took my bike out and it overheated

thelakeshow2k

thelakeshow2k

Registered
it's 75 degrees today so i decided to take the bike out. rode for about an hour (half freeway and other half stop and go traffic. when i get home i notice the temp gauge red light is on and the needle is maxed. i thought this primarily happened to the "air cooled" guys (harleys, etc). i guess i should change my coolant.

QUESTIONS:
1) how many miles should i go between putting in new coolant?
2) my bike has 11k on it. should i just drain the radiator or flush it?
3) how many times do you flush the radiator before putting in the new fluid?
 
That sounds unusual, especially if you have a stock motor. I would suspect a bad thermostat, or worse, low coolant level with a big bubble of air that needs to be burped. 75*F outside is not at all hot. I only get my fan coming on regularly in the summer when the temps are hitting 90*+ and I'm in stop and go traffic. Have never seen it hit red.

Recommend you check coolant level right away. Changing the coolant really should not make a huge difference for the system to take the heat out of the motor, but it won't hurt and will be good for corrosion and water pump lubrication. Test the thermostat while you're at it. Be sure to purge the air from the system after you refill.
 
Last edited:
i've had 33k on original coolant.

did the fan kick on? a moron at stubbs (Mondo on telephone rd.) in Houston left my fan unplugged, it overheated in traffic
 
first check coolant level.. did you hear the fan come on at all??? an as the other said check the thermostat. year an miles on bike??? Stock or modded ???
 
This may be a stupid thought but its something easy to check. You said you were in traffic last if so if your idle is set too high it will overheat. Check your idle speed should be 900 - 1100 I try to keep mine as close to 900 as possible for traffic purposes. If your idle is set correctly did you have the choke on??? (I know its not a choke the name has left me for the moment, but your know what I mean) I would check these things before tearing into the bike my guess is with only 11K on the bike its something pretty simple. Mine is pushing 40K and I have changed my coolant once just becuase we had some extra in the garage. Just my 2 cents good luck and keep us posted
 
Is your needle maxed when your turn the bike off after riding, or while it was sitting at home idle? My needle always maxes when I get back from a ride and turn it off.
 
the motor is stock. just changed plugs and oil (put a little too much in so i drained the extra out). i noticed the temp gauge red light when i pulled into the garage. the fan was on. not sure what the idle is set at so i will check that tomorrow.
 
Merlot said:
Is it adviceable to remove the thermostat?Ans pros or cons????
Click to expand...
I have removed the thermostat in car engines for diagnostic purposes only. In other words, to see if a stuck thermostat was the problem. I would not permanently remove the thermostat. Metal expands with heat and your engine is designed to operate at a specific operating temperature and the thermostat keeps it operating around that temperature. That's why you should drive your vehicle gently until the temperatures come up (clearances too loose and oil is cold) and not drive it when it overheats.

Given the low cost of a thermostat, it's usually just faster and easier to replace the thing than it is to go through the bother of tests.
 
Strife said:
Idle is 1150 as per manual spec.
Click to expand...

Mine was set at 1150 as per manual spec and sitting in Florida traffic during the Thunder on the Beach rally about 80 degrees it heated up to just before the red. I never let the light come on. Pushed bike to the side let her cool off while I enjoyed the Florida (bikini) scenery :beerchug:
 
From what I've read on here...

1) Engine Ice
2) Lower temp Thermostat
3) High pressure rad cap
4) Muzzy Fan Blade
5) 2nd gixxer fan setup
...That should help.
 
you only need to make these kings of changes to a non-stock engine. A stocker should run fine without any alterations to the cooling system. Just make sure there's no air in the system, coolant level is full, thermo is working properly, cooling fan/fans and switch work properly, pressure cap works, check rad tubes/fins, and check there isn't any buildup in the cooling system.

MikeSomething said:
From what I've read on here...

1) Engine Ice
2) Lower temp Thermostat
3) High pressure rad cap
4) Muzzy Fan Blade
5) 2nd gixxer fan setup
...That should help.
Click to expand...
 
Sumthin aint right.
I live in So Florida and rode all summer long last yr.
Temps were in the upper 90s+ with same % humidity.
Gauge never goes above the mid-line whether fans are on or off.
 
start easy.

Coolant level ok?
I would go ahead and flush it and put in new coolant. Flush it according to the manual.

Ride it and see if it does it again..then go deeper. Dont let it over heat. Stay close to home and push it if need be or sit and let is cool down. Dont turn the key all the way off till the fan stops.
 
I just went through this problem. It got up to 45 the other day so me and a buddy went for a ride. We got caught at a loooonnggg light, we sat there for 3 or 4 cycles. I started to see my temp go up right away. By the 2nd light I was cutting the bike off too keep the temp down. As soon as we cleared the light and the bike was moving temp was fine. I was under the impression I needed to get a thermostat. To my surprise I didnt need to go through all of that. I went to the local shop, purchased some Engine Ice, $22 bucks for a half gallon (needed two), put those in AFTER flushing the system. The bike is fine now. I cant tell you how happy I was that it didnt need more than that. I thought I was in for some trouble when the bike started overheating. If I were you I would just flush the system and add the Engine Ice making sure that you burp it properly so no air is left. Worked for me, hope it works for you. Good luck.
 
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