| Author | Message | ||
     Natural |
Hello all Yesterday I installed a thermostat and oil temp sensor to my XB9 The tstat is sandwich type, between oil filter and the engine. It is fully open at about 93ºC The sensor is installed into a T-style brass fitting, where the oil pressure switch used to be. In that same fitting I have installed the pressure switch and the oil pump outlet. Oil tubing to and from the oil cooler are connected to the tstat. Upper view (side fitted to engine)  Lower side (where filter docs to)  Oil flow in the tstat is as follows: oil enters through the center, passes filter, and once out, if the tstat is closed, bypasses it through the valve and continues to the motor. When it opens, it goes to the radiator and returns to the tstat, then continuing to the engine.  Therefore, the oil circuit will be : Closed tstat Pump-sensor/switch tstat-oil filter-engine Open tstat Filter-cooler-tstat engine Originally it is Pump-cooler-filter-engine Some images attached     Yesterday I ran first tests with (to me) surprising results. Starting cold engine at about 24ºC, and after 20 kms of mixed road-higway, oil reached 63ºC Starting warm engine, with oil at 54ºC, and after a trip to our weekly meeting point in Madrid ( 25 km highway, 5 km city ), at about 140-160 kph on highway, oil reached just 70ºC when stopped. Fan never kicked in, not even when I switched engine off. This means tstat is not opening at all, and the oil is not passing though the radiator. In fact, when I switched off, cooler was at ambient temp. As for sensor placement, I think it is in a right place, since it is very close to tstat, and behind the exhaust merge collector, so no air is cooling it. Therefore, my conclusions are 1) Either my engine does run hot enough (currently map is very offset in the rich side), or oil in these engines barely cools it. 2) Given test conditions, it is usual to work engine too hard before oil reaches its working temperature. 3) During wintertime, and in short trips or going very easy on highway/road, oil may never heat to its optimum temperature. Given all this, and the cost of the tstat (50€), and being so easy to install, I would recommend doing it. As a side note, I tested the tstat before installing it. I submerged it in hot water, and observed it while it started to open. Full opening was reached when tiny bubbles appeared in the water, a few seconds before boiling. Best regards. | ||
| Hogs |
Just wonder why you even want one? HAs your engine been Big Bored,cams etc,? Even then I wd. think its not needed for street use etc.? (Message edited by hogs on June 07, 2013) | ||
| Natural |
Hi Hogs, thanks for your message. I have installed it because I thought oil could be too cold in wintertime. Moreover, mostly of the time I use my buell for short trips, so I guess this mod would help oil to reach working temp. faster. The thermostat will not help cooling the oil at all, so it is not related to big boring, hot cams or so. It is more related to improve engine working conditions by allowing the oil to warm faster. Moreover, I like to do this kind of things. It is one of my hobbies. | ||
| Froggy |
That does look awesome (I love the dash too), but I am with Hogs that I think that is overkill. For the winter time I usually recommend stuffing a rag into the oil cooler scoop to help get it up to operating temperature. | ||
| Hogs |
I just use a black Dirty Sock lol Well not dirty...( stuffed in the cooler ) But it has worked good for the spring and fall for the past 6 plus years in the Buell....  | ||
| Natural |
Hi Froggy, thanks for your comments. About the rag, that is what I have read here many times. However I wanted something more sophisticated. And I had this stuff lying around in a box, so I decided to give it a try. Could be overkill? Well, the bike ran without it, so, from that point of view, indeed is overkill. A rag would do the same. But this looks neat to me. Anyway, I did not expect oil to run so cool. It really surprised me. I wonder if that could be bad for the engine. As for the dash, my plans are to install it instead of stock. It is much smaller ( about 1/2 stock's size) and more functional. And I could move my AFR gauge closer to the dash. Regards. | ||
| Natural |
Old sock indeed! | ||
| Sifo |
This is in theory a great mod to make, helping the engine get up to normal operating temperature quicker. This is why they have a thermostat in liquid cooled engines. I'm a bit surprised that the oil temp is so low, but given that the cooling system must keep the engine from overheating when it's really hot out, it kind of makes sense. No doubt that with oil going through the cooler, temps would be even lower. I've had my bike in 105ºF stuck in traffic without overheating problems (at least of the bike). Using the same amount of cooling when it's around freezing just doesn't make sense. This is a feature that would have been nice from the factory. | ||
| Sparky |
That's pretty cool (pardon the pun). I might have a use for this kind of mod on my air cooled buggy which has been modified for a Sporty/Buell oil filter. It would be beneficial to have a setup like this in order to use an external oil cooler and monitor the oil temps for summertime drives in the Southwest (Cali). I'd be much appreciated if you could post part numbers and sources. | ||
| Doz |
Kinda makes me wonder if 20-50 oil is needed if running at a low temp like that. | ||
| Natural |
Thanks for your comments. I am with Sifo, this should come from factory. As for part numbers and sources, I got the sandwich from eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOCAL-OIL-COOLER-SANDWICH- PLATE-THERMOSTAT-M20-/221114853861 The sandwich adapter comes with 1/2 BSP threads, you will need 1/4 and 1/8 adapters ( 1/8 fits into 1/4 fits into 1/2 ) and 1/4" ID banjos, plus braided oil lines. Easy to source in any competent HW store. The oil temp sensor is from Koso: http://www.kosoeurope.com/temperature-sensor-pt1/8 -x28-150c-black-connector You will need a meter to read sensor data. I have a full cockpit, but it is not required. This would be enough: http://www.kosoeurope.com/thermometer-super-slim-b lau Regarding oil viscosity, I think 20-50 is best for worst case scenario in summertime. Given temp reads, I reckon 10W40 would be better choice for wintertime without any degradation problems due to excess temps. Hope it helps. | ||
| Sifo |
It is interesting that the owners manual calls for 10-40 when the lowest ambient temperature is below 40. In some areas that would mean high temperatures near 90 or so with 10-40. They don't specify when you must go to 20-50 other than when the low temp is above 40. The implication almost seems that 10-40 would be OK for much of most peoples riding. Still I've always chosen 20-50, even when it's gotten into the 20s when I'm taking off in the morning. It probably is warmer in the garage where it sleeps though, so I've never had cold cranking problems. I don't see this mod changing anything on oil choice though. The oil is still just as cold on a cold start, and it will eventually get just as hot in hot when it's passing through the cooler. You could add a bigger cooler now and have little concern about over cooling it in cold weather. Or you can accept that at some point the system is good enough. | ||
| Doz |
Using the Amsoil website, they recommend 10-40 for the xb's. But do not include a temperature range. I'll stick to the shop manuel as I like to ride fairly hard and do an occasional track day. |
