I am seriously considering using my engine crash bar as an oil cooler.

Can anyone tell me any downside to doing this?

Any input from those who have been running this setup for awhile?

Any tips, shortcuts, things to look out for in doing this conversion?

Thanks!

 

what are you talking about?

 

I rode with a guy that did it, and he said it worked great. When we stopped I felt his crash bar to see how hot it was, and it was not that hot, just on the warm side.

 

I think there are a couple of old threads someplace on the forum about this, along with the hardware needed to do it. If I remember right, I believe someone was selling a kit with all the hardware needed.

The only downside, is that you don't know what kind of crap is inside that crashbar from manufacturing /welding, etc. You definitely want to get it flushed out good before splicing it into the system.

 

Here, I found the forumthread on google. There are several hits on "harley crash bar oil cooler"

https://www.hdforums.com/m_67156/tm.htm

 

wow i have never seen this before

 

http://silvercrow.com/performance/oilcooler.htm

and the following link is about using the low pressure side to hook into the "cooler"

https://www.hdforums.com/m_710125/tm.htm

 

I did that mod to my roadglide and it makes a great difference here in the desert. Oil only passes through the bar when the thermostat opens at 185 and let me tell you if you grab mine in the spring/summer when the oil temp is up at 200-220 you won't hold on for long,

 

How much extra oil do you think the crash bar would hold 1/2 a quart?
I am just curious.
It does sound like a good idea.

 

That's what worries me, and how do you flush it with enough certainty that all the crud is out? How would you flush it? Water? That would cause rust after the flush. Solvent? How would you do it? If I did it I think I might add a filter of some sort, at least for a while 'til it self-cleans. I still don't like the idea.