever end up in the desert again I would consider one of the parade fans HD sells for stop and go riding.
Had one on my 01'. Stone took it out, oil leak 70MPH rear tire behind leak, you do the math. I think if I ever end up in the desert again I would consider one of the parade fans HD sells for stop and go riding.
If youhave anoil cooler and have an engine problem such as abroken part or catasstophic failure, be sure and replace theoil cooler due to it now being uncleanably contaminated or you will soon have another engine failure.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 76
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From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: HD Oil cooler-Pros and Cons?
ORIGINAL: geargrinder
For many recent opinions on oil coolers you might want to look at some of the posts here, https://www.hdforums.com/m_1405282/tm.htm.
My opinion is that most people do not need an oil cooler and if not needed, it's one more thing to give you problems and can do more engine harm then good. I read an article once about all of the testing and engineering HD did on the twin cam, including desert testing and how successful they were keeping the oil cool without a cooler. If I had a stock or slightly modified bike I would not add a cooler, insteadI would install an oil temp guage to base future decisions from,every bike should have one. This guage would, like with myexperiance, show us things we didn't know or maybe notwant to know, such as, without a cooler my oil is not getting too hot so whydo I need oneand with a cooler, my oil is not getting hot enough which is not good for an engine either. I'm looking at my two bikes with coolers and each on has a cooler problem. One has a leak that I have to pin down and the other's thermostatic valve(high failure item)is not working and HDnor anyone else so fardoes not sell replacement parts for it (older model with remote valve). On this one I am going to bypass it and monitor oil temps to see if I would have needed one in the first place, it's on my UCturbo 107" that we ride all the time, and if I find out I really don't need one, wonder who does?
For many recent opinions on oil coolers you might want to look at some of the posts here, https://www.hdforums.com/m_1405282/tm.htm.
My opinion is that most people do not need an oil cooler and if not needed, it's one more thing to give you problems and can do more engine harm then good. I read an article once about all of the testing and engineering HD did on the twin cam, including desert testing and how successful they were keeping the oil cool without a cooler. If I had a stock or slightly modified bike I would not add a cooler, insteadI would install an oil temp guage to base future decisions from,every bike should have one. This guage would, like with myexperiance, show us things we didn't know or maybe notwant to know, such as, without a cooler my oil is not getting too hot so whydo I need oneand with a cooler, my oil is not getting hot enough which is not good for an engine either. I'm looking at my two bikes with coolers and each on has a cooler problem. One has a leak that I have to pin down and the other's thermostatic valve(high failure item)is not working and HDnor anyone else so fardoes not sell replacement parts for it (older model with remote valve). On this one I am going to bypass it and monitor oil temps to see if I would have needed one in the first place, it's on my UCturbo 107" that we ride all the time, and if I find out I really don't need one, wonder who does?
Thanks for the information. You have a very good point about installing the oil temp gauge and developing a base line from which to make a better determination. Just hitting those first 90+ days and knowing that it is only going to get hotter got me to wondering.
azrider