Oil Cooler Update

[rcurnayn]

Hi All,

Well the DK Customs Dual-Cool Oil Cooler and Oil Filter Relocation Kit are installed and tested. ABSOLUTELY AWSOME RESULTS!!

I did the installation yesterday. It took about 4 hours, but I'm old and getting up and down off the concrete floor ain't as easy as it use to be. But the installation went smooth and everything fit as advertised. The work space it tight, but nothing anybody can do about that.

Before I get to the test results here are a few pics of the installation.



This is where the oil filter use to be. It is now replaced with an permanent screw on adapter (Before Hoses). Very clean and easy to install.



This is the relocated Oil Filter mount. As advertised the two 1/2 inch foot peg bolts that you have to remove to mount the adaptor plate are a BITCH!! Had to use a torque bar to get them out. But after that the rest was easy.




Don't know why this pic is posting sideways ??? Anyway this is the Oil Cooler neatly tucked away behind the fairing vent....... Neat and Nifty

The mounting hardware for attach the oil cooler to the bracket was missing, but a quick trip to the hardware store fixed that.



Had these left over.....no freaking clue what they are for. Guess I got a parts bonus :laugh::laugh:

Then I ran the hoses. Much easier than expected. The guys at DK have warning messages in the instructions about being careful and not get too close to the drive belt. I now understand why. Not much room down there, but with a couple of electrical ties, all is good.

All in all the installation was pretty damn easy and all the parts fit as advertised. GOOD JOB DK !!

Now for the test results.

Today was about 87 degrees with 75% humidity. Not awful but hot. Typical day for South West Ohio.

Did my first 20 mile run with the cruse control on and set to 65 mph (2800 rpm). Typically at the end of this run my oil temp (measured by digital dip stick) would be in the mid 250s. Let's call it 256. With the new toys installed I ended with a temp of 229. A 27 degree cool down. I was ecstatic !!! DK advertises a 30 average drop in temp but I was going to consider myself lucky if I got 20. Now I must also note that I put a standard HD Oil Filter on. Already had that laying around. If I would buy the Outlaw reusable filter from DK I am sure the increased oil flow would give me the other 3 degrees or more.

On the return trip I was all over the throttle as much as traffic would allow. Typically after a run like that I would see temps in the 273 to 277 range. Today I topped out at 239....... A 34 to 38 degree drop WOW!!

All I can say is DK Customs hit it out of the park for me with is product. I want to thank everyone who nudged me to look at what they had to offer. My experience with DK and their products could not have been any better.

Running Cool and no more messy oil changes epper:epper:

Time for Happy Hour

 

[ctdair]

So is it just me or is anyone else not able to see images. Im looked in but images are all pixelated.

 

[cdculbertson]

So is it just me or is anyone else not able to see images. Im looked in but images are all pixelated.

Photos look fine on my iPad.

 

[woodmnctry]

photos good here --- thanks for letting us know about this product -- may be getting one

 

[ctdair]

Pictures good on I phone , not sure why a problem on my MacBook. Foot board bolts not a problem for me but I used 1/2 drive air impact.

 

[Paul692]

all those products are great I would love to put them on mine but I am sure the warranty would be voided if a problem came up . the only thing I did to mine to cool it down was put on a wards fan.

 

[BinIdaho]

Is this something my local HD dealer could do? And, is there a specific reason why it would void my warranty? Thanks

 

[rhino 2]

Is this something my local HD dealer could do? And, is there a specific reason why it would void my warranty? Thanks

In General if an non authorized [By Harley] part causes a problem... That problem would not be covered under warranty.. Not the whole warranty just that problem...
ie; You put too many extra lights on and the voltage regulator burns out.. The regulator isn't covered..
Everything else on the trike is still covered...

 

[Paul692]

Just my 2cents worth .i think it would make it easier for a dealer to deny a claim based on someone using aftermarket parts on their Harley. For example your aftermarket oil cooler did not cool your engine properly and damaged the engine.i would not be worried about them replacing my aftermarket oil cooler only the damaged engine. They could always say that the oil cooler wasn't any good. We all no that any aftermarket cooler is better than the one that came on the bike, they could make a case against you to deny a warranty claim

 

[clint44]

Just my 2cents worth .i think it would make it easier for a dealer to deny a claim based on someone using aftermarket parts on their Harley. For example your aftermarket oil cooler did not cool your engine properly and damaged the engine.i would not be worried about them replacing my aftermarket oil cooler only the damaged engine. They could always say that the oil cooler wasn't any good. We all no that any aftermarket cooler is better than the one that came on the bike, they could make a case against you to deny a warranty claim

The wet head Tri Glides don't even have a factory oil cooler,do they?

Anything is possible,Paul,but denying a warranty claim because of a high-end oil cooler install might be quite a stretch.

