Oil Cooler Diverter?

[Anonymous]

I had an oil cooler from an '83 GS1150 intalled by the dealer. The oil cooler stays cool even after the crankcase gets hot. I suspect I'm missing some sort of diverter. Anyone know the part number or description? Is it difficult to install?

[saaz]

What sort of bije is it? Early GSs (2 valve) had an adaptor that fitted at the rear of the cylinders. I suspect you have a 4 valver with oil passages in the front of the engine. I believe an adaptor of some sort is needed in the oil filter cavity to divert the oil through the cooler. I think this has been metioned in the old forum Q&A. Definitely worth getting the cooler going as my old GS1000 ran hot without one early in its life and needed rebuilding through excessive bore wear.

[Anonymous]

Oil Cooler Diverter?

Saaz,
It's a 4 valve engine. Thanks for the feedback.

[Hap Call]

Re: Oil Cooler Diverter?

Saaz,
It's a 4 valve engine. Thanks for the feedback.

Are you pulling the oil from the two oil passages just below the oil filter cover? The tapping of the front oil filter cover is necessary for the GS750 four-valve motor but not for the 1000, 1100, or 1150 four valve motors. There are three separate places that people can tap into the system for oil coolers. One is from behind the cylinders, where the oil pressure switch is located. This requires a special adapter. Another is from the oil galley that runs across the back of the motor just below the cylinders. This one can be tapped into at the right side of the motor but you will have to tap back into the case someplace to return the oil. I advise against this location due to the fact that a pressure drop here could starve oil flow to your cams. The last location is the two passages I mentioned earlier. Now about the oil cooler not getting hot, are you using a thermostat in the oil cooler loop?

Hap


Hap

[saaz]

I have a thermostat in mine...don't know how well it works (got it from a wrecker who did not know what it was...a lockhart thermpstat on a broken oil cooler...$5 or so!!). To get it warm to hot, just idle the motor or run a little above idle for a while (10 mins or more)...it gets rather hot on the old GS1000!!! Mind you a 1085 hi compression motor with cams and port work is probably pushing thing a little....

If you look at a GSX1400 (don't think they are in the states) they have a massive oil cooler...don't know how the old GSs survided as long as they do really!! By the way, rode a GSX1400..makes the old girl feel like it has the power of a starter motor..AWESOME!!

[Anonymous]

Oil Cooler Diverter?

Hap Call,
My '81 GS1100E had two large bolt plugs on the front of the engine on
each side of the oil filter cover. They were removed and replaced with oil line adaptors for the threaded factory oil lines and cooler from an '83 GS1150.
Is anything else required to throttle the oil to the filter to provide flow through the cooler? I suspect it's short circuiting all the flow through the filter. I have to believe the mechanic checked the cooler and hoses for any blockage. He impressed me as being pretty thorough with the other work he performed. And no, I haven't returned the bike to the shop. The last time I had it in they kept it several months due to their workload with snowmobiles. jet skis and four wheelers

[saaz]

Here's the old reply. As the external oil galleries are plugged normally, something needs to be done to divert the oil flow through the cooler, other wise it will just sit there doing nothing. The cooler should get warm on a GS if there is oil flow through it.

DATE: May 17, 1998
QUESTION: Oil cooler questions - 1980 GS1100E

I have a question regarding the possibility of adding an oil cooler to my bike. I have two (2) Lockhart Model 400 oil coolers and would like to plumb them into my oil return system. What would be the most effective way to run the oil lines?

RIDER: Joel Mayberry

REPLY: Frank Perreault
The Lockhart coolers come originally with parts to divert oil flow through the oil gallery plugs on the front of the engine. You will need those diverter plugs and the oil line fittings that replace the bolts on the front of the engine. If you don't have them then contact co-editor Bill Chandler since he recently had to do some customizing to accomplish the same thing.

[Hap Call]

Re: Oil Cooler Diverter?

Hap Call,
My '81 GS1100E had two large bolt plugs on the front of the engine on
each side of the oil filter cover. They were removed and replaced with oil line adaptors for the threaded factory oil lines and cooler from an '83 GS1150.
Is anything else required to throttle the oil to the filter to provide flow through the cooler? I suspect it's short circuiting all the flow through the filter. I have to believe the mechanic checked the cooler and hoses for any blockage. He impressed me as being pretty thorough with the other work he performed. And no, I haven't returned the bike to the shop. The last time I had it in they kept it several months due to their workload with snowmobiles. jet skis and four wheelers

Are the oil lines leading up to the cooler getting warm? It sounds like the dealer did a good installation...I am not sure what is going on here. There is a bypass in the oil filter (look at the end of you next filter, you can see a round hole covered by a small metal plate, you can press it in with you finger) that operates only if the filter gets clogged. The basic oil system is the same for all the big bore 4 valve motors. I will look at my oil system drawings when I get home today and see if I can figure something out.

Hap

[Hap Call]

I looked on bike bandit to see if the GS1150 had a special part to insure flow through the oil cooler but the diagram was so poor i could not read it. Does any one have micro fiche of the '84 or '85 GS1150?

Hap