Keeping Piggies Cool (all in one)

[TomTom777]

First of all I want to say, thank you all for always helping out! ?  Y'all Rock!

But I was wanting to start this thread to keep all the info for keeping the bikes as cool as possible. Any info is appreciated. Just little tips and tricks. Currently I'm trying to find a oil cooler, and a big fin kit, but it seems not to be on xr's only website anymore.. 

Thanks everyone

[TrailChaser024]

I installed a power steering cooler into the left gas tank air scoop. Picked it up from Autozone for about $15-$20 along with a couple of feet of oil hose and a few hose clamps. I rode it all summer in the Austin, TX heat and never got it above 250degs. My temps are about 230degs @ 95deg outside temp when riding at a steady 60-70mph on the highway. Before I installed the cooler I was looking at 250-275degs in the same conditions. I can take some pictures if needed.

[condershire]

Last Spring, I picked up the Sutton oil cooler, worked very well but I was still not happy with freeway head temps, averaging 250 degrees, this is with proper jetting.  After dropping a valve seat a month ago I decided that I had had enough and ordered the big fin head.  Took a while to get it back, around 2 - 3 weeks BUT WHAT A DIFFERENCE!  My head temps do not exceed 181 on the freeway with a 35 degree ambient.  Around town, late afternoon, 65 ambient, I am observing 210 - 220 degrees.  The long term effect of this is yet to be seen but so far, it does what it says it is going to do.

 

XR's Only did the work, and did a great job at that.  As far as I know, there is a special on this right now, $250.00 for the complete job.  Give them a call, you will be well taken care...

 

Shots of how it looks on the bike...

 

 

Another shot...

 

 

Here is a shot of the temp after about a minute (parked, engine off)...

 

 

The Sutton oil cooler is BRILLIANT!  The "Big Fin" mod is how it probably should come from the factory...  These engines run HOT, I do not know if there is a negative long term effect associated with cooler operating temperatures, time will tell.  Engine is STOCK, stock exhaust, stock air filter, snorkel in place, jetting is 50/150 (5,000 foot elevation).

 

[condershire]

Oh, and did I mention that besides the fact that the mod is very effective, the "Big Fins" look kinda of cool, too?  I know, small stuff, but aesthetics are important as well...

[garthr]

i have the big fin head and a tranmission cooler mounted above the fender below the headlights. a good combination for slow winding mountain roads here where temps average in the 90s plus in the summer. head probably should have been made this way int the first place.

[Onederer]

A lot of people don't know and many forget that Honda had a race only, RFVC engine, which had a factory cast big-fin head. It was used in flat track bikes.

 

RS600 head:

 

 

Another thing that Honda done for a couple years was use a Nikasil plated cylinder on the XR600R. Cry about it as most people do, it was a great idea and multitudes of vehicle engines use it today. The DR650 uses it (except Suzuki calls it SCEM) and they are known as very reliable engines; DR owners aren't crying about it. DRs manage heat very well; they don't have an overheating problem.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Onederer

[condershire]

A lot of people don't know and many forget that Honda had a race only, RFVC engine, which had a factory cast big-fin head. It was used in flat track bikes.

 

RS600 head:

 

 

Another thing that Honda done for a couple years was use a Nikasil plated cylinder on the XR600R. Cry about it as most people do, it was a great idea and multitudes of vehicle engines use it today. The DR650 uses it (except Suzuki calls it SCEM) and they are known as very reliable engines; DR owners aren't crying about it. DRs manage heat very well; they don't have an overheating problem.

 

I'm going to ask a dumb question, but if a re-bore were required, would it be necessary to have the Nikasil re-applied?  I love the DR and still believe that "straight out of the carton" it is one of the best dual sports on the market (factory oil cooler, reasonable seat height, etc.) but suppose one were on an extended trip and it was required to replace the rings and piston, could it be bored without worrying about applying the Nikasil?

[Onederer]

Boring the cylinder would remove the coating and it would have to be re-plated. Typically, a plated cylinder is not bored, it is just re-plated and kept at the stock size.

 

A plated cylinder can be honed for new rings, but it would still have to be within specs.

 

Does the hypothetical question involve a 50,000 mile trip? Hypothetically, the CDI would fail before anything, and right next to that mud hut in Botswana that gets mail by pack mule.

[garthr]

Oh, and did I mention that besides the fact that the mod is very effective, the "Big Fins" look kinda of cool, too?  I know, small stuff, but aesthetics are important as well...

there was someone on this site that had a big fin head that had more square looking fins as opposed to the rounded look you and i have. i dont remember who did that work. mine was done by the late captain  midnight.

[condershire]

There are a few outfits who do the "Big Fin" mod, so some variation is to be expected, I guess. Cyclewizard, XR's Only, and I think Engine Dynamics all perform this service. I've seen a few that I think were done on an individual basis with a TIG welder and some scrap.

I was saddened to hear about Captain Midnight's passing, he had WEALTH of information and experience which he did not mind sharing. His fuel injection project on the XRL I read with great interest...

[Onederer]

Honda used a factory big fin head on the RFVC race engine, they used a plated aluminum cyclinder on a the XR600R for a couple years, they have used oil coolers on the 250-400cc XRs' and Scott Summers used a XR250 oil coolers on his race XR600.

Honda done none of the above on the XR650L, but they added air scoops to the sides of the bike. The factory air scoops are functional, but they are not going to do much at low speeds. The XR650L is not intended for the same use as the off-raod only XRRs', if a persons rides it harder than intended, there will be overheating problems. On very tight trails at low speeds, they heat up real quick and it is not a simple matter of riding at reduced power like on the highway, the only way it will cool off is if is shut down, but the engine temp will spike after the engine is stopped. It has to be shut down before it overheats or it's too late.

I have the Sutton cooler on my XL600R. It is a fantastic kit and better built than what some factories do. The price is less than a big fin head and it does'nt require any engine disassembly.

A cooler or/and big fin head is needed for hard use. Either one is better than nothing, it depends what the owner wants to spend. If the rider does'nt want to spend anything on a cooler, they should install a temp gauge so they can at least shut it off before bad things happen.

[condershire]

I have the Suttun cooler as well and agree, it is of higher quality than a lot of OEM stuff. Dropped my oil temps a good 25 degrees. I ride my XRL daily and I'd still see oil temps around 250-260 on the freeway (measured at the banjo bolt on the head). I'm out cruising around Albuquerque right now, I did see 230 when I was in VERY slow moving traffic downtown but once you start moving, 200-210.

I had seriously considered the big fin head last year and am glad I finally bit off on it, it really works WELL!

[garthr]

I have the Suttun cooler as well and agree, it is of higher quality than a lot of OEM stuff. Dropped my oil temps a good 25 degrees. I ride my XRL daily and I'd still see oil temps around 250-260 on the freeway (measured at the banjo bolt on the head). I'm out cruising around Albuquerque right now, I did see 230 when I was in VERY slow moving traffic downtown but once you start moving, 200-210.

I had seriously considered the big fin head last year and am glad I finally bit off on it, it really works WELL!

like adding a larger radiator as part of a towing package.

[TomTom777]

What about ceramic coating the head pipe? Has anyone done that? I've been considering it once I get a header. In theory it sounds like a good idea

[DT1]

Wow! it's been a very long time since I posted anything on this forum.

Anyway...It's good to be back.

Here's a shot (or two)of my oil cooler install.

I believe I got it from Jegs. 

 

 

 

 

[notoriousE-R-I-C]

[garthr]

📎IMG_20140327_183032.jpg

mine is very similar, a little larger, same location. been there for several years now. havent had any branch problems, maybe just lucky.