- - - Updated - - -

In General if an non authorized [By Harley] part causes a problem... That problem would not be covered under warranty.. Not the whole warranty just that problem...
ie; You put too many extra lights on and the voltage regulator burns out.. The regulator isn't covered..
Everything else on the trike is still covered...

That's the way a factory warranty has been explained to me,many times.

 

[ctdair]

View attachment 38175

Had these left over.....no freaking clue what they are for. Guess I got a parts bonus :laugh::laugh:

I had 2 left over Allen bolts as well ??? Pictures are loading fine on Macbook today after a system restart. Nice Pictures , I responded to a request in another thread and posted a small poor quality one of mine. Yours will be a good reference for anyone doing this in the future. Kevin has been great through the whole upgrade project. Highly recommend DK for anyone looking to upgrade.

 

[1dn5up]

Remind me of the last tv wall hanger mount I did. Got lots of extra metric hardware to add to the metric collection. Best part was a lot of the screws fit a scooter project I built. epper:

 

[Woody]

looking at the side ways picture, I understand the oil is running cooler but is the heat from the cooler right on the foot or leg area when your foot is on the floor board. BTW nice install and thanks for posting.

 

[ctdair]

I haven't noticed any heat from the oil cooler. Way cooler on the right side with the elimination of the cat but its still the hot side.

 

[rcurnayn]

Well for me it was a simple choice. My 2015 Tri Glide consistently ran between 250 and 275 depending on weather, load, type of road etc. Much to hot for my liking. I felt my choice was that I either burn the engine up before its time, or I find a way to cool it down. When I saw what DK had to offer, I never had a second thought about trying the product.

As for quality...... everything seems to be top notch.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Hi All,

Well the DK Customs Dual-Cool Oil Cooler and Oil Filter Relocation Kit are installed and tested. ABSOLUTELY AWSOME RESULTS!!

I did the installation yesterday. It took about 4 hours, but I'm old and getting up and down off the concrete floor ain't as easy as it use to be. But the installation went smooth and everything fit as advertised. The work space it tight, but nothing anybody can do about that.

Before I get to the test results here are a few pics of the installation.

This is where the oil filter use to be. It is now replaced with an permanent screw on adapter (Before Hoses). Very clean and easy to install.

This is the relocated Oil Filter mount. As advertised the two 1/2 inch foot peg bolts that you have to remove to mount the adaptor plate are a BITCH!! Had to use a torque bar to get them out. But after that the rest was easy.

Don't know why this pic is posting sideways ???

Anyway this is the Oil Cooler neatly tucked away behind the fairing vent.......

Neat and Nifty

The mounting hardware for attach the oil cooler to the bracket was missing, but a quick trip to the hardware store fixed that.

Attachment 38175

Had these left over.....no freaking clue what they are for. Guess I got a parts bonus :laugh::laugh:

Then I ran the hoses. Much easier than expected. The guys at DK have warning messages in the instructions about being careful and not get too close to the drive belt. I now understand why. Not much room down there, but with a couple of electrical ties, all is good.

All in all the installation was pretty damn easy and all the parts fit as advertised. GOOD JOB DK !!

Now for the test results.

Today was about 87 degrees with 75% humidity. Not awful but hot.

Typical day for South West Ohio.

Did my first 20 mile run with the cruse control on and set to 65 mph (2800 rpm). Typically at the end of this run my oil temp (measured by digital dip stick) would be in the mid 250s.

Let's call it 256. With the new toys installed I ended with a temp of 229. A 27 degree cool down. I was ecstatic !!! DK advertises a 30 average drop in temp but I was going to consider myself lucky if I got 20. Now I must also note that I put a standard HD Oil Filter on. Already had that laying around. If I would buy the Outlaw reusable filter from DK I am sure the increased oil flow would give me the other 3 degrees or more.

On the return trip I was all over the throttle as much as traffic would allow.

Typically after a run like that I would see temps in the 273 to 277 range. Today I topped out at 239....... A 34 to 38 degree drop WOW!!

All I can say is DK Customs hit it out of the park for me with is product.

I want to thank everyone who nudged me to look at what they had to offer. My experience with DK and their products could not have been any better.

Running Cool and no more messy oil changes epper:epper:

Time for Happy Hour

The extra bolts are a bit longer and are for attaching the oil cooler to the rubber mounts more easily.

Great report! I know you and your engine gotta be loving the drop in temps!

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

all those products are great I would love to put them on mine but I am sure the warranty would be voided if a problem came up . the only thing I did to mine to cool it down was put on a wards fan.

Is this something my local HD dealer could do? And, is there a specific reason why it would void my warranty? Thanks

If there was a problem that was a direct result relating to oil pressure or lubrication AND it was caused by the oil cooler or filter relocation then that part of the warranty would be voided.

