Oil Coolers Worth It?
#44
RE: Oil Coolers Worth It?
IMO every TC should have a cooler installed from the factory. None except CVO's do, so one should be installed after taking delivery. The cooler will reduce peak oil temps 20° or more, and synthetic oil will reduce them another 5-10° over fossil oil. This will allow you to tune the EFI leaner for better fuel economy, if this interests you.
Install is easy, but as has been mentioned the instructions are dubious. If you have an '07 and possibly earlier or later bikes, disregard the section about re-routing VR wires, as it isn't required. Make sure you have a 7/16" (11mm) Allen socket or facsimile to torque the new filter adapter. A threaded coupler of 7/16" OD would work fine if you can fine one, or take a long bolt and thread a nut with a 7/16" head, jammed with a second nut of the same size. This will work in a pinch to get the filter adapter installed.
The HD Premium (an 8-row) is a good choice and the single complaint of leakage and chafing appears to be an exception, and the first such complaint I've heard. I believe if you install the lines correctly you won't have any problems. The same goes for the clamps, again the first complaint I've heard about them. They only need moderate tightening, as the oil flow through the cooler is of low pressure and leakage should be easy to control. A thermostat is standard with this kit.
Jagg's 10-row, either vertical mount on the downtube or low-mount near the VR, is another good choice. A thermostat is a must, IMO, as otherwise you will be cooling cold oil when an air-cooled engine has enough trouble with initial warm-up. Prolonging the warm-up process is bad for everything--oil and engine.
Install is easy, but as has been mentioned the instructions are dubious. If you have an '07 and possibly earlier or later bikes, disregard the section about re-routing VR wires, as it isn't required. Make sure you have a 7/16" (11mm) Allen socket or facsimile to torque the new filter adapter. A threaded coupler of 7/16" OD would work fine if you can fine one, or take a long bolt and thread a nut with a 7/16" head, jammed with a second nut of the same size. This will work in a pinch to get the filter adapter installed.
The HD Premium (an 8-row) is a good choice and the single complaint of leakage and chafing appears to be an exception, and the first such complaint I've heard. I believe if you install the lines correctly you won't have any problems. The same goes for the clamps, again the first complaint I've heard about them. They only need moderate tightening, as the oil flow through the cooler is of low pressure and leakage should be easy to control. A thermostat is standard with this kit.
Jagg's 10-row, either vertical mount on the downtube or low-mount near the VR, is another good choice. A thermostat is a must, IMO, as otherwise you will be cooling cold oil when an air-cooled engine has enough trouble with initial warm-up. Prolonging the warm-up process is bad for everything--oil and engine.
#45
#46
RE: Oil Coolers Worth It?
I have the HD premimum on my 08 RG and a dash mounted oil temp gadge. I put the gadge in before I installed the cooler so I could see if it really helped. Dropped temps 20 deg across the board.
Also, I dont understand how anyone could have a problem with the oil lines chaffing. They are pre-shapped. On my bike they do not touch anything to chaff. I have watched carfully for over 4000 miles now, nothing touches, no chaffing.
I will say it is more of a PIA to change the filter now but otherwise no complaints.
My .02,
Doug
Also, I dont understand how anyone could have a problem with the oil lines chaffing. They are pre-shapped. On my bike they do not touch anything to chaff. I have watched carfully for over 4000 miles now, nothing touches, no chaffing.
I will say it is more of a PIA to change the filter now but otherwise no complaints.
My .02,
Doug
#47
RE: Oil Coolers Worth It?
ORIGINAL: 08anni
What happens to the oil in the cooler when you change your oil? It seems that the low mount
cooler would hold the 8 to 10 oz. of oil. Does it drain completly?
What happens to the oil in the cooler when you change your oil? It seems that the low mount
cooler would hold the 8 to 10 oz. of oil. Does it drain completly?
#49
RE: Oil Coolers Worth It?
<<Seems to me that you only need one when you're stopped. And they only work when you're moving. Hardly seems worth the bucks or hassle.>>
I live in FLA and I've been waffling on this subject for quite some time now. I've read reviews from well respected "Uber Wrenches" that make a good case both ways. A recent article in AI magazine by Donny Peterson (massive Uber Wrench) has me leaning towards going with a Jagg 10-Row cooler, Donny actually has two in series on his bike. I guess I can rationalize the oil cooler bringing the temp down while "in the wind" helping to a certain degree (pun intended) to keep the overall average thermal cycle lower. It doesn't do a hell of a lotfor parade duty (read as: Main St Daytona). Heat is the big killer for air-cooled (read as: oil cooled) motors and anything you can do to lower the overall thermal load will help.
JMHO, YMMV.
I live in FLA and I've been waffling on this subject for quite some time now. I've read reviews from well respected "Uber Wrenches" that make a good case both ways. A recent article in AI magazine by Donny Peterson (massive Uber Wrench) has me leaning towards going with a Jagg 10-Row cooler, Donny actually has two in series on his bike. I guess I can rationalize the oil cooler bringing the temp down while "in the wind" helping to a certain degree (pun intended) to keep the overall average thermal cycle lower. It doesn't do a hell of a lotfor parade duty (read as: Main St Daytona). Heat is the big killer for air-cooled (read as: oil cooled) motors and anything you can do to lower the overall thermal load will help.
JMHO, YMMV.
#50