Larger Oil Cooler

[pm8675309]

I live in PHX and I would like to keep the bike a bit cooler.

Is there a larger oil cooler available or maybe a different (Larger) scoop?

 

[Cooter]

The later bikes ('08-09 I think) have a larger cooler and scoop stock. You could get one of those for an easy upgrade or you could put any decent oil cooler there yourself. I would highly suggest a plate type of cooler as they resist vibration damage, and are much stronger. send pics

 

[snrusnak]

cooter what's a plate type cooler? Isn't that what oem is?

I've actually been looking at the bike wanting a larger(much larger, not barely larger) cooler and have been thinking about putting an aftermarket cooler in place of the original, more like this though:

Minus the horrible scoop lol

Here's a few others:

 

[Cooter]

Holy schamoleans! Do you really think a bonneville salt flats massive cooler is necessary just to ride around phoenix??

Get a later cooler/scoop, and a RSS, and forget about it. You can even use ECMSPY to tune some fuel into the ECM and lower the fan "on" temp too if you want to go that far...

The OEM are "plate style". Basically hollow plates that the oil flows through with cooling fins between them.
A tube and fin type is weaker and not as effective. it has a tube that winds through the fins + less surface area and less structural strength.
A good oil cooler will be expensive

And whats with all those shifters? is shifting backwards the latest racer cool-guy thing to do? Guess I missed that trend, even though it's probably from the 80's I missed a lot back then...

 

[snrusnak]

Well not necessary but won't hurt. I think oem is 6 row, the newer bikes are 8 row. Member ericz put an aftermarket 10 row on his and it looks basically like oem. He even used the oem scoop. That doesn't really make sense to me, if it's larger how is it the same size? I'm thinking maybe it's more rows but smaller rows so same overall dimensions? Never really thought to ask him, but I'm sure he did it for a reason(more cooling).

My bike runs noticeably worse when it gets really hot, I don't see how a larger cooler would hurt, especially with the operating temps of the xb's. Also a larger cooler should technically add capacity as well.

I've seen a lot of 10-30 row coolers under $100 that appear to be good quality. not sure, just observing.

 

[djs2k2]

I was going to mention the turbo bike that had a bigger cooler and still used the factory scoop.

 

[OldGeezer]

Cooter, it is the GP shift pattern which allows easier upshifting coming out of turns when leaned over

 

[EricZ]

The 2008-2010 factory 8 row oil cooler is not an "easy" swap on the 2003-2007 models. The subframe and oil lines are significantly different so the swap would require a subframe swap and awkwardly custom oil lines. You can't buy the oil line fittings that fit into the 2008 oil cooler but you could cut the flexible rubber line off of the stock lines and have a hydraulic shop swage the 2008 oil cooler ends with new flex line to the 03-07 engine side hard lines.

My Setrab unit is a 10 row cooler and is over twice as thick as the stock 6 row. The rows have closer spacing than the factory cooler so the length is almost identical to the stock 6 row. The height is almost the same too.

The factory 6 row oil cooler is plenty for a stock or even modified motor in a bike that runs on the street. Even in really high temps such as Arizona, it is more than enough. Unless it's a race bike that lives at 5k+ rpm all the time, I would not recommend a change.

 

[sparky300]

Eric, got a pn on that Setrab?

 

[ANIMOSITY]

What about adding a set of small fans and a shroud to the back of the cooler. I know my bike gets hot siting in traffic, so a set of fans pulling while the bike is stopped would help. Im thinking something like in the back of my home computer. Just a though.

 

[djs2k2]

I think that someone tried this once and it actually restricted the airflow while driving, because the fans resistance and surface area?

 

[Cooter]

I think the factory cooler is enough. I also agree that the oil cooler can't be too big!

I'm gonna go eat a 'Mallowdog...

 

[pm8675309]

Thanks everyone. I have an 09 so I have the larger OE cooler. I suppose I will just leave it on. I just feel bad when the firebolt starts complaining about the heat in the form of the fan.

 

[88b]

You will get used to the fan running, mine runs a lot of the time here in the UK even at 60f