Triumphrat

daytonacharlie · 09-26-2006, 11:46 AM

My oil cooler began leaking around the banjo bolts atop the cooler several months ago. I tightened the bolts but was unable to stop the weepage. It wasn't leaking bad but just enough to make a mess. I then replaced the washers with Triumph washers. The leak got worse. I reckoned I must not have tightened them enough so I tightened them more and snap, both sides cracked where the bolts thread into the top of the oil cooler. Oil was now running out instead of just weeping. So I'm trying to find a replacement oil cooler. Triumph wants $340.00 for a new one but they are out of stock so I can't even find a new one. I used JB Weld to fix it and that lasted for a few months but now it leaks again even after I re-patched the leak.

My question is this... can I just remove the oil cooler lines from the oil pan and plug the holes and run the bike without an oil cooler until I can get another one (from ebay or somewhere) without damaging the motor? It's going for fall and winter here so the temperatures have cooled off and I don't drive in city traffic at all. The bike runs cool 99% of the time as it is.

any advice or opinions greatly appreciated.
Charles

[ This message was edited by: daytonacharlie on 2006-09-26 09:48 ]

silvoor · 09-26-2006, 08:27 PM

Triumph would say no. I suppose the other answer is maybe. You are running the risk of damaging the engine which makes $340 look like chump change. At best you will be taxing a cooling system in a highly tuned engine that exhibits a tendency to run at higher temperature than comparable performance bikes.

I think the result of disconnecting the oil cooler is that you will accelerate wear and increase stress on expensive and critical engine and transmission parts. The accelerated wear could range from unnoticable to catastrophic. When you get the new cooler write back for the correct factory torque settings.

daytonacharlie · 09-29-2006, 09:15 AM

Thanks silvoor, that's what I thought too. I found an oil cooler off a 2000 Sprint RS on ebay for $145 that will fit with some bracket modification. I've parked the bike till it arrives. I've got the factory shop manual with the torque specs, the trouble with my old oil cooler was that no matter how much I tightened it, it would still leak even with new washers. Don't know what that was about but I went ahead and bought new oil lines, washers, and banjo bolts to go on the new oil cooler. Hopefully this should fix it.

dc

mikey · 09-30-2006, 06:10 AM

I sent you a Pm i have a Sprint oil cooler for you for Cheap
Mikey