Oil Cooler Fitting and thermostat

[Glyn Pickering]

Hi all

Now my Vision is running well with the jetting at last and properly sorted on the Weber, Lucky's oil cooler looks the go for a useful project.

Is anyone else seriously considering this mod in the near future? I'm a bit worried that in cutting the threads into the motor swarf may get inside. Lucky - if you're seeing this, did you do your tapping with the motor in situ? Anyone seen any other coolers apart from the XS 850 that may fit. Lucky - why did you choose that cooler? Thread size / dimensions/ capacity??

Lastly - I've lost the post on how to change your thermostat so that it opens earlier. Can anyone remember how this is done?

Regards

Glyn

[Lucky]

first, i reccomend puling that plug with a slide hammer & screw. use a sheet metal screw. drill the plug almost thru, or at least where just the edge og the bit pokes thru. then screw in the sheet metal screw & knock the plug out with the slide hammer. I levered it out with a prybar & vice grips on the screw, but it was a bitch.

if you get any chip at all from drilling the pilot hole, the oil that flows out from the plug should wash it out.

after that I stuffed a cotton ball in the oil galley passage to keep chips out.  after tapping the threads, i sucked out most of the chips with a shop vac & dragged the rest out with the cotton using a bent pic.

I pulled the tap out frequently to remove the aluminum chips too.  the aluminum is easy to tap.

the tap is ?-18 NPT (National Pipe Thread) pipe tap & handle. i don't know if thes sizes there are the same, but if not you might be able to get it cross referanced.

I used that cooler because Jason had one, in good shape, for a good price, plus it is a cooler made specificly for a bike, not a auto transmission or something else. he had a nice plastic shroud for it too. :)

you'll need to plug the passage to the filter, & i have some of those plugs left if you need one.  I've sold about 10, so I know at least a few people will make coolers.

--Lucky

[Superfly]

Hey Lucky,  I got the plug, thank you very much!!  I am going to do the mod soon, I got a cooler off of a kawi, and I am almost ready to start.  I have never tapped a thread before, so the only thing holding me up is having the nerve to try it, I want to pratice on something first, any suggestions?

[Lucky]

anything scrap aluminum, plastic, or even a piece of wood...  something soft. use the drill size reccomended on the tap package (7/16? i forget) for the pilot hole. you won't need to do that for the engine passage, just the cap.
--Lucky

[EH]

You will not need to use any kind of lubricant to tap that engine hole. Lubricant should always be used to tap any deep holes as for a threaded fastener. Make sure you back the tap off (reverse rotation) every 3/4 turn or so to break off the piece you cut away to make the threads. Use straight, inward pressure to start the tap off until it begins cutting, you'll feel when it starts to cut. You can pack the flutes of the tap with grease and the pieces you cut away with the tap will stick to the grease and be removed with the tap. You won't need to go any deeper than 3/4 tap deep to make enough threads to hold a fitting tightly. Good luck.

[Lucky]

You won't need to go any deeper than 3/4 tap deep to make enough threads to hold a fitting tightly

In the particular case of the engine fitting you'll only be able to tap in so far as there is a lip that the plug your removing sits up against. you'll see it when you pull the plug.

Be aware that pipe plug taps (and fittings to a lesser degree) are tapered. this means that the further in you run the tap the wider the threaded hole. you don't want to over do it here. 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 threads are enough to hold the fitting securly in the engine. if you go in to far you'll block the side passage.  go easy & you'll be fine.

--Lucky

[Glyn Pickering]

Lucky -I'm keen to purchase one of your plugs.
If you send me the full cost inc normal UPS postage to New Zealand I can send you payment.

Are you set up on Pay Pal at all? If not I could prob send you a USD money draft or a TT payment. I will need your full account details for the latter.

I'm on pickteam@xtra.co.nz if you would like to send bank details.

If it's all a bit too much trouble doing the overseas thing, if you tell me the exact specs on the plug, I can prob get one made up here.

Gee your weather looks terrible!

Regards

Glyn.

[silicon_toad2000]

Hey glyn, hows it all going?
One of the bodgy this I do with thermostats is to drill a couple of small holes in them to let some water/coolant through even when its cold.
Also bleeds air out from under the thermostat if you find yourself a little low on coolant.

[Lucky]

Glyn
I sent you an email, but it bounced.. I was going to send you an IM, but your not registered... send me an email & i''l try replying directly to that.  include your full address so i can figure shipping.  Yes I have paypal.
--Lucky

[Lucky]

Glyn, for whatever reason i can get email from you, just can't send it to you...
shipping is $10 to you, (4-6 days) so $20 for the plug & shipping. you can paypal me at luckyvision@hotmail.com
did you once ask about the manuals on CD? the CD is $10.00 U.S. & will fit in the same envelope, so no additional postage, just make the paypal for $30 & i'll know you want it.

--Lucky