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Oil Cooler Question

  • B0nes
    B0nes
    1 month
    Hope everybody doing well. Need to pick the brains on here regarding oil coolers. Looking to fit an oil cooler to the Night Train, QLD's gonna get hot this summer. Was thinking of something like this, the centre mounted option I think would suit the style I'm after on the bike. Just not sure about airflow over the front cylinder. Or would side mounted be the better option
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    1 month
    Is it really needed?   I have run the old FXR fully turboed in 40 degrees with no issues.  I'm kind of the view its a bit like snake oil....
  • Retroman
    Retroman
    1 month
    I have tried the genuine "plumbed in" oil cooler on a 2008 Softail.

    Both exxy and a bit of a tosser to fit. Dropped the oil tank temp 20F while running, measured on a high 30's day.

    I also used (and still do) on another 2008 Softail an older "push on" oil filter cooler collar. Finned alloy gizmo.
    Sold as a genuine HD part up until maybe 2008, then for years from the maker eBay USA direct.
    NOT expensive at the time. BUT I can't find the guy now, and I have tried my old email address for him.
    Back then I bought them from him in multiples, and put them on all my mate's bikes

    I tried it next to the Genuine plumbed in HD cooler, on the same day, and it dropped the oil tank temp by 20F

    That has to help with mechanical reliability, remembering the Twin Cam ran hotter than the EVO it replaced.
  • Hilly
    Hilly
    1 month
    This is what Retro is talking about, I had one, lent it, never saw it again.
    IMG_8468.JPG
    IMG_8469.JPG
  • T4
    T4
    1 month
    Have a similar sort of oil filter/cooler that sits out in the airflow for both my Sportsters. Has the added advantage of a cleanable filter. They do kits for other Harleys apart from Sportys, though not sure which models. Cannot remember the name of the crowd; something like K&P Engineering (K&S maybe ?). I'll look it up and get back to you.

    Cheers, Will
    20230925_110906.jpg
    20230925_111245.jpg
  • Wanderer57
    Wanderer57
    1 month
    Looks like K&P Engineering. I have had one on the 16 Heritage for a few Years, and have one ready to fit on the 23 SG. I swear by them. Their web site lists all the makes and models including cars and 4 wheelers etc and there are a few distributors in AUS. Not cheap, about $300 these days but I like the idea of seeing whats in the filter and not having to replace. Good magnet and relief valve. Most Harleys will use the P/N S4 from memory.
    For the oil cooler proper I fitted an Ultracool, fan assisted to the Heritage. It works well, and fans come on when tank dipstick temp reads about 107C.
  • T4
    T4
    1 month
    You are correct Wanderer. I found some shit amongst all the crap in the shed. Caution: it involves reading!

    I did get the actual filter from someone in Brisbane (I think, though I haven't turned up who it was yet); they were good to deal with and prompt to send stuff and had spare parts (springs and seals etc). The relocation kit I got from DK Custom Products in the states; again good to deal with.

    Cheers, Will


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    KP.jpg
  • Retroman
    Retroman
    1 month
    Quoting Hilly on 14 Dec 2024 02:48 AM

    This is what Retro is talking about, I had one, lent it, never saw it again.

    IMG_8468.JPG
    IMG_8469.JPG
    Yep them's the puppies.
    Mate of mine just bought one NOS from a new Harley parts clearance place stateside.
    He spent a while scouring ebay USA and one came up eventually.
    I can't track the original maker, I believe he had a home workshop and supplied Harley with them at one time.

    This mate's 2010 Dyna has an oil temp dipstick , the digital LCD type and it showed his oil temp dropping 20F
    So they are consistent.


  • B0nes
    B0nes
    1 month
    Thanks fellas. Have a few ideas which I'm going to dig into and have a look at the best options. Checked over the bike last service and had the oil analysed by a mate who works on aircraft engines for a living, he gave it the thumbs up for wear with nothing out of the ordinary. I'm just a pedantic prick when it comes to my 01 Night Train. My 14 year old nephew wants it when I die, told him I plan to have it buried with me when I fall off the perch. Told him he can have the Ultra instead.
  • speedzter
    speedzter
    1 month
    i run a side mount Jagg cooler on my Dyna .
    I believe the side mount is the most efficient design, and they definitely work well at lowering oil temp' .

    Another option that has a drastic affect on oil temperature is a cylinder cooling fan .
    Works especially well at lower speeds, but oddly enough , it even has an affect at highway speeds depending on the wind direction .
    I run a cylinder head temperature gauge for monitoring .
  • perthhog
    perthhog
    1 month
    Quoting Hilly on 14 Dec 2024 02:48 AM

    This is what Retro is talking about, I had one, lent it, never saw it again.

    IMG_8468.JPG
    IMG_8469.JPG
    Quoting Retroman on 14 Dec 2024 01:04 PM

    Yep them's the puppies.

    Mate of mine just bought one NOS from a new Harley parts clearance place stateside.
    He spent a while scouring ebay USA and one came up eventually.
    I can't track the original maker, I believe he had a home workshop and supplied Harley with them at one time.

    This mate's 2010 Dyna has an oil temp dipstick , the digital LCD type and it showed his oil temp dropping 20F
    So they are consistent.


    Been running one of them slip on coolers on my evo for as long as I’ve been here 
    Think I picked up on that tip here many moons ago I also run a ultima/ Midwest 
    Down tube type on my other bike  which is better the slip on in my opinion 
    Just have to use the right filter with the slip on  as some it doesn’t hold onto them 
  • Retroman
    Retroman
    1 month
    Yes indeedy.

    they work best with the original OEM Harley filters , just the right amount of "grippage'.

