I am running my bike in hot conditions, often extreme in traffic with air temps up in the 50C + and lots of guys I have met with big bikes here are using oil coolers to keep things under control so to speak. I would like to fit an oil cooler to my Strada have considered the Scheffelmeier Metall style and although it may work well for some, in my case I think I could well do with a larger and more conventional type of oil cooler for greater efficiency. Looking at the diagram on page 60 of the parts manual I find that the oil return pipe back to the tank is the 'mickey mouse' pipe under the engine that needs protection with a bash plate. This pipe runs a torturous route up in front of the engine then towards the back between the exhaust and the cylinder (more heating) after which it changes to a rubber hose which then goes up and back over the top of the engine under the airbox to the left side of the frame and onto the fitting in the top of the oil tank. Has anyone any ideas on the reason for the pipe taking this extra long route when, as far as I can tell, it could simply go up the front of the frame and directly into the oil tank? My plan would be to do away with this pipe altogether and fit a braided hose in its place. The new hose would then pass up in front of the engine, into the new Oil Cooler fitted directly under the radiator and then a second braided hose would exit the Cooler and run up into the top of the tank - a much shorter route but in clear air all the way. (much easier to spot leakages) I have managed to obtain a Mini Racing 7 row Aluminium Oil Cooler which fits perfectly across the frame under the radiator and am in the process of sourcing the hoses and fittings to put it all together. I understand I will have to be careful to bleed the system well and obviously add extra oil to fill the new cooler, but other than that I am not aware of any associated problems with this mod. Appreciate any views or ideas/examples from anyone who has already done this. Cheers, MH
If you were to look at the same engine in a BMW frame, the route the pipe takes probably makes more sense on that bike. I haven't checked myself, but I suspect that is the reason.
I hate the fact that it's right up against the exhaust. I'd love to get rid of it for that reason alone- and use a braided hose in it's place. I think it's a great idea.
One comment on the oil cooler to help in your conditions. I have just upgraded the oil cooler on my Ducati to a larger one (about 40% larger), for much the same reasons. What I found out is the the oil cooler can really help as long as there is air flowing through it. If there isn't much air flowing through it (say stuck in traffic) then it doesn't make much difference. It will help a bit for sure as it's that much more area to exchange heat, but not nearly as much as you'd think unless it has a fan on it. What I noticed on my Duc is the larger cooler makes a big difference when riding at any speed above say 35 mph, it dropped temps about 20 degrees F. But in very slow conditions or at stop lights, almost no difference. For the Husky I think the 2nd radiator fan would help more.
I run the Scheffelmeier Metall cooler, its like a giant heat sink but it requires airflow to effectively cool the oil, however it also requires additional oil in the engine - this probably helps a touch in keeping the engine cool in traffic. Avoid traffic - problem solved!
The whole Oil Cooler concept is based upon keeping the oil temperatures lower thereby increasing the effectiveness of the oil over its life in the engine, the racing boys knew this years ago and everyone has an additional or large oil cooler fitted. Many newer bikes I see here are now oil cooled rather than air cooled, this appears to be an improvement in cooling that is possible for manufacturers to achieve without major engine design changes. IMHO the Scheffelmeier type of cooler is a good idea, but as an actual cooler it is in the wrong place, airflow is restricted by the casing in front of it. For the same $$ I can fit a much more effective cooler across my frame just below the radiator. As DanK says the additional/larger oil cooler is very effective when riding at speeds but not so much when stopped in traffic, however I believe a conventional cooler would still be more effective than a Sceffelmeier type in those conditions. Whichever 'extra' cooling route you take, additional fan, oil cooler or both, the effect can only be a benefit to this hot running engine and this is so very applicable for anyone running in constantly high ambient temperatures as I am doing. My other reason for this mod is to try and resolve the issues with the crazy oil return pipe routing. It is in a vulnerable position below the engine, then follows a somewhat strange route to the back of the engine between exhaust and cylinder only to return over the top to the front into the tank. I still have no idea why the pipe follows this route. Replacement with a simple braided hose direct to the tank would be a great improvement, then adding a cooler into the circuit is a very easy thing to do. The cooler I have sourced is fairly large, being 300mm x 75mm 10 row, which makes it nearly the same width as the radiator and about 1/3 deep and it sits very nicely against the frame between the two lower radiator brackets. Next I have to get the hoses and fittings correct, this is proving difficult as the only ones I can find here so far are HP Hydraulic and too large to make a neat job of it. (A visit to a Race Tuning Bike Shop is my next option). The project continues........
Tipping the cooler forward by 20-30 degrees will effectively create a natural cooling airflow thru' the cooler, & not seriously effecct the the airflow at speed The metal oil pipes will give better cooling effects than teflon hoses
