I found this while looking for a oil cooler for my Shadow 1100, tugging a sidecar around has got to raise oil temp's a bunch and this looks to be a very simple solution to lowering the temps.
I would ask, what is your actual oil temperature? Do you have an oil temperature gauge? Is your engine water cooled? Have you taken a temperature reading with an infrared gauge? Are you running synthetic motor oil?
First, I'd find out exactly what your oil/water temps are before finding a solution to a problem that might not even exist. How much for the cute little aluminum heat sink for the oil filter? A simple one could be made from copper tubing that would be more efficient and cheaper, as copper conducts heat better.
If you are running synthetic, I would recommend an oil cooler, synthetic oil loves to pull the heat from the engine, but doing so, retains the heat, and a heat exchanger is almost a necessity.
If an oil cooler is used or needed, Iād suggest looking into a Jagg oil cooler, or at least the oil filter bypass/adaptor set up and mount a transmission cooler, Hayden? http://tinyurl.com/35up29 (cheaper than a Jagg)
See: http://tinyurl.com/2s6w5y , modify this to your application and plumb in a cooler of your choice.
http://www.jagg.com/jagghome.htm
One last thing, avoid the fancy chrome oil filters, the chrome sometimes flakes (on the inside), also retains heat, buy good quality filters, Napa (Wix) or Baldwin, then paint them flat black.
Good luck,
Dave
I feel an doil cooler has it's place with a sidecar rig but Dave brings up soem excellent points. Oil temperature being too low can be as bad as being a little too high. Some coolers have a thermostat which can be a good idea.
We don't seem to see rigs with oil temp gauges on them but it would be a good idea.
If no thermostat is in the oil cooler system some have simply covered the oil cooler in cold weather.
An oil cooler will sometimes add a little more oil to a given system also.
Dave is right about black colors. One way to think on this theme is to remember that black holds heat ...also keep in mind that the inside of whatever we are speaking of will have it's own color as well whether it be the inside surface of the paint or whatever. Wicking the heat away can be made more efficient in many ways but the question still needs to eb asked how much is best.
I was concerned about oil temperatur on FJ 1100 when I added a sidecar.
Looked into oilcoolers.Installed an oiltemperature gauge and found that
oiltemperature was mostly around 175 degrees and rose to a max of about 210 degrees on long climbs in warm weather and heavy camping load.
Oiltemperature changes somewhat with outside air temperatur.I am not a speeder.It akes a long time to get temperatur up to "normal".
So no bigger oilcooler.
Gary
Gary,
Isn't 210 even a little on the lower side as far as maximum oil temp goes? I think bearings are said to go south at around 330 or so. This info can be deciving because the reading from a gauge depends a lot of where the sending unit supplying it is located. Probably vaiable related to different oils used also.
Oilpressure gauge is a cheapy,electric sensor installed in blind plug
below top oil level.I assume temp. indicated as relative.Engine does not feel ,smell or act overheated.I assume temperature stabilizing at 210 max
a good sign.This is driving SR 20 east towards Hayden lake with a number
of passes and canadian highway 3 west with more passes.
A bit of concern: the FJ has an oil level warning indicator light.This comes on in energetic lft turns,centrifugal(centripetal)forces moving the oil away from the level sensor.
Gary
I have a sportster with a stock 883 aircooled engine and the hottest I've ever gotten the oil with two of us in the car is about 210. I'd think a water cooled bike would do even better than that. See what your temps are before getting a cooler, I think. P
My Road King w/ Liberty SC, a 103 motor and a Jagg cooler w/ a auto bypass mount will run between 200-220. I installed it when new so I don't know what the temps are without it. My temp gauge is coming out of the oil tank. Also run HD 20/50 360 oil.
Not sure if this is overkill or not for the northeast but I ride alot down in TN & Virginia. More peace of mind than anything I guess.
Jerry
Hey Jerry next time you are heading this way stop in and say hello. Hope you can make the RON DEE VOO, Aug. 2-5
570 765 8310
Yes we are planning on coming down to the RDV. I will put your phone # in my wallet for when I'm in the area.
Thanks,
Jerry
BTW: don't I still owe you a hamburger from the Jolly Trolley in Dushore?
