Gen 3 heat issues/Exhaust Cans

[bhkfjr]

Got my new '15 A a few months ago! Love the Liquid Graphite, cruise control and heated grips. I'm coming off an 07 (130k trouble free miles). A common farkle on that year was a Power Commander to smooth out the throttle response and the lean fuel mix and I'm wondering if it also made the engine run cooler and would my new bike benefit accordingly.

What got me thinking on this is my '15 seems to run hotter than I remember. I'm feeling a lot of heat on my left leg while moving at speed and the exhaust cans seem to be turning an amber color. The cans on 07 always looked like new with absolutely no maintenance, just wiped 'em off. I always thought that was pretty amazing and a sign of the best quality stainless. After only a few thousand miles my '15 cans are not the same color as new. Actually, they look dull, with a slight brownish cast. They have definitely turned color. Could this be heat related? Poor quality stainless? Anybody else seeing this?

 

[Redfish Hunter]

No. No one else is seeing this.

My '15 is cooler to ride (with regards to felt heat) than Dad's '07. My mufflers are nice and shiny. Well, they would be if the bike was not so dirty anyway.

 

[El Toro Joe]

My 16ES, is no hotter than my 06 was.

 

[bhkfjr]

You could be right Mr. Redfish. I just put on my new GYTR/Yoshumuras. (Beautiful with the Liquid Graphite). I put the OEMs on the bench for a closer look. Cleaned them off with soap and water, still not good. Next tried Simichrome and they shined right up! I think I got some spray polish on them previously which doesn't clean off well. It kind of streaks and smudges and holds grime. Duh.

I'm having no fueling issues on the'15, all is nice and smooth but I'm curious to know if the P.C V would run the bike cooler by adding fuel. I'd take a small drop in mpg to make my engine happy.

 

[JamesW]

You could be right Mr. Redfish. I just put on my new GYTR/Yoshumuras. (Beautiful with the Liquid Graphite). I put the OEMs on the bench for a closer look. Cleaned them off with soap and water, still not good. Next tried Simichrome and they shined right up! I think I got some spray polish on them previously which doesn't clean off well. It kind of streaks and smudges and holds grime. Duh. I'm having no fueling issues on the'15, all is nice and smooth but I'm curious to know if the P.C V would run the bike cooler by adding fuel. I'd take a small drop in mpg to make my engine happy.

How do they sound.

 

[escapefjrtist]

No heat related issues on my '15 other than when it's over 105F on the road...then it's just plain hot all over!

How do they sound?

Probably the same as mine and redneckJ's my observant friend.

--G

 

[bhkfjr]

The new mufflers sound great! Not much louder than stock but deeper. If the stock sounds like a swarm of honeybees, these sound like bumblebees. I now find myself blipping the throttle at stops just to hear them. Quality appears top notch and they look fantastic. Somebody here got them for $700 something, I paid 800 at my dealer.

 

[HotRodZilla]

There's nothing wrong with your engine. It's happy just the way it is. Unless you absolutely have to blow $400 for absolutely no reason.

 

[Hammer Down Brown]

There might be a difference in emission regulations that require the newer bikes to run leaner and therefore a little hotter.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[ionbeam]

The newer bikes run cooler than all the Gen I and I would be willing to bet cooler than most of the Gen II. My '15 does not run hot enough to turn the pipes straw color, nor have I seen this with any other Gen III bike. This is not an across the board EPA thing, it is specific to this one bike if it's a problem at all.

If the OP's FJR is running too hot it's time to use the warranty and have a dealer check it out. The OP could also use the DIAG to go to the CO screen and (record the current offset values) and blindly bump up the readings ~ 7 each AS A DIAGNOSTIC to see if it helps cool things down.

 

[RaYzerman19]

I think there were cat revisions for GenIII....... and it looked to me that the mid-pipe material was slightly different grade of stainless?? There may be a slight difference in colour, but nothing drastic.

Also, there does seem to be some extra warmth on the feet with GenIII, I attribute to the vent hole added to the lower fairing resulting in how the heat can escape from the fairings....

 

[bhkfjr]

Yes, the fairing is different. The left side is roasting my lower leg because of the venting, the rt. side is ok. My 07 radiated heat but not in such a concentated area and wasn't an issue once you got moving. The 07 also had a little piece on the fairing that stuck up to hide the cat on the rt. side. Now you look right at it. (pretty ugly) And while I'm picking nits, I think all the stainless is a lesser grade including the cans. I visited with the new owner of my 07 a few weeks ago and could see the difference. Not to mention the missing rear fender skirt. At least it was predrilled. I can also wiggle the lower front fairing an inch both ways when I grab it down low behind my very cool carbon fiber fenda extender. I gotta see if if other Gen 3's do this.

 

[juniorfjr]

Funny, I've been thinking my 13 is hotter than my "still for sale" 05. Took it on a 800 mile weekend up to Nelson, BC and I'm sure my left leg felt it more. Guess I'll have to do more research.

 

[ElectricFJR]

I can also wiggle the lower front fairing an inch both ways when I grab it down low behind my very cool carbon fiber fenda extender. I gotta see if if other Gen 3's do this.

Check to make sure all of the screw-in and push-in fasteners are installed under there. Mine does not wiggle at all and is very solid.

 

[bhkfjr]

Thanks for checking Electric. That's the first thing I did and couldn't find any missing fasteners but that's got to be what it is, no? It was missing the quick fastener for the vent panel when I took delivery so odds are in favor of it missing another as well. I'll have the dealer check it out.

Speaking of vent panels, that's exactly where all the heat is coming from - the left side vent panel right where the quick fastener is. I recall there was a heat fix by Yamaha for a previous year (at least I think I recall it) for this same sort of issue. I haven't seen anything here on The Forum about heat on the '15s. It's hard to imagine it's gone unnoticed (it's really hot!), especially in Florida summertime.