    I know for sure that they are too loose on K&N and AC Delco filters.

    Back in the day for the price they were the best bang for the bucks spent.
  • Retroman
    Retroman
    1 month
    Bought 3 new genuine HD oil filters to top up my shed stock, and put one on my own bike yesterday. Had 3 already on the shelf.

    Pushed the oil cooler collar back on and it was LOOSE ?

    Measured the "new" batch filters against older stock maybe 6 months old, and yes the new batch is fractionally (1mm) smaller !

    Even just lifting an "older" filter out the OEM box the cooler collar is a snug interference fit, and once hot it's not moving

    Cooler collar was sliding/vibrating off this latest filter as I rode. Can't come right off thankfully.

    Teeny bit O' silicone will fix that until this time next year, but worth knowing.

    Harleys filter manufacturer must have tweaked specs I reckon.

    I already knew the collars were loose on K&N and AC Delco filters.

    May have to try some others.
  • B0nes
    B0nes
    1 month
    Quoting Retroman on 21 Dec 2024 12:25 PM

    Bought 3 new genuine HD oil filters to top up my shed stock, and put one on my own bike yesterday. Had 3 already on the shelf.


    Pushed the oil cooler collar back on and it was LOOSE ?

    Measured the "new" batch filters against older stock maybe 6 months old, and yes the new batch is fractionally (1mm) smaller !

    Even just lifting an "older" filter out the OEM box the cooler collar is a snug interference fit, and once hot it's not moving

    Cooler collar was sliding/vibrating off this latest filter as I rode. Can't come right off thankfully.

    Teeny bit O' silicone will fix that until this time next year, but worth knowing.

    Harleys filter manufacturer must have tweaked specs I reckon.

    I already knew the collars were loose on K&N and AC Delco filters.

    May have to try some others.

    Not sure if true or not but I read somewhere that Wix supply's filters to Harley although some say Hiflow are the suppliers. They used to be supplied by PGI while others say Champ were the previous suppliers so who knows. The only thing that I bet is true is that who ever supply's them to Harley now are cheaper than the previous supplier.
  • Retroman
    Retroman
    1 month
    100% for sure. Put out to tender every few years proviso that designated specs are met.

    Harley stopped selling these push on oil filter cooler collars themselves many years ago. Pre 2010 if not earlier.

    After 2011 I was buying them in reasonable quantities direct from the US maker, guy operated from home by then.

    So 1mm difference in filter diameter won't matter and probably within tolerance.

    I put mine back onto the latest "new" filter today with a blob of blue threadlocker.

    Lets see if that works ?
  • Hoodeng
    Hoodeng
    29 days ago
    If you are going to run an oil cooler, run a thermostat controlled bypass valve, Jagg do one.
    Oil's specifications are met when it runs at a specified temp 100°c.
    I found with one of my bikes that had the thermostat and cooler it only ever opened on particularly hot days.
  • B0nes
    B0nes
    29 days ago
    Quoting Hoodeng on 23 Dec 2024 11:54 PM

    If you are going to run an oil cooler, run a thermostat controlled bypass valve, Jagg do one.
    Oil's specifications are met when it runs at a specified temp 100°c.
    I found with one of my bikes that had the thermostat and cooler it only ever opened on particularly hot days.

    Agree. I wouldn't run a cooler unless it had a thermostat bypass valve. Much like back in the day when people removed the thermostat from their cars cooling system. It serves a purpose so run it and if it craps out replace it
  • Retroman
    Retroman
    29 days ago
    Back in 2007 I fitted the thermostat controlled genuine Softail oil cooler kit to my Softail Custom.

    Both expensive at the time a painful to fit. The thermostat was in the spacer that mounted to the crankcase where the stock oil filter mounts and shifted the filter out maybe 1/1.5cm. Oil radiator sat between the frame downtubes.
    Oil temperature dipstick showed a 20F drop in running temperature in the oil tank.

    I came across these (no longer available from HD even then) push on cooler collars and fitted one to my mates 2007 Heritage.
    Off we set to a destination across the city on a 35C day with some cunty traffic, and when we got there both oil temp dipsticks showing the same temperature. That proved to me that the cooler collars worked, and also that as they operate on a heat sink principle they also radiated heat while idling.

    As a double blind, we slid the cooler collar off the Heritage before we rode back, and once home the Heritage was 20F hotter in the oil tank than my Softail Custom.

    So my next bike, a 2008 CVO Springer ex US used import from Texas got an oil filter cooler collar from day one in Western Australia and same oil temperature results. I then scored a "big" order direct from the old US geezer who made them in his home workshop then over the years fitted them to all my mate's Harleys when servicing them. Unless their bikes have been sold/changed they still have them on there today. Using black stock Harley filters, no chrome required.

    I used the last brand newie just 3 years ago on a lovely 2001 Deuce with a 95" kit. Carby bike.

    Just my personal experience over the years. I did read back in 2007 that folks in the US would push the cooler collars off in their fall/winter and spring. Being in Perth WA my cooler collar just stays on there all year!
  • Hilly
    Hilly
    29 days ago
    I had my slip on one in Townsville so yeah I didn't even give the oil temp being too cold a thought, but now I'm in Tassie it would probably not be needed most of the time, a thermostat would definitely make sense down here, it's worth noting that many of the aftermarket coolers you see do not have one so if you do live in a colder climate they would not be ideal. 
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