Has anyone removed their OIL COOLER?

[Darkstar]

Threads here say oil coolers shipped with late models and can be removed if you plug the holes and open the restrictor behind the filter. Some argued that they were added because fairings blocked airflow to cool the engine, others said this isn't true because european models shipped without the cooler and with 3/4 fairings. This suggests that this feature isn't absolutely necessary.

Has anyone removed theirs and ran it with success for extended time? Mine's cracked on the assembly part and I'm not in the position to drop $300 for replacement. Much obliged

EDIT: Pics for anyone interested, showing three leak points: http://imgur.com/a/yabgR
EDIT2: anyone coming here looking to replace the cooler will need (2) of these orings:
[5 x   2.4mm X 11.8mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring (JIS P12) (N2.40X011.], got mine from http://www.theoringstore.com/index.php?main_page=index, $6.00 all in for 5

[J_Walker]

Frankly. there is some gasket differences in the oil pan gasket itself.. and the issue you mentioned. but I seriously personally don't think the oil cooler does anything when you've gone naked but get in the way...

[Darkstar]

there is some gasket differences in the oil pan gasket itself

Can you elaborate?

I seriously personally don't think the oil cooler does anything when you've gone naked but get in the way...

Im not naked, I have the fairing. Are you saying the cooler is necessary with fairings?

[The Buddha]

GS motor runs hot. I have only known of a few dozen most of them 96 though that have melted the front fender or melted themselves.
So I'd keep the oil cooler regardless.
What is cracked and an oil cooler is pretty generic, see if you can grab one off something else that is close and maybe even bigger and better. For example, a SV has a little one at the bottom in that chin fairing. Would be useable in the GS I think.
Cool.
Buddha.

[Darkstar]

Cool.

Thanks dude, sound advice as always. The assembly itself has three leaks as shown in the pics above. Most worrisome is the crack in the assembly itself.  Found ordered a tested used part, $90:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2009-09-Suzuki-GS500F-Oil-Cooler-TESTED-LOW-MILES-/121864348104?hash=item1c5fae61c8:g:llYAAOSwT~9WlnaZ&vxp=mtr

[Darkstar]

I got the new cooler and swapped it out. Odd thing is that both sides of the old one had cracked where the bolts secure it to the hoses, all four bolts. And there was a hairline fracture on one of the seams. I wonder what causes this part to fail so early? Im thinking either vibration or there was one day where my pilot jet clogged and I rode home lean and hot, I could feel that the bike was hotter. Could the oil get hot enough to crack the cooler?