Overheating Solutions

[FireFitzy]

Hey all,

Without really realizing, I did my first stop and go type riding aside from my usual highway or higher speed in general. I noticed my engine was heating up pretty high. I don't have the digital read out, but normally my needle settles between the C and H. This time it was right under the H.
(CBR F4 of course)
The fan had kicked in, but with the warm weather, it wasn't helping much.

Just wondering if there is anything you can add to your Rad fluid in order to keep it cooler. Somebody had mentioned something called 'Water Wetter" or something like that available at Canadian Tire...

any thoughts or solutions?

Thanks

[DY]

I installed a radiator fan bypass so I can turn the fan on whenever I want. Easy mod and works really well especially in this kind of weather.

[Teal]

When was the last time you inspected and flushed your cooling system? My F4 has never been close to the Hot setting on the temp. gauge.

[SLIM]

The cooling system doesn't really work like that. You can't just add some fluid and suddenly have the entire system run cooler. It may cool down quicker, but that's the best you'll get out of any additive.

The system uses a spring-loaded pressure valve (thermostat) to relieve pressure at a pre-determined amount (fluid temperature increases and it's pressure when hot does so too), at which point hot coolant inside the engine is allowed to pass through to the radiator(s). While this occurs the cooled coolant inside the radiator flows into the engine. This is a generalization of what occurs (there's more to it than that), but it's accurate and should depict that the thermostat is what controls the event's occurence.

Add Water Wetter or whatever you want to help the system cool quicker (not run cooler!) if it makes you happy, but you'll still need to reach a predetermined pressure (and TEMPERATURE) for the fluid to move within the system.

If you wanna do you and your cooling system a BIG favour .....

- thoroughly flush the entire system (because most people don't and you NEED to replace engine coolant every xxx interval)

- remove and thoroughly clean the fins on your rad (that's the "meat and potatos" of your cooling system - love your rad for all it does for you and asks nothing in return!). This is THE most important part of your system and should be cleaned using compressed air/pressurized water to get foreign objects form within the fins. Any bent fins should be straightened with care (!!!) as to avoid permanently damaging the rad. You should also be able to tell this is THE most important part because i'm blabbing about it the most.

- replace your thermostat - they fail at the least opportune times

- refill system with a quality coolant (additives optional)


Then go and enjoy to your heart's content. Your bike (and balls) will thank you.

[In2JeepN]

- remove and thoroughly clean the fins on your rad (that's the "meat and potatos" of your cooling system - love your rad for all it does for you and asks nothing in return!). This is THE most important part of your system and should be cleaned using compressed air/pressurized water to get foreign objects form within the fins. Any bent fins should be straightened with care (!!!) as to avoid permanently damaging the rad. You should also be able to tell this is THE most important part because i'm blabbing about it the most.

Slim has got it right there. Just a word of warning tho - be very careful while cleaning the rad fins out. Do NOT use a pressure washer, and even use caution with the spray nozzle on your garden hose...if you hit it with high pressure from an angle it will fold the fins over before you know it. Rinse from the back of the rad, out thru the front, kinda like reverse flow of the bugs n crap. You can use a sliver of plastic cut from a washer fluid jug or something as a poker to slid thru the fins and clean out any stuck buggies.

One last thing, if you are going to pull the rad out and clean as Slim suggested, be careful when you are removing the rad hoses. The inlet and outlets on the rad are aluminum, and easily crushed if you try to use channel-locks or anything to twist the hose off.

[FireFitzy]

Noted...
Thanks very much fellas

[BrianZ]

Thermostats are not pressure operated. They are temperature operated. You can test them by dropping them in a pot of water and heating the water on the stove. A good thermostat should begin to open at the temperature stamped on them. Use a thermometer to verify.

[mikethecottagebum]

Bang on, preventative maintenance, also even at slow speeds your water pump is connected to you engine speed, so rather than roll around town say at 35 to 50km in 3rd try second,

You will keep the fluid moving, key to coolant doing its thing.

Also at lights if your stuck for a bit, you can try this to prolong the cooling effect. However there is a "threshold" Keep that in mind.

Royal distributing sells rad combs.

[johnp]

great thread. thanks guys.

