Oil cooler on gs' ?

[Demio0892]

Is it possible to add an oil cooler to a gs550
? Or any gs for that matter ? 🤔

[Steve]

Yes, it's possible, but why?

.

[Cwoods]

The Gs1100 I recently bought has one on it, made by Derale.
I will be watching for opinions here on them. I myself was wondering if they are a necessity or even worth having

[Nessism]

Yes, it's possible, but why?

.

Because air cooled bikes run hellishly hot in Texas summers?

[Steve]

Texas summers are only about 10-15° warmer than oHIo summers. Should not be a problem.

.

[Rob S.]

Is it possible to add an oil cooler to a gs550
? Or any gs for that matter ? 樂

Possible? Hell, my GS ('82 11E) was designed to have one added.

First summer I had it, it ran really hot. I'm talkin' approaching close to 300 f. Now I knew something had to be wrong, but the simple addition of a GS1150 cooler made it run almost too cold. Rarely gets over 200 f.

[Brendan W]

Might depend on what type of r/r you're running

[Nessism]

Might depend on what type of r/r you're running

Or not...

Regarding coolers in general, Suzuki added them to the GS line in the mid/latter years (550/750/1100E/1150). Pretty much all the OEM's added them so that should tell you something.

[greg78gs750]

seeing how so many gs's have survived this long without them, and considering that of the ones that have been parked very few ended up there due to overheating or engine issues, I wouldn't call them necessary..... Having said that, my 1100 has one added. Opinions vary, as you already see....

[Brendan W]

Or not...

Regarding coolers in general, Suzuki added them to the GS line in the mid/latter years (550/750/1100E/1150). Pretty much all the OEM's added them so that should tell you something.

Tells me that ultimately aircooling is suboptimal. To think it's going to be Ok for bikes used as commuters and on a track is not going to happen. When you look at the improvements in power in the 70s and 80s it had to be that the motor was going to need help with the extra demands on the oil.
I imagine that in the end emission regs forced water, which all the builders knew was coming. From purely a reliability point the aircooled seems to me to be still the better bet.

[chuck hahn]

I have ran my Cooley in 100+ temps all over Texas and never had the oil temp read over 230. Oil coolers arent needed.

PS...and thats rolling at 85 to 90 MPH down I35 all day.....never a failure

[TxGSrider]

I had a little Derale cooler on mine, but like Chuck, Ive driven around in 95+ degree temps here in Texas and the gauge usually didn't get much higher than 1/2 way (220-230 degrees?). Its such a small cooler that I cant imagine it made much difference. My engine is stock internally, and would probably run hotter if it was modified to make more power (power increases heat).

[Demio0892]

Im not sure, i have aftermarket pods and exhaust and I just wanted to be safe i suppose ? I mean, the cooler the better ? Sometimes I feel like my legs are burning.

[greg78gs750]

one issue to consider is the ease of conversion. on my 1100, the case was designed for it....bosses cast, drilled, and tapped, plug and play to accept a cooler from the 1150. I'm not familiar with your bike, but on some (many?) a cooler involves running lines around the engine to the oil pressure plate, which while looking cool on a race bike, is, in my opinion, a bit inelegant for a bike on the street. On a stock bike ridden normally i think a cooler is "probably" overkill....but it cant hurt.