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[Fireguy]

So far the only cooler I have found is Oil Bud that will fit the Limited with the water pump being in the way for other coolers to fit.
Is there still a need for one or is this just over kill? 

[screaminCVO]

I thought about adding the oil pan that gives you an extra 1.5 qts. of oil.
 hhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/store/high-capacity-oil-panad

[dlaws01]

I thought about adding the oil pan that gives you an extra 1.5 qts. of oil.
 hhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/store/high-capacity-oil-panad

I wish you would explain to me how the extra capacity oil pan is going to lower your oil temps. 

[grc]

So far the only cooler I have found is Oil Bud that will fit the Limited with the water pump being in the way for other coolers to fit.
Is there still a need for one or is this just over kill? 

What is the actual temperature of your motor oil, and why do you think you need a cooler?  It is best to deal with facts, not assumptions based on other models that weren't equipped the way your current bike is equipped.  I'm willing to bet even before you collect any real temperature data that the water cooling of the heads will negate any real need for an oil cooler.

Jerry

[Fireguy]

Living in the high desert we see temps well over 100°. Knowing that coolers only come on at preset temperatures, the only time they would be in use are when they're needed. Granted i've only had my bike a few months but the winter weather in California has been enough to ride and the highest temperature I've seen is 265. At what temperature should I be concerned about having an oil cooler or not?(and not Harley's recommendation)

[screaminCVO]

I wish you would explain to me how the extra capacity oil pan is going to lower your oil temps. 

I'm not sure about lowering the temp but I think would be good to the extra oil..........I think. Not an expert by any means and open to opinions.

[Fireguy]

I wish you would explain to me how the extra capacity oil pan is going to lower your oil temps. 

Increased capacity means the oil cycles through the engine less frequently and the oil can remain in the pan for a longer period of time.

[sadunbar]

Living in the high desert we see temps well over 100°. Knowing that coolers only come on at preset temperatures, the only time they would be in use are when they're needed. Granted i've only had my bike a few months but the winter weather in California has been enough to ride and the highest temperature I've seen is 265. At what temperature should I be concerned about having an oil cooler or not?(and not Harley's recommendation)

I'd be uncomfortable running oil temperature 300F+ on a regular basis.   I assume you are running synthetic motor oil?  230F is a comfortable oil temperature, however 265F is fine...

[grc]

Increased capacity means the oil cycles through the engine less frequently and the oil can remain in the pan for a longer period of time.

Yes, that is true.  However the actual amount of extra cooling is very limited and unlikely to make a significant difference in the life of the oil or to the operation of the engine.  The information I've seen so far is that one of those oil pans might drop oil temperatures ten degrees at most.  Ten degrees isn't worth spending almost a thousand dollars to have one of those pans installed, plus the extra cost involved in each and every oil change.
 
You mentioned 265° in a previous post.  Was that coolant temperature, head temperature, or oil temperature, and how was it measured?  I'd be a little surprised if a Twin Cooled bike was running the same kind of oil temp that has been fairly common on the earlier 110's, since the water cooled heads should make a difference.

If you use a good quality synthetic motorcycle oil made for air cooled engines, temps in the 230-270°F range are not a problem and I would consider that to be a pretty good estimation of the normal range for a late model Harley.  Consult the folks at Mobil 1 or Amsoil if you think otherwise and see what they say.  I know the people at Amsoil used to say 300°F was not a problem for their oil, but I think I wouldn't want my oil to run quite that hot all the time.  An occasional foray into that range shouldn't hurt though.

Jerry

[sadunbar]

Yes, that is true.  However the actual amount of extra cooling is very limited and unlikely to make a significant difference in the life of the oil or to the operation of the engine.  The information I've seen so far is that one of those oil pans might drop oil temperatures ten degrees at most.  Ten degrees isn't worth spending almost a thousand dollars to have one of those pans installed, plus the extra cost involved in each and every oil change.
 
You mentioned 265° in a previous post.  Was that coolant temperature, head temperature, or oil temperature, and how was it measured? 
If you use a good quality synthetic motorcycle oil made for air cooled engines, temps in the 230-270°F range are not a problem and I would consider that to be a pretty good estimation of the normal range for a late model Harley.  Consult the folks at Mobil 1 or I'd be a little surprised if a Twin Cooled bike was running the same kind of oil temp that has been fairly common on the earlier 110's, since the water cooled heads should make a difference.
Amsoil if you think otherwise and see what they say.  I know the people at Amsoil used to say 300°F was not a problem for their oil, but I think I wouldn't want my oil to run quite that hot all the time.  An occasional foray into that range shouldn't hurt though.

Jerry

I'd be surprised if the Twin Cooled bikes run the same oil temperature common to the non Twin Cooled bikes also, as the cylinder heads are the major source of heat (and oil temperature) in these motors.  I'm sure this is why the MOCO chose to only circulate the water thru the cylinder heads - with the aim of lowering oil temperature - with the current design.

[Fireguy]

Temps come from the dipstick gauge. Temps so far have only gotten to around 75*. I haven't changed the oil yet, it only has 900 miles in the bike. I usually run mobile1 in all 3 holes.

[grc]

Temps come from the dipstick gauge. Temps so far have only gotten to around 75*. I haven't changed the oil yet, it only has 900 miles in the bike. I usually run mobile1 in all 3 holes.

It's common for engine operating temperatures to be higher over the first couple thousand miles, due to the extra friction in a new engine.  See what you get once the engine is fully broken in, and again when the ambient air temperatures get up closer to what you usually experience in the summer.  If it were mine, if the oil temperature stayed in that 230-270 range I mentioned before I wouldn't worry about it.  I wouldn't be surprised if a company like JAGG eventually came out with a cooler to fit the new Twin Cooled bikes, but so far I haven't seen anything being offered.   

Jerry

[Fireguy]

It's common for engine operating temperatures to be higher over the first couple thousand miles, due to the extra friction in a new engine.  See what you get once the engine is fully broken in, and again when the ambient air temperatures get up closer to what you usually experience in the summer.  If it were mine, if the oil temperature stayed in that 230-270 range I mentioned before I wouldn't worry about it.  I wouldn't be surprised if a company like JAGG eventually came out with a cooler to fit the new Twin Cooled bikes, but so far I haven't seen anything being offered.   

Jerry

Last thing, should I use syn3 for the first oil change to help the rings seat better rather than jumping right into a full synthetic?

[grc]

Last thing, should I use syn3 for the first oil change to help the rings seat better rather than jumping right into a full synthetic?

SYN3 is a synthetic.  And the rings are probably already "seated" as well as they are going to be.  Synthetic oil doesn't keep rings from seating; if it did you wouldn't see so many auto companies using it as factory fill.

Just use whatever brand of full synthetic you plan to run in the future, be it SYN3, Amsoil, Mobil 1 V-Twin, etc.

Jerry