Turbo hayabusa overheating

[black954]

Here's the deal. I have a 2006 busa with 3500 miles. I recently installed a Hahn stage one turbo kit and had it dyno tuned with a safe rich tune. I have 500 miles on the turbo and was out cruising saturday. I cruised at 90mph for 100 miles., including 5 top speed runs. The temp guage never moved above midpoint and actually ran cooler during the topend runs. Then, I was cruising at 70mph when it started to get hot. I pulled off the highway and stopped at a gas station where it boiled over. I noticed the cooling fan was not running. I was also out of gas so I filled up with 100 octane and rode home where the temp stayed normal right in the middle.
I just went out to the bike now and removed the fairings to check the coolant. The overflow was empty and the I was able to poor about 1/4gal. of coolant in the radiator. I let it idle without the fairings and it overheated again, but this time the fan was running. The air temp has been around 85 degrees both days.
Is this normal? I haven't had any problems until now since I installed the turbo. I heard that it may be an air pocket in the cooling system, or it could be a stuck thermostat. Any info would be helpfull.

 

[black954]

I plan on installing a Muzzys aluminum fan and the engine ice, but I would like to know if this sounds like a problem or a normal condition (I highly doubt it).

 

[Pipefighter248]

Did you blow the head gasket?

Also, most running turbo add a second fan with switch to help cooling.

 

[black954]

I don't believe I blew the head gasket. The oil is fine with no water in it, and the coolant is crystal clear. There are no bubbles coming up through the radiator when it runs either.

 

[Johnnycheese]

if you did not burp the system you will have to add coolant. but once it is full it is full if you have to add more you have a blown gasket. and NO you will NOT see it in the oil. it blows out the pipe.

 

[dadofthree]

Like cheese man said look for vapor coming out the exhaust. I understand the Turbos can run hot, engine ice and different oil recommended from memory. Is that purple stuff they talk about oil; not sure, can't remember.

Keep us informed.

 

[dadofthree]

Aren't you the one that did his own install

 

[black954]

Yes, I installed the kit myself. I believe it was just an air pocket in the cooling system. I have added a bit of coolant and bleed the system. It seems to run just fine now, though i've only put on another 20 miles since. My neighbor is Elton Fish of EFR racing and he seems to think this also. I will just keep an eye on the temp and cross my fingers. In the mean time, I will be adding a manual fan switch in addition to the other cooling mods i've listed.

 

[black954]

(dadofthree @ Jun. 11 2007,18:38) Aren't you the one that did his own install

Both Elton Fish of EFR racing and Brian of Winn racing have inspected my bike and they both agreed I did a very clean and professional install. (As I pat myself on the back a few times).

 

[dadofthree]

Hope that's got ya. What was the final tune HP. See you were running 100 octane. Did you add more to your install thread. Last I saw you hadn't completed it.

 

[fstbusa]

(Pipefighter248 @ Jun. 11 2007,07:26) Did you blow the head gasket?

Also, most running turbo add a second fan with switch to help cooling.

boosted for nearly 3 yrs with no overheating problems with the stock fan. Barely runs, even in the 90 degree heat. Runs slightly more than when it was stock.


sounds like you either have an air bubble or blew head gasket.

 

[Johnnycheese]

hell my MCXpress kit and ghetto kit NO fan period

 

[dadofthree]

(Johnnycheese @ Jun. 12 2007,16:21) hell my MCXpress kit and ghetto kit NO fan period

 

[black954]

(dadofthree @ Jun. 11 2007,20:17) Hope that's got ya. What was the final tune HP. See you were running 100 octane. Did you add more to your install thread. Last I saw you hadn't completed it.

I had it tuned on the very safe side and on the rich side. I will be doing a few track days on a road race course and I don't want the constant boost to blow the stock motor. Anyways, it made 245 hp and 126 ft/lbs. This was with a 50/50 mix of 100 and 93 octane, and the air temp was 94degrees. It should be good for another 10 or so at 70degrees. I am so far happy with the power, though my rear tire isn't. I will be tearing down the motor this winter to beef up the bottom end and do some headwork with the goal of 350-400 hp. I think that will be sufficient for roadracing.

 

[NearDeath]

blown head gasket...

any smoke out of the exhaust? Are you sure the fans aren't working? If the fans aren't working, it will overheat.

If you are intercooled, dual fan will be necessary to keepp the heat down. If no intercooler, the stock fan should keep up fine and not overheat.

Doubt its the thermostat... You need to find out "where" your antifreeze is going. If its not leaking out the overflow tank, it has a blown head gasket.

You CAN'T make top-speed runs without an intercooler or wet injection kit. The intake temretures are too high for that which would make sense why you blew your head gasket.

Most non-cooled turbo systems are great for the track, but need some air cooling for top-speed runs.

Cloud

 

[GMbusa]

Try letting the bike idle from cold on the kickstand with the rad cap off. Use a screw driver handle and tap lightly around the hoses and other coolant areas to help release any trapped air. When it warms up enough, the coolant will generally start to ride out of the open top. Before you shut it off install the cap. Your done.

 

[black954]

(GMbusa @ Jun. 12 2007,16:16) Try letting the bike idle from cold on the kickstand with the rad cap off. Use a screw driver handle and tap lightly around the hoses and other coolant areas to help release any trapped air. When it warms up enough, the coolant will generally start to ride out of the open top. Before you shut it off install the cap. Your done.

I did this exact procedure tonight and rode it 62 miles without ever going over the middle line on the temp guage. I believe this was the problem from the get go.

 

[dadofthree]

Good job

 

[black954]

(Cloud9 @ Jun. 12 2007,15:50) blown head gasket...

any smoke out of the exhaust? Are you sure the fans aren't working? If the fans aren't working, it will overheat.

If you are intercooled, dual fan will be necessary to keepp the heat down. If no intercooler, the stock fan should keep up fine and not overheat.

Doubt its the thermostat... You need to find out "where" your antifreeze is going. If its not leaking out the overflow tank, it has a blown head gasket.

You CAN'T make top-speed runs without an intercooler or wet injection kit. The intake temretures are too high for that which would make sense why you blew your head gasket.

Most non-cooled turbo systems are great for the track, but need some air cooling for top-speed runs.

Cloud

The exhaust has no smoke or antifreeze smell. The coolant and oil both look completely fine with no signs of cross contamination. The fan does kick on, but it wasn't on when it overheated the first time (I couldn't tell if it was running while I was riding it, but it wasn't on when I got to the gas station and took my helmet off). I am not intercooled or water injected, though I am also looking into water injection. This is the first i've heard of not being able to do top end runs without them. It makes sense that the intake temps would be hot, but I don't see why it would be any worse than a 1/4 mile run since it doesn't take very long at all to get up to 186mph? I strictly run 100 or 116 race gas to prevent any detonation even though i'm only running 7-8psi.

 

[black954]

(dadofthree @ Jun. 12 2007,20:08) Good job

I hope so

This turbo thing is a whole new road for me. I have heard so many horror stories, but every time the boost kicks in, it's totally worth it. I am just crossing my fingers until I get 1000 problem free miles out of it. And hopefully by winter I will have enough saved to do the entire motor and trans so I never have to worry again.