Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods oil cooler

Ok.... I've saved pennies now it's time to do additionals:

*#1 Chris "DunnSpeed Leather-Works" is making saddle bags (as soon as I get my pattern figured out)

AND ***#2 **** I am looking for the "oil cooler rods that affix to the frame down tubes" that replaces the stock oil cooler........I have not heard of any cooling problems with these different oil coolers.... I want to open up the front area making the enginge more visible and retain oil cooling capability with these "finned cooling tubes" I know I've seen them for sale but I can't find them now... Anyone know where these coolers can be purchased ??? p.s. FastEddy's does not carry them and I don't see them on Brent's site...

This is the cleanest one I have found, you have to weld in some bungs. http://www.streetmaster.net/oil-cooler.html

http://www.tejasthumpcycles.com/Parts/Oil_Coolers/Harley_Oil_Coolers.htm A few more, probably what your looking for.

I thought British Customs sold those vertical oil coolers made for our bikes. It was something that caught my eye as something to do after a few years. But now I don't see them listed.

I talked on the phone with the guy at Streetmaster, he said due to the extra oil capacity (1 liter) gained by using your frame tubes, the cooling gained exceeded the stock radiator at all levels, including doing laps on the track. He doesn't sell the modified frame sections for our bikes (only Bonnies) but I looked at my frame and concluded, entirely doable, just need the weld on fittings and a certified weldor (like me) to apply the glue. I think one would want to do a serious flush before pumping oil through and into a motor. On the other hand, being that the Pacific Northwest seems to be exempt from "Global Warming", I'm considering a oil heater.

Is this what you're looking for?



http://www.bonnevilleperformance.com/OIL%20COOLER.htm

You can get the same cooler set up at other sites a heck of a lot cheaper.

I think I would go with that $89 one pictured earlier.

Yeah, it pi$$e$ me off how we are made to pay extra for accessories on our bikes simply because of our evidently small market niche.

Bill Gately sells them, http://bonnevilleperformance.com
My bike runs just fine with them, no overheating issues in the 5 years I've had them. And it definitely cleans up the front of the engine!

Supply and demand. Smaller market, larger markup. I hate to say it, but often we pay "boutique" rates for things. Same goes for Harley but for opposite reasons. Funny thing is, back during the first few years of these models people were lamenting the lack of anything available for our bikes and every other thread was about what we could use off other bikes, hence the cross reference entry in the Tech Vault. We have tons more stuff available compared to then which is kind of amazing since the production numbers aren't that huge.

And back then we had to put up with neanderthals like Bill Gately because that's all we had, until Brent, Michael and Eddy stepped up to the plate to make more things available.

Thanks guys, got it ordered.

has anyone just got rid of the oil cooler and ran the lines from the heads down to the lower end. I have thought about it for a while so I can clean up the front and just have the two down tubes showing.

My oil gets hot enough as it is, I wouldn't run mine without at least some kind of cooler. The old twins had an oil tank that allowed the oil to cool ours is in the bottom of the engine where it really doesn't get a chance to cool. I don't think it would be too hard to make that $89 cooler work without buying any kit, just have to make a fitting or 2 probably.

The Hammarhead Jack Pine Scrambler runs without an oil cooler, and they monitored the temps. They seem to think it's fine.

“with richer jetting and new pipes, oil temperatures have not been a problem”

http://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-t100

But does he run that Scrambler in stop and go traffic? I just read the article and didn't see under what conditions they ran it and it did mention he had a cooler made for it but was talked into starting it before it arrived then he ran it.I still think on a hot day in traffic you would be glad to have some sort of oil cooler. I could be wrong, it's happened before!

There's a video of them flogging it on YouTube.

Way back, when I was leaning towards Yamaha (before I saw the light), I saw on a Yamaha forum a finned cover that fits around the oil filter and helps to cool the oil. It would also provide a bit of impact damage as well.

