Topic: Oil cooler core orientation - Cooler finished pics included!!!

[Garage_guy_chris]

Hi guys ive been away for a while, you know life, work.... anyways with the corona crap been working around the garage on all the 1/2 finished projects

Ive gotten to the oil cooler on my 74 CB750, Im debating the finer points of its mounting, I initially was gonna mount it with the ports facing upwards but its looking like its gonna be pretty cramped with the triple trees, wiring and tank, doing that. I was looking at mounting it with the ports facing down and it looks like that may work alot better.

Ive seen photos of coolers done both ways on CB750's and other bikes, at the end of the day does it matter if the ports are facing upwards or downwards??

[scottly]

With the ports facing down, the cooler will gravity drain when the motor isn't running, so more of a delay before oil pressure builds on cold starts, or at least that's the theory.

[robvangulik]

Honda mounts them facing up on my CBr...

[Bodi]

Up is possibly better but doing it can be impossible with aftermarket coolers on smaller bikes since you want the cooler as high as possible to clear the fender and not block airflow to the cylinder fins. Down will still work. Yes oil can drain back - but likely won't, the in and out are not really open. Possibly some of the air in the empty cooler on installation will be trapped there, maybe it gets flushed out but who knows? With fittings up it will definitely flush out. But will dirty oil drain out of the cooler with fittings up...
Anyway the cooler will still work OK "upside down" and the pros/cons are theoretical. I have seen many and installed several Lockhart coolers with ports down (mine as well!) and mine definitely reduced oil temperature - measured oil temp after a decent fast ride in hot weather with cardboard over the front, removed cardboard and continued riding at the same speed and then remeasured the oil temp. I have some measurement records somewhere here - that I won't try to find - but although I don't remember the exact temps the difference was worthwhile. I remember being concerned about how hot the oil got, close to or above the recommended maximum oil temperatures that I could find.
There are thermostat equipped coolers, and external thermostats. The external ones make plumbing even more difficult (or impossible). I'm not convinced thermostats are worthwhile. I don't generally ride in real cold. If I do, a bit of cardboard over the cooler disables it almost entirely. In rideable cool weather my engine gets frigging hot so the cooler isn't powerful enough to overcool your oil unless you ride in sub freezing temps. Not sure it's an issue even then...

[Garage_guy_chris]

Thanks for the replies and wisdom. So this is what i have going on. an old Lockhart sandwich plate gonna convert ports to AN , Vibrant -6AN fittings and hose and a Setrab 1 series 13 row cooler.  Almost done the brackets gonna get to it after lunch... going to  try to mount it ports up if not then i guess ports down will have to do..

[754]

The Lockhart 700 series has real threaded  ports facing up.
 For those  who believe you should have real braided lines, not hoseclamps holding the line on. Besides who does not like anodized fittings.?

[Garage_guy_chris]

Ok so finally got it done, had to go through a bit of a revision to tuck it in a bit closer but think i got it. Managed to put the ports facing up clearance is tight like 1/8" on full lock to the AN fittings but should be good to go. quite happy with the results, took it out for a little spin definately getting warm and working, Unfortunately its too cold here to know if ive really got the problem sorted will have to wait till i get into the mid 20 deg C to find out forsure

[754]

It's pretty thick, harder to fit in on a bike.

[Bodi]

That looks kinda tight. What is fender clearance at full compression? I removed the fork caps and let them down all the way to check fit of my thinner Lockhart on the 400F. It barely fits.