However, I have never seen an oil cooler fail, not that it is impossible. On the oil filter relo, there is no increase or decrease in oil pressure, so that cannot cause a problem

The only "risk" is that a line would fail, and you would see that in a drop in oil pressure and shut the engine off before any damage was done.

This is a low/no risk mod for warranty concerns, and, in fact, will reduce the chance of needing warranty work since it lowers your engine temps, increasing the longevity of your engine.

If you have a picky/uninformed dealership that you work with, then if you have an engine warranty issue, simply remove the units, putting it back to stock before taking it in. That way, in their ignorance, they will not be tempted to try and say that the problem was caused by the units.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

looking at the side ways picture, I understand the oil is running cooler but is the heat from the cooler right on the foot or leg area when your foot is on the floor board. BTW nice install and thanks for posting.

When designing this oil cooler system, your concern was a big consideration for us.

It is a bit hard to tell from the pics....

The oil cooler is inboard of the primary. The riders foot and leg are many inches closer to the primary cover than the oil cooler. There is no increase in heat felt with the oil cooler where it located.

The primary is much hotter and bigger than the oil cooler.

Without the oil cooler, as the air flows thru the lower vent, it cross directly over/around the primary and cylinder fins, so the air felt from the vents is already heated by a source much hotter than the oil cooler.

With the oil cooler installed, part of the air from the lower vent goes thru the cooler (inboard of the primary and riders leg) and part of the air (to the outside of the bike) does Not go thru the oil cooler. It still passes over/around the primary as normal before being felt by the rider.

Net result is there is no increase in temps felt by the rider. Instead, since the overall temp being radiated by the engine is less, the overall heat felt by the rider is less.

Kevin

 

[Woody]

Thanks Kevin, that explains a lot. that might be an up coming mod.

 

[rcurnayn]

Yep Kevin is correct about the lack of heat from the oil cooler on your foot or leg. When I hold my hand down there I can feel the heat coming off the cooler, but I never feel anything on my leg or foot.

Wish I could say the same for the right leg. Still getting a hot thigh on that side. And I have the Cat removed...... DK mentioned removing the left heat guard under the seat to allow a flow thru effect. Think I will give that a try....

 

[desertclassic]

Yep Kevin is correct about the lack of heat from the oil cooler on your foot or leg. When I hold my hand down there I can feel the heat coming off the cooler, but I never feel anything on my leg or foot.

Wish I could say the same for the right leg. Still getting a hot thigh on that side. And I have the Cat removed...... DK mentioned removing the left heat guard under the seat to allow a flow thru effect. Think I will give that a try....

I removed the catt, left heat guard and extended the floorboards 1 inch outward as well as a 1 1/2 deluxe tank lift. I also added the wind deflectors, the oil cooler and relocated the filter. I live where it is hot, in the desert ad I have not had any issues with heat after doing the mods. Jim

 

[consitter]

Thanks for posting this thread. Makes it look like I may be able to do the install when it comes time.

Also a word about 'voiding warranty'. It would be foolhardy for a dealership to rush to that conclusion...they are getting paid to make the repair by the factory. They aren't doing it for free. So it would be much more likely for them to do the job if they deem it 'under warranty' than not. Not saying they would be dishonest to do it, but they won't stretch it to not...if that makes any sense to anybody. Especially because, if it were me and they denied warranty service, I'd take my bike to a local shade tree Harley mechanic who not only is quite a bit cheaper, but is much more knowledgeable about the motorcycles than the techs at the dealership.

 

[rhino 2]

Thanks for posting this thread. Makes it look like I may be able to do the install when it comes time.

Also a word about 'voiding warranty'. It would be foolhardy for a dealership to rush to that conclusion...they are getting paid to make the repair by the factory. They aren't doing it for free. So it would be much more likely for them to do the job if they deem it 'under warranty' than not. Not saying they would be dishonest to do it, but they won't stretch it to not...if that makes any sense to anybody. Especially because, if it were me and they denied warranty service, I'd take my bike to a local shade tree Harley mechanic who not only is quite a bit cheaper, but is much more knowledgeable about the motorcycles than the techs at the dealership.

On some warranty repairs... An HD Rep has to sign off on it first or the dealer does it for free... And thats where the problem lies. Minor stuff can be fudged a little...

 

[1dn5up]

Remember that using syn oil, it will not breakdown unless it hits the 300* mark !
Being said that ideal temp is 220-250* . Lowering the temp below 200* will not burn off any carbon formed on the pistons, causing cylinder scoring.
Pounding mine at 80mph , with the oem cooler, 6" from a 100*+ road temp, maxes out at 240*.

