DIY: Custom M696 oil cooler..... w/pics

[DoWorkSon]

After several requests, hopefully this can help some of us less fortunate folks who cant/wont spend a ton of money on something that they can do them selves.
 
So after reviewing all of the oil cooler threads and reading about some of the great custom kits, I decided that I could make one up myself. Sure, the cooler kits out there available from several places are great and real nice, but I was having a hard time swallowing spending $300, $400, or $500+ on getting one- especially with all the money already invested in exhaust, sliders, windscreen, etc.

What I came up with after all my research: Basically all Ducatis share the same oil cooler inlet/outlet ports on the righthand side of the engine case. This is the same for the M696 thought they are blocked by two plugs. Additionally, my research indicated that most of the Ducati models of the last 10 years or so have the same oil supply and return lines in the same placement. I found an oil cooler and lines on Ebay from an M750 for $60. Did a bit more research and found there are a few small parts needed to make the install work. Long story short, here is what will be needed for the install:

- Oil cooler + Lines from Ducati model within last few years $60
- 2 x Threaded Oil Line Nipples for Engine case + Washers $30
P# 420.2.006.4A and 815.1.022.1A
- Oil Bypass Spring $10 P# 799.2.077.2A
- New Oil (4 Quarts)

These are the basics. We removed the emissions canister and repositioned the horn and rectifier on a piece of aluminum to make room. The shroud was removed and the cooler mounted to the frame studs that held the shroud using M5 and M6 bolts, nuts, lockwashers, thick rubber washers (vibration dampening) and Nylon spacers. These totaled about $10 from various hardware stores. Additionally some tools of unique sizes are needed and we didn't have them so its worth mentioning so you are prepared (3 trips to Pep Boys in an hour isn't fun).

- 10mm Allen Wrench
- 21mm socket
- 19mm Open Ended Wrench
- Oil Filter wrench (oops, rookie move that shits in tight!)

The oil was drained, oil spring installed, plugs removed and nipples installed, and cooler mounted and lines routed. All in all took a few hours including messing around and finding tools. The stock lines mount just perfectly and look great. Painted the cooler and lines black (don't paint the lines, it chips) and reinstalled the filter and added ~3.5 quarts oil back in. Run for a few minutes level the bike and check the gauge turn off and add oil till it sits right at the top line. Don't add too much or leave out too much.

Pictures speak for themselves. So far I have put around 600 miles on the bike w/the oil cooler... Not a single leak or problem. Today was 98+ degrees according to the air temp gauge, and the hottest my bike's oil temp got to was 3 bars... All this is in stop and go traffic. This winter I plan on making new lines using new anodized fittings and running them along the left hand side of the bike.... 

How cooler was mounted:








I had painted the lines/nipples before hand, and as you can see during the install, the pain was severally scratched.... I would recommend leaving them silver, or if you really wan them black, to use new line/fittings which are anodized...

How it looks now....

[sydmonster]

Nice mod & great write up! 

Can I ask, is the oil cooler a mechanical mod, in that does the 696 benifits from keeping the oil cool? Does it suffer heating issues, or is this more a visual mod?

[teddy037.2]

even a 620/695 benefits from an oil cooler... 

[2-Skinny]

Nice mod & great write up! 

Can I ask, is the oil cooler a mechanical mod, in that does the 696 benifits from keeping the oil cool? Does it suffer heating issues, or is this more a visual mod?

It IS mechanical in the sense that it improves operation of the bike: it WILL run cooler by convection-cooling the oil passing through the cooler.  All air-cooled bikes, Ducatis in particular, suffer from running hot and an oil cooler improves that.  No, it is NOT just for looks- this is a real mod.

[DoWorkSon]

Nice mod & great write up! 

Can I ask, is the oil cooler a mechanical mod, in that does the 696 benifits from keeping the oil cool? Does it suffer heating issues, or is this more a visual mod?

Heat robs the engine of power/performance, and wears it down... Thats why there are oil temp gauges on your bike... Hot oil is a very bad thing, and does bad things to the engine..... For anyone who lives somewhere with hot summers(like here in the CA central valley) and with stop and go traffic(all of California), it's important to make sure your engine is running cool and comfortable..... Hence, the oil cooler....

[sydmonster]

Heat robs the engine of power/performance, and wears it down... Thats why there are oil temp gauges on your bike... Hot oil is a very bad thing, and does bad things to the engine..... For anyone who lives somewhere with hot summers(like here in the CA central valley) and with stop and go traffic(all of California), it's important to make sure your engine is running cool and comfortable..... Hence, the oil cooler....

