Lets talk Oil Coolers/Gauges

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Let me start our with the Quote over on xs400.com

So why use an oil cooler? You may be thinking "My bike didn't come with one, other bikes didn't come with one, and they seem to do fine for a long time". Well, that's absolutely true. You don't need one at all. Without getting into the engineering and physics of it all though, I can say that even though you don't need one, you should run one. Our motors may be listed as air-cooled, but they are in fact oil-cooled as well. The engine internals get a LOT of cooling from the oil, as well as lubrication. Let's pretend here that the oil we have is only lubricating, and that the only cooling you get is from the air. These motors would die and be junk within minutes. So lets make the oil a lower temp, what are the benefits? Well there is a lot of that physics stuff involved, that I said I would skip. But I can assure you that cooler oil, maintained within a certain range, will be better for your motor in the long run. Why didn't Yamaha put an oil cooler on these then? It's simple economics, a cost to benefit calculation. Putting a system like that on an entry level, low price point, commuter bike would be worthless from a business standpoint.
(click me to go to thread)

So I went and got myself a few parts. I could have went with an older Seca NOS oil cooler, but I wanted something new. Something designed a little better.

I did some looking and found the oil filter threads to be M20x1.5. I got an oil Sandwich Adapter that has 4 outlets giving me a few more options on how I want my lines to be routed. I wanted to get one with a built in thermostat to let the bike warm faster, but I didn't want to risk it failing.

I can hook up 2 10AN fittings and the other 2 have 1/8NPT plugs for sensors.


What I found was a new oil cooler from Earls Performance. They have a range of different coolers. I went with the 13 row cooler (P/N: 21300AERL). I measured the size and It fits perfectly right about the exhaust. I plan to run the lines over the fairing bar and down through the center to the filter.

I will probably mount it upright, rather than sideways. Im not 100% sure though. I coukd get get a plug welded into the bottom for oil changes. But I don't think the little bit in the cooler will affect it to much if it doesn't get drained out. Thoughts?


Ignore the temporary zip ties holding it up. I am waiting on fittings before i mount it permanently


With the wheel turned all the way it doesn't come close to contacting the cooler.


Now for the best part. I wanted a oil temp gauge, not that I needed one. I searched around and couldn't find anything that wasn't big and bulky. I finally found an awesome little gauge.


It is made by a company called Zada Tech. They are out of the UK. The display was customized to my liking and it included the sensor for just under $100 shipped to the states. Took about 2 weeks for them to make and another week to get here.
It runs off the 12v from you're bike/car and has a +/- for the sensor. It is an OLED screen, it measures just under 1in x 1in. Makes it small and very easy to find a place to mount it. My only concern with it is that it is exposed. So I will have to figure out something to enclose it.




I will update later when I finally get the AN10 fittings to complete it.