Overheat Encounter

[xzalion]

Overheat encounter

I notice recently that my bike overheat fast. When I got back home & turn the bike off, to see if the fan would stop the heat, the fan just continue to flow without going off! & there was no progress on my clock whatsoever that the level was dropping, it was over the centre. Is this perhaps why my bike picks up heat so fast?

Where should I begin to check to fix this issue?

 

My bike is a 2001 FJR 1300.

 

[dsmack]

I'd start by checking the coolant level.

Has it been changed/serviced in years?

Was the bike actually overheated... did you lose coolant through the overflow?

Many questions. Sorry not to be able to give a definitive answer!

Don

 

[xzalion]

I'd start by checking the coolant level.

Has it been changed/serviced in years?

Was the bike actually overheated... did you lose coolant through the overflow?

Many questions. Sorry not to be able to give a definitive answer!

Don

The coolant level is 100%

The Bike has been serviced 1 month ago

When you ride, the bike picks up heat way to fast not normal. & I'm fucken force to speed to lower the heat! (The fan won't stop, when the bike reach that over heat level)

 

[wfooshee]

Fan should kick in by the time 5 bars are showing, and cut off when it drops back down to 3 bars.

You say coolant level is 100%. If you open the cap under the left side upper fairing (only open it when cold, it's full there? As well as up to the marks in the overflow bottle on the right side?

If there's enough coolant but the bike still gets warm and stays warm, then perhaps there's not enough flow. That would be either a partially blocked radiator or failing water pump, both of which are easy enough for a shop to check out.

 

[xzalion]

Fan should kick in by the time 5 bars are showing, and cut off when it drops back down to 3 bars.

You say coolant level is 100%. If you open the cap under the left side upper fairing (only open it when cold, it's full there? As well as up to the marks in the overflow bottle on the right side?

If there's enough coolant but the bike still gets warm and stays warm, then perhaps there's not enough flow. That would be either a partially blocked radiator or failing water pump, both of which are easy enough for a shop to check out.

The coolant is 100% because I full it up during the service. I spoke to another guy & he say he can almost bet me it's my radiator, but oh my god ... don't say water pump! how much does that cost?

 

[TomInPA]

The thermostat is more suspect than a pump at this point. If the thermostat fails in a partially closed or closed position, the coolant does not circulate. Thermostat 4FM-12410-00-00 is $35, and you need to figure on replacing a couple O-rings if you pull it out. Pump parts are serviceable, so you don' t need to replace a pump. The thing of it its, if you are seeing the engine overheat, just get the service completed. Your aluminum engine parts are not something that suffer being overheated routinely. The cooling system components are relatively inexpensive to service If you have maintained the coolant, then the radiator should still be flowing adequately, and if not blocked is not your most likely suspect. A radiator assembly is $350...you need to hope it's not that.

 

[xzalion]

The thermostat is more suspect than a pump at this point. If the thermostat fails in a partially closed or closed position, the coolant does not circulate. Thermostat 4FM-12410-00-00 is $35, and you need to figure on replacing a couple O-rings if you pull it out. Pump parts are serviceable, so you don' t need to replace a pump. The thing of it its, if you are seeing the engine overheat, just get the service completed. Your aluminum engine parts are not something that suffer being overheated routinely. The cooling system components are relatively inexpensive to service If you have maintained the coolant, then the radiator should still be flowing adequately, and if not blocked is not your most likely suspect. A radiator assembly is $350...you need to hope it's not that.

Thanks man, will look what is wrong.

 

[rickysnickers]

Another suggestion is to make sure the coolant system has no air in it. When the bike is cold, take the radiator cap off and let the bike heat up. See if the coolant level goes down once it has achieved normal operating temp. If there's any air in the system, it will "burp" and let it out. It's a no cost check that you can do too.

Rick

 

[ionbeam]

When the bike was serviced a month ago, was a 50/50 mix of standard type of antifreeze and water used?

Has the cooling system actually boiled over or do you turn it off before that happens?

Both the thermostat and water pump have breather hoses so they should be self burping.

If the water pump is working both hoses on the water pump should be the same temperature. Finger test is good enough. Don't burn yourself! A failed thermostat could cause this problem too. This is covered in one of the following steps.

Antifreeze enters the radiator on the upper left corner of the radiator and exits the bottom right corner going directly to the water pump. Both the inlet and outlet hoses should be almost the same temperature. If they are not, measure the temperature of the radiator from top to bottom, down the center. If there are any plugged passages there will be a cooler zone at those passages. The likelihood of all the passages plugging at once is close to zero.

