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If you spend as much money as some guys, myself included, on an engine build $250 + - is a fairly cheap way to help protect the engine. I have a hole in my cooler from a rock, am looking at the new cooler the guy has out that has a fan built-in. It looks OK, makes sense to keep more air flowing thru the coils while sitting. If anyone has one or has seen one please post. g
There was a series of articles in American Iron Magazine on oil coolers. They favored Jagg but allowed that HDs had the same features... specifically turbulation which is on the inside of the channels of the oil cooler. It makes turbulence inside so that the oil that is in contact with the channels moves rather than only the oil going through the center of the channel.
They claim that nonturbulated oil coolers don't work as well.
I recently added the HD Oil Cooler for my FLTR. I bought the parts online at a nice discount. The HD version has a nicer chrome cover and has a less complex filter adapter.
Mine has a thermostat that opens at 180ş F as I recall. I have no data to offer but I do believe the engine needs all the help in the cooling arena it can get. My engine is significantly modified and it does get pretty hot here in Texas.
I run synthetic oil for the additional heat tolerance that was mentioned in an earlier post.
So,what is a good recomendation on a type and or brand of oil cooler?
I think there are two good options: The HD Premium and Jagg 10-row. For the latter you can mount it low like the HD or on the left downtube. The HDP is a proven cooler and I haven't heard any complaints about it. It also has a thermostat standard which is optional on the Jagg.
I have the HD and can't fault it. My oil temps have not exceeded 230° in two summers of running in S. LA (hot), and that only a few times in heavy traffic. When moving it doesn't exceed 205°, and I think these are safe numbers. I removed the chrome cover thinking that stationary cooling by convection might be improved without it, as with the cover air is trapped.
FWIW, I think that all TC's should have oil coolers, especially the TC96/103/110--and it's standard on all CVO 110's.
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