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2006 E-Glide oil cooler possible?

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by snydley, Mar 25, 2018.

  1. snydley

    snydley Active Member

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    I have a 2006 Electra-Glide and want to know if it's possible to put an oil cooler on it. I had a 1988 E-Glide and it had an external oil cooler mounted on the front crash bar, but that was an 80 Cu. In. Evo. engine with an external oil tank and was pretty straight forward. My 2006 is a Twin-Cam and has a sump instead of an external tank. Is it possible to put some kind of oil cooling on it? This summer I plan on driving it to the Arizona/Utah/California area and would like to have some auxiliary oil cooling on it if possible. I just had the local shop put the hydraulic Twin-Cam chain tensioner upgrade on it in preparation for the trip. Turns out the stock tensioner pads were approx. 1/4 worn and I probably could have gotten away without the upgrade, but since it would need it eventually, and driving it the distance I am going to I thought it was best to do the upgrade. The bike has 20,000 easy miles on it.
    Thanks for any help offered,
    Snyde
  2. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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  3. snydley

    snydley Active Member

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  4. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    The thing about the HD one is it has a thermostat so when temps are cold it won't open up and when the bike is up to temp then it opens and flows through the cooler.

    If you shop around you can get that 20% off at some dealers
    Try Jon at Horny Toad HD in TX.

    There are aftermarket options you can shop around for solutions
    at various places like Drag Specialties

    http://www.dragspecialties.com/search/?q=oil coolers&submit=&docType=product

    Beware products that come in super cheap, you get crappy parts
    made in Chin Lee Ville, your engine costs thousands to replace.

    You could look on ebay for something, or perhaps check with
    some motorcycle recyclers to see if they have one off a wrecked bike.

    Theres always the engine guard cooler deal, some guys were buying the
    thermostat only as it has the in/out adapter for oil flow, then connecting the hoses to the engine guard letting it flow through the engine guard reporting that
    it dropped the temperatures.

    Theres a lot to think about doing that such as getting enough oil into the engine guard without draining the oil in the sump too low, you'd have to watch the level on the first start and put in more oil as it ran filling the cooler(crash bar) that would be your least cost solution, but who knows what lurks inside your engine guard.... rust, dirt, loose metal....
    Red Rider likes this.
  5. snydley

    snydley Active Member

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    I had an oil cooler on my '88 Electra-Glide so I am familiar with them. I will call Horny Toad and see what they want for one. I already found one for about $289., but it's not in stock. I wouldn't want to buy something like that used, that's an important part, I don't want to buy something that turns out to be crap, and I don't want to have to hassle someone for my money back if it does turn out to be crap. I just have to hunt for the best price on the H-D part, bite the bullet and buy it!
    Thanks for your help,
    Smed
    Red Rider likes this.
  6. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    I agree, getting a quality part for your engine is smart
    too many moving parts, no room for error and expensive
    as heck to replace...

    Also change your oil to synthetic Mobil1 Vtwin is my
    preferred blend, it's on sale in March at Autozone, reminds me
    I need to go pick up some oil. It will help reduce temps in the
    engine as well so combined with a cooler you'd be ahead.

    Some folks swear by the love jugs product, I just can't see having them
    on the bike and how blowing hot air under the tank won't fry your right leg
    but who knows..

    http://love-jugs.com/

    no you won't find the kind of love jugs you want on the back
    of your bike at that link LOL
    Red Rider likes this.
  7. snydley

    snydley Active Member

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    I agree! I just had Arkport Harley install the hydraulic Twin-Cam chain tensioner upgrade, instead of doing it myself. Sometimes you have to do things like let them work on it, buy their parts etc. There were so many special tools I would have had to buy, to do it myself, and if I did do it myself I would have always questioned whether or not I messed something up in the install. In that instance, for me, letting them do it was the smart thing to do. The oil cooler I can do myself, I've just got to find the best price and buy it. As far as the Love Jugs go I question them too. I've owned Pans, Shovels, Evos, and now this Twin-Cam and never had any kind of air cooler on them. I'm trusting that the engineers at Harley designed these things to withstand more heat than we encounter in it's lifetime. I think as long as you don't let it idle in 100*+ for a long time, without moving it down the road we should be ok.
    Red Rider likes this.
  8. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    twin cam can take a lot of heat, the reason it feels hotter is they put in
    bigger fins, so it disburses heat better, which, you get to feel it.

