Oil Cooler Swap?

[Yee-Haw_400EX]

I was pondering a 1998 Yamaha :rolleyes: Big Bear the other day and I noticed the oil cooler is about twice as large as the stock 400EX one. It jumped into my mind that if I could order a new oil cooler for a Big Bear (1998 or before) and could get it to fit, would my motor run a tad bit cooler? Has anybody else ever messed with the factory oil cooler or added a different aftermarket one?

[L.Vegas400]

do a quick search and type this in,,, oil* cooler ,,,with the astric. you will find countless threads on oil coolers and switching them and such. did the big bear oil cooler look like the stocker only bigger? if so you can order one out of jegs that looks the same as both only in a larger size. and yes many, many people put after market coolers on, but they usually go with a perma-cool type cooler.

[Yee-Haw_400EX]

BUMP

[Braff1]

I noticed the oil cooler on my 2001 300 Kawi prairie has the same design cooler but it contains 3 more levels down. I thought about wondering if you could interchange them or just add the 2 rows to the 400's cooler.

[Yee-Haw_400EX]

I've really thought about doing a swap here. The Big Bear belongs to my dad who hardly rides it except to go hunting or check on the farm. I wonder if he would notice?:devil:

[L.Vegas400]

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=15772&prmenbr=361

here is what most convert to
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=19798&prmenbr=361

[Braff1]

Hey Vegas, have you tried this mod yourself? It sounds like a good deal I just wonder how much difference in cooling you obtain by going to the different cooler.

[bmw500hp]

If a larger primary oil cooler is what you seek, believe Dirtmods98@aol.com has one of these.

[Dirt]

I believe the largest problem with an oil cooler swap would be the fittings used on the stock lines. they are strange.

[Yee-Haw_400EX]

I don't want to tap into my case or head. I don't have a big bore bike but I just want more cooling. I was wondering if I could swap out the wimpy stock cooler with a larger one?

[L.Vegas400]

Originally posted by Yee-Haw_400EX
I don't want to tap into my case or head. I was wondering if I could swap out the wimpy stock cooler with a larger one? if the big bear has the same fittings as your stocker, there is no reason it wont work. im gonna order a larger cooler this week somtime, but not really sure if im gonna go fittings and steel braided lines or just slap some hose and clamps on a barbed cooler.:ermm:

[Yee-Haw_400EX]

Let me know how it goes. Take pictures. What cooler are you gettin?

[L.Vegas400]

ill prolly just get the perma-cool cooler. i wonder if its possible to plumb in the stocker and an aftermarket, well anything is possible, i wonder if it would be practical?

[Yee-Haw_400EX]

I don't think anybody knows what I'm talkin about. Here is what I'm talking about!

[L.Vegas400]

do they have the same connections. if so it would be 4 bolts and zip tie it up there.

[Braff1]

The 2001 kawi prairie 300 cooler had the same hook ups just 2 additional rows bigger than the 400 ex.

[YZROOSTINYA]

here is a pic of the 4x4 prairie 300, it has differant mounts

[kargaaro]

How much work is it to switch to the perma cooler?? Does it really help??

[Yee-Haw_400EX]

So, there have been a couple of you guys that have switched to a Prarie oil cooler? Tell me what you think about your modification.

[norcalatver]

I've seen pictures of the oil cooler installed on 400EX's without reservoirs or steering dampeners, but does anyone have a picture of theirs installed with steering stabilizer and rezzies? I ended up mounting mine on the top of my DG front bumper. It just sits there out in the open. I can't figure out how to install it any other way. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Braff1]

yz, if you look at the bottom of the praire cooler where the banjo bolts hook up that the flange from the 400 ex cooler would fit in the same hole. The other option would be to take the lines and cut them and splice the two togather with hi temp hose.

[Yee-Haw_400EX]

How much did that Prarie cooler cost? Did you order it at your local Kawasaki :rolleyes: shop?