i was wondering if anyone knows of an auxillary oil cooler kit thats available for the KLX? the only one ive seen just goes to the oil filter cover, which does nothing. would it just be easier to go to a local shop to have some braided lines made?

 

My first question would be why do you feel you need an oil cooler? In my bygone days of racing Honda XR's and owning several modded Kawasaki Z1's, I used aftermarket, add-on oil coolers. Those were air-cooled engines, and when pushed hard, such an oil cooler was often beneficial.

The KLX's water-cooled system was well designed. The top end has effective cooling passages, and the radiator/fan components are extremely efficient. Unless you have some kind of bored, stroked, radically cammed, and super high compression engine build on the horizon, there's just no need to install an external oil cooler for this engine.

I've owned a ton of motorcycles over the years and even raced quite a few of them. I never needed to install an oil cooler on the water-cooled models. There can come a time on certain water-cooled engines when modded to a very high degree for aggressive competition and/or conditions that an oil cooler could be beneficial. I'm not sure the aftermarket supplies that level of engine components that might require that for the KLX. What are your plans for your KLX where you feel you might need a cooler.

 

Could be because you ride like an old fart, TNC...

How 'bout that 80 degree Christmas Day! Beautiful week in Austin...


Oh, for the OP I have to agree with TNC. Heck I'm not even sure the off road KLX300, predecessor to the understressed 250, may not even have a cooling fan. Just not necessary. You can run oil too cool, same as coolant in the cooling system. It is engineered to hold some heat.

 

LOL!...well, I do admit to installing a manual fan switch to allow me to get a headstart on some of the gnarlier terrain sections for heat monitoring...even though I know in my-heart-of-hearts that it's unnecessary. But even I don't see a need for an oil cooler...at least until I install that 14:1 piston and supercharger.

 

at least until I install that 14:1 piston and supercharger.... When's that gonna happen I gotta see that I don't really see a need for an oil cooler either. The water cooling system on these little engines is more than up to the task. I've ridden mine in lots of 90 - 100 degree days with never a hit of overheating.

 

I'm not worried about engine temp or overheating. I am in the process of rebuilding my trusty KLX, and in the process I will be upping the power dramatically. Essentially a "full build". bored, cammed, p&p, valves, springs/ti retainers, high compression, pumper carb and what ever else I can cram in there. I feel the need for an oil cooler because when I WAS riding it I was doing 5-600 miles per week. After a while I noticed the oil line turned Blue. To me, that seems like the oil is getting too hot. Don't get me wrong, I know that the oil and bike are designed to run and operate at a certain temp. I also know that too high of an oil temp can degrade the lubricity of the oil. Maybe an oil temp sensor would be the first step to see what the actual temperature is?

 

Yes, an oil temp sensor would give you the real story. I would ask, however, about your water temp as far as the fan constantly cycling. I live in Texas and have ridden mine in 100 degree weather...a couple of times even on a trail section out where we put on our state and national enduros. Unless your fan is coming on a lot during riding, your oil temp is way behind the water temp in terms of overheating. My KLX has a bigger bore, 36mm pumper, exhaust, and most of the engine mods besides aftermarket cams. Water and oil temps are way below anything concerning, even while navigating boulder fields and deep sand washes for many miles which are perhaps the most challenging cooling venues for both oil and coolant. It's the only reason I installed a manual switch, during the occasional heinous conditions to keep the temp closer to 200 degrees. I have a Trail Tech Vapor instrument panel which provides a digital coolant temp sensor for exact monitoring.

Scubie, we're not dissin' your idea of an oil cooler, as all such pursuits can be based on just personal fun and workmanship efforts. We're just saying this bike's engine doesn't require one under most all conditions and the potential mods out there available for this engine. This is an understressed engine design with a well designed cooling and oiling system. If you install a cooler and if this bike is ridden offroad/trail, placement of the cooler will be critical. Honda knew this with their racing XR's by installing a factory wrap-around designed cooler near the headtube. One installed just about anywhere else is always susceptible to damage, roosted rocks, in a crash, or a tree limb spearing the cooler.

 

fair enough. i never thought anyone was dissin me or ****ting on my idea. i got the info i was after. if "the tribe" says i dont need it even under the most brutal conditions, then i guess why waste the time and money. now, on another note. i am interested in the Bill Blue 351 kit. i was talking to someone about my build and everything i wanted to do, some things just wont work (351 big bore AND a stroker). oh well. now, he told me NOT to do the 351 because it substantially hinders cooling the cylinder. kinda makes sense since the sleeve is punched out to the absolute max. ive read a bunch of stuff on here and it seems like everyone that did the 351 is really happy with it and doesnt seem to have a cooling issue. i just want to ride again, its closing in on 2 years this thing has been apart i find myself just staring at it for a while from time to time and getting sad. and mad. soon though, soon

 

No need to worry on cooling issues. You won't have any. The cooling system of the Klx is so over built it can cool more hp the the Klx engine can ever make. In fact I believe the radiators are a little larger then ones on my Husqvarna that makes 2 times + the hp.

Now get that bike together Spring is coming!

 

Agree.

Scubie, some of the comments you may have heard about a 351 running hot "might" have to do with a very few that had a head gasket issue. Otherwise there is not an inherent problem with overheating with the 351 kit.