It IS mechanical in the sense that it improves operation of the bike: it WILL run cooler by convection-cooling the oil passing through the cooler.  All air-cooled bikes, Ducatis in particular, suffer from running hot and an oil cooler improves that.  No, it is NOT just for looks- this is a real mod.

Sorry, I should have made more sence in my original post  . Gents I can assure you, as an engineer I know too well the changes in co-efficient of friction V temperatures in both the crank side, upper/lower head(s) side and cylinder temp V external temp and how oil affects all that.
What I meant to ask, is the 696's engine proven (as in track/dyno, oil breakdown analysis and molucular testing) to have a genuine benefit from this mod. Does it actually need it? In that in regular operation, the 696 runs hotter than designed to and generates increased friction?

Generalising that all air cooled engines benefit from a cooler oil isn't necessary correct as oil has both a high and low working temp range  . There is also the point of deminishing returns, such as were the oil is suffering from breakdown or the size of the cooler or temp pass valve is incorrectly sized, that means regardless of cooling or not. If the oil is past or below a point then volume & rest period become the issues, not cooling/heating etc.
But Im sure you know that, just wanted to clarify, reason being I live in a very hot climate too.

[2-Skinny]

All I know is that the engine runs cooler after the install.  I understand all of what you are saying, but there are no dyno numbers and we haven't experimented with it.  If it is good enough for running on an M750 than its ok for the 696- and since the riding experience shows the engine running cooler and since with its other current mods and from the factory runs lean, having any cooling we can get will help cool the cylinders down- that's physics!

[ab]

 

Oil cooler looks exactly like the used oil cooler added on my m620.  Aesthetically it is ugly on my 620 but does the job.  I need to paint it.

[JasonV]

Nice work!  Now you got me thinking about it on my 696.  I just got it and it's my first bike and all so I'm not familiar with how hot you should allow your bike to get.  Notice in stop and go traffic of NYC for my work commutes, getting 4 and 5 bars consistently on hot days. 

Off topic, is that a Barracuda windscreen?  That is an easy install right?  Off with the old one and on with the new?  No cutting or any other modifications involved?

Also, like the grip pads on the side of your tank for your knees, where'd you get those from?

[DoWorkSon]

Nice work!  Now you got me thinking about it on my 696.  I just got it and it's my first bike and all so I'm not familiar with how hot you should allow your bike to get.  Notice in stop and go traffic of NYC for my work commutes, getting 4 and 5 bars consistently on hot days. 

Off topic, is that a Barracuda windscreen?  That is an easy install right?  Off with the old one and on with the new?  No cutting or any other modifications involved?

Also, like the grip pads on the side of your tank for your knees, where'd you get those from?

I consistently run at 3 bars city riding, and 4 bars at higher rpm/speed riding(freeway or riding around with friends). The hottest I have seen the bike at with the oil cooler is at 5 bars, and that is in 90+ degree heat in the hills with constant hard deceleration/acceleration riding... But, the bike stays at 3-4 bars at all times, which I am pretty sure is just about perfect operating temp

Yes, that is the barracuda screen... No cutting or anything, it is a direct bolt on.

And lastly, the tank pads are from www.techspec-usa.com.... Extremely nice guys and very good product. They came and met up with me to hand deliver the pads and even threw in a free center piece for a friend of mine who was there.

Ill hopefully be posting up some new pics soon with my new rearsets and decals

[JasonV]

I consistently run at 3 bars city riding, and 4 bars at higher rpm/speed riding(freeway or riding around with friends). The hottest I have seen the bike at with the oil cooler is at 5 bars, and that is in 90+ degree heat in the hills with constant hard deceleration/acceleration riding... But, the bike stays at 3-4 bars at all times, which I am pretty sure is just about perfect operating temp

Yes, that is the barracuda screen... No cutting or anything, it is a direct bolt on.

And lastly, the tank pads are from www.techspec-usa.com.... Extremely nice guys and very good product. They came and met up with me to hand deliver the pads and even threw in a free center piece for a friend of mine who was there.

Awesome!  Thanks for the info. 

Don't know if I can do the oil cooler mod on my own, may have to inquire with my mechanic friends.

Re the windscreen:  Where did you purchase it from?  Only place I know of is here: http://italianmotostyles.com/USA/DUCATI_696.html

Cool on the tank pads.  That's great they came to you, doubt I can get them to come to NY.  You got the snakeskin ones?

Ill hopefully be posting up some new pics soon with my new rearsets and decals