Engine heat

[actonern]

I know little about air cooled harley motor design, but my bike has an 88 counterbalanced motor in a 2006 softail.

Lots of past posts say oil coolers are a good idea, and lots of posts say engine heat has become more of a problem with ever growing displacement.

Here in Ontario, summer temps rarely exceed 80 degrees.  That said, with an 88 motor, should an oil cooler be necessary?

Thanks in advance!

[road-dawgs1]

I live in VT, never saw the need for an oil cooler on my 04 or my 08. My 19 came with one.

[Princess Butt]

You will probably be fine without an oil cooler. If your engine gets really hot in heavy traffic, then just change your oil early as a precaution.

I have a 2015 Heritage as a commuter bike, and I put an oil cooler on it. But I live just outside Washington DC, and traffic can be quite awful, with temps in the mid 90's regularly.

I've run an oil cooler on almost every Harley I have ever owned. I've also tested with an infrared thermometer, and I was surprised the softail ran only about 10 degrees cooler than my 2012 Ultra limited. It certainly felt cooler on a hot day.

[ThumperDeuce]

I would just change the oil every 3k with a high quality synthetic and not worry about a cooler.

[Terrymcq]

I have 2009 Low Rider I bought used with 19,000 miles on it. I rode it 20,000 miles first season with no issues. I put FP3 tuner on it the first season along with Screamin Eagle air cleaner kit and Rinehart 2-1 exhaust. The next season and since (only 2 years since) I have had nothing but problems, one thing after another. I have fixed all issues EXCEPT I still can't figure out why after riding "highway speeds" for more than 3 hours my bike starts acting up, wants to stall, gag, backfire, have to abuse it to keep it running nd rolling just to get it home from 3-4 hours away! Anyone have a problem like this before? I keep wondering if it is a heat issue with the FP3 tuner or possibly the ECM? Or is it possible for someone to hack my FP3 and/or ECM remotely if they have the VIN and have worked on the bike before? I'm desperate to figure this sh*t out. I am 60 years old and don't know how long my health will allow me to ride and I really hoped to take as many long rode trips as I can afford to before I can't ride anymore and I can't go far if it does this sh*t every time I get 200 miles away. I really am wanting to ride the mountains a few times before I get too old.
Thanks for any helpful info anyone might have, I would greatly appreciate it.

[Hossamania]

I have 2009 Low Rider I bought used with 19,000 miles on it. I rode it 20,000 miles first season with no issues. I put FP3 tuner on it the first season along with Screamin Eagle air cleaner kit and Rinehart 2-1 exhaust. The next season and since (only 2 years since) I have had nothing but problems, one thing after another. I have fixed all issues EXCEPT I still can't figure out why after riding "highway speeds" for more than 3 hours my bike starts acting up, wants to stall, gag, backfire, have to abuse it to keep it running nd rolling just to get it home from 3-4 hours away! Anyone have a problem like this before? I keep wondering if it is a heat issue with the FP3 tuner or possibly the ECM? Or is it possible for someone to hack my FP3 and/or ECM remotely if they have the VIN and have worked on the bike before? I'm desperate to figure this sh*t out. I am 60 years old and don't know how long my health will allow me to ride and I really hoped to take as many long rode trips as I can afford to before I can't ride anymore and I can't go far if it does this sh*t every time I get 200 miles away. I really am wanting to ride the mountains a few times before I get too old.
Thanks for any helpful info anyone might have, I would greatly appreciate it.

I would suggest you start a new thread, as your issues have nothing to do with this subject matter.

[Roadflyer]

Your bike has made it 14 years without an oil cooler, why would it need one now?

[fleetmechanic]

On all of our '07 and later police models the oil coolers had to be removed in order to allow sidecar bracket installation.  The sidecars are for running in the snow but we also have plenty of days around 100 degrees and these bikes spend time idling parked in hot intersections while escorting funerals.  Never have had any issues with overheating.

[Pirsch Fire Wagon]

Factory Installed Oil Coolers came along with the 103 Engines. The presumptive thought process was increased Cubes = More Heat.

Until someone GAVE ME one free of charge I never used one prior on anything I owned. Perhaps the Cost alone.

IMO The best cooling is achieved by a proper tune, high-volume Oil Pump, and avoiding long standing traffic on "HOT" days. "Hot" is relative. Here, 100*F is the norm in July and August. Today, Quality Oil provides superior lubrication and heat dissipation.

If you feel better having one, get it. If it returns piece of mind, even more the reason.

[MikeL]

2007 ultra South Florida driven no oil cooler no, no oil temp gauge. I removed the lowers, marked improvement concerning me with heat so I assume the engine is running cooler. Also run Sae60 Amsoil oil pressure at hot idle is 15psi no less. Installed Andrews48 cams which also helps lower heat. I wouldn't worry about an oil cooler especially way up there even with a cubic inch bump down here maybe depending on the build.

                                                                                                                                                                    MIKE

[CndUltra88]

I know little about air cooled harley motor design, but my bike has an 88 counterbalanced motor in a 2006 softail.

Lots of past posts say oil coolers are a good idea, and lots of posts say engine heat has become more of a problem with ever growing displacement.

