Oil Cooler

RichardJ

RichardJ

Full member
Location
London England
Hello Ladies and Gentlmen,
I have just bought my first Laverda, it's a modified Alpino and has an oil cooler fitted. Looking at other 500s I don't see any others with oil coolers. So I have a couple of questions:
1. Is this necessary ? The bike is a recent import from Italy where the weather is hotter ( obviously ). But do 500s have oil problems ?
2. How does it work ? Sounds like a silly question, but if the engine wasn't originally designed to have an oil cooler, how does the oil get moved through the system ?
 
RichardJ said:
Hello Ladies and Gentlmen,
I have just bought my first Laverda, it's a modified Alpino and has an oil cooler fitted. Looking at other 500s I don't see any others with oil coolers. So I have a couple of questions:
1. Is this necessary ? The bike is a recent import from Italy where the weather is hotter ( obviously ). But do 500s have oil problems ?
2. How does it work ? Sounds like a silly question, but if the engine wasn't originally designed to have an oil cooler, how does the oil get moved through the system ?
Click to expand...

welcome to the forum and the murky world of Laverda ownership

to answer number 2, you will need to post a photo of the front of your engine so we can see where the oil ports have been drilled
there are a couple of ways of doing the oil cooler conversion to a 500

if you go to this site on the attached link you will be able to see Piero Laverda's 500cc race bikes, they are equipped with Oil Coolers

http://www.laverdacorse.it/kits.html
 
Yes, of course. A picture or two would be very helpful, but being new I assumed they were all the same. Sadly I  can't add a picture as I haven't collected the bike yet. It is still in the shop as it is a recent import and not yet registered.
I'll get a picture up as soon as I get it home.
 
Finally... after waiting for the good old DVLA to grant my bike a new registration, I have brought it home.  A cracking ride and I'm really pleased with it.  As requested, I am attaching a couple of pictures ( via the gallery ).  I see the Laverda Corse team have the oil pipes routed in the same way, so I am happy that this is a pukka job, so my question is this: what is happening inside the engine cases to make the oil travel through the cooler ?  And is anything inside missing out on oil, as it is now being routed externally ? ( I guess not, or something would have failed already ).

http://www.laverdaforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12721/Oil_pipe_lhs.JPG

http://www.laverdaforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12721/Oil_pipe_rhs.JPG
 
Richard,

The normal oil passage from the oil pump to the gallery at the cylinder base will have been blocked behind the exit to the cooler, the return line from the cooler goes back to the gallery, nothing special. :D  As the crank and the head are fed from this gallery, no components are missing out on their share of lubricant.

There are different ways of doing this, depending on which type of crankcase is used (3 types :D)

piet
 
Don't worry about your oil cooler. If it was plumbed in properly, no problem.
You don't need it on a road machine but does your bike have racing history?
Paul
 
Thanks guys.  Very informative.
I don't believe this bike has racing history. It has drum brakes fitted front and back which look good and work well , but not what you would want a a racer.  It has a 2 into 1 pipe and judging from the bark that comes out of it I would think it has high comp pistons, but it also ticks over nicely which would suggest that it doesn't have the S1 cams. Bl**dy fdast tho.  :D
 
Yes I did .
I'm very impressed with their set-up.  If I lived nearer to the shop I think I would drop in every weekend. It's a proper Alladin's cave of exotic Italian motorbikes. It's almost enough to make you buy a Ducati .
 
Now let me get this straight.

You've bought a 500 that ticks over, has brakes you are happy with, makes a nice noise and has
sufficient performance for your needs.

Better start 'improving' it straight away.

Seriously though I'd get some miles on it for what remains of our summer before changing much.
They are an absolute joy when they are going well.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top