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Crazy idea? Fan for oil cooler?


poodad

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You may remember my post about getting stuck in traffic on a hot day and seeing my oil indicator flicker. I had an idea that would be fairly easy to implement: a small fan behind the oil cooler to kick on when needed.

 

Small 12V fans are easy to come by. There's lots of room behind the oil cooler. I'm thinking why not mount a small fan an inch or so behind the cooler and wire it to a switch so that when stuck in traffic on a hot day, you could just flip the fan on and keep a little air flowing over the cooler.

 

Crazy idea?

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You may remember my post about getting stuck in traffic on a hot day and seeing my oil indicator flicker. I had an idea that would be fairly easy to implement: a small fan behind the oil cooler to kick on when needed.

 

Small 12V fans are easy to come by. There's lots of room behind the oil cooler. I'm thinking why not mount a small fan an inch or so behind the cooler and wire it to a switch so that when stuck in traffic on a hot day, you could just flip the fan on and keep a little air flowing over the cooler.

 

Crazy idea?

 

Morning poodad

 

SMALL FAN usually equals somewhat blocked air flow when not running so you really need to think this through & design proper fan size as well as proper flowing fan ducting. You will also need a waterproof fan to be totally reliable over years of usage.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is this 'stuck in hot traffic' has happened to hundreds if not thousand's of other BMW riders so search the internet & find all the failed BMW boxer engines due to stop & go traffic in hot weather. (you won't).

 

Remember the dash mounted temperature gauge reads on the cooling oil circuit AFTER the oil has picked up engine heat but BEFORE it goes through the oil cooler so the dash gauge does not indicate oil sump temperature.

 

If you want an oil cooler fan then install one, just make darn sure that it allows proper air flow through & behind the oil cooler even when not running.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Lone_RT_rider
Morning poodad

 

SMALL FAN usually equals somewhat blocked air flow when not running so you really need to think this through & design proper fan size as well as proper flowing fan ducting. You will also need a waterproof fan to be totally reliable over years of usage.

 

Remember the dash mounted temperature gauge reads on the cooling oil circuit AFTER the oil has picked up engine heat but BEFORE it goes through the oil cooler so the dash gauge does not indicate oil sump temperature.

 

I used to work for a company in the Detroit metro area that made Fluid transfer cooling cores (radiators, oil coolers, charged air coolers). At that time in the late 90's we used to size our cores for heat transfer on a 60% effective area, or 40% maximum blockage due to fans, fan shrouds, bugs and other stuff that might get stuck between the fins. I wonder what the delta T is across the core of that cooler?

 

Shawn

 

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I see nothing crazy about installing a fan as long as the Dirtrider's concerns of flow are addressed. Which brings up the question does the RTP have the same size oil cooler as the standard RT???? I have always figured my synthetic oil in the sump was my safety valve for intermittent high temps.

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I see nothing crazy about installing a fan as long as the Dirtrider's concerns of flow are addressed. Which brings up the question does the RTP have the same size oil cooler as the standard RT???? I have always figured my synthetic oil in the sump was my safety valve for intermittent high temps.

Yes, same size oil cooler, the RTP has the fan and ducting mentioned and is thermostatically controlled .

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Hank R1200RT

I looked into the RTP fan when I first got my 2013. About $450 then IIRC. It would include a duct, fan, miscellaneous hardware, and an update to the ECU configuration. Dealer can do it, or a GS-911 is also reportedly capable of it.

 

My motivation was splitting lanes on the 405 South headed up Sepulveda Pass from the San Fernando Valley to the UCLA area. Low speed, limited airflow, high summer temps, and a rapidly rising heat indicator.

 

Fortunately, that is not on my commute any more, but I would have done the fan mod if those circumstances had continued.

 

 

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I looked at installing the RTP fan. I was told that it has to be programmed into the computer once it's properly installed. The one big problem is that if you don't have an original RTP bike the computer on a non-RTP is not programmable. This is what I was told back in 2012 from my dealer. I don't know if the hexheads and the Wetheads are the same.

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I could easily live with a switch controlled fan instead of computer controlled.

 

I'm going to switch oil. If that doesn't fix the flickering oil light, I'll look into the fan.

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The Rocketman

I bought a used RTP fan and shroud off Ebay way back for about $100 for my '09 RT. Very easy to install, especially if you remove the front end first. Didn't want it thermostatically controlled, so wired in a waterproof LED switch where the radio controls would be if I had them. It works great.

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