If the radiator inlet hose does not get really hot it indicates that the thermostat is not opening. It is my understanding that the US '03 and later cooling systems use a 'fail safe' thermostat that should not fail in the closed position. I dunno about your '01. And, in spite of the thermostat being a fail safe part, shit happens.

The radiator cap must be in place and screwed completely down. I believe in all cases the two bulges on the cap will end up aligned exactly side to side with the motorcycle :blink: Hey, a picture would help here! If you can, the radiator cap should be tested for 13.2 to 17.4 psi. If the cooling system does not come up to pressure it will not work correctly.

 

[Monty]

Second the motion on rediator cap and thermostat. Good luck.

 

[xzalion]

Hi started my bike yet again today & let it idle for about 6 mins. The bike gets so hot - then when I look on my shocks (from above) there are steam! water droping from it! that is fucken hot. I think it's the thermostat? (any ideas how to fix it / maintain it / or is it an seal unit?)

Many thanks for the help.

 

[wfooshee]

If you're seeing steam and water then you have a leak. That will prevent it from reaching proper pressure, as the pressure trying to build just sprays water out from the leak.

By the way, the coolant is supposed to be hot. 220 to 230 Farenheit is normal. But when pressurized correctly that's not boiling. Without pressure, it is boiling, and the cooling system fails as pockets of steam form. Pockets of steam cannot carry as much heat out of the engine as liquid can.

Find the leak. You'll have to pull all the plastic off, maybe prop the tank up, and run the bike until it warms up and starts leaking. Hopefully it's just a hose, but there are quite a few of them.

 

[FJRBluesman]

OP - The interesting thing is you say the level is normal, if it has a leak, the fluid level would be declining.

The radiator has a vent hose for pressure release (at the radiator cap, on the left side), this could also be the issue for steam. Really sounds like a stuck thermostat and it's getting so hot it's blowing the cap pressure release, and it should.

BTW - During the service did they replace your radiator fluid? Did they remove any coolant hoses? If they did, is something get stuck in there?

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

[xzalion]

OP - The interesting thing is you say the level is normal, if it has a leak, the fluid level would be declining.

The radiator has a vent hose for pressure release (at the radiator cap, on the left side), this could also be the issue for steam. Really sounds like a stuck thermostat and it's getting so hot it's blowing the cap pressure release, and it should.

BTW - During the service did they replace your radiator fluid? Did they remove any coolant hoses? If they did, is something get stuck in there?

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

The leve is perfect & there are no leaks as far as the human eye can see. It must be little. During the service (major service) they drain the old antifreeze & replace it with new. But I'm now really convinced it's the thermostat!

Will let you know once this issue is been resolved.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

I wonder if they used the wrong type of radiator fluid.

 

[Constant Mesh]

With the engine off the fan will have little to no effect on the indicated coolant temperature. The temperature sensor is measuring the temperature of motionless coolant far away from the radiator.

 

[wfooshee]

With the engine off the fan will have little to no effect on the indicated coolant temperature. The temperature sensor is measuring the temperature of motionless coolant far away from the radiator.

Not only that, as the engine sits, the coolant trapped in the engine will get hotter as it absorbs heat from the engine and just sits there. The engine is cooling, but the coolant being measured is warming.

A leak doesn't have to be major to have visible steam, and any leak will reduce maximum pressure which reduces cooling effectiveness, which just feeds the overheat cycle.

Find where the steam and/or water is coming from.

 

[xzalion]

The bike is stripped now! yesterday when I check the level & remove the cap to check it aswell, little drops of antifreeze fall on the (head exhuast intakes) - this is what cause the steam because the antifreeze burn. Thanks for that, now I know that there are no leaks.

1. No leaks (completed)

2. Thermostat (unknown)

Has anybody got this same encounter? can the thermostat be recondition or is it an seal unit?

Thanks

 

[RadioHowie]

The bike is stripped now! yesterday when I check the level & remove the cap to check it aswell, little drops of antifreeze fall on the (head exhuast intakes) - this is what cause the steam because the antifreeze burn. Thanks for that, now I know that there are no leaks.

1. No leaks (completed)

2. Thermostat (unknown)

Has anybody got this same encounter? can the thermostat be recondition or is it an seal unit?

Thanks

Thermostat is a typical automotive-style device....#35

You'll need three O-rings, #31 and #25 (2 of them) to facilitate the replacement.

Hi started my bike yet again today & let it idle for about 6 mins. The bike gets so hot - then when I look on my shocks (from above) there are steam! water droping from it! that is fucken hot. I think it's the thermostat? (any ideas how to fix it / maintain it / or is it an seal unit?)

You say there are no leaks, yet you mention coolant dripping on the exhaust pipes. That, my friend, is call a "leak". You need to discover the source of that leak before you rebuild your coolant system.