For a while I have been considering different options to install an inexpensive, well-protected oil cooler for my XR650L.  I finally decided to experiment with one of the Long/Tru Cool, power steering coolers sold by Baker Precision.

http://www.bakerprec...com/trucool.htm

Because I wished to keep the oil lines feeding the cooler well protected, and as short as possible, I decided to purchase the 4”x4”x3/4”, small, power steering cooler, which sells for $29.95.  After considering a side mount, I finally decided to mount the oil cooler on the bike’s downtube, as high as possible, directly behind the front fender.

I constructed a frame for the oil cooler from 3/4”x3/4”, aluminum angle stock, and 3/4”, aluminum bar stock I purchased from Home Depot.  I bolted the oil cooler to the angle stock, and completed the cooler’s frame by bolting two cross pieces of 3/4” bar stock.

I mounted the bottom of the cooler to the frame with two, 1/4”x2” bolts, and a short piece of aluminum behind the downtube.  I attached the top of the oil cooler to the frame with a plastic zip tie, which I intend to replace with a steel cable tie.





Spud

I purchased SAE J1019, transmission oil hose from a local CarQuest store.  I ordered five, 90-degree, brass hose barbs from a local hose supply shop.  Since I wanted to install a Trail Tech, TTO Temperature Gauge, I also bought some brass fittings from Fastenal.  Most of these fittings are also available at many auto supply stores.

I cut the external oil pipe just above the rubber grommet on the frame, and plumbed the oil line into the bottom of my oil cooler as shown in the photographs below.  I plumbed the top line from the oil cooler into the line feeding the oil reservoir in the frame.  I installed the temperature probe in the oil line between the engine and the oil cooler so I can get a continuous reading of the oil temperature as it exits the engine, before it enters the oil cooler.  I secured the oil hoses to the bike’s frame using 5/8” loom clamps I bought from Home Depot.  I drilled holes in the front fender, and shimmed the fender down with nylon spacers so it would clear the oil cooler.

















Spud

Edited by SpudRider, 14 April 2012 - 11:20 PM.

Here are some more photographs of my installation.
















Spud

After installing my Spud Cooler, I went on a 110-mile ride to test it.













I’m pleased to report the oil cooler works well.  I paid approximately $95 to purchase the parts needed to assemble the oil cooler.  I spent an additional $50 to plumb the TTO temperature gauge into the oil line.  I will continue to report on the effectiveness and durability of this oil cooler as I accumulate more miles riding my XR650L with the oil cooler installed.

Spud  

Spud,

I've been a member for some time, but until now, never felt compelled to post.

As Wile E. Coyote would say, "Genius, Simply Genius!"

I also have been contemplating an affordable(read, cheap) cooler along similar lines. I don't know if you recall, but some older Ford vehicles had a finned cooler mounted on the power steering pump and that was going to be the basis of my project. But yours looks more better.

I'm not interested in the temperature guage since I have the dipstick setup, and not to cast aspersions, but I think I would use copper line to eliminate some joints to lessen potential leak points.

Of course this would hinge on providing you have no objections if I were to "borrow" your setup.

twerpy.

Sorry spud,every other mod you have done,that I have read, has been spot on. But this looks to me like an accident waiting to strand you 100 miles from nowhere, and no way to get back home.

There is just to many fragile things about it. I mean 1 good layover in any type of manzanita or sage or who knows and all that plumbing would be toast!

I think your on the right track but you implemented it to soon. IMHO

And if I may.....why the need for an extra cooler to begin with??

Only problem I'd have with mounting an oil cooler there is mud and logs..Mud would clog that in no time and a decent sized log would take it out if you made a bad distance/throttle judgement when trying to jump/climb over the thing.,,Looks like there's neither where you are so it should survive. Not that an oil coolers going to be of much help when you're stuck in some tight boggy, muddy, log section,,You'd be going to slow for one to be of any help in engine oil cooling..Really the things are only practical or useful on fairly open ground..

Edited by Horri, 15 April 2012 - 12:49 PM.

I agree wholly with the mud issue, but that could be mitigated with a louver just like the water cooled scoots. I would also try the setup without the holes in the fender and see if the temps would lower enough without them.

The log issue is certainly true, but man it would have be a big sucker.

I will, however, respectfully disagree on the slow speed part. Even without airflow, there will still be some temperature drop simply because of the extra surface area.

twerpy.

twerpymoon, on 15 April 2012 - 08:45 AM, said:

Thank you, Twerpy.    The 90 degree elbows have 4 hose barbs on each end, so I am confident they will not leak.  However, if I encounter any problems with this oil cooler, I will certainly report them.

I guess I should add this disclaimer: Do not try this at home! The author of this thread will not be held responsible for any damages or injuries you might suffer from duplicating this oil cooler!  

I should also mention I believe the front wheel would probably contact this oil cooler with full compression of the forks. Since I don't jump my bike, I doubt this scenario would apply to me.  However, I wouldn't install an oil cooler in this position if I were riding my XR650L hard enough to cause the forks to fully compress.  

Spud

NVFirefighter, on 15 April 2012 - 10:28 AM, said:

No need for apologies; I appreciate your feedback.   I think the oil lines are pretty well protected, but I will certainly report if I find out otherwise.

I think the XR650Ls run hot, even with the stock air scoops.  Since I removed the air scoops when I installed my aftermarket fuel tank, I felt the need to install an oil cooler to prevent possible problems with overheating.   Also, I like having a constant, digital readout from the TTO temperature gauge.  Now, if the engine begins to overheat, I can at least slow down, or stop the engine until it cools off.

