Winter Blanking Oil Cooler 2006 SV650

[mikehallam]

On another vehicle with oil cooler we blank the oil radiator in cold weather and try to keep the oil gauge showing about 90 to 100 deg.C. It's considered good to get the oil hot as it gets rid of sludge forming moisture.
The SV forum mentions older models up to ~K3 having no cooler, presumably since then the power output & alternative finning is not greatly changed ?
Therefore what do you do with your bike's oil cooler in Winter ?

So far this season I daringly half blanked it, & with no other guide, kept an eye on the water temp. gauge. Once back home I felt the pipes as a rough judgement to overheating. [My use is normal road riding not thrashing it.]
Mike, in Sussex, England

[injury_ian]

I would hope in thier 'wisdom' Suzuki would have put a thermostat in the line, to prevent over-cooling the oil.

The new gladius has it right, water/oil coolers are the way forward!

[mikehallam]

True, but unusual for other makers IMO and a risk if it should fail (not 'safe) and restrict the flow.

So what do people do ? {Perhaps nothing}

Perhaps it's not a discussion point for motocyclists, but for the Rotax 912 and Rans forums it is widely known.

[OldBoy]

I've had mine blanked off for ages with no probs but the temperature gauge still does'nt reach the normal 84 degrees on my 12 mile commute.

I guess Suzuki have desingned the cooling system for the worst case situation like being thrashed in a hot country with 40 degree in the shade!

[STRAMASHER]

...........what do you do with your bike's oil cooler in Winter ?



I watch the paint fall off it.:smt022;)

Apart from that , SFA.

No need.

[mikehallam]

I agree where it is, the oil rad. is pretty vulnerable looking, perhaps more so is the filter, really low down. One bash from a rock or something ?

On my Rotax you are supposed to cut the filter open every oil change to study the pleats inside for metal contamination. So far its can resisted my efforts to open it with tin snips. On the other hand my regular car filters are made of paper thin steel. I would hope the Suzi is of the former thickness.
However one has to rely on Suzuki's experience from many customers' feed-back.

Since fitting a propriety front mudguard extension it saves a load of grot being plastered over the engine front & both radiators. I admit regularly riding across a few hundred yards of farm field track on one of my trips, so mud is a feature.
In this instance I do wonder why Suzuki don't supply from them as original a bit longer, as it looks no less beautiful & re oil cooling apparently isn't blocking its air-flow

Back to rad. blanking - Is have any correlation or guide between water temp. reading & oil temp. ? [Apart from common sense or rumour].

I think we should to be told !