Oil cooler for 1100EZ

[Rob S.]

Summer is almost here, so it's time I started thinking about an oil cooler for my stock (except exhaust and intake) '82 GS1100e.

I'm concerned with function, of course, but form is also a consideration. I know that Lockhart was very popular, but it seems to me the most 'natural' solution would be a nice cooler from an '83-'85 1150.

Opinions?

I also recall reading about being able to use my EZ's oil filter cover with some mods, or simply use one from an 1150, no modification necessary. Again, the 1150 cover seems the way to go.

Is my information correct?

Opinions, please.

 

[posplayr]

Summer is almost here, so it's time I started thinking about an oil cooler for my stock (except exhaust and intake) '82 GS1100e.

I'm concerned with function, of course, but form is also a consideration. I know that Lockhart was very popular, but it seems to me the most 'natural' solution would be a nice cooler from an '83-'85 1150.

Opinions?

I also recall reading about being able to use my EZ's oil filter cover with some mods, or simply use one from an 1150, no modification necessary. Again, the 1150 cover seems the way to go.

Is my information correct?

Opinions, please.

Most of the Lockharts I have seen are pretty low capacity, but for a stock bike you don't really need one in the first place. An 1150 cooller is bigger capacity but also a small GS550 cooler (ebay) will work as is one my 1166. As Series R/R will probably help more that an of these cooler.


The cheapest solution to the oil cover issue is put a plug into the passage that feeds the cover from inside the cover (right side looking forward or left side looking face on to the cover). There may be picture, you will just have to look.

I have the 11150 cooler , but when i got it they were $35 new from the dealer. Not so anymore.

 

[Rob S.]

Most of the Lockharts I have seen are pretty low capacity, but for a stock bike you don't really need one in the first place. An 1150 cooller is bigger capacity but also a small GS550 cooler (ebay) will work as is one my 1166. As Series R/R will probably help more that an of these cooler.


The cheapest solution to the oil cover issue is put a plug into the passage that feeds the cover from inside the cover (right side looking forward or left side looking face on to the cover). There may be picture, you will just have to look.

I have the 11150 cooler , but when i got it they were $35 new from the dealer. Not so anymore.

Glad you replied, Posplayr. You have an oil cooler from a 550 on your 1166?

Do you believe a good, used cooler from an 1150 has more cooling capacity than a new Lockhart?

It's hard to know for sure, as the gauge shows 210 and then 320, but I believe I get into the 240ish range, higher when I really get on it. And I've only owned her since October, so I want to be prepared for August.

I'm not looking for the cheapest solution. Do you agree that a nice condition 1150 cooler and cover would give good results, and look good?

I've been reading your posts about how a good R/R (SH-775?) upgrade will bring down oil temps, but that's getting into an area I don't understand well. And since my immediate goal is to lower oil temp, I think I should go with the cooler, even though one day I'll want to upgrade the electrical system before it fails.

 

[Guest]

Last 1150 cover I saw was about $65... cooler was about $150. I have a stock cover plumbed directly and the cooler for $80 if you are interested...
Curt

 

[Rob S.]

Last 1150 cover I saw was about $65... cooler was about $150. I have a stock cover plumbed directly and the cooler for $80 if you are interested...
Curt

1150 oil cooler and 1150 oil filter cover?

In what condition?

I am interested.

 

[posplayr]

Glad you replied, Posplayr. You have an oil cooler from a 550 on your 1166?

Do you believe a good, used cooler from an 1150 has more cooling capacity than a new Lockhart?

It's hard to know for sure, as the gauge shows 210 and then 320, but I believe I get into the 240ish range, higher when I really get on it. And I've only owned her since October, so I want to be prepared for August.

I'm not looking for the cheapest solution. Do you agree that a nice condition 1150 cooler and cover would give good results, and look good?

I've been reading your posts about how a good R/R (SH-775?) upgrade will bring down oil temps, but that's getting into an area I don't understand well. And since my immediate goal is to lower oil temp, I think I should go with the cooler, even though one day I'll want to upgrade the electrical system before it fails.

If it was not clear, my suggestion was to install the SH-775 and forget about the cooler. You will run at least as cool and will have solved your charging problems whether you understand why that is or not.

The SH-775 is cheaper, will run cooler and will better for your charging system that any of the cooler mentioned. If money is no object then get the Compufire instead. If you had an 1135 or higher then you would need a cooler.

 

[jona]

I have the Compufire R/R, and an "Earle's" 10 row cooler for the summer time. Happy as a pig in poop.

 

[Rob S.]

If it was not clear, my suggestion was to install the SH-775 and forget about the cooler. You will run at least as cool and will have solved your charging problems whether you understand why that is or not.

The SH-775 is cheaper, will run cooler and will better for your charging system that any of the cooler mentioned. If money is no object then get the Compufire instead. If you had an 1135 or higher then you would need a cooler.

I know it's apples and oranges, but do you think the SH-775 alone, or the cooler, alone would have a larger impact on oil temp? Keep in mind that although I'm sure there's room for improvement, my charging system, and all electricals, appear to be working perfectly.

