Repair And Fix it

home» a » add » an » cooler » how » oil » sportster » to » How to Add an Oil Cooler to a Sportster

---

How to Add an Oil Cooler to a Sportster

All Harley engines, except the engines on V-Rods, are air-cooled, transversely mounted, two cylinder engines. The 45 degree, V-mounting on both Sportster and Big Twin engines reduces cool air flow around the cylinders. Mounting the hot exhaust near the cylinders also increases engine temperature. All of these identically designed Harley engines have cooling fins on the cylinders to help them radiate heat. An oil cooler mounted on the front also carries heat away from the engine in two ways. An oil cooler will increase the oil capacity of a Sportster from three to four quarts and more oil carries more heat. A cooler also increases the radiating surface for that engine oil.

Instructions

1

Unfasten the drain tube from the Sportster oil tank. Loosen the hose clamp with a screwdriver.

2

Remove the drain plug and drain the engine oil into a pan. Unscrew the oil filter on the front of the Sportster with an oil filter wrench.

3

Drain the oil in the filter into a pan. Discard the filter. Clean the front of the bike with rags.

4

Disconnect the oil pump and crankcase feed hoses with an open end wrench. Apply gasket and thread sealer to the oil line fittings included with your oil cooler kit.

5

Replace the old oil pump and crankcase lines with the new lines. Tighten the new fittings to 60 inch pounds with a torque wrench and an open end socket.

6

Coat the threads of the oil line fitting included in your oil cooler kit with gasket and thread sealer. Attach the fittings to the openings in the oil pump and crankcase. Tighten the fittings to not more than 65 inch pounds of torque with a torque wrench.

7

Unhook the wiring harness extension and clutch cable from the clips on left front of the bike. Remove the clips.

8

Replace the clips with chrome oil cooler clamps from your oil cooler kit.

9

Attach the oil cooler to the chrome clamps with the Allen bolts and nuts that came with your oil cooler. Plug the oil feed and oil return hoses on the oil cooler fittings.

10

Secure the feed and return hoses with the hose clamps included with your oil cooler. Tighten the hose clamps with a screwdriver.

11

Point the front of the cooler forward. Tighten the clamp screws to 30 inch pounds with a torque wrench and an Allen socket.

12

Reattach the wiring harness extension and clutch cable to the oil cooler clamps. Tighten all hose fittings 22 foot-pounds of torque with a torque wrench.

13

Wipe clean oil on the rubber gasket of a new oil filter. Spin the filter onto the filter stud and hand tighten.

14

Add three quarts of oil to the oil tank. Run the motorcycle in neutral for five minutes.

15

Check for oil leaks while the engine is running. Ensure the oil cooler gets warm. If the oil cooler stays cold a hose or fitting must be blocked.

16

Turn off the motorcycle and add a fourth quart of oil to the oil tank. Turn the engine over and read the dipstick.

17

Add oil if the dipstick reads below full. Retighten all fittings when the engine is cold.