Engine hot!!!
07-10-2006 | 09:12 AM
#1
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Engine hot!!!
How warm should my engine run.... its running between the middle and 3/4 to the H.... bikes a vtr1000 with no fairings I saw a little rad leak around the hoses but and I felt all hoses were hot so Im pretty sure the water pumps working and moving it through the system... I did just have the water pump off putting a new clutch cover on so ..... Please help also dont seem to haved the fan coming on....
07-10-2006 | 09:22 AM
#2
Hmm?
SuperBike
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,069
From: San Gabriel Valley
What's the ambient temperature? Are you constantly moving, or in stop-and-go traffic?
Mine usually hovers near the 1/2 mark, or a bit below that. In traffic, mine can get up past the 1/2 almost to the 3/4 mark.
I switched my coolant to water wetter.
Mine usually hovers near the 1/2 mark, or a bit below that. In traffic, mine can get up past the 1/2 almost to the 3/4 mark.
I switched my coolant to water wetter.
07-10-2006 | 09:22 AM
#3
El Cheapo
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From: NW of Philly.
Please be more specific.
Has the bike been running in stop and go traffic, travelling at high speed or just sitting in the driveway when it spits out coolant?
What is the content of the cooling system?
Has the bike been running in stop and go traffic, travelling at high speed or just sitting in the driveway when it spits out coolant?
What is the content of the cooling system?
07-10-2006 | 09:37 AM
#5
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SuperBike
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,572
From: Buffalo, NY
to check the fan you should be able to ground the lead going to the temp sensor in the right radiator to the metal frame and it should run. If not check your fuses. Mine runs kinda warm when its warm outside or in traffic, 185-195 degrees (02's and later have a lcd readout not a gauge like the older ones). The front fairing does aid in cooling by directing some air through the radiators... You may have some air in the system since you just had it drained. The manual says to rev it a few times with the rad cap off to remove any trapped air.
The water wetter does seem to help also but if it ran cooler before you took it apart its probably something simple like trapped air. Hope this helps.
The water wetter does seem to help also but if it ran cooler before you took it apart its probably something simple like trapped air. Hope this helps.
07-10-2006 | 10:16 AM
#8
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SuperBike
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Buffalo, NY
My '98-02 Honda manual states to rev it a few times with the cap off to release any trapped air.
On my '02 the right side radiator has a sending unit (looking straight it it its on the left tank) that screws into it with a rubber covered 1 wire plug that you can carefully pull off. when disconnected put a wire into the plug or a small screwdriver but be careful not to damage the plug and with the key on touch it to a known good ground - the aluminum frame is a good place and it should start spinning if not your fan could be bad, unplugged or blew a fuse. Those with the gauge like yours can probably say at what point it would normally come on.
I added a switch to mine to allow it to come on normally when the sending unit switch closed or by manual control. I soldered a new wire to the existing connector at the radiator and put a small switch under the front brake reservoir to turn it on when I felt it necessary - I believe it comes on around 220 on my bike with the LCD temp display and thats kinda warm IMHO.
On my '02 the right side radiator has a sending unit (looking straight it it its on the left tank) that screws into it with a rubber covered 1 wire plug that you can carefully pull off. when disconnected put a wire into the plug or a small screwdriver but be careful not to damage the plug and with the key on touch it to a known good ground - the aluminum frame is a good place and it should start spinning if not your fan could be bad, unplugged or blew a fuse. Those with the gauge like yours can probably say at what point it would normally come on.
I added a switch to mine to allow it to come on normally when the sending unit switch closed or by manual control. I soldered a new wire to the existing connector at the radiator and put a small switch under the front brake reservoir to turn it on when I felt it necessary - I believe it comes on around 220 on my bike with the LCD temp display and thats kinda warm IMHO.
Originally Posted by Blurr
Hmm will try reving it with cap off... but again fans not working....checked fuses so what disconnect thefan then run a single wire and touch the frame or ??? to check the fan...
07-10-2006 | 10:25 AM
#11
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SuperBike
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,572
From: Buffalo, NY
That should do it, I believe its nearer the top of the tank. Its the only thing thats brass colored with a rubber plug on the right radiator (on my 2002 model anyways). A wire would be better than a screwdriver since you risk opening up the female spade connector and creating a loose connection.
Originally Posted by Blurr
Hmmm ok right hand side rad, little rubber guy near the bottom of rad, unplug it and connect with screw driver touch frame?
07-10-2006 | 12:24 PM
#13
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Squid
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 23
From: Central CA
I have a 98 that runs the temp right at 50% riding at 60-90mph in 100 degree heat. Stop/go and city traffic would raise the temp to about 3/4 of the gauge. I just replaced the fluid yesterday, read this post this morning, and thought to myself "Hmm, I haven't heard the fan in a while." Blown fuse. Now that I think of it, I have never heard the fan and I've had the bike for two years. Never had an overheating problem and I ride in 90 degree plus all the time.
