Do or don't?

[Gsxke]

Hi,

I was thinking for mouting a oilcooler, almost every body does it
But, i live in belgium...and normal temperature is here +/- 17 degrees Celcius
(62f)....sometimes almost 30C (86F)
Why does everbody mount this? If you mount this you also have to mount de oilpomp gears of an GS750?
Gears off a GS1100= 33 and 34 tooth
GS750= 29 and 38 tooth.
And the cover of a GS1150.
And what about a thermostat?
The big question is; is it worth it?
My personal opinion..I don't know..
I have all the materials here...just have to mount it..
Greets,

Kristof.

[tkent02]

They didn't need them in the desert 30 years ago, except for racing engines and some other special applications...
Oil is better now...
Belgium in not quite so hot?

It's an oil leak waiting to happen.

[chuck hahn]

Here in central Michigan, USA..We have about the same temperature differentials. I currently own three GSs and a oil cooler really isnt warrented. I have sat in all kinds of city trtaffic, stop and go from light to light, and slow 10 MPH construction zones and havent experienced any overheating of any kind. As for the 750 gears. The reason behind this is that the gearing of the two gears on a 750 gear make the pump to move a higher volume of oil at the lower RPMs. That being said if an oil cooler is used it circulates a higher volume of oil to in theory cool oil at a faster rate than from normal air flow over the raw engine. Thing to do is assess the driving conditions you face an a regular basis and how often you would find yourself in an extreme riding condition and balance all that together to warrent whether the additional expense and wrenching really is needed..just my thoughts here if i was considering the same things.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

You don't need a cooler. If you lived in a hot climate and/or raced the bike then it could help.
I live in So. Calif and have ridden in the desert and commuted in summer/slow city driving many times and never had an oil related problem. I have over 140,000 miles total.
Many owners install them because they look good and give a more serious/racer look. They'll never really benefit from them.
It's up to you of course. But it is as said earlier a potential leak and adds some weight.

[Gsxke]

I'm happy to read these things.
The oilcooler is just for they eyes.

[gearhead13]

Over here in Canadaland, my bike runs hot enough in the summer to need a cooler, but now as fall is starting and for the winter I think I will tape off half or so of the cooler.
I ride most all year around here, we get snow maybe once and it only stays for a day or so. Just lots of bloody rain

[Flyboy]

Now here is a story of abuse that will make any GS lovers eyes water.
Over here, in the '80s all the traffic cops rode GS850's/GS1000's, obviously bought by the department for their comfort and durability.
I, on more than one occasion saw a pair of cops parked on the roadside, doing ramdom vehicle checks, for hours, with their bikes merrily idling away all the time .........on the side stand, to top it off.
Those engines must have been cooking.
And here we are talking summer temps of 30 deg C, and they put hundreds of thousands of Km's on those bikes, trust me, no oil cooler needed.
I would put folding money on the table, no other bike would have stood up to that kind of abuse without ill effects.

[Roger P.]

I was uncomfortable watching my oil temp gauge reading 280-290F. I installed a cooler and got an immediate drop to 210-220F, so I think it was worthwhile.

[Clone]

The oil cooler doesn't come into effect until the engine is pretty warm, if you sit a lot in traffic even at 20C then it would be beneficial. Mine is cold as a rock at anything under 24C if I am moving, if I get stuck in traffic, and the engine temp climbs, then oil will circulate through it.

[trippivot]

don't worry until you get 320++ F oil temps often.


aircooled engines need heat, they are designed to be operated at hotter temps than you can touch with a bare hand. (touch pain is 130F) Mechanical tolerances/ clearances are worse(tighter) and WEAR MORE at the cold temps (like cylinder to piston clearance, valve to valve guide). Most guys think they are doing themselves a favor by running cold - pre warm up temps but they are on the path to smokeville, or rebuilderton and galded camlobeville.

believe it or not, heat is necessary for an aircooled engine to live a very long life..

***liquid cooled engine completely different clearances and this is a good for them - colder better- ***

[SqDancerLynn1]

If it is a concern ? Just change it more often

[raistian77]

You don't need a cooler. If you lived in a hot climate and/or raced the bike then it could help.
I live in So. Calif and have ridden in the desert and commuted in summer/slow city driving many times and never had an oil related problem. I have over 140,000 miles total.
Many owners install them because they look good and give a more serious/racer look. They'll never really benefit from them.
It's up to you of course. But it is as said earlier a potential leak and adds some weight.

I thought of adding one also, Then a buddy of mine looked at my bike and commented "would be a great place to get an oil leak,how long would it take to soak ya?"

then I decided not to worry so much

[Nessism]

Suzuki added oil coolers to the third generation GS bikes so I think there is definitely an advantage to having one if you ride in hot temperatures and/or in traffic often. Suzuki's oil cooler application have a thermostat feature which is a big advantage, and not something that's easy to replicate without spending quite a bit of money.

[blowerbike]

there may be more to it for the insert bearing GS's and the oil cooled GSXR engines.

[tkent02]

Suzuki added oil coolers to the third generation GS bikes so I think there is definitely an advantage to having one if you ride in hot temperatures and/or in traffic often.

Coincidentally, the same time the engines with reduced cooling fins came out.