When oil coolers blow their top
Jason Atreides averts an oily horror
This 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 had lived a hard life, being parked outside for a decade and getting used regularly, before it arrived on Jason Atreides’ ramp the other week for a ‘minor’ service. Jason said: “To get at the oil filter you have to get the bottom fairing panel out of the way, then pop off the access to the filter itself. Which is when I spotted a relatively small dribble of oil on the bodywork. I took a closer look, and thought: ‘Oh my word, that oil cooler is about to explode!’” The bike hadn’t had a lot of love and crud had built up over the years, letting corrosion eat away at the quite delicate structure until it split. Some of the oil would have been captured in the bodywork, but as it’s squirting out at 60psi some would have got to the back wheel, which could be tricky, or the engine would suffer as its lubrication ‘bled out’. Jason continued: “As well as the weeping oil cooler, the secondary throttle, which helps initial pick up, had seized. The exhaust valve was kaput too, after the cable got yanked and broke the servo motor. Those are a nightmare to set, using a multimeter and gently adjusting the cable until you get the right maximum and minimum voltage readings.” A replacement Suzuki oil cooler is £480, but the customer found a used one for £100. Fitting added an hour’s labour to the regular servicing costs. But if he had kept on top of cleaning and checking his bike regularly, the original would probably have been good for another few years to come.