Overheating

Post by **spaceKadet** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:38 pm

I had asked this on an earlier thread but I thaught I'd start a new one to help tackle my problem!!

My bike has been starting to run hot in traffic for about 4 months now. It's fine on the open road - nice and constant temp. It's just when the airflow through the rad is slow that the temp starts to climb.

Now I know overheating can be sign that the head gasket is on it's way out, it's just that I must have done 2000 miles with it like this! Surely I would have developed some other symptoms by now if the gasket was knackered. There's no sign of any water in the oil, no steam or smoke from the exhaust, and the engine sounds perfectly normal and pulls cleanly up to the rev limiter.

Any suggestions?
Ta.

Post by **masterofinsanity** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:40 pm

have you got any antifreeze in your coolant? maybe the coolant needs draining and flushing the system and refreshing with new coolant mixture?

Post by **spaceKadet** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:47 pm

Yeah I'm gonna flush it through today.
What's the best way to clean all the crud off the rad? Would a high pressure airhose be a good way to do this, and if so where do I take the bike to do it?
Cheers!

Post by **masterofinsanity** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:57 pm

I have heard of people jetwashing them with no problems?

RedexRobB · Post by **RedexRobB** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:59 pm

Ideally you should use a steam cleaner jetting from the back of the radiator. Sya sit he manual you should be approximately 0.5 meters away from the core

Also to clean inthe direction of the core itself so i guess following it round the radiator.

Post by **Jamz** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:04 pm

I had the same symptoms (or lack of them

) when my head gasket went.

I probably did more than 2000 miles without any other signs than the overheating at slower speeds!

Gotta be worth cleaning out your rad, but even one with about 30% efficiency should really be able to keep the bike cool...

Your fuelling can also affect the cooling - think if you're running too lean it will overheat (but could be too rich - i forget now lol).

RedexRobB · Post by **RedexRobB** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 8:38 pm

When its running lean as the fuel is sorta used as a coolant on the valves and top end.

when its running rich it runs cool. You can usually tell which its running at by checking out the plugs. Mine have a nice light brown ceramic centre with a suitably dark brown coloured electrode, perfect!

Post by **Jamz** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:16 pm

Cheers Rob!

See?? I DID learn something!!!

If you have the manual - look in the back of it and there's loads of reasons for overheating that wouldn't have even crossed my mind - the fueling was one of those!

Post by **spaceKadet** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 12:21 am

Flushed it through with some rad cleaning fluid, rinsed it a couple of times and then filled with 50:50 anitfreeze/water - so far has been behaving very sweetly. As soon as the the water temp creeps above halfway, the fan kicks in and very quickly brings the temp back down and then switches off again (when stationary and given plenty of blips on the throttle).
Fingers crossed job done I hope!
Thanks for your help.

As far as fueling goes, I have a K&N airfilter with std pipes and can. I did use a micron can previously which on the dyno ran a bit lean above 12k. I took it off after getting busted for speeding (102 in a 60 - ouch!) when the copper said he heard me coming 2 miles away!!!

400hnutter · Post by **400hnutter** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 9:20 am

ive had the same problem. i often clean the rad and oil cooler, drained the system and replaced the thermostat. it made some difference but the thing you have to remember is that it is a sports bike its not been developed to ride in traffic; but it can help if you wire in a overide switch to the cooling fan so its on constantly when your sittin in traffic and have it running as it should all other times;;

i did it works well. just watch that the battry doasnt die on you.