I remember posting it here (as one of my original posts), but cannot find the link. I seriously doubt it would be able to cool the oil as effectively as the oil cooler, but it wouldn't hurt to have. Plus it helps to protect the filter.

I wish I could find that link.

OK found it, but my internet connection, here in Bangkok, is very slow. Not sure if it's working, it's taking forever to download: http://home.twmi.rr.com/bikepics/

Previously, some people commented about how it won't protect the bottom of the filter. But it's better than nothing, if it's still available. And I'm sure someone here can come up with a clever way to shield the bottom.

flogging an air cooled engine in motion is fine since as long as it is moving air is flowing across the engine to cool it. What I would like to know is how fast it over heats sitting stationary on a hot summer day in traffic. It may not, but I don't want to risk my engine to find out.

A guy I know runs a 904 Scram with the oil cooler removed. He reports no overheat issues.

So we thinking the $89 one would work on our bikes? And $65 for the lines makes the price a bit more reasonable.

I would have to take a better look at it than the pic allows but I don't see why not at this point.

OK, I found the Yamaha oil cooler from way back when:
http://www.buckslowers.com/
Filter cooler & protector for US$35.

I don't know how effective it really is in cooling, but I like the idea of it acting as a rock guard. And it won't protect the bottom of the filter, but I'm sure someone could come up a simple cover plate held in place with a cotter pin (for K&N type filters as long as the nut doesn't delaminate!). Maybe I'll be a guinea pig and try it on my TBA.

I really like that idea - the heatsink oil filter cover.

There is some dispute on just how effective the heat sink is but it would only help. But the protection it offers our exposed oil filters would be worth the investment. I am currently asking the ebay seller here if it will fit our babies.

BTW: I use the Purolater Pureone PL14612 filter and it is 66mm in diameter and 70mm high.

Richard,
Your ebay link didn't work.

I've had some communication with Buck, seems like a friendly guy, easy to work with. Seems our filters are a little small for what he makes, but he thinks he can cut one down to fit ours. And I can always Dremel any fit issues with the fins.
The only problem is he takes checks only, so this could be a problem for our overseas friends.
I'm going to go ahead and order one and try it out. And with the K&N filter (and the nut sticking out the end), I might try and improvise some kind of end cover.

Sorry - link fixed.
Repeated here.

I made up this heat sink a while back, I don't know how effective it is, but it gets pretty warm, don't want to touch it.
I like the oil filter heat sink idea. I have been kicking around adding another heat sink to the oil line under the motor just in front of the filter but the filter cooler seems simpler. I am thinking I could make up something with a finned bottom that (as some one suggested) attached to the safety wire holes in the K&N filters. It would be a little bit of whittling, might be work though.

a few years back bennybmn showed up at the NE rally with a frame mounted oil cooler,looked nice. He later went back to the stock one. said the oil got too hot.

quite the homebrewing set up in the backgound.

I was there! 6yrs already??? where did time go?

6 yrs is a few. right?

A couple of few years anyways!

I received the oil cooler/stone guard from Buck today. Fast turnaround time. For being alumimium, it sure seem very stout. It's not perfectly round and I'm worried it might "crush" the filter wall, like I said it's stout. It's a good thing I have a spare K&N filter to play with before I mount it. I don't know yet if the fins will interfere with anything, but nothing the Dremel can't fix.

Here's a pic of it as received.



Once I mount it on the filter, I'll post some more pics and any experience with it.

Interesting - let us know the results of fit and temperature. Do you have an oil temp gauge to be able to compare results?

Richard,
No, I do not have an oil temp gauge. I first saw this widget on a Yamaha forum, back when I almost chose Yamaha over Triumph. I don't recall them having a dedicated oil cooler like our bikes have.

I'm not really that concerned about it's ability to cool oil, since we have the dedicated cooler. I see it more as a way to help protect the filter from road hazards, it seems to be pretty sturdy. The cooling fins are just an extra "benny".