 

[jwhelan65]

For reference..

 

[posplayr]

I know it's apples and oranges, but do you think the SH-775 alone, or the cooler, alone would have a larger impact on oil temp? Keep in mind that although I'm sure there's room for improvement, my charging system, and all electricals, appear to be working perfectly.

I think it is an irrelevant question. It is hard to make a quantitative assessment of such a wide array of possibilities especially in a situation where any benefits are going to be negligible as you don't have a problem to fix to notice the improvement in the first place.

Stock 1100's did not come with coolers largely because they don't need them, however they have been known to climb in temperature into the upper 200's degF range. So having some reserve cooling capacity is potentially worth pursuing.

How you get that is the issue I'm positing and based on my experience with coolers and series R/R on my 1100 which has under gone engine transformations from relatively stock configuration to a boosted street performance of an 1166.

Despite your assessment that you bike is charging perfectly, I strongly suspect you have never changed much if anything in that charging system and so it still suffers the same issues that plague all GS charging systems but with the added bonus you also have the extra problems associated with large CC SHUNT charging. So postulations that your charging is fine, falls on deaf ears.

Saying it once again, The Series R/R will do as much to improve your cooling situation as you are likely to notice with any cooler configuration on a stock 1100, if not actually improve it over the smaller coolers. In addition you will have added the single most important element for a charging system upgrade and will have done all this at lower cost to your cooler approach.

Of course you will be plumbing electron flow instead of oil flow but not everything in life is either free or easy. :-\\\

 

[Guest]

"Of course you will be plumbing electron flow instead of oil flow but not everything in life is either free or easy"

that's pretty funny do you think he gets it yet?

 

[Nessism]

Oil coolers are good. Suzuki added them to most later generation GS's as the Japanese designers adopted the technology. I believe these systems had a built in thermostat so the oil temp is properly managed properly.

The 1150 cooler and lines will bolt up to the 1100E engine so which cooler to add seems like a nobrainer to me. Don't think it's strictly necessary, but it wouldn't hurt in the summer if the bike is to be ridden in hot weather.

If going sans cooler in the summer, synthetic oil would be a reasonable bet hedger. Can't hurt, other than a your wallet will be a few $ lighter.

 

[Guest]

The cooler that I have is a 1100 cover with a aftermarket 3 row heat exchanger.
It is a functional way to hedge your bets when it 80 and up... I used it on my 1327 and it did its job. If after all the discussion is finished and you would like a photo, let me know... The factory style is nice. but hard to find... In the end, its all about being cool...................
Curt

 

[Nessism]

Both of my stock GS1100E's have the COMPUFIRE upgrade. Thanks Jim for all of your efforts. Neither bike has an oil cooler. Both are ridden fast and in hot weather. A few times in Death Valley on both machines, with air temps around 110F and at speeds way above posted limits, oil temp never registered more than 2 needle widths above the 210F mark. Running Brad Penn 10/40.

That's amazing. My 1000S temp runs up to 300F on a hot day, and my bike has a Compufire too. The gauge is accurate too (at 212F anyway), I verified it using boiling water.

 

[posplayr]

That's amazing. My 1000S temp runs up to 300F on a hot day, and my bike has a Compufire too. The gauge is accurate too (at 212F anyway), I verified it using boiling water.

Did you notice a change from shunt to series or did you just jump right to the CF? All those that I know have reported temp drops are from a back to back compare when switching from shunt to series. Non felt compelled to go back however.

 

[Rob S.]

The reason I'm concerned is that several posters have said that 250 or more was dangerous on dino oil. I'm sure I've gone over that (judging from the stock gauge) when I rode three days ago in lower 50s weather.

The stator dumps heat into the oil, and the SH-775 would lessen that amount? I'm just trying to understand a little better.

 

[koolaid_kid]

Rob, explore this link.

 

[posplayr]

Both of my stock GS1100E's have the COMPUFIRE upgrade. Thanks Jim for all of your efforts. Neither bike has an oil cooler. Both are ridden fast and in hot weather. A few times in Death Valley on both machines, with air temps around 110F and at speeds way above posted limits, oil temp never registered more than 2 needle widths above the 210F mark. Running Brad Penn 10/40.

Thanks I added a link to this post in the CF Installation thread.

I know my basically stock 1100 would get to 270+ depending upon ambient and if I had adequate air flow. It would rise above that in stop and go traffic.

 

[Rob S.]

Rob, explore this link.

Extremely interesting (I think I've read it before). My gut feeling is to go with a (gently) used 1150 cooler and filter cover, with no thermostat.

But that still leaves my question: the stator dumps heat into the oil, and the SH-775 would lesson that amount? Is that correct?

Some folks, whose opinion I respect (and whose bikes I covet), say to upgrade the R/R, and that will render an oil cooler unnecessary. So I'm also thinking in that direction. Fewer parts, more simplicity is one of my goals.