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Oil cooler or Stage 1??

Mavagrand

Senior Member
Here's my question, and I've looked through the self help section, couldn't find an answer.

My 08 EGC seems to run excessively hot. I was riding a few weekends ago, the outside temp was mid 60s, beautiful day. The bike is completely stock with just a set of Xieds. Was riding in mixed traffic, some city, some country roads. After a long stretch of country road and riding at about 65 pulled into a drivethru for a drink. Sat in the drive thru for about 5 minutes and my scoot went into heat management. Now the air temperature was such that I was wearing long sleeves. This shocked me as I had not been riding her hard at all and five minutes was a very short time with my experience on this scoot. Now the oil is M1 fully synthetic 20/50 and was put in the engine in August of 2010,right before a road trip. This oil did get hot on that road trip, temp guage was reading over 300*.

My question is actually three fold. (1) Would the oil getting that hot in August effect it's ability to cool the engine? and (2) I'm thinking about installing a high flow breather with a TFI and leaving the stock mufflers on...will that provide cooling or do I need to install a new set of high flow slip on?

Finally, would it be better to leave the stock breather on, run a TFI to richen the fuel up and install one of those Ultra Cool Oil Coolers that have a fan?

I'm interested in keeping this motor healthy and want the best option for heat management. thanx.
 
Oil coolers are definitely an area where you'll get mixed opinions. Living where you do I can't see where you could go wrong installing one.

I installed my TFI first before changing out the pipes or air cleaner and it really did a nice job of cooling the bike down all by itself. Finishing up the Stage I will help a bit more.
 
Tough question with many answers, First the oil is really transfering the heat while it lubricates, The cooling is displaced through the fins on the heads and jugs, so I am in favor of the oil cooler with the fan plus adding more fuel to richen up the mixture and help cool down an already to lean machine JMO remember that when you are sitting still the hot oil is lubing not really cooling the motor down, you have to get some air moving over the motor to do that
 
I'd say with you're location that a cooler would be a good idea and the stage 1 IMHO is a must have. Even if I wasn't having heat problems the Stage 1 would be my first addition to a new bike.
 
Interesting question Mav. I live in the same part of the world, I do not have an oil cooler and do have a stage 1. Having said that, It seems to me that you wouldn't benefit from an air cleaner upgrade if you were not changing your exhaust. Air out=Air in. More fuel has got to help but I guess I would want to do the whole stage 1. Probably doesn't answer your question at all but just thinking out loud here.
I would opt for the more fuel route to see what happens first and go from there.

Let us know what you end up doing and how it works out.


Bodeen
 
All of the above, and maybe don't idle the engine that long would be my 2 cents. I really like the TFI over HD system.
:newsmile078:
:newsmile078:
 
i have the stage 1 and add -on harley oil cooler, even in 100+ degree heat here in mississippi, my bike runs cool, never any heat issues here. i run mobil 1 full syn and it helps just a little on the heat also, i check it with my sporty i had, it came with a dip stick temp gauge , it was running around 165 or so on a 95 degree day, i changed to mobil full syn, and it wouldn't get above 150 after that, i beleive in it!!!!
 
Every bit of cooling you add will improve the longevity of you and your bike when riding in heat. Oil cooler at $250 (H-D one and up); the TFI at $250 is a bargain...the rest of the Stage I being the A/C another $250 to $400 and pipes $400-$650 are considerably more but help in this area less. So let economics be your guide...!:s
 
I have never seen 300 oil temp on my ride (07 egc) my sender is mounted in oil pan,I would question whether the ieds are working they should richen your fuel enough to keep it cooler than that. You will hear a lot of claims on oil coolers it is a very hard thing to judge ,the one thing I have noticed is the oil seems to cool off quicker once im moving after being stuck in traffic.I have the HD cooler with 185 thermostat. If it was me,I would do a stage one have HD download a stage one map and take the IEDs off. Your changing the map versus piggy backing and fooling the ECM.. JMO...but the temps seem way too high...Tom..
 
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