Heiden bolt on oil filter cooler

grrttkempXS

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Just picked up the heiden oil finned oil filter cooler, both the main and the finned sump-they look awesome and are very well built.

Buuut I was curious because I just installed the finned main filter, and it's touching the side of the casing on the rear, and has a gap of about a half inch on the front.. is this normal? In some pictures I've found it seems to be the case, but I find it rather odd that something machined so nicely wouldn't be machined to fit snugly onto the casing.. thoughts? Anybody else have one that looks like this?
 

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If you search this Heiden installation at this forum, you'll find a lot of impressions of the efficacy of the unit.
 
The one thing I'd suggest is maybe trim the back fin a tad. If it is touching the case, it might not fully seat on the gasket face.
 
The one thing I'd suggest is maybe trim the back fin a tad. If it is touching the case, it might not fully seat on the gasket face.

Thought about that, but how could they be so successful if their engineers hadn't figured that out by now? Just put oil back in it, we'll see how she holds up.
 
Using the proper gasket, I've got .025" clearance rearward of the unit on my '83 and '76. On my '75, I've got .029"

Do you really have zero?, that is, it is actually touching?
 
If you search this Heiden installation at this forum, you'll find a lot of impressions of the efficacy of the unit.
I've had one for several years; the best I can say is that it holds a finer filter medium than the screen it replaces. I suspect the incremental cooling effect is infinitesimal.
 
I feel like the one on ebay is probably better?
 

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I feel like the one on ebay is probably better?

It's "better" because it has more surface area, but it uses the stock "filter". Heiden uses a paper element from a common Honda engine. There might even be an option to go to a reusable stainless steel filter too with Heidens.

I almost bought the eBay one, but decided Heidens offered what's most important: filtration. I also use his sump screen to avoid the stupid stock ones
 
@YamadudeXS650C - Correct, I have no measurable clearance.

I put fresh oil in about 24 hours ago , it seems there is verry slight seepage. I haven't started the engine since I out oil in-as I had to go on a work trip- but the factors in play are leaving me scratching my head.

As to why I bought it in the the first place: Cooler oil=relative engine performance. The Honda filter is much more accessible for me, it provides much more filtration than most accessible mesh screens can. And, I personally think it looks rad.

My question still stands- why is it touching the case? I am using the proper (supplied) gasket. It was installed per the heiden recommendation. If I were to engineer a product such as- I feel like the work put into CNC'ing all of the parts should fit properly?
When I say properly- I mean simply; fit exactly to what it is "fixing".
 
When i put my Heiden one on i had some seepage also, it happened that the bolts were slightly too long and bottomed out not allowing the filter cover to seat properly, also if the fins are touching towards the rear you need to shave a bit off of the offending fin, with regards to the touching it may be that the casing is thicker than some due to different moulds, parrameters in the original machining of the covers was not the same on each machine, or Heiden part not made with enough space to allow for such indiscrepencies, whichever it is there is no big problem in solving it, we come across this type of thing relatively often in the vintage vehicle world.
 
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with regards to the touching it may be that the casing is thicker than some due to different moulds, parrameters in the original machining of the covers was not the same on each machine, or Heiden part not made with enough space to allow for such indiscrepencies, whichever it is there is no big problem in solving it, we come across this type of thing relatively often in the vintage vehicle world.
I agree with Kevski's suppositions.
 
Very much agreed.
I am very familiar with vintage motorcycles and their so called 'upgrades'. I am not yet familiar with the xs, but have rebuilt a few 80's cx500s and am seemingly constantly looking for the next issue.

When I took it off there was blatant contact with the case, shaved off the last fin and it seated muuuch better.
As my original post states, it just seems odd. I am not surprised, but rather confused as to how a company can manufacture something that needs to be manufactured.. that is all.
 
Just picked up the heiden oil finned oil filter cooler, both the main and the finned sump-they look awesome and are very well built.

Buuut I was curious because I just installed the finned main filter, and it's touching the side of the casing on the rear, and has a gap of about a half inch on the front.. is this normal? In some pictures I've found it seems to be the case, but I find it rather odd that something machined so nicely wouldn't be machined to fit snugly onto the casing.. thoughts? Anybody else have one that looks like this?
Mine has maybe 1mm clearance at most with bolts snugged up. Any way to shim yours out a bit, rather than trimming the fin?
 

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You would have to shim the cover and the filter separately, why over complicate it when a slight relief on the fin would take care of the job permanently.
 
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