Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 oil cooler installation

The oil tank under the bonnet gets mighty hot - I have often toyed with the idea of simply blowing air on this as a simplistic oil cooler, or removing the bulkhead sheet behind the bonnet grill to get an air flow going over it.
However I havnt figured out how to do that without doing serious one way modifications to the grill and so to date have copped out. Anyone else been in this area ?

When I added my cooler I consider several options, one being putting the cooler in with the oil return hose under the bonnet. Easy access and simply also add a temp switch to turn the fan on. The heat would then have to dissipate through the skin of the bonnet, but aluminum does that well The down side was even cold oil would go into the cooler. Once again all the MC coolers I have seen are 3/8ID and the oil return line is 1/2ID and that is a significant step down causing back pressure especially when cold.
I did not consider a temp activated fan on the sump. That would be a real possibility as the whole outside of the sump canister has a lot of surface area. Simply install a fan and once again a temp activated switch. Would be really simple with a brass three way coupling, a couple of 1/2ID nipples and run the switch off the third opening. If there was enough room, putting the fan so it sucks through some openings in the faux grill on the bonnet would vastly help with the heat dissipation.
I haven't yet really crawled under the rear yet, but maybe a high volume mini fan blowing on the bevel box is an idea as well.

Makes sense that the oil reservoir tank gets hot. In sailboats, we use a inline hose (1.5-2"?) fan to extract heat from the bilge/engine. What if a 1.5-2" diameter intake were cut behind the grill, a hose inserted then led to some kind of sealed cover around the tank, then a reverse fan to extract heat and push it through hose into the cabin (or out of the vehicle)?

You know that sounds somewhat similar to hoe the old VW beetles heated the inside of the car-LOL

Given the divided design of the cabin, how one directs the heat will say legions about his/her relationship with the passenger!

With a y-valve, the heat could either be evenly distributed between driver/passenger....or to one and or blown outboard for pure engine cooling. VW? What's old is new again! KISS.

Love the KISS Principle, and the VW system worked very well.
Has anyone considered putting cooling fins on the oil tank, shrouding them and then ducting that heat either away or toward the passenger footwell? Maybe easier to make a complete new oil tank with that incorporated.

I've been following this discussion with interest as adding an oil cooler is my steadily shrinking list. Some comments are in order:

1-Placing the cooler under the bonnet will add heat to the space and that may not be a good thing. The oil tank itself gets quite toasty. Yes, some of that heat may be used for cabin heat but...

2-After adding the Fairbourne windscreen I've noticed more vacuum created in the cockpit and have felt the increase of air coming into the space from the front gaps above the transmission and behind the motor. If it's warm outside, you'll know it. If cold, ditto. If wet, there is an increase in water entering the cockpit.

3-That brings me to the simplest measure of all. Wear a waterproof motorcycle suit with electric heaters.

4-I've decided for myself that an active oil cooler placed on the front right bulkhead just behind the right exhaust manifold is the thing to do. I'd like to place it on the front center as illustrated but, to me, that is rock catcher territory.

I was toying with an idea of using the stock footwell locker as a case for the fan-assisted oil cooler. A simple opening in the floor below it will suck the hot air out, while oil lines can be routed through the small panel above it, all retaining the stock look. Potentially an air intake scoop can be added from the floor. Seems like a sound idea?

just remember that where ever you place it, the shorter the oil hose to the cooler, the less the back pressure resistance. If I used the return hose, I would make sure it is 1/2ID all the way to the cooler before stepping down to 3/8ID keeping that to a minimum

As I have ridden two wheels for years, Like Michael H's thought, I do have a lot of warm driving apparel as well as a heated vest and gloves. Plus a full face helmet. I have the very short windscreen, but added a brooklands screen as well.

The ultracool does come with a strong steel grate in front, but I know the screen I added really has no protective qualities as it is very thin screening material. I bought the ultracool over JAGG because of the housing I could also get from ultracool. Having said that JAGG makes high quality stuff and I have used them on my HD's several times.

If my M3W had not come with the factory jug fan, I would have put the cooler right behind the engine, but also added lovejugs to the front. Lovejugs makes a smaller fan version now that is less intrusive than their original set up.

Seems everyone is dancing around the solution... the faux "radiator grill" should be fixed and become THE oil tank + radiator! Of course the approach would need even more fettling (introduce a gap in the false radiator? fix the false radiator?)...

(Photo courtesy of Rog in the split cowl thread)