Oil Cooler Question

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  • nate25tenn
    • Feb 2026

    #1

    Oil Cooler Question

    Hey guys I'm wanting to install an oil cooler unto my GS550. I've been following the tutorial online for making my adapter. Im headed to my salvage shop in the morning to find a cooler. Being a low pressure oiling system does size really matter for the cooler or will anything work?
  • tfb

    #2
    The bigger the better, and coolers which have several horizontal 'rows', as opposed to more basic types where the one tube just snakes back and forth through the cooling fins, are more efficient.

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    • Guest

      #3
      Originally posted by nate25tenn
      Hey guys I'm wanting to install an oil cooler unto my GS550. I've been following the tutorial online for making my adapter. Im headed to my salvage shop in the morning to find a cooler. Being a low pressure oiling system does size really matter for the cooler or will anything work?
      Why do you need an oil cooler?

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      • rudeman

        #4
        Originally posted by nate25tenn
        Hey guys I'm wanting to install an oil cooler unto my GS550. I've been following the tutorial online for making my adapter. Im headed to my salvage shop in the morning to find a cooler. Being a low pressure oiling system does size really matter for the cooler or will anything work?
        Low pressure but high volume. Be sure that you use a cooler with enough flow capacity.

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        • tfb

          #5
          He needs an oil cooler because... well, to paraphrase Cassius Ceramix from 'Asterix and the Big Fight'...

          "Right then! We're going to build an aqueduct!"
          "An aqueduct? But Chief Cassius Ceramix, the river flows right through our village and crops and fields..."
          "Well, we'll divert the course of the river! Aqueducts are more Roman!"

          Ergo, oil coolers are more Suzuki.

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          • Guest

            #6
            Originally posted by tfb
            He needs an oil cooler because... well, to paraphrase Cassius Ceramix from 'Asterix and the Big Fight'...

            "Right then! We're going to build an aqueduct!"
            "An aqueduct? But Chief Cassius Ceramix, the river flows right through our village and crops and fields..."
            "Well, we'll divert the course of the river! Aqueducts are more Roman!"

            Ergo, oil coolers are more Suzuki.
            They are? How so? Putting one on my 750 It's not recommended, mine being a friction bearing 750. Again my question is, why does he need an oil cooler, just curious is all.
            Last edited by Guest; 09-27-2014, 12:45 PM.

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            • posplayr
              Forum LongTimer
              GSResource Superstar
              Past Site Supporter
              • Dec 2007
              • 23673
              • Tucson Az

              #7
              Originally posted by mrbill5491
              They are? How so? Putting one on my 750 It's not recommended, mine being a friction bearing 750. Again my question is, why does he need an oil cooler, just curious is all.
              The best reason is he is bored and needs something to do, and there is a fair chance he can get it installed without hurting anything.

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              • Nessism
                Forum LongTimer
                GSResource Superstar
                Past Site Supporter
                Super Site Supporter
                • Mar 2006
                • 35790
                • Torrance, CA

                #8
                Just about every air cooled Japanese 4-cylinder made since 1983 has had an oil cooler. Simple fact is air cooled bikes run hotter than hades in the summer. The problem with adding a cooler is you get pressure loss in the system which is not good, and it's difficult to build a thermostat into the system so the system doesn't come up to temperature unless you ride the bike for a while when it's cold outside.
                Ed

                To measure is to know.

                Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

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                • Rob S.
                  Forum Guru
                  Past Site Supporter
                  • Dec 2013
                  • 9393
                  • New York City

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Nessism
                  Just about every air cooled Japanese 4-cylinder made since 1983 has had an oil cooler. Simple fact is air cooled bikes run hotter than hades in the summer. The problem with adding a cooler is you get pressure loss in the system which is not good, and it's difficult to build a thermostat into the system so the system doesn't come up to temperature unless you ride the bike for a while when it's cold outside.
                  As long as I don't push her 'till she's warmed up, is there any problem running cold?

                  I start with full choke, almost immediately turn the choke off and ride (relatively) slowly away. Even in warm weather, it can be almost a dozen highway miles before the oil temp needle even moves off bottom.

                  Any real need for me to install a thermostat or block off the cooler this winter? Before the cooler, oil temps got too high.
                  1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                  2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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                  • 850 Combat
                    Forum Guru
                    Past Site Supporter
                    • Sep 2006
                    • 6018
                    • Spokane, WA, and Hampden, ME

                    #10
                    Lockhart used to make a nice oil cooler thermostat that bypassed the cooled until the oil was warm. I ran one on my Commando for years. Later, they moved it into the oil cooler itself. Other companies are still making them.

                    If you get a used cooler / thermostat, be sure to flush it clean.
                    sigpic Too old, too many bikes, too many cars, too many things

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                    • Rob S.
                      Forum Guru
                      Past Site Supporter
                      • Dec 2013
                      • 9393
                      • New York City

                      #11
                      I had a gently used 1150 cooler installed. I wanted to 'keep it in the family.'

                      Bought from a site member, it came with a brand new 1150 filter cover.

                      HUGE difference in fully-warmed-up operating temperature.
                      1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                      2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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                      • nate25tenn

                        #12
                        Forgot i posted this. I don't need one but it can't hurt to have it. I machined my own adapter copying a tutorial on BassCliffs website for fun at work. Seemed like a good idea to me.

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                        • rudeman

                          #13
                          I have a Lockhart 700 oil cooler with an external thermostat on my 1000ST. Pressure drop was never much of an issue as far as I can tell. I fill the sump with 4 quarts of oil to compensate for the cooler and the associated plumbing.

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