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Exhaust removal required with oil cooler during oil change?

wecm31

Luddite Looney
I am debating installing an oil cooler on my R80RT.

However; I have helped change oil on a 84 R100RS and a 95 R100GSPD both with
oil coolers and both times we had to remove exhaust pipes to get the filter out.

Is that the reality of having an oil cooler? I like the idea of the cooler, just not keen
on having to remove the exhaust every time I change the filter.
 
It is the reality.

Removing the exhaust to change the filter IS pretty much the reality. The oil cooler is an over engineered German PITA. That is why some people in the cooler climates remove the oil cooler.
 
Huh? '82 R100RS with oil cooler and I don't remove the exhaust to get the filter out. It's fiddly as heck getting everything back in but not impossible. I do use a hinged filter of course.
 
I look at it as forced maintanence. I re-apply anti-seize to the exhaust threads every time i change the oil so that when i really need to remove the exhaust nuts they are not frozen. Still a PITA.

Jim
 
Install a oil temp gauge, it the oil temp doesn't go much above 230 for any length of time a cooler is not needed.

I installed a oil temp gauge on a R75/6 oil temp would run around 190 to 210, perfect. The temp would go up in traffic but would go back down once moving. The coolers don't have a fan so setting in traffic with a cooler isn't going to do much good.

But I would say the later lean running 1000cc bikes with a fairing may need a cooler. The only way to know for shure is with a temp gauge.
 
It sounds like there is some other problem. The earlier bikes have that thermostat, which makes things tricky, but the GS shouldn't have that. Are you using the hinged filters?
 
I always remove exhaust. I have had my R100RT w/cooler for 20yrs now. I have been told exhaust removal is not needed, maybe I even did it once. I clean the exhaust up, anti seize,etc. It just makes oil filter change easier and you can see inside the canister, make sure shim is in place,etc.
 
I do have a dipstick oil temperature gauge, usually runs ~ 245 F on the highway in summer.
I use it as a trend/relative indicator, not sure how accurate it is in an absolute sense.

For the record, the GS I helped change the filter on did have an aftermarket exhaust, so I
am not sure about an OEM setup. But the RS was a stocker.

I have had the exhaust off over the years for various other reasons, but have not been
happy at the integrity of the seal into the h-pipe. Struggle to keep that joint from leaking,
what with those lead paper gasket seal thingys.... I have it nice and tight now, can't say
I want to redo that joint on a regular basis.

Yes, hinged filters. It is tricky enough with the full fairing on the RT, gotta twist that filter
just the right way to get it in and out. Just not sure how the oil cooler cover will come off
with the fairing and exhaust in place.
 
Removing the exhaust to change the filter IS pretty much the reality. The oil cooler is an over engineered German PITA. That is why some people in the cooler climates remove the oil cooler.

Totally agree with the comment in that here in Calgary, we may get hot temperatures 4 - 6 times a year, so I personally see no need even though I have an oil cooler ready to be fitted to the R75/6 that I am restoring. My thought process tells me not to bother.

My question is if I decide not to reinstall, what is the process to retrofit internally for the oil filter and oil filter side base plate?
 
Snowbum discusses the differences in the internals...I believe you need a different internal center pipe and there are specific ways to extract that pipe and reinstall the new one.
 
Totally agree with the comment in that here in Calgary, we may get hot temperatures 4 - 6 times a year, so I personally see no need even though I have an oil cooler ready to be fitted to the R75/6 that I am restoring. My thought process tells me not to bother.

My question is if I decide not to reinstall, what is the process to retrofit internally for the oil filter and oil filter side base plate?

The oil cooler set-up has a different outer filter tube than the R75/6 non-cooler set-up (that has an inner cover and bolt under the flat outer cover). To run a cooler on a R75/6 requires pulling the existing outer tube and replacing it with the 11 11 1 338 203 tube. Not easy to do with the motor in the frame. It is not clear to me what you are "retrofitting internally" but if you have already installed the outer tube in preparation for the cooler and have decided not to use the cooler, then you cannot use the prior inner cap, bolt, and flat lid. You would have to find a non-cooler sunken outer cover and use the proper o-rings and inner tube to go with it.
 
Suggestion

I am debating installing an oil cooler on my R80RT.

However; I have helped change oil on a 84 R100RS and a 95 R100GSPD both with
oil coolers and both times we had to remove exhaust pipes to get the filter out.

Is that the reality of having an oil cooler? I like the idea of the cooler, just not keen
on having to remove the exhaust every time I change the filter.

I replaced the allen head bolts (3) with 10mm hex head bolts and no more problems.
 
R100 that came from factory with an oil cooler had a flattened section in the right exhaust header that facilitated removing the thermostat during an oil change. Not sure when this entered production, but it wasn't day one. The thermostat clearance is the problem, not getting the filter out. Hinged filters introduced to address that.

Check if yours is flattened and if not might want to obtain one--headers are same on all models through '84 and then different but same all models after that. Clearance is improved on '85 on models.

R100GS don't have thermostat so should be no problem.
 
On my 1980 R100RT, I have to remove the header and the lower fairing piece to change the oil...pretty tight quarters. On my naked 91 R100, I can change the oil using a hinged filter with the header in place. For me, the PITA is using the special 23 mm bolt tool for the thermostat to refill the cooler once it all drains, following Snowbum's guidance. I understand that some folks don't bother with that step. Not sure how essential that step is, but have made it a part of my regular practice...
 
When I owned an 82 R100RT I did the same as Jammess, replaced the allen bolts with hex head.
I don't ever remember removing the exhaust pipe to change the oil filter.
 
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