Oil Cooler necessary on GS500F

[nerd4all]

Hey Guys,

I just got my first GS500F . How totallly tossable is this thing. It turns like a top. Lotta T's there. It is a 06' and had only 1100mi on it when I bought it. I am new to the GSF and did not realize at the time that they had a factory oil cooler. Much to my suprise after bringing the bike home I realized that there was no oil cooler installed on the one I bought.

The bike had a cracked lower front fairing when I bought it, but other than that, I could not see any other evidence of an accident. And the bike runs fantasticly.

Does any one know if not having the oil cooler on will cause any damage to the motor if used in SOCAL? I commute with the bike so I ride it everyday, but I have not been riding it hard.

Thanks in advance,

Adam

[pbureau69]

you sure the engine is from an 06 ?
I mean only 01-08 have oil coolers.

[ben2go]

If there is no oil cooler or provisions for an oil coller it's had an engine swap.If the cooler holes have been plugged the engine may not be getting enough oil flow.

[dgyver]

you sure the engine is from an 06 ?
I mean only 01-08 have oil coolers.

Oil coolers were added in 04.

[sledge]

The rumour is that the oil cooler was fitted to the Fs because the fairing restricted airflow over the engine.......fair comment...... but I am not convinced.  Thousands of GS5s were sold throught Europe in the 90s with a factory fitted 3/4 fairing made by TCP in Spain thats almost identical to the standard F type fairing in the engine area......just like this one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Suzuki-GS500E-Full-Fairing-Restricted_W0QQitemZ300240345173QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300240345173&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

None of these had oil coolers fitted and no one ever seemed to have problems as a result........including me and I have owned and sold 3 of them. You can still buy the fairing and headlamp conversion kit from dealers over here but it is far from cheap.

[nerd4all]

It actually has the provisions for the oil cooler. The holes have regular bolts to block them, and the mounting hardware is there. Just the lines, and core is missing.

Do you think I would fine for the commute? or is slow speeds and traffic the time when I should worry?

[dgyver]

If the oil cooler was removed and plugged off, hopefully the restrictor was removed as well. It can be seen behind the oil filter.

[sledge]

If the missing cooler and altered pipework was causing a problem I think you would have been aware of it by now. The symptoms of oil starvation and low/high oil pressure tend to make their presence felt very soon after the fault initially occurs. If the missing cooler is a big concern to you the only way you will get piece of mind is to replace the missing parts. You can get an idea of whats missing and parts cost by looking at the bikebandit parts fiches...........

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/suzuki-motorcycle-gs500f-2006/o/m9752

WOW.......ermmmm.....sit down before looking at this 

[galahs]

Just on this topic.

If I had to temporarily take off my oil cooler, Would all I have to do is remove the restrictor and put two blanking bolts into the cooler line fittings?

And how do I remove the restrictor mentioned behind the oil filter?

[homeyjosey]

hey nerd where do u live in so cal? i go to cal poly pomona live in diamond bar but i'm always in cerritos

[galahs]

Anyone know how hard it is to remove the restrictor, or do I just have to drop the oil and have a look for myself?

[sledge]

If I was going to run without a cooler for a short time rather than trying to locate and remove the restrictor and plugging things up I would be tempted to find some fittings and come up with a way of joining the in/out hoses together.

[redhenracing2]

Why would one want to go without the oil cooler?

[galahs]

just temporarily until i can get a new oil cooler

[dgyver]

just temporarily until i can get a new oil cooler

If you have problems sourcing one downunder, I have one.

[galahs]

Thanks for the offer.

If the oil cooler was removed and plugged off, hopefully the restrictor was removed as well. It can be seen behind the oil filter.

How hard is it to remove the restrictor?

[galahs]

So I tried one more time to fix the leak. New o-rings and gasket goo. I also bought some cheap $10 oil to refill her just incase I have to drain it straight away again.

Was good for a while then 'shat' itself again.

To make things worse, for some reason I couldn't undo the bango bolt that attatched the oil cooler lines to the bottom of the engine. Fark!


I was using a good quality ring spanner and just ended up rounding the head of the bolt. I then tried to get some vice grip plyers onto it, locked them on super hard and it still wouldn't budge.



Sledge's PLAN B

How to cut the oil pipe line, with it still on the bike, and without putting bits of metal into the oil system?

With the engine full of oil, I got out my hacksaw blade and cut the oil cooler pipe down the bottom. The oil gushing out prevented any chaff from going in the pipes.

I then double clamped on 1 meter of 10mm I.D. flexible transmission / oil cooler hose.

The hose loops up from the bottom of the engine (original oil cooler lines which have now been cut short) to the first frame cross member and back down again. Its zip tied in place.

I then topped the bike back up with oil, and ran it and all was good.

Now the oil hose has a volume of 78 milliliters, so really bugger all. Not enough volume that it will help keep the oil cooler. Also the nitrile hose will not disipate heat as effectively as a metal pipe and definately not as well as the aluminium oil cooler.

Will this be a good long term solution?


Time vill tell. Sooner or vlater.... time vill tell.

[mister]

Fisrt... I don't know oil coolers. So what I say might be totally stoopid ok.

But there is no oil cooler on a naked GS. So if'n your farings are not on maybe restricting cooling airflow, I do't see how Not having an oil cooler will be bad. Nakeds do alright without them. And if'n the farings are on it, how restrictive is it anyway... really. There's a bloody big gap in the front, if there are vents out the back to allow air to flow through that gap and out is there really that much difference?

Michael

[galahs]

the fairing is probably only an issue when caught in traffic

but in saying that, an oil cooler without any forced air movement (like a fan) isn't going to do too much anyway.

[black and silver twin]

why dont you try and use a univarsal oil cooler from jegs, summit, or any parts store. if my cooler ever goes out i plan on getting a larger universal one and making it fit, it should cool the oil better and there cheap and plentiful. even ebay has some.