Here in Ontario, summer temps rarely exceed 80 degrees.  That said, with an 88 motor, should an oil cooler be necessary?

Thanks in advance!

It is very much the owner operators choice on whether a oil cooler is a necessity.
Buy/install one if it makes you feel better ...wait for one to go on sale if that helps as they are $$$ .
I installed one after a few years of ownership and it put my mind at ease and it worked as it should .
From 10 Celsius to 28 Celsius at 120kmh on the I-5 kept my mind at rest.
Rob

[Ratfade]

Factory Installed Oil Coolers came along with the 103 Engines. The presumptive thought process was increased Cubes = More Heat.

Until someone GAVE ME one free of charge I never used one prior on anything I owned. Perhaps the Cost alone.

IMO The best cooling is achieved by a proper tune, high-volume Oil Pump, and avoiding long standing traffic on "HOT" days. "Hot" is relative. Here, 100*F is the norm in July and August. Today, Quality Oil provides superior lubrication and heat dissipation.

If you feel better having one, get it. If it returns piece of mind, even more the reason.

I have a 2014 Heritage Classic with the 103 engine. If it has an oil cooler, I can't find it. Did HD maybe just do the touring models?

[jmorton10]

no oil cooler no, no oil temp gauge.

See that's the key right there, as long as you don't have a temp gauge that worries you constantly, then you don't need a cooler.... HaHa

~John

[cheech]

no oil cooler no, no oil temp gauge.

See that's the key right there, as long as you don't have a temp gauge that worries you constantly, then you don't need a cooler.... HaHa

~John

Gospel!  And miraculously without both they all seem to survive.

[Jim Bronson]

Factory Installed Oil Coolers came along with the 103 Engines. The presumptive thought process was increased Cubes = More Heat.

Until someone GAVE ME one free of charge I never used one prior on anything I owned. Perhaps the Cost alone.

IMO The best cooling is achieved by a proper tune, high-volume Oil Pump, and avoiding long standing traffic on "HOT" days. "Hot" is relative. Here, 100*F is the norm in July and August. Today, Quality Oil provides superior lubrication and heat dissipation.

If you feel better having one, get it. If it returns piece of mind, even more the reason.

I have a 2014 Heritage Classic with the 103 engine. If it has an oil cooler, I can't find it. Did HD maybe just do the touring models?

My '14 Heritage didn't have one.

[JW113]

Regular motor oil is OK up the 275degF before it starts to break down. Synthetic is about 300degF. If your oil temp is below that, probably don't need an oil cooler. That said, my '04 RK, when hauling along at 80+ on a 85F+ day, the oil was getting over 260F. Too close to the breakdown point for my comfort. I installed an oil cooler, it drops the oil temp about 30F. My Evo rarely gets over 220F no matter what. The diff? TCs use engine oil to cool the pistons, Evos don't. Between cylinder friction and combustion, the pistons get pretty hot. If you are pulling that heat into the oil, the heat has to go someplace. In cooler weather climates, probably no big deal. Eh? Out here in the wild west, well, it's kind of hot in the summer & fall...

-JW

[Phu Cat]

Where'd you get those numbers for oil break down, JW?  If synthetic oil only protected for an additional 25 degrees there never would have been any reason to create it. 

PC

[MikeL]

Infoweb says:
Maximum operating temperature for synthetic engine oil
But oil can reach very high temperatures for a very short time in the hottest parts of engine (around piston rings). For non-synthetic motor oil, the traditional approach is to try to hold oil temperatures between 230 and 260 degrees F. For full synthetic motor oil, maximum can exceed 300 degrees.
How far above 300 deg?
As you know I don't have an oil temp gauge or a oil cooler. Oil pressure to me is a good indicator for thermal oil breakdown. If the o/p goes below 10lbs at idle it's hot. Do I stop? most likely to cool myself down cause IT'S HOT with some cold ones and the ultra, in some shade if I can find some.

                                                                                                                                                                    MIKE

[a_disalvo]

Anyone use one of aluminum finned oil filter covers that are supposed to act as a heat sink? I have one, also have a fan that blows between the heads. Frank

[hattitude]

I had a factory installed oil cooler on my new '78 FXS and new '80 FXS shovel heads... it even came with vinyl cover to put over the cooler when it was below a certain temp...

Must have worked.... neither of those bikes ever overheated....   

[SmokyOwl]

IMO, if you're rarely seeing over 80 degrees with an 88 engine I don't think an oil cooler is necessary, unless you have "clutch days" in traffic jams/parades.  I put on an oil cooler on my 88 because where I'm at it's not unusual to have several 90+ degree days in summer, and on occasion I do get stuck in a traffic jam.

[Big Cahuna]

Installing an oil cooler won't make much difference in slow stop and go traffic. The cooler may get hot to the touch, but won't be shedding much heat unless air in volume, is passing over it. If you install a fan to pull air thru the cooler, you will remove some heat.  You can try running some type of 60 wt oil like Harley recommends when it's over 80f out. Alot of motorcycle oils will start to vaporize or "flash off", over 375f. Some will flash at 450, depends who's oil you use. If you look at the Bob is the oil guy site, they have a motorcycle UOA section where alot of oils are tested to see how they held up.,,,,