07-11-2006 | 05:28 AM
#14
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SuperSport
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 963
From: Sunshine Coast, Australia
I have heard that these bikes do run cooler with the fairings attached. As the rads are side mounted it is the fairing that forces the air through them rather than "past" them.
Not sure how much truth there is in this, but I have heard this a couple of times.
Not sure how much truth there is in this, but I have heard this a couple of times.
07-11-2006 | 10:06 AM
#16
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Superstock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 281
From: Denver, CO
My fans kick in around 212 deg. F. During break-in my temp would read as high as 257 deg F. I switched to a synthetic 5W-50 and I never get above 190 deg F. now.
Understandably, that "50" degrades quickly over 2000 miles and becomes more of a "20". I've been watching my temp slowly rise over the weeks from a top temp. of 180 deg. F. to 190 deg. and once 200 deg!
Thicker oils will make you run cooler but I find bogs the engine down a lot (ie. 20W50 Mobil 1 V-Twin MX4T). Thinner oils lets the engine get too hot. Though I don't recommend it to anyone else. I'm using a CAR oil (Castrol Syntec 5W-50). Supposedly you can get clutch slip with a car oil, but after months of research, this oil has less Moly than Honda's HP4 (which actually has some Moly despite it saying on the label it has NONE). I've had ZERO problems so far. I'm at 7k miles.
Understandably, that "50" degrades quickly over 2000 miles and becomes more of a "20". I've been watching my temp slowly rise over the weeks from a top temp. of 180 deg. F. to 190 deg. and once 200 deg!
Thicker oils will make you run cooler but I find bogs the engine down a lot (ie. 20W50 Mobil 1 V-Twin MX4T). Thinner oils lets the engine get too hot. Though I don't recommend it to anyone else. I'm using a CAR oil (Castrol Syntec 5W-50). Supposedly you can get clutch slip with a car oil, but after months of research, this oil has less Moly than Honda's HP4 (which actually has some Moly despite it saying on the label it has NONE). I've had ZERO problems so far. I'm at 7k miles.
07-11-2006 | 11:11 AM
#17
El Cheapo
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From: NW of Philly.
I use the Mobil 1 DELVAC 5w50 Diesel oil in my Superhawk.
Oil cooler is removed from the bike, OEM radiators got replaced with a CBR929 radiator that's deformed and trimmed down to fit the bike. I don't even run the bike with a fan or temp. guage. The engine has yet to seize up on me.
Oil cooler is removed from the bike, OEM radiators got replaced with a CBR929 radiator that's deformed and trimmed down to fit the bike. I don't even run the bike with a fan or temp. guage. The engine has yet to seize up on me.
07-11-2006 | 05:38 PM
#19
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SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,858
From: Fort Wayne, IN
My bike sits just below the 1/4 mark all of the time. Running in traffic will bump it up to almost the 1/2 mark but that's it. When new the twins will run a little hotter, but I've found that after a couple of thousand miles the temp stays down pretty good.
07-13-2006 | 03:59 PM
#22
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SuperSport
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From: Sunshine Coast, Australia
If you can bridge the power circuit and the fan works you have eliminated a couple of variables in my opinion.
1. Fuse must be ok to have power there.
2. Fan itself obviously works.
To me that only leaves the thermostat to switch it on and off, or the earth. I would be checking this out to see if the switch is working, and that all the cables are in good order and earthed properly. From memory the earth to the fan runs to the fan itself, rather than back to the frame of the bike (I think). Make sure it is not rusty and you have a good connection.
1. Fuse must be ok to have power there.
2. Fan itself obviously works.
To me that only leaves the thermostat to switch it on and off, or the earth. I would be checking this out to see if the switch is working, and that all the cables are in good order and earthed properly. From memory the earth to the fan runs to the fan itself, rather than back to the frame of the bike (I think). Make sure it is not rusty and you have a good connection.
07-13-2006 | 10:01 PM
#23
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From: Playa Del Rey ,CA
the fan on my 2002 kicks in at 220F everytime(shuts off at about 215F)...and believe me its gets up there a lot lately with the warm temps out here in SoCal. Mostly splitting lanes in 1st or 2nd gear but even cruising along with plenty of ocean breeze today it was up at 204F...is that normal for sea level 85F weather?
07-15-2006 | 01:33 AM
#28
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Sorry Im new never bee good at this sort of thing give me more details surely I could figure it out....... So should I just get a new wire ??? Just seems when I fiddled with the sending unit wire thingy on the thernostat the fan worked just seems loose kinda thing you know........wheres the wire go from there???
