Do oil coolers really work?

Great feedback! Thanks for all the ideas and input. Your experiences in this area are much appreciated. I think I will end up calling Z1 and asking them about a setup to get a general ballpark figure in cost.

Next step will be my questions about install I'm sure.

Thanks guys.

Oil Coolers & Accessories
www.batinc.net/mocal-central.htm
www.holley.com/types/Temp-A-Cure%20Oil%20Coolers.asp
www.z1enterprises.com/Oil-Cooler-Fitting...0-KZ900-Z1-4520.aspx

Jeff.Saunders wrote:
Even the versions with a thermostatic bypass cool the oil more than without a cooler. If you run in cold weather, it can take a long time (or never) to reach optimium oil temperature. If you start seeing milky white oil in the oil level window, your oil isn't getting hot enough to burn off the condensation.

That is really bad. The water combines with combustion byproducts to create acid. Really kills an engine quick.

Would I be correct to asume that the oil cooler take-of from a GPZ1100 (kz1100) 80-82 would fit a J kz1000 engine seeing how the KZ1000R seems to have the same one installed? Is it a simple bolt on or do I need to modify something?

You'd need the fittings on the engine to make it work. The oil cooler mounting, I'm not sure of.

750steve wrote: Oh & im installing one on the ZX6R over the winter, its a Track only bike though

have u tried it yet? u may find that u dont need it.

i remove the antifreeze and added water wetter to my cbr600 and its fine. its for track only as well.

Yip, i do need it. Im running water wetter as well but recently at Donington race track my bike ended up at 118 degrees centigrade, thats not good! I have no fan function as im running the KRT race kit ECU & Harness.

The problem is really on the 'cool down' laps, the very hot oil isn't pumped quickly enough around the engine after the bike being caned & heats it up like crazy.

Bear in mind it was only about 18 - 20 degrees C that day (Hottish for Ireland or England)

CenCalKZ wrote: Riding in central california summers where it routinely reaches 100-110 for days or weeks on end. Would this be a sound investment for my 79 650 and will the cooler from a larger bike even adapt to mine?

Yes, it would be a good investment IMHO.

FWIW, the oil pan and oil cooler from either the KZ750-R1 Gpz or any ZX750 Gpz is a direct swap over to the 650's, since the 750-4's engines were based on the 650's. I've also heard that the oil pan / cooler from the 750 Zephyr is a direct swap too, but are harder to find since they were only made for such a short time compared to the Gpz's.
I've got the ZX750 Gpz set-up on my '78 KZ650. And not only does it work well, but it also looks like it came with it originally.

I run one, the trick is engine temp and that is affected by mods, boring , etc,
where i live we go from mid 90s in the summer to really cold, ( too friggin cold to ride ) I run a bypass and havent notice any issues as of yet in the cold, one could simply remove the cooler in the winter a connect the lines together with a barbed splicer, simple enough and wouldnt neccsitate changing fittings, that will be my option if problems arise (which I dont think they will)

One more question:
I have seen different oil line routes.
Some run from the cooler round the engine and some back up over
the engine.
And some out of the top and some out of the bottom of the cooler.

On race Z bikes they go over the engine.

the routing is up to u, doesnt really make a difference as far as function

one more thing on this, I noticed the other day a milky white film in my oil level window, but when i drained the oil no problem, it seems that the moisture in oil issue (oil temp) wasnt so much of a problem, just looked that way, I run a bypass BTW

You want the shortest run of piping for obvious reasons.
Run the cooler fittings out the top of the cooler, that way the cooler stays full, oil reaches the engine a bit quicker on initial startup and you get a bit of extra oil capacity (don't forget to drain the cooler though when doing an oil change)
A bypass is good if using in cold weather, All depends on engine tune though, Bigblock motors get very hot,very quick so probably not needed in that instance.