Powered by AMD, or How to Kool Your R/R

[mighty13d]

I have contemplated throwing two of those up on my oil cooler on the bandit when I was in FL. I figured that I could flip them on if I'm going through city traffic in the billion degree weather. Probably could rig them up to a temp sensor if I was feeling that handy but I would more than likely just just a simple ''on/off'' switch.

[dueller]

I have contemplated throwing two of those up on my oil cooler on the bandit when I was in FL. I figured that I could flip them on if I'm going through city traffic in the billion degree weather. Probably could rig them up to a temp sensor if I was feeling that handy but I would more than likely just just a simple ''on/off'' switch.

As someone else has said though, would block airflow when not turned on or they died. Of course could always turn on when get hotter. On the backside would probably be better more like a car radiator. They are probably not a good idea to install where they will get very much road exposure as they are not meant to get dirty like oil coolers do. Probably lead to early failure.

[mighty13d]

As someone else has said though, would block airflow when not turned on or they died. Of course could always turn on when get hotter. On the backside would probably be better more like a car radiator. They are probably not a good idea to install where they will get very much road exposure as they are not meant to get dirty like oil coolers do. Probably lead to early failure.

I wouldn't want them out in front anyway. I would want them hidden. Also, they are cheap so if they were to die.. no biggie. I have a half dozen of them kicking around and can always get a bunch more for next to nothing if not free.

[koolaid_kid]

First, my R/R is so close to the sidecover that a non-running fan would not block much, if anything at all. I have no empirical data, merely observation. My cooling fins run front to back, and so does the ambient airflow, so something on the top of the fins would be a minor obstruction at best. And the fans are not solid, there is space between the blades, allowing some airflow even if the blades were stopped. As an aside, as soon as I turn the key on I can hear the fan run (kinda kool, actually).
If I were to mount fans on the oil cooler, I would mount them in a pull configuration rather than push, which means putting them on the back rather than the front. For this application, I would also install an adjustable temp sensor to switch them on when needed. And fans can be had in various quality as well. For example, my CPU fan runs 24/7 on all 3 of my desktop machines, as do the power supply fans. Quality of fans, better to best. (All aftermarket CPU fans and p/s supply units, OEM CPU fans and cheap Chinese power supplies never seen use in my machines.) I have never had one fail, either, although I have seen the $15 p/s fans fail.

[Nessism]

That fan should be good for at least 30,000 hours. If you rode an average of 35 mph that will take you to about 105,000 miles.

[metalman]

Many new bikes have the R/R mounted on the frame down tubes in front of the engine to benefit form air flow.
Could we do this?

Like this.

[snicrep5]

regarding oil coolers, ive heard it said that oil coolers work when you dont need them(moving), and dont work when you do(sitting idling).That being said, I still want one. But the cooling fan sounds like a good idea.

[Billy Ricks]

I've had one on mine for about ten years.

[dueller]

First, my R/R is so close to the sidecover that a non-running fan would not block much, if anything at all. I have no empirical data, merely observation. My cooling fins run front to back, and so does the ambient airflow, so something on the top of the fins would be a minor obstruction at best. And the fans are not solid, there is space between the blades, allowing some airflow even if the blades were stopped. As an aside, as soon as I turn the key on I can hear the fan run (kinda kool, actually).

Not block much but will still block some Yeah, mine run front to back too, but still correct that it's still more of a blockage than the sidecover.....just sayin. Yes there is space between the fins, but there isn't where the fins are, so still a blockage of airflow. I agree that the restriction of airflow is probably negligable though it is still there.

If I were to mount fans on the oil cooler, I would mount them in a pull configuration rather than push, which means putting them on the back rather than the front. For this application, I would also install an adjustable temp sensor to switch them on when needed. And fans can be had in various quality as well. For example, my CPU fan runs 24/7 on all 3 of my desktop machines, as do the power supply fans. Quality of fans, better to best. (All aftermarket CPU fans and p/s supply units, OEM CPU fans and cheap Chinese power supplies never seen use in my machines.) I have never had one fail, either, although I have seen the $15 p/s fans fail.

Yeah, like I say mount on the backside like a radiator. Can mount them on the front with a pull configuration on the front too, just turn the fans around. But of course then you would be fighting the airflow while riding. I was thinking the same thing on the temp sensor, but the only problem with that is then you don't know if they ever turn on because of the wind/road noise. Maybe a little indicator light saying they are on Trust me, I know ALL about quality of computer related fans. Sys admin for bout 12 years and built my fair share of machines at home and for friends and have been the family goto guy for most things computer related. One of the first things I ask people when they ask me about their machines is, "have you thought to blow out the dust bunnies lately?" I just brought home a machine from my boss. It is a Dell P4 with those hoods that go over the heat sink and goto the back of the machine where the fan is mounted and it looks like it's solid with fuzz on all the fins of the heat sink. He says it doesn't boot though. Prolly HDD or corrupt install.

[dueller]

regarding oil coolers, ive heard it said that oil coolers work when you dont need them(moving), and dont work when you do(sitting idling).That being said, I still want one. But the cooling fan sounds like a good idea.

