Engine temp difference

[Scab]

Since summer has decided to show up, I have noticed that my '05 will now reach 3 bars on the temp guage at lower ambient temperatures than when new. Is this a result of "worn out" or "old" coolant or something else? The temp is not a problem, just looking for some edumacashun on the subject.

 

[twowheelnut]

You've worn the bike out. ****-can it and buy a Beemer.

 

[Scab]

Can't. ****-canned the wallet when I bought this one.

 

[Mike-H]

TWN....always the gentleman...NOT...hey scab what's the mileage...& have you ever changed the coolant before.... :blink:

 

[Scab]

13714 since October, and, uh, no.

...But I changed my oil 8 times!

 

[Mike-H]

13714 since October, and, uh, no.
...But I changed my oil 8 times!

Got a coolant tester?....

 

[Scab]

Access to one. Or a couple of bucks for one. Are you suggesting worn coolant? What is in this stuff that wears out? (real question) How is it consumed?

 

[Bearly Flying]

It doesn't wear out per say, it's ethelyene glycol with an additive package for rust prevention etc. The ph may change over time with exposure to air and some degradation of the glycol. Large industrial compressors (2000 hp+)will run for years with the same glycol, with some minor ph balancing periodically.

Maybe the rad is getting plugged with bug carcasses etc.

 

[Mike-H]

It doesn't wear out per say, it's ethelyene glycol with an additive package for rust prevention etc. The ph may change over time with exposure to air and some degradation of the glycol. Large industrial compressors (2000 hp+)will run for years with the same glycol, with some minor ph balancing periodically.
Maybe the rad is getting plugged with bug carcasses etc.

Thanks Bearly.....the repetitive hot cold cycles will eventually break the coolant down....like Bearly said have you checked the rad?....& when was the last time you had your fuel system checked (air/fuel mixtures)....if its running too rich or lean, that can also effect your temp...

 

[Scab]

Radiator is clear of bugs and related guts. I keep that cleared regularly. I don't know about checking the air/fuel mixture. Does this have to be done by the dealer? I have sync'd twice. All within spec both times.

 

[Mike-H]

This is like trying to do diagnostics over the phone.....could be the norm.....anyone else out there noticed this....anyone....bueller....bueller....how about some input here from the FJR technical guru's.... :blink:

 

[Scab]

As coolant ages and is used, does it lose its ability to disipate heat as effectively?

I'm not trying to confuse the masses, just trying to understand. The temp is well withing safe ranges, just different than it was. Maybe I am weird, but any time something changes, I think there has to be a reason. I just want to understand or think that I do. It makes me sleep better at night.

 

[Warchild]

Gents -

It is completely normal to see three bars running in the summer months. This is normal behavior.

Personally, I counsel to flush/refill your coolant at least annually. At a minimum, replace it as perscribed in the Maintenance Schedule.

And be sure to do a good ******** when changing coolant!

FJRTech: "*******" - Coolant Flush/Refill

 

[PerfectBlueride]

As coolant ages and is used, does it lose its ability to disipate heat as effectively?
I'm not trying to confuse the masses, just trying to understand. The temp is well withing safe ranges, just different than it was. Maybe I am weird, but any time something changes, I think there has to be a reason. I just want to understand or think that I do. It makes me sleep better at night.

Well I can tell you that even if it is cool it does not take long for mine to reach 3 bars, once spring hits.

I have not changed it yet, 11000 plus on it since picking it up march 26 05.

coolant reso, always below min when cold but after riding for a while mid point between low and high, so I do not know if i should or should not add coolant. do not want to leak it on the road.

would love the link to the mod for switching the fan or can we switch the temp at which fan kicks in?

maybe preventing the 4 bar all together.

 

[jestal]

OEM's should all fudge their temperature gauges so that they are completely "dead" in the normal operating range and don't move. That would prevent all the paranoia and angst owners go thru when the temperature gauge moves NORMALLY.

Some cars actually do this. WAY too many customer "concerns" when the coolant gauge is "accurate". Dumb it down so it doesn't move while the coolant is within the normal range and all is well.

What you are observing is perfectly normal. Ignore it. Start to worry if the gauge pegs, steam starts to spew out and red lights come on....LOL.

Seriously, with an electric fan the coolant temperature will rise slowly at low speeds and idling. This is more noticeable in warmer temps. Then the fan kicks on. Then the temp comes down. Then the fan turns off. Etc. Perfectly normal. The fan doesn't run all the time because it would be a large and unnecessary electrical load on the system that you do not want (do not put the switch on there...you will just be wasting watts)

Coolant doesn't wear out in the "cooling" sense. It does need replacing periodically to refresh the corrosion inhibitors in the coolant, however. The coolant is ethylene glycol. EG will last forever. It doesn't break down with temperature cycles or anything. The corrosion inhibitors in the coolant do get depleted with time/miles so the "coolant" needs to be replaced. Not to keep the cooling capacity but to keep the aluminum engine from corroding from the inside out. You will know it is corroding when the head cracks due to the depleted corrosion inhibitors. The corrosion inhibitors in coolant will be depleted very rapidly in aluminum engines so the coolant needs to be replaced rather frequently to protect the engine.....not to make it cool better.

Aluminum corrodes in an engine in a strange way. It is called hot transport deposition corrosion. In short, microscopic bits of aluminum break away from the surface of a heated aluminum part (like the backside of the exhaust port wall) and go into solution into the coolant. The free aluminum travels thru the coolant and is deposited in the "cold" part of the cooling system..i.e..the radiator. So, if you are REALLY neglegent and run depleted coolant for a long time you MIGHT end up with a partially clogged radiator that MIGHT hurt cooling but likely you will end up with a cracked cylinder head and coolant pouring down an exhaust port first. Those microscopic bits of aluminum flaking away from the exhaust port wall into the coolant create stress risers that eventually cause the head to crack due to thermally induced stresses in the exhaust port material. Seen it happen but you had to work at it to do it. The NASCAR guys can do it pretty easily running plain water in aluminum heads...but they run wide open all the time so it is hard to compare.

Understand that the coolant serves the purpose of preventing freezing, raising the boiling point and preventing corrosion of the cooling system. A pressurized cooling system like the FJR running a 50/50 ethyleneglycol coolant/distilled water will not boil or "overheat" until 265 degrees F. Well above the 212 degrees that water boils at. So there is a lot of cushion in the system before it overheats or boils over. The engine is perfectly fine if even if the coolant is up to 265 F as long as the system is full. Getting up near 265 F is cause for concern as to what is causing the high temps but nothing is going to be damaged and the engine is going to be fine.

 

[Scab]

Ah...that's what I wanted to know about coolant.

Thanks.

 

[velvet fog]

I've noticed that mine takes longer to reach 3 bars after I installed the PowerCommander.

 

[radman]

As an aside to jestals comments, Ford has a unique oil pressure gauge, and has had it for a while. Essentially, it's a oil light with a needle. It is connected to a sender that does not vary resistance-it's on or off, and on places the needle right in the comfort range, just above half gauge. Mustang GT owners have had to change the sender and do some cluster mods to have an accurate, functional oil pressure gauge that truly shows actual pressure. This holds true for any Ford with a gauge made for at least the last 10 years. Also, I recall when front drive first started to arrive in the US, we had many tow ins with customers stating that steam was pouring out of the radiator. It was rain water evaporating on the hot radiator and no engine driven fan to pull the steam through, giving the impression that the cooling system had failed. Still get them now and then.

 

[FJRottie]

Tks again Jestal. Lots of info.

Like they say, Ya learn some more everyday.