Is There Really Enough Pressure For An Oil Cooler?

Engine tech, for those engines, products, and technologies of yesteryear.

Moderator: Team

Post Reply
nicholastanguma
HotPass
HotPass
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2021 9:27 am
Location: LA and SF

Is There Really Enough Pressure For An Oil Cooler?

Post by nicholastanguma »

Does this setup actually function properly despite the long distance from the tank to the cooler itself? Does the engine actually produce enough pressure to force the oil to flow from the tank at the back of the bike all the way up to the cooler at the front of the bike? It seems like such a long distance.

I'm considering a similar setup, but I'm concerned there won't be enough pressure to force the oil from inside the tank all the way up to the cooler and then back into the engine.


Image


Image
miniv8
Expert
Expert
Posts: 896
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:22 pm
Location: ICELAND

Re: Is There Really Enough Pressure For An Oil Cooler?

Post by miniv8 »

Pressure is just a measure of resistance.

If I understand your question correctly, and am looking at those pictures with my good eye, the cooler is fed oil by bleeding off the lubricating system of the engine, and from the cooler it goes to the tank.

there can be no resistance from the cooler to the tank, unless the tank itself is pressurized. It is just a function of jetting the oil pressure source in such a manner that it doesn't starve anything mechanical of oil.

A much better way is using the oil flowing from the cooler to actually cool parts of the engine, rather than just to pump it cooler in the tank. If you have so much excess oil flow that it can be tapped, just to return it to the tank, Id suggest machining the oil pump smaller, or just run the higher oil pressure.

A great way to use a cooler like that, is to tap in the oil source feeding the cylinderhead, and cool the oil before it reaches it.
Magnús Aðalvíkingur Finnbjörnsson
Post Reply