oil cooler position

[DR]

I wish to fit an oil cooler but I'd like to run it vertically instead of the usual horizontal. Space is limited. Is there any reason why the cooler wouldn't work if turned on it's side? i.e. mounted up the side of the frame downtube instead of across it. thanks

[LWC82PE]

i think you would be right doing it like that as the oil is pumped through. just have the inlet side at the top and outlet at the bottom and i think it would be ok. I would be interested to hear what others think as im wondering if it matters if the flow is going sideways or downwards.

[Tim754]

OK ,try to mount cooler with as little pipage (is that a word??) as possible and sort of lowish (that's not but it will suffice.)  . Idea being ,your most likely standard flow oil pump don't wanna push Exxon Valdez loads of the slippery goo uphill. Leith some are pumped top to bottom or vice versa and others side to side , but yes your spot on if the core has a marked directional flow. It must be followed.

[LWC82PE]

i will check a standard oil cooler on a T160 triumph tomorrow and see how they have done that and if there is much of an uphill push, thats will give a fairly good idea of whats acceptable

[DR]

no worries, I have a bling cooler lined up specifically for the smaller 4 strokes. I found a good article on how to fit but I just wanted to make sure it would work fitted vertically. I personally can't see any reason why not, it's not thermal and as Tim said it's pumped so as long as the direction of flow is adheared to I'm hoping it will be okay.

this is the fitment article I found which will be very helpful I'd say

http://www.austindehaven.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=12

[oldfart]

might pay to check bike oil pressure first to see if it can handle the extra load put on pump .

[DR]

I'm planning to rebuild the motor oldfart and the oil cooler I'm looking at is heaven forbid.. a Chinese item designed for  70 110 125 chinka motors and such.
I realize the quality of the fittings will be a little dubious but they can be replaced if they're a problem. If the pump doesn't have the oomph to pump it all over the show then I can always blank it off the main reason I want to fit one is not exactly for practicality but more to fill the void arrowed in the pic below it maybe my cd6 pitbike if the Honcho a non starter

[pancho]

it seems to me that oil pressure problems probably won't exist because it wouldn't matter if the cooler was 20 ft up in the air because the oil runs back down the other side and syphons. the possible problem i see is an air lock in the cooler which would make the cooler ineffective, so i would bleed the air out. the design of the oil circuit is is critical. however if an oil cooler was always fitted this won't be a problem provided there is no restrictor in the line that wasn't there before, or if there was one it needs to be there.cheers,wally.

[BETRIC]

Use a small automatic tranmision cooler, they were used on PK XR75 RACERS in the vertical postion, I use a lockhart cooler on my hotty XR.

[GMC]

I suppose the Chinese units are cheap.
Honda XR's have a neat little wrap around unit that mounts on the headstem of the frame, out of harms way.
The XR 400 is slightly bigger than the XR 250

[DR]

Thanks Wally, I think I'll lash out with a nifty fifty and give it a go.

Geoff, the Chinese units are cheap. $54.95 for what you see in the pictues above. If I could find and fit something like a Lockhart cooler for less I would but as always $ are a little tight to throw too much at what is basically only a fun bike the only other option I have is find another tank that doesn't have the radiator cutaway but does run the safety seat. An oil cooler seemed the easier and possibly cheaper.

Betric, I had thought of a small tranny cooler but I'd still have to chase up lines and fittings and hunt around for something a suitable size and I'm getting lazy in my old age. So much these days that I rarely buy anything that doesn't get delivered to my door via the parcel man

[LWC82PE]

these look real good and could fit the space well. - Universal Jagg oil coolers

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=MFPMXEPULJ0MFLA0WTISM4VMDK0OWIV0?store=&skuId=491655
2-1/2" W x 8-1/4 L x 1-1/2 thick - 6 row 2 pass

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=X3J3IKQYAOGMBLA0WTVSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=&skuId=491654
2-1/2" W x 8-1/4 L x 1-1/2 thick - 6 row 2 pass

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=FQYRZC0GA11KRLA0WTISM4VMDK0OWIV0?store=&skuId=491652
2-1/2" W x 8-1/4 L x 1-1/2 thick - 6 row 2 pass

each have different mountings

-Specially designed for custom and vintage builders, racing, or any need for a cooler only
-State-of-the-art technology to keep your engine cool under the most punishing conditions
-Turbulators in each oil passageway gently stir oil, exposing it to more critical heat dissipation surface area for superior cooling with minimal increase in oil pressure restriction
-Highly concentrated mini-louvered air fins allow maximum heat transfer

$155.95USD

yes they ship to Australia no worries.

if you want a safety seat tank with a radiator shoud then what about a 86 onwards TT 250. They have a white plastic tank and have a red imitation radiator shroud which is actually an air scoop with vents/louvres

[Colin Jay]

I have run Lochart oil coolers on some of my 500 yamahas that were turned 90 degrees into what could be called the vertical position. I have always had the pressure feed line going into the bottom of the cooler as I beleive it helps the system "self bleed". Mind you the good old 500 Yammie is a dry sump engine and it is easy to see if the oils is returning to the oil tank.

CJ

[LWC82PE]

over the years many guys have run big oil coolers on 500 and 600 hondas and yamaha sidecars with no problems with oil pumps. i think the jap bikes are alright, we are not talking about piddly little oil pumps on a 1930 or 1940 BSA or AJS, which are very weak.

[LWC82PE]

if you want to be able to see if the oil is pumping though after fitting the oil cooler, you could fit some clear hose so then you can see that its pumping ok and the cooler is not restricting it and then change back to black hose.