[2kfire]

Slim has got it right there. Just a word of warning tho - be very careful while cleaning the rad fins out. Do NOT use a pressure washer, and even use caution with the spray nozzle on your garden hose...if you hit it with high pressure from an angle it will fold the fins over before you know it. Rinse from the back of the rad, out thru the front, kinda like reverse flow of the bugs n crap. You can use a sliver of plastic cut from a washer fluid jug or something as a poker to slid thru the fins and clean out any stuck buggies.

One last thing, if you are going to pull the rad out and clean as Slim suggested, be careful when you are removing the rad hoses. The inlet and outlets on the rad are aluminum, and easily crushed if you try to use channel-locks or anything to twist the hose off.

+1 about keeping the rad clean. My bike used to run around the "4th line", then I cleaned out the rad and now it's usually at the 3rd line and only goes up to the 4th in heavy stop and go traffic.

[djltoronto]

I installed a radiator fan bypass so I can turn the fan on whenever I want. Easy mod and works really well especially in this kind of weather.

A rad fan bypass switch only helps if your OEM fan switch is defective!
The OEM fan switch turns the fan on when the coolant gets hot enough! What could be better than an automated solution!

Don't you want something like this automated for you?

[djltoronto]

The cooling system doesn't really work like that. You can't just add some fluid and suddenly have the entire system run cooler. It may cool down quicker, but that's the best you'll get out of any additive.

I agree that effects of these additives are minimal.... but they do work.
As you said, they can increase the the rate at which things cool down.
The engine idling in traffic adds heat to the coolant at some rate, and the rad dissipates this heat add hopefully a similar rate!

Anything you can do to increase the rate at which you disipate the excess heat works in your favour.

[Mysterio]

hey boys....i boiled over my coolant resently and now my bike runs a bit hotter...i topped the resavor but do i need to put coolant in the rad and how much of it....for the rad had no level gauge???????????

[djltoronto]

hey boys....i boiled over my coolant resently and now my bike runs a bit hotter...i topped the resavor but do i need to put coolant in the rad and how much of it....for the rad had no level gauge???????????

Fill it - FULL.

[Teal]

hey boys....i boiled over my coolant resently and now my bike runs a bit hotter...i topped the resavor but do i need to put coolant in the rad and how much of it....for the rad had no level gauge???????????

Dude, I can't believe that you're still trying to tackle these problems yourself... there's no need to start up the same discussion in another thread, it's still the same users here. Take your bike to someone who knows what they're doing. I can easily explain how to replenish and prime the coolant system but I fear that your problems lie far beneath a simple "low-coolant level" issue.

Here it is anyway...

First, you have to understand that the reservoir/overflow bottle serves two main purposes, and as the name implies, it's a reservoir in the event that additional coolant is required as well as an overflow should the radiator system overflow.

Now, let's assume that you're completely flushing the system with fresh coolant (only to be done while engine is cold, not hot):

1. Remove any fairings/plastics that obstruct the way to the rad cap, reservoir and drain bolt.
2. Remove the rad cap, then loosen the drain bolt until coolant starts to flow from the orifice (obviously you should have a catch pan under the drain). Allow the system to completely drain.
3. Remove a suitable hose from the reservoir to drain the reservior.
4. Retighten the drain bolt as per spec, then begin to add fluid to the system via the rad cap (the highest point of the system). After the first 1-2L or so bubbles will start to surface, ease up on the flow rate and continue until no bubbles can be seen and the rad cap is completely full such that it begins to overflow into the reservior/overflow bottle.
5. Fill the reservoir up with coolant (make sure the level is in between the lines).
6. Reinstall the rad cap and make sure the system is completely closed before starting the bike.
7. Start the bike, and after a few seconds, blip the throttle a few times. Shut the bike off and monitor the level of fluid in the reservoir. Has it dropped, stayed the same? If it dropped you had some air in the system and might want to repeat the process (start bike, blip throttle) again just to make sure all the air is out before you replace your plastics and such.

Note: If you believe air is still trapped in the system, try loosening the drain bolt slightly until some air bubbles/coolant leak from the fitting. Then re-tighten.

[Mysterio]

LOL.....im treing to understand!!!!! thanks for the break down