Does the oil cooler have to move to install headers?

Vonderbach

Vonderbach

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I've been reading up on some header installs and see a common theme, no need to completely remove the radiator, just loosen it up. No problem. But the oil cooler seems to be in a bad spot as well, yet the tubes are not flexible like the radiator. So my question, does it need to move? Can it be loosened without bend the tubes? Does it need to be moved at all?

I'm a bit worried about tearing everything apart only to find that...uh oh, I didn't prepare for X.

Can anyone offer some advice? :please:
 
If you have to remove the oil cooler in the event that you need the room to install your header, it's pretty simple. A couple bolts on either side of the lines gets it off and just as easy to install. Hope this helps to reassure you that it's straight forward.
 
Do you suppose it will leak any oil considering it's been sitting all week?


Not that I'm afriad of oil or anything.... :laugh: Just hoping to know what I'm getting into.

Thanks for the help! :beerchug:
 
Me and my buddy just put a Yosh header n pipe on my gen one. we did have to loosen the radiator and oil cooler. There was one bracket in the middle we took out. The radiator and oil cooler both dropped back and down some and allowed us to get the header in easier. Best pic I have of it. My buddy did his orange and black 08 and I think he said he had to do the same thing. wasn't a big deal though. When you do it, tape a piece of card board to the radiator and oil cooler so you dont hit it and trash the fins.

Copyof2010-03-25003535.jpg
 
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Sweet, that's a perfect pic! So did you detach the oil cooler or just let it move a little bit while attached? I can't quite tell, but it looks like the lines are still attached.
 
yea we did not detatch anything.. just swung back some. made it easy to fit the header in. when we went to put the header up to the ports, they were WAY off.. I was little panicked at first...then I got the HAMMER haha I used a nice rubber mallet and tapped them to where they needed to be ,worked like a charm. If your like me take pics each step of the way so you dont forget where things go. you never know when your gonna be interrupted and have to finish later on. Plus I have a bad ass buddy thats a busa GURU that Helped me.
 
Vonderbach said:
Do you suppose it will leak any oil considering it's been sitting all week?


Not that I'm afriad of oil or anything.... :laugh: Just hoping to know what I'm getting into.

Thanks for the help! :beerchug:
Click to expand...


I would say yes. I recently took my oil cooler off (GEN I) and there was some oil that came out of the lines. It really depends on how much you have to move it. If it has to come all the way off for the install then have a pan ready to catch some oil.
 
Cool, thanks for all the advice guys. I'm prepared for the eventuality of taking the whole thing off if necessary. Hopefully my skills are good enough to leave it on.

I'll take pictures for sure.

Thanks! :beerchug:
 
its was easier for me just to remove the radiator and oil cooler... my bike was sitting for quite a while when it was down for paint, then i did the exhaust and it leaked some. i loosened the ones (sitting on the bike) right side to engine. and left side to cooler then just pulled it out. completely out of the way and took and extra 4 bolts. very easy. since i was changing the oil anyway the loss didnt matter.

as far as the radiator, two hose clamps extra and its out of the way, pretty simple as well. just refill, run till hot, listen for leaks on your header and tighten if need be, and top it off.

some people are better at working aroung things too, not me. ill damage something or get frustrated and break something. more room is my friend when im working, hate a cramped work area.
 
m_ridgeway said:
its was easier for me just to remove the radiator and oil cooler... my bike was sitting for quite a while when it was down for paint, then i did the exhaust and it leaked some. i loosened the ones (sitting on the bike) right side to engine. and left side to cooler then just pulled it out. completely out of the way and took and extra 4 bolts. very easy. since i was changing the oil anyway the loss didnt matter.

as far as the radiator, two hose clamps extra and its out of the way, pretty simple as well. just refill, run till hot, listen for leaks on your header and tighten if need be, and top it off.

some people are better at working aroung things too, not me. ill damage something or get frustrated and break something. more room is my friend when im working, hate a cramped work area.
Click to expand...


Same here, it was easier and I had a piece of mind knowing I didn't have to worry about damaging either one. Made the overall job a little longer but that was the plan.
 
They did not remove mine when either Muzzy or Brocks were put on.
But they did loosen it so it could be moved a bit.
 
I did not remove the radiator or the oil cooler when I installed my full system. I did unbolt it, top and bottom from all mounting points and even removed a couple of brackets but....No hoses were removed or lines taken off anything an all fluids remained in the bike. Good luck. You'll do fine!:thumbsup:
 
Ok, here's my report.

Those of you that loosened the radiators? You have gnome hands. :laugh:

Seriously, I tried everything I could to get the radiator and oil cooler to swing out, but there was just nothing that gave me the necessary room. So I ended up removing them both completely which game me tons of room and made the task of installing the headers exponentially easier in my opinion. And for my particular pipe, they required some finessing to get them to fit, and that would have been impossible with those parts in the way, even if I did have gnome hands. But you know what, I learned a few things today about the bike, so it was a good learning experience.

Just a few tips if you are considering this job.

When removing and reinstalling the header bolts, this was a lifesaver! I highly reccomend one of these sets before you tackle this job, otherwise you will be there forever fighting with those silly allen keys.


Secondly, I suggest plugs for your radiator hoses (if you plan to remove everything.) I leaked a lot of coolant because I did not have proper closures.

Lastly, extensions, extensions, extensions. Without variable length socket extensions, this job would have been infintely more difficult. I found myself using different lengths for every bolt it seemed.

Anyway, the job is done, everything is back together except the fairings. Going to take some pics first and post em up tomorrow.
 
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I put a Brock's Shortmeg on my '09 last weekend. I loosened up the radiator and cooler by unbolting at the two brackets and the two bolts at the top. I am 6'3 and have big hands but was still able to get to the exhaust studs with a standard allen wrench after unbolting the two brackets from the motor. It did take some patience.
 
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