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Oil cooler kit for 1980 GS1000?

macbec29

macbec29

Forum Newbie
Any one have recommendations for a oil cooler kit for a 1980 GS1000S? It was a balmy 88 degrees here in San Jo yesterday so I took 1000S out for what was going to be its first long ride since being restored after a horrific crash. About 35 minutes in I noticed my Canadian temp gauge (centigrade) was climbing into the 150 - 180 range, which if my math is correct means 300 to 350 fahrenheit. Its just the start of the hot season here so I'm thinking I need to fix this somehow. Anybody have recommendations for a complete oil cooler kit that would fit my bike. I'm looking for something approximately 13 by 3 inches.
 
I installed the cooler that comes on the 1150 on my '82 11E. Plug and play, but my bike was designed with one in mind: oil lines go in on either side of filter cover (which has to be modified or replaced by an 1150 one). Horns sit nicely on top corners of cooler.

I believe you'll have to run lines around to the rear. I've seen people run them along the side, but I recommend you do like my old Z1's Lockhart: turn the cooler 'upside down' and run the lines over the top into the tunnel.

Size is no problem, and the change was dramatic. It used to run over 300, now I can barely get it much above 200. And I liked the fact that it's all in the family.

My 'thermostat' is a cardboard cover that I put on for winter.
 
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I like the oldschool Lockhart oil coolers.

Whatever you choose, i recommend using a thermostat.
 
I have an original Lockhart cooler with some sort of Kerker bypass(?) unit along with the correct oil pressure switch adapter that I pulled off a '82 1100G I resurrected. Let me know if you're interested I can dig it up, clean it up and take some pics.
 
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Can you post a photo of the IP? I'd like to see the Canadian spec gauge cluster.
 
NESSISM: I'll post some pics of the instrument cluster tomorrow.
STEVE: I like the UK suggestion, everything in one package seems the easiest way to go, but yea that is quite a big bite out of my wallet. But as they say in the UK, in for a penny in for a pound
 
macbec29 said:
STEVE: I like the UK suggestion, everything in one package seems the easiest way to go, but yea that is quite a big bite out of my wallet. But as they say in the UK, in for a penny in for a pound
Click to expand...

no thermostat ... not saying that's crucial but for that price i would like one included ..
 
Would an oil cooler thermostat change anything other than possibly warm up time? I don't remember the factory oil cooled GS's had thermostats... or did they?
 
rphillips said:
Would an oil cooler thermostat change anything other than possibly warm up time?
Click to expand...

Well, that was my point - increased wear, may not reach operating temperature when it's cold, etc.

rphillips said:
I don't remember the factory oil cooled GS's had thermostats... or did they?
Click to expand...

Don't think so, and that question just stumped me.
Those bikes have similar amounts of oil, so total warmup time is probably the same.
So unless there's a design detail on those bikes i am missing like a restriction on the amount of oil that gets sent to the cooler,
i need to rethink what i've believed to be best practice for decades.
Great point, hope someone can shed some knowledge on this.
 
I can't come up with any reason you would want a thermostat. Cooler oil is always a good thing, where adding complexity to your oiling system is a bad thing.
 
gtem said:
I have an original Lockhart cooler with some sort of Kerker bypass(?) unit along with the correct oil pressure switch adapter that I pulled off a '82 1100G I resurrected. Let me know if you're interested I can dig it up, clean it up and take some pics.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be hard to beat that price using Earl's parts and that adapter from member gtem. I put an Earl's cooler on my old 850, and it was a fun project. In terms of the thermostat question, as long as the cooler used isn't overly large, I don't think the system will need one.
 
Something I just remembered, there was something different about the GS1150 oil filter covers that routed more oil through the cooler, best I remember mounting & plumbing an 1150 cooler & keep using the GS1100 filter cover, very little oil would go through the cooler.
 
bitzz said:
I can't come up with any reason you would want a thermostat. Cooler oil is always a good thing, where adding complexity to your oiling system is a bad thing.
Click to expand...

Technically, if your oil doesn't go over 212 degrees f (and mine doesn't), it won't burn off any water that has condensed in it.

rphillips said:
Something I just remembered, there was something different about the GS1150 oil filter covers that routed more oil through the cooler, best I remember mounting & plumbing an 1150 cooler & keep using the GS1100 filter cover, very little oil would go through the cooler.
Click to expand...

Installing any oil cooler and not modifying (or replacing) the GS1100 oil filter cover is incorrect. I just bought a NOS 1150 cover.
 
Rob S. said:
Technically, if your oil doesn't go over 212 degrees f (and mine doesn't), it won't burn off any water that has condensed in it....
Click to expand...

I betcha if you put your oil temp sensor right at the oil pump outlet you'd find much higher temps.
 
Rob, I think I said, mounting & plumbing an 1150 oil cooler & keep using the GS1100 filter cover, very little oil will go through the cooler. If that was incorrect, what was the point in you buying a NOS 1150 cover?..?..?/ I'm confused again.
 
rphillips said:
Rob, I think I said, mounting & plumbing an 1150 oil cooler & keep using the GS1100 filter cover, very little oil will go through the cooler. If that was incorrect, what was the point in you buying a NOS 1150 cover?..?..?/ I'm confused again.
Click to expand...

Doing that (installing a cooler on an 11E and not modifying/replacing the cover) would have been incorrect. Your statement that a stock 1100 filter cover would block (almost) all of the oil from going to the cooler is absolutely correct.

It doesn't have to be an 1150 cooler. The above facts are true with any cooler that I know of on an 11E.

But you're a more accomplished mechanic than I am. I just might be a more nerdy grammer/usage dork. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
 
Sorry Rob, I just misunderstood what you were say'in. Now see you were verifying what I said... I'll now accept that nerdy trophy... More accomplished? Now that's something I've never been accused of that before.
 
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