XL600 oil cooler mod?

[rsstom]

I just love to plan and modify....pretty much everything. And my 87 XL600R (US model) has been a willing victim for many years now.

So, here's the latest thing.
Have any of you installed an oil cooler on an XL600R?
Specifically a factory XR250 oil cooler? I know it can be done; I've read how common it is! But I can't really find any good pics or information.
This cooler is the one with the banjo bolts through the lines at the top, like this one:


Mounting the cooler looks pretty straight forward. Just weld a piece of drilled & tapped stock to each side and a tab up front. Might have to re-route the cables a little!
Now on to the plumbing. For the return line (motor to oil tank), my plan was to weld or braze the metal lines together. The bottom line from the XL and the top from the XR. But the XR250 oil line is smaller in diameter than the XL600. So that's out.
Either way, I'll still have to fabricate a line from the cooler to the oil tank.
I've seen it done with rubber hoses. But I'd like to do something a little more "factory-looking." I might have to get some tubing and just start bending it. The XL lines are flared, sothat's not too tough. Maybe I could rob the ends off the XR lines to mount to the cooler.
About 100 feet of tubing and a few late nights, maybe I'll be able to come up with the required 2 foot section!
Do you guys have any other ideas?

[Krtek]

Well... mine has a cooler from a Citroën 2CV. I used hydralic hose for the lines... the steel wound kind. I don't care for factory looks at all...
...but that's just me. So I guess I can't be of much help.
But if you're looking for drawings of a thermostate unit, look in my picture gallery.

Good luck! An oil cooler is really a mod I'd recommend.

[little paul]

hey.
sounds like summet i should consider when i get my oil flow situation sorted.
think automotive are good for many diff types n sizes pipes n fittings.
shouldnt be 2 hard to cut xr 250 ends off n use em from cooler n then change up to xl600 pipe size. if it only connections that are smaller bore pipe n u step up as soon as you can shouldnt cause 2 much of issue with distribution of oil around system.
be interested how it goes
paul