I don't feel like I run out of power before I run out of gearing, so I plan on going to a bit taller tire when it gets to replacement time.
I'd like to think I could do the ton if I wanted.  I wouldn't do it of course.  Right.

Hey Lancer

What squish clearance do you intend runnin', I've not read anything about the Savage but I was told 0.040" squish for the SR500,that seams a bit tight to me.

Clive W  

I'd bet she'll handle it with aplomb, Jerry.

Good on you with the Sportster, too. I did the same thing with a random Honda 1100 cruiser the other day. He rolled on at about 55 thinking he'd lose me by 70, and I was right there with him. Perhaps out of fear of a ticket (or perhaps out of respect, as I'd like to believe), he stopped accellerating at 75 and we rode together from that point. He turned off a few miles before me and gave me the ol' motorcyclist wave/point thing. Good feeling.

Oil cooler, check. I still think the DR650 powerplant is begging to be put in the Savage frame. And I'd think any mods made to a Savage powerplant would likely do just as much if not more good on the more-powerful DR engine.

Regards,
Banger
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Uh,ohhh. The tinkerer in me has awoken from its slumber..... For an oil cooler, how about this? I THINK that the chamber behind the oil filter cover is filled with oil when it's running, right? If someone were to mill a new cover that was about 1/2 inch thicker and about 2-3 inchest taller, and then mill horizontal cooling fins in it (front to back), you'd have a pretty effective air/oilcooler with just a bit of added ugliness, depending on how you finished it. I don't know what the inside of the cover looks like, or how hard it would be to duplicate but its a start. Here is a quicky drawing of what I'm thinking of... Since aluminum disipates heat so well, I think this would work out pretty good.
Oil flows behind the cover/ air flows outside the cover.
What do you think?

I like that idea about using a different cover over the oil filter that is vented to act like an oil cooler. Instead of making a complete new cover wouldn't it be possible to take a thick piece of aluminium with fins cut into it and attach it to the existing oil filter cover. If it was machined right you could use longer oil filter cover bolts to mount it with, like a giant heat sink. I just checked and the cover isn't quite flat, it's got a bit of a curve to it so both sides need to be machined but it still might work.
  With a remote oil cooler where would you hook up and return? I was thinking that it would be possible to tap into the oil filter cover and return at the head. How about running the oil into an external filter by blocking off the stock filter with some sort of adapter that allows you to pull the oil out of the cover and return it to the spot where the stock filter sits. If there was a way to redirect the oil then you can do away with the stock filter, install an aftermarket one and hook up a cooler all in one shot. Hot darn I bet it could be done, can see how to do it and how to make it work.  Was over at the technical section checking out the oil filter thread and it looks like there is enough metal on the top side of the oil filter cover to be drilled and tapped for oil fittings so the lines could come out of the top of the cover.
 Next step is a prototype, anybody out there have a oil filter cover for cheep that I can bastardize? Don't care what it looks like . Please PM me if you have one,
Thanks, Ed

Hey, I didn't know that, spent all afternoon scribbling ideas for a adapter .

I took a couple of pic's of the page in the shop manual (pg 4-10) to show the oil system routing and the 2 ports for attaching the lines "to" and "from" the oil cooler.  Adding an oil cooler would also enable adding an external oil filter as well.  Doing all of that would increase the total amount of oil in the system, make it much cooler, and keep it much cleaner.  I would likely cost less than $200 for the whole setup.  This would greatly enhance the life,duribility, even some power increase of the engine since the greatest aging problem for an engine is the junk in the oil that causes most of the wear.    Of course, the running temp would be reduced significantly.


Overview of oil route within engine.
 


Close-up of ports where IN & OUT  lines would be attached.  I highlighted the oil route as it would leave the engine case on the right, go through the oil cooler, and then re-enter the case on the bottom.  The ports are already there so it would be an easy job.  With the thread/bolt size of the ports the lines can be made to fit any cooler that would be desired.

Yes, definitely get pics if you do this.

And if it increases life of the engine, I'd be tempted to follow in your footsteps and do it myself. I always have my concerns since I'm riding the thing half the year at 65-70 mph. Trying to scrape together enough funds right now to do the K&N and re-jet, which will help, but the oil cooler sounds like it would be far more beneficial to the life of the engine than the carb rejet alone.

Got pics of the Harley oil coolers?

Regards,
Banger
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