Oil cooler

[Southwend]

I was just sitting in the garage last night in deep stare at the CB and came to a similair conclusion. The oil filter hides some very nice views of the engine. I am suprised (cost?) Honda could not have been a bit more innovative. Maybe a heat exchanger under the rear fender with an appropriate rock guard. Or even something like the Moto-Guzzi Griso has. I would even prefer it higher up under the headlight.

[jazzmans_imp]

'nuff said.

[Randy B]

This really amazes me. You are guys are acting like there is a 1920's style house radiator hanging off the front of the bike. It was put there because the oil is a major part of keeping the bike cool, and without it there is a strong chance for damage to the bike. Honda mounted it in a traditional way on a traditional looking UJM and I see nothing wrong with that.

Suck it up and ride on my friends.

[WhiskeyUSMC1979_imp]

Okay, I'll play devil's advocate here for a second.

The cooler is not very large, and thus not likely super efficient. I'm sure Honda had a reason for putting it on the bike, but I'm not certain how necessary it may be.

If one were so inclined to remove the stock cooler, I would recommend putting a temperature probe at the inlet and outlet to see what the actual temperature drop is under normal circumstances. If it is found to be insignificant (you decide) then remove said cooler and the lines. If there indeed a temperature drop though, I would say leave it. If your not willing to go through the process of checking the temp before removing this part of the system, then any resulting damage will be worthy of a laugh at your expense.

Another option if you really don't like the look is to shop around for another cooler or a different mounting location. I personally think the "curved" coolers look MUCH better in the stock location, but the price tag is vastly less appealing to look at.




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[LongRanger_imp]

I'm not debating the merits of the oil cooler. I get it. I'm simply asking if anyone has removed theirs.

Bikes in the 60's and 70's didn't come with them, didn't need them, and worked just fine without them. I know the CB1100 operates under completely different conditions and runs a lot hotter and leaner due to emissions tuning, but my question remains. It appears the consensus will be a resounding "No!"

[NightRider_imp]

Very wise. Nothing is optional to maintain legendary reliability. Nothing more is required to maintain legendary reliability. Those who mechanically modify their Honda's do so to their detriment. For example, the 750s make the worst extended fork choppers I recall.

[Arctic cb1100_imp]

http://world.honda.com/CB1100/engineer-talk/episode1/
Here is a good article describing how the oil cooler is designed to help cool cylinder head temp around the spark plugs our engines were designed with oil cooling passages around the spark plug ports to help reduce Temps using the oil cooler it shows testing with and without the effects of the cooler. IMHO anyone would be a fool to remove it!

[Lord Popgun]

Long,

Beside the article Arctic referenced, Keven Cameron said those old bikes didn't make all that much power (and thus less heat), and were built more massively to absorb and move the heat to where it could be dissipated. He then mentioned our bike specifically and described the oil cooling. I can look for the issue of cycle world. It was an interesting article on heat.

I'd be willing to climb out on a limb and say no one on the board has removed the oil cooler.

[Capo]

Interestingly, a vendor came up with oil carrying front frame rails with hoses that enable you to remove the oil cooler on the Modern Bonneville and turn it into an 'oil in frame' bike. I think it's insane to go to those extremes, but to each their own.


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[tomas_imp]

I'm not debating the merits of the oil cooler. I get it. I'm simply asking if anyone has removed theirs.

Bikes in the 60's and 70's didn't come with them, didn't need them, and worked just fine without them. I know the CB1100 operates under completely different conditions and runs a lot hotter and leaner due to emissions tuning, but my question remains. It appears the consensus will be a resounding "No!"

Hey LongRanger, I too asked this same question (around year ago on this forum) about removing the oil cooler. I too was attacked as if it was a dumb and stupid ideal to even considering it. But I'm with you, the oil cooler is too big and ugly for my taste. It's so big that it almost could have been used as a liquid cooled radiator. Honda surely could have made it smaller, and mounted it in a more obscure spot without hurting engine reliability. My oil cooler is still on the bike, cause I haven't figured out a alternate way yet for dealing with it. So be careful if you want to question Honda's thinking on this Forum, you might get laugh at!