Oil Coolers???
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 6
From: Omaha Nebraska
Oil Coolers???
Oil coolers canbe a liabilityVs an assetif not working properly and many may not be working properly. The case in point is, until I installed an oil temp guage I was happy with my cooler, ignorance was bliss. After installing the gauge I realized that my oil temp could not reach 150 deg F even during agressive driving in 80 deg air temps, typically read below 130 deg F. I pulled the cooler's thermostatic valve, tested it in boiling water and as predictied,it failed the test. Thisis so remenescent of when I used such devices on my performance cars, these valves do not last long and in this case, the cooler was decreasing engine longgevity.
Worse yet,HD does not sell replacement parts for oil coolers, meaning that you have to buy a complete replacement cooling system for a common thermostaticvalve failure.
Lessons learned by me again (I'm obviously a slow learner). Do not use an cooler unless you know for sure you need one, one more thing togo wrong. Do not use anoil cooler without an oil temp guage so you know if the cooler is functioning properly, not too cold or too hot. Too cool is as bad as too hot,very important to keep your oil temps within there proper operating range, not too cold or too hot, like 200-250 deg F, IMHO.
For me, no more HD coolers if thery don't sell replacement parts.
Worse yet,HD does not sell replacement parts for oil coolers, meaning that you have to buy a complete replacement cooling system for a common thermostaticvalve failure.
Lessons learned by me again (I'm obviously a slow learner). Do not use an cooler unless you know for sure you need one, one more thing togo wrong. Do not use anoil cooler without an oil temp guage so you know if the cooler is functioning properly, not too cold or too hot. Too cool is as bad as too hot,very important to keep your oil temps within there proper operating range, not too cold or too hot, like 200-250 deg F, IMHO.
For me, no more HD coolers if thery don't sell replacement parts.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,296
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Oil Coolers???
Good post - the TC88 is an exceptional engine from the cooling department - case in point - went for a 100 mile ride this afternoon here in "balmy" sc penna - ambient temps were in the low 50's. Oil temp (according to the oil temp gauge which I did calibrate before the install) never rose above 180deg and that was climbing a mountain behind a slow moving truck. Oh yes, it took an honest 30 miles before the oil temp rose to its stable 170 deg. Oil temps ran at around 160-170 degs during normal 60 mph flat terrain. I know the oil temps will rise as the outside air temps rise, but, I believe the engine does a great job of keeping the coolant (oil) happy. Getting stuck in traffic on a hot day will probably make it push the other end, but, even with an oil cooler, you have to be moving for it to do much good. I'll opt out of the oil cooler temptation too.
Road Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,229
Likes: 20
From: Greater St Louis, MO
RE: Oil Coolers???
Speaking with one of the sales people at the dealer last year, he told me that he asked one of the engineers at the MoCo and they only recommend the oil cooler if you are in desert type heat or towing a trailer. I have a jag on my 89 that has a manual by pass I closewhen it is not hot and my 06 has a thermostatcontrolled automatic by pass.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,236
Likes: 95
From: lancaster, pa
RE: Oil Coolers???
thanks for the heads up! I will do a check on my oil cooler as instructed after first installing it . Dont have a temp gauge but willcheck cooler after 5-10 minutes it should still be cold then after 15-20 minutes should be warm/hot like I did initially when installed. Did this actually a few times and worked just like that. Can it really hurt engine that bad? any of the premium coolers (new for 07 with sheild/cross bar crome cover) failed? One time started bike and took off when it was cold and engine sputtered a little,but that was the worst. All I know is I like the insurance of a cooler and that between synth. oil, 9030 ecm upgrade,and oil cooler my bike is a hell of a lot cooler. from jump off at stop sighn, to now an hour on main street daytona with just noticeing heat.
Banned
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,603
Likes: 10
RE: Oil Coolers???
i run a jagg...just installed an HD one in txbowhunters bike(it was an easier install with the hoses over the top)....mine runs 190-210 in texas heat or cold all the time....good call on the thermostat...just like on the hotrods couldnt you put a washer in the hole and chunk the therm...use the washer to slow oil flow and just let the oil run thru the cooler...it's always worked on our cars...my vote is chunk the therm, tell us how it works
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 6
From: Omaha Nebraska
RE: Oil Coolers???
Using washers for liquid cooled street engines, water or oil is not a good idea, it takes way too long to get the liquid up to normaloperating temperature. This works OK on a race track engine because they only see a few startups before the engine has to be rebuilt anyway, but on a street engine, we hope for thousands of startups and hopefully get the liquid up to operating temp as soon as possible for reduced wearthat can only be done with a thermostatically controlled on/off valve. My objective is to solve my problem with such a valve that can be replaced each time it goes defective without having to replace the whole cooling system. Yes, I am looking into Jaggs. In the end it may bemore easy to keep my tempsbelow 300 deg Fthen to quicklyget my tempsabove 200 deg Fwithout usinga cooler, which would be better for the engine. Keep in mind here, my oil is also used to cool my turbo which seems to be no problem.
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Banned
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,603
Likes: 10
RE: Oil Coolers???
hmmm....i'd think usin a cooler even if it just free circulated would be better'n nothin...the washer trick was always just a way of allowin the cooler alittle more time to cool than a free flow deal
i'd love to see your turbo setup....got any pics
i'd love to see your turbo setup....got any pics
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
RE: Oil Coolers???
ORIGINAL: geargrinder
Oil coolers canbe a liabilityVs an assetif not working properly and many may not be working properly. The case in point is, until I installed an oil temp guage I was happy with my cooler, ignorance was bliss. After installing the gauge I realized that my oil temp could not reach 150 deg F even during agressive driving in 80 deg air temps, typically read below 130 deg F. I pulled the cooler's thermostatic valve, tested it in boiling water and as predictied,it failed the test. Thisis so remenescent of when I used such devices on my performance cars, these valves do not last long and in this case, the cooler was decreasing engine longgevity.
Worse yet,HD does not sell replacement parts for oil coolers, meaning that you have to buy a complete replacement cooling system for a common thermostaticvalve failure.
Lessons learned by me again (I'm obviously a slow learner). Do not use an cooler unless you know for sure you need one, one more thing togo wrong. Do not use anoil cooler without an oil temp guage so you know if the cooler is functioning properly, not too cold or too hot. Too cool is as bad as too hot,very important to keep your oil temps within there proper operating range, not too cold or too hot, like 200-250 deg F, IMHO.
For me, no more HD coolers if thery don't sell replacement parts.
Oil coolers canbe a liabilityVs an assetif not working properly and many may not be working properly. The case in point is, until I installed an oil temp guage I was happy with my cooler, ignorance was bliss. After installing the gauge I realized that my oil temp could not reach 150 deg F even during agressive driving in 80 deg air temps, typically read below 130 deg F. I pulled the cooler's thermostatic valve, tested it in boiling water and as predictied,it failed the test. Thisis so remenescent of when I used such devices on my performance cars, these valves do not last long and in this case, the cooler was decreasing engine longgevity.
Worse yet,HD does not sell replacement parts for oil coolers, meaning that you have to buy a complete replacement cooling system for a common thermostaticvalve failure.
Lessons learned by me again (I'm obviously a slow learner). Do not use an cooler unless you know for sure you need one, one more thing togo wrong. Do not use anoil cooler without an oil temp guage so you know if the cooler is functioning properly, not too cold or too hot. Too cool is as bad as too hot,very important to keep your oil temps within there proper operating range, not too cold or too hot, like 200-250 deg F, IMHO.
For me, no more HD coolers if thery don't sell replacement parts.