    I know you just did the cam tensioners, but one way to cool off
    a harley is to change to aftermarket cams, you don't need high lift
    high duration big ol rac'n cams. Just a mild cam with a different
    grind makes all the difference.

    HD cams are designed for emissions purposes, so they operate in
    such a manner that the engine contains more of the gasses to burn
    and thus, runs hotter. A small performance cam does more than
    up power.

    You could also add a power commander, its bolt on, and they can
    adjust the tune to help get better mileage and reduce heat a bit.

    It's a bunch of little steps combined to get to an overall difference
  9. snydley

    snydley Active Member

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    Thanks for the tips. I didn't know about cams and heat, but it sure makes sense. I wish I would have know that before I did the tensioner upgrade, I'm not gonna do it now. I live in western NY so heat is not really a problem. I am thinking very seriously about driving this bike to CA this summer though, that's why I want to do what I can to get it running cooler. At this point I think I'll just put the oil cooler on it and take my chances. I don't plan on running it too hard, or too long every day, I plan on taking my time and seeing the sites along the way, possibly stopping for a day, here and there, if I find something cool! I'm especially looking forward to driving in southern Utah with all the buttes and mesas and stuff.
    Thanks again for the help,
    Snyde
  10. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    I think you'd be fine with or without a cooler, JMO, and since you live in Noo Yawk I'm guessing you ride in the spring and late fall in cooler temps so if you do the cooler you absolutely want one with a thermostat mount, oil has to get up to temp to work properly, and a cooler that's always in the loop and open wouldn't be a good idea.

    Put Mobil1 Vtwin synthetic in the bike, it should run quieter and cooler.
  11. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    I'm in AZ often including pizza oven summers. If your going to be around the Phoenix area and south, June-Sept it's going to be a b__tch hot brother. Been there done that. The local biker season is limited to mostly nights but even then its around 100+. A good oil cooler would be wise. If your going around Flagstaff and the Canyon, cooler temps are had. No cooler needed just a good syn oil. Frankly there isn't anything really worth seeing Phoenix and south. Unless your into Tombstone.
  12. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    There are some good places to eat in Scottsdale/Phoenix area

    Tombstone would be interesting... Frankly I'd ride north AZ up through the canyons over the Hoover Dam up to Vegas, grab a hotel room, some hookers, then ride out toward California on the back roads.
  13. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    How many hookers ya gonna put on the bike wid ya?
  14. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    Tombstone is a half day visit then billions of miles to get the heck outta there. I did it in a car years ago during the summer. The wife and bro and sis in-law wouldn't get outta the car it was so freaking hot. The best part was reading the head stones on Boot Hill. "Here lies Lester Moore, Four bullets from a forty four. No Less No Moore".
  15. snydley

    snydley Active Member

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    As many as will fit!!
  16. snydley

    snydley Active Member

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    I actually want to see Utah and the Monument Valley area, Grand Canyon in AZ, and Yellowstone. I lived in CA for 1 year back in '65, I've found our old apartment complex and I want to go back there and see what it's like now. I want to see the Sequoias and Yosemite too. I don't think I be in southern AZ, not much I want to see there. I like the idea of taking the back roads into CA, as long as they're not so desolate that I would have a problem if I break down. I haven't finalized my route yet.
  17. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    All the ones that say yes...


    Yeah but it's a "dry heat"
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2018
  18. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    Yep. I've been asked "what's it like riding in summer there?" I tell them to get the experience take yer wife's 1800 watt professional hair dryer (or in Charlies case, his own) set it on high four inches from yer face.
  19. charlie46

    charlie46 Well-Known Member

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    OUCH ! Just got back from shortsleeve day on bike. Ha! How much riding you been getting. Pow.!
    Fatboy128 likes this.
  20. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    Getting out today finally! Charity run for a childrens cancer center.

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