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Hey guys spring is here and I am getting my '76 900 ready to ride. I am debating on buying/building an oil cooler for it. Are there real advantages to having one? Are they more headache than they are helpful? Ive read oldkawmans article on how to build one, but Im looking for a cleaner install, with maybe a chrome exchanger. What would you guys recommend?

where are you located ,what kind of riding and whats done to motor?

There are positives and negatives regarding the use of an oil cooler. The positive is that in the summer, your oil will run a bit cooler if you ride for long straights at speed in hot climates. The downside is that in the winter (or cooler weather), your coil can take forever to warm up and you will get considerable condensation in your oil as a result and the oil will stay thicker for a longer period of time and this would be adverse to lubricating I think. To avoid this problem and take advantage of the positive, you can get an oil cooler with a thermostatically activated bypass. This will allow your oil to not run through the cooling fins in colder weather. The very best choices for this type oil cooler are those for Harleys (also air cooled) and they have a ton of them on www.jpcycles.com - just choose one with a bypass. The Harley type oil coolers are also a bit better looking, in my opinion, than most of the metric oriented coolers.

Welcome to the KZr....
Got Pics?

If you get an oil cooler without a built-in bypass, you can buy one from Lockhart, or from old VW Beetle parts places.

The Lockhart oil cooler thermostat begins opening at 160 degrees F and is fully open at 180 degrees F.

i've even seen people use old power steering coolers. does the delay of the oil getting to the top of the engine because it has to go thru the cooler first have a bad effect? or is it negligable?

First off I appriciate the info. I am in Ohio, and the bike is completely stock (K&N filter, minus baffles in the stock 4-4 pipes) mostly ridden on the back roads in the opposite lane passing slow traffic. As soon as the weather permits, I will roll it out and take some pics. Wiredgeorge, you have convinced me to get the oil cooler with the thermostat. Thanks for the link. Cant wait to get back out on the roads.

most stock kz1000s ive seen dont tend to overheat in normal use thats why i was wondering what was done to motor.when you start getting into bigger built motors than spend a lot of time in traffic thats where ive personally seen most overheating issues come up. goodluck,happy wrenching!

As an alternate to using an oilcooler with a thermostate, I have seen people use a cover so the air doesn't pass through the cooler.

I taped cardboard over the oil cooler I had on one of my KZ900s all winter a few years ago when I still worked in the big city and commuted. It took oil FOREVER to warm; even with the cardboard covering the cooler and it looked like... well cardboard.

If I understand correctly, the oil path of the cooler isnt directly linked to anything right? just sort of "spliced" off of an existing path. (maybe this is just how it is for the 650 though) If you had an inline valve in the cooler path, you could just shut of the oil going through the cooler in cold conditions and open the valve for hard summer driving. Would this work?
Scott

I have a cooler on my bike, but the fittings are leaking.

There are no markings on the cooler itself, so I have no idea of the manufacturer.

On the right side, above and to the rear of the ignition cover, near the base of the cylinders, it looks like it used to be a plug. My oil cooler return hose goes into a fitting that replaced the plug.

Does anyone know what size threads these are and/or where I could get a replacement fitting?