Well not exactly....they do work when not moving. Called thermodynamics. The fact that the oil is running thru the cooling tubes and the tubes are being cooled by the cooling fins, the oil will get cooler. Does it get more cooling effect because of more airflow while you are riding? Absolutely. That's the idea of a fan on it. More airflow over the fins cools the oil more. So it is still working at cooling the oil, but it would cool the oil further if there was a fan there moving air and displacing the heat from the fins.

[dueller]

Like this.

I live on a dirt road. It's only 1/2 mile but you should see my oil cooler after running down it a couple times after a rainy day. I shudder to think what that RR would look like. I would like to mount it in a bit more exposed spot eventually, but I got a Honda RR so I'm not too concerned about it at the moment. It is HUGE compared to the stock unit. Should be plenty of cooling. It's seriously double the size.

[koolaid_kid]

Interesting comments. Dueller:
Sure there is some blockage. However, if the fan failed (it can happen) it now becomes a passive heatsink. And it is possible that the airflow would cause the blades to turn slowly (You have shot compressed air on fans to clean them) so that might provide a tad more airflow.
If you put the fans on the front of the oil cooler, you would want them in a push configuration. Otherwise they would become a hindrance at speed.
You would want to install an indicator LED to show you when they are on. I would probably put a couple. For example, I would put a red LED to indicate that the sensor is not receiving 12V. Cheap easy solution.
When I get a computer, cleaning is the first thing I do. You know what you find inside the cases; it is scary. AFA your bosses PC, who knows. They die for all sorts of reasons, as you are aware.
AFA my GS cooler, I used to get up to 320 indicated oil temp, even while moving. With the 1150 cooler, it dropped substantially. Yes, the temp rises when sitting in traffic, but I have yet to see anything close to 320 since I installed it.
That Honda R/R is a nice piece. I have one also, but I moved the fan over "just because I could".
Thanks for the responses.

[dueller]

Interesting comments. Dueller:
Sure there is some blockage. However, if the fan failed (it can happen) it now becomes a passive heatsink. And it is possible that the airflow would cause the blades to turn slowly (You have shot compressed air on fans to clean them) so that might provide a tad more airflow.
If you put the fans on the front of the oil cooler, you would want them in a push configuration. Otherwise they would become a hindrance at speed.
You would want to install an indicator LED to show you when they are on. I would probably put a couple. For example, I would put a red LED to indicate that the sensor is not receiving 12V. Cheap easy solution.

Yeah, but they are plastic fan bodies and fins so not realy good thermal transfer. PRobably hold more heat then they transfer. Yes, they do spin some but the amount that they spin probably isn't any better or probably worse than if it wasn't there at all and that air was all passing over the fins rather than slowing down to spin the blades. It's a mass of air moving over the fins problem. You have less air mass flowing over the fins so therefore theoretically you would have less cooling because the more air mass you have moving over the fins the more thermal transfer you have. Like I say, probably negligable but still there. Yeah, you would want to put in a push configuration but you said you wanted a pull config That's why I said you wouldn't want to do that.

When I get a computer, cleaning is the first thing I do. You know what you find inside the cases; it is scary. AFA your bosses PC, who knows. They die for all sorts of reasons, as you are aware.
AFA my GS cooler, I used to get up to 320 indicated oil temp, even while moving. With the 1150 cooler, it dropped substantially. Yes, the temp rises when sitting in traffic, but I have yet to see anything close to 320 since I installed it.
That Honda R/R is a nice piece. I have one also, but I moved the fan over "just because I could".
Thanks for the responses.

Yup too aware of that. Yeah, that's what I was saying bout the cooler. It's better to have it even if it doesn't work AS well in the breeze as it does when you're stopped. Just the heat transfer of the oil running thru cooling fins will help. If you had a fan would surely be lower but still way better than 320!

[Normk]

A few thoughts regarding this thread:

Someone mentioned that oil coolers don't work when one isn't moving which is obviously correct but one might also consider that engine load (a percentage of which becomes heat in the oil) is also very low when the engine is not under load.

Much concern regarding oil temperature although I seldom see any temperature figures posted as an indication of need for concern or as a means of comparing the success of modification. Not trying to be "nit-picky" but have seen hosts of modifications intended to address non-problems, many of which made conditions worse.

One example is the flipping over of some VRR units in the supposed attempt to reduce temperature. In the case of the bike model involved, the VRR mounted to a huge aluminum foot peg mount which was in the air stream while the bike was moving. The effect was to reduce heat transfer from the VRR to the mount and, of course, the VRR temperature rose significantly.

Has anyone measured temperatures before and after these modifications?

Computer fans have been useful installs for many bike cooling projects with some considerations:

They often don't tolerate weather very well.

One must consider whether the fan unit in question has thrust bearings which will accept the push or pull installation intended.

Air flow created by these fans is sometimes so low as to make the fan more of an impediment than help. Consider the 500 mA fan a customer asked me to install in place of the 3 amp fan for his trials bike.

VRR units make a significant amount of heat which makes me wonder why manufacturers frequently mount them to plastic and out of air flow...??...

I have had good success in using automotive rectifiers such as the units from Delco Remy 10SI alternators to replace bike ones if the regulator is functioning. One of these days designing a regulator unit will seem worth while as on line vendors sell small capacity Zenors which should combine well with a big power transistor or two to make a very robust and inexpensive regulator for permanent magnet alternators.

Anyone know of a proven design?

Hope none of the above sounds critical of anyone as that is not intended.

HIH

Norm