Therfore if you have premature engine failure with a aux cooler and scored cylinder walls , it will cause warr issues. Perviding if some one squeals on ya.
Adding a oil cooler is ok, just remember to tape it off on cooler days.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Remember that using syn oil, it will not breakdown unless it hits the 300* mark !
Being said that ideal temp is 220-250* . Lowering the temp below 200* will not burn off any carbon formed on the pistons, causing cylinder scoring.
Pounding mine at 80mph , with the oem cooler, 6" from a 100*+ road temp, maxes out at 240*.

Therfore if you have premature engine failure with a aux cooler and scored cylinder walls , it will cause warr issues. Perviding if some one squeals on ya.
Adding a oil cooler is ok, just remember to tape it off on cooler days.

A few comments, hopefully taken as my opinion from thousands of hours of research over the years, and not as any desire to get in a never ending oil discussion.

Twin-Cooled Twin Cams do not have oil coolers and the bottom end runs hotter on them than on the air cooled only Twin Cams.

Oil temps taken at the dip stick, and even at the bottom of the crankcase, are not where the oil is the hottest. It is hottest right when it is hitting the bottom of the pistons (Twin Cams squirt oil at the bottom of the pistons to cool them down).

I believe ideal temps for the oil (measured at the dipstick on Twin Cams) is 190-210, this is hot enough to burn off the condensation and impurities.

You are MOST fortunate that your oil temps are not exceeding 240* on hot, hard runs. This is very unusual for a Twin Cam Trike. From the factory, most Twin Cam Trikes are seeing 270-310 on hot, hard runs.

No bike I have forms any significant carbon deposits on the piston heads, I use External Breather Systems to make sure no hot, oily, oxygen depleted air (which forms carbon deposits) is going into the combustion chamber.

Even the best synthetic oils start breaking down in the 250-270 range. The first thing to go are the viscosity modifiers. The oil companies advertise much higher temps because they do not have to disclose any breakdown until a temp that results in a 10% loss of weight over a 1 hour period of time at a particular temperature.

ie. if they lose 5% at 270* in a 1 hour period, that is definitely oil breakdown, BUT, if it takes 310* at one hour for there to be a 10% loss, then they get to say that their oil does not breakdown below 310*.

At 250* there may be no loss, but that viscosity modifiers will still be losing some of their "spring" causing the oil to be "thinner" at higher temps.

20-50 oil is a 20 weight oil with viscosity modifiers that make it pour like 50 weight when hot. However, that is only when the viscosity modifiers have their full "spring".

An easy way to test how easily viscosity modifiers are damaged is to observe how some 1000 mile old 20-50 oil pours at 150*, compared to how straight 50 weight oil pours at 150*.

They should pour at the same speed, but you will find that the viscosity modifiers are relatively fragile and the 20-50 will be much thinner (and pour faster) than the straight 50 weight.

Sorry for the little data dump for those who find this uninteresting.

Kevin

 

[1dn5up]

Kevin, basically what I really wanted to stress is that cold oil is not good, nor is super hot oil. My engine temps are taken from the oil pan next to the drain plug. It's a combo gauge that also reads rear cyl head tomp.
Your info is spot on, however did not realize oil temp gets to 300* . That would scare me if I even came close.
Frank. Psrecvd the oil cooler today , nice piece and xlnt quality.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Kevin, basically what I really wanted to stress is that cold oil is not good, nor is super hot oil. My engine temps are taken from the oil pan next to the drain plug. It's a combo gauge that also reads rear cyl head tomp.
Your info is spot on, however did not realize oil temp gets to 300* . That would scare me if I even came close.
Frank. Psrecvd the oil cooler today , nice piece and xlnt quality.

Hey Frank,

You are Most fortunate to be seeing the temps you are.

Since 2007 the Twin Cams have just been getting hotter and hotter. Most stock, 2010+ TC's we see are running 270 to 310 on hour plus runs in hot weather. Crazy! We've seen a few at 320+!

You 100% right, oil that repeatedly does not get warm enough to burn off the impurities, is something to avoid also! Lots of short runs in a row can really do a number on the oil quickly.

Kevin

 

[flhrc]

Hey Frank,

You are Most fortunate to be seeing the temps you are.

Since 2007 the Twin Cams have just been getting hotter and hotter. Most stock, 2010+ TC's we see are running 270 to 310 on hour plus runs in hot weather. Crazy! We've seen a few at 320+!

You 100% right, oil that repeatedly does not get warm enough to burn off the impurities, is something to avoid also! Lots of short runs in a row can really do a number on the oil quickly.

Kevin

kevin most of the talk is about running in hot climates I run a 2016 tri up here in Canada (Rocky Mountains of BC) and don't see a lot of high heat and am wondering if I would see a real benefit to adding the oil cooler (am planning a run to Alaska next summer though) most of my runs are hwy at about 225 miles each.thanks daryl.

 

[woodmnctry]

So what is the best way/place to take a temperature??

 

[DRT]

I am curious as well, what temperature burns offs the impurities.