Spud

Horri, on 15 April 2012 - 12:36 PM, said:

I agree on all points.  However, I don't use my "piggy" to jump logs.   Also, as you say, an oil cooler doesn't help much when slogging through the mud, so it doesn't matter much if it does get muddy.    I am fortunate to ride on open ground, where an oil cooler can be effective.  Also, I have a KDX 220 which I ride in the roughest terrain, so I primarily installed an oil cooler to help my XR650L when traveling at high engine rpms on the freeway.

Spud

twerpymoon, on 15 April 2012 - 06:24 PM, said:

I did experiment with an unmodified fender before I decide to drill the holes.  The unmodified fender greatly reduces the effectiveness of this oil cooler.   I would also not suggest louvers on the fender, since even a drilled fender needs to be spaced down to clear the oil cooler (see my previous posts).  If one added louvers, the fender would need to be lowered even further, which would increase the likelihood of the front wheel grabbing the fender.   

Spud

Thanks Spud. Disclamer and possibility of tire contact duly noted.

twerpymoon, on 15 April 2012 - 06:54 PM, said:

You're welcome.

Spud

Spud,did you do a before and after temp reading......just to see how much difference it does make? Do you run synth or dino oils and what weight?

Thanks for your write-up's! They're a great addition to this forum....

NVFirefighter, on 15 April 2012 - 07:11 PM, said:

Thank you for your kind words.

As with all prudent, XR650L owners, I was interested in monitoring my engine temperatures before I even considered installing an oil cooler.   However, I couldn't bring myself to spent $40, plus shipping costs, for the XRs Only, analogue temperature gauge, which lacks a proper dipstick, and is notorious for letting moisture under the crystal, and fogging up the lens  .   

I considered making my own, digital temperature gauge.  However, it's difficult to find a proper bolt that will seal the oil reservoir.  If I modified the stock, oil dipstick, I figured it would become difficult to use, et cetera. Therefore, I decided to wait to install the Trail Tech TTO Temperature Gauge for $35.   However, this gauge needs to be plumbed into the oil line for a proper installation, so I waited to install the temperature gauge until I installed my oil cooler.

I installed my oil cooler for less than $100 in parts, minus the TTO Temperature gauge.  I invested another $50 to purchase the TTO Temperature Gauge, and the brass fittings needed to plumb it into the oil line.   With only $100 invested in the complete oil cooler, I refused to spend $40, plus shipping, for the XRs Only Temperature Gauge, which I would only discard.    If it wouldn't have cost me so much, I would have gladly, and prudently been recording engine temperatures for many miles before I decide to install an oil cooler. However, I didn't want to waste money on an analogue temperature gauge I was just going to throw away.

However, I can cover my present oil cooler with cardboard and duct tape, and note the temperatures on the TTO gauge.  This experiment will probably come close to showing how effectively the oil cooler is lowering temperatures.  I did go riding with my oil cooler, and an unmodified front fender.  Riding at full throttle on the freeway, my oil temperature quickly reached 250 degrees, and was still rising.   Therefore, I went home and drilled some holes in my front fender.   In contrast, I made a 26-mile, full throttle run on the freeway after my oil cooler installation, and the maximum oil temperature was 258 degrees.

Spud

Edited by SpudRider, 16 April 2012 - 07:53 PM.

full throttle spud? what was your speed?

i like this info....

I really want to add an oil cooler, I scare myself and the bike If i do full throttle more than a couple ,minutes or so not speed wise but I just feel im not doing any good to the bike...maybe Im just a wuss!

cheers

elsalvadorklr, on 16 April 2012 - 05:59 AM, said:

I was riding at 5,000 feet above sea level, fighting a good headwind, with 15/48 sprockets, so my top speed was 80 mph.  I rode at 80 mph for 26 miles, and for most of that time the oil temperatures remained below 250 degrees.  As I approached my exit the oil temperature climbed slowly to 258 degrees.  Therefore, I decided to continue the experiment and take the next exit.  I backed off the throttle to 65 mph, and the oil temperature immediately began to drop.  When I reached the next exit, three miles later, the oil temperature had dropped to 250 degrees.   Of course, once I exited the freeway, the oil temperature dropped even lower.

I really like having the constant, digital readout from my Trail Tech TTO Temperature Gauge.  I also like the fact I mounted the temperature probe close to the engine, before the oil enters the oil cooler.  As much as possible, I want to monitor the oil temperature inside the engine, not after the oil leaves the oil cooler.



If the oil temperature rises, I can always back off the throttle, and/or stop for a few minutes.  The oil cools rapidly even if I stop for only a few minutes.



Spud

Edited by SpudRider, 16 April 2012 - 07:54 PM.

As I said earlier, I suspect the front wheel might hit the oil cooler with full compression of the forks. This is an important issue, so I want to provide some additional information. I have installed a lowering link, and raised my forks 1-inch in the triple tree.  I don't know how much free sag I have with my current forks.  The doctored photograph below shows approximately how much the front wheel can travel before it impacts the oil cooler on my lowered motorcycle.



I think I can raise the oil cooler about an inch, if necessary.  I can also trim the rear of the fender so the wheel will not grab it long before it would impact the fender.  When I get a chance, I will lift the front wheel and see how much free sag I have in my forks.

Spud

Spud, What weight oil and is it Synth or Dino?

Thanks!