Overheating

[jhellman]

Hi all,

I just came back from a trip to Lake Tahoe. On several occasions, the temperature gauge went past its "normal" peak point (a scosh past the 6/10 line) and almost hit the red lines. Twice it occurred on long, hard, 7 - 8% grades, and once at 8400" while idling to pay an admission fee after using 1st gear for 3 miles on a gravel access road. In routine high speed riding, it stayed at the normal hot point.

I've got 22K miles on my 2009, and have never seen this before, but this is the first stressful trip I've taken with the new KAMS kit. The radiator fan is working, but I was surprised to realize it was blowing air through the radiator and not pulling it through, but maybe the old fan did it that way, too.

Ideas?

Joe

[HMB Don]

This is normal, the worse that happened to me was last year heading to the AVA Rally. While going over the Tehachapi Grade, and pulling a Time Out Trailer loaded with brake pads, stainless steel brake lines, cases of Amsoil to sell at the rally, I had to back off my speed and down shift to 3rd. Because the temp gauge needle was at the red mark on the gauge, temp that day was 106. Later while leading a ride to Cedar Breaks overlook, while following a line of slow moving cars my temp gauge needle went into the red. Once I picked up speed the temp gauge needle came back down to the 1:30 position.

This year with 40K something miles on the ODO and fresh Amsoil Coolant. the needle hardly ever goes past the 1 o'clock position on the gauge. Even when the temp rose up to 105. I've also started only using high test unleaded. Thanks Ed, for that info on gas. As soon as I started using the 91 fuel my 1700 started running cooler. The real reason for using high test, was I was doing a top end run and with mid-grade fuel is would only pull 4,000 RPM in 6th. Now with the 91 fuel, pipe color is light gray, cooler engine running, top end is now 5,000 RPM plus.

No I haven't wrapped the pipes. No I didn't add engine ice, I use 10-40 Amsoil in the engine.

[David (N. Alabama)]

I don't have the KAMS kit on my '10. I am running Engine Ice, have wrapped the pipes. My temp gauge has never climbed higher than the point where the fan comes on. I have over 40,000 miles on the bike.

[Kevin B in Illinois]

Added Engine Ice in the 2009 , it dropped it slightly on the temp. Had the Dealer . extra heat shield redo( owner's have to ask dealer to install these updated heat shields on the 09's) installed and they helped with the heat. Mostly open road rural riding, so no heavy traffic and no trailers being pulled. It is a 103 Cubic Inch V twin(liquid cooled) engine so it will pump out some serious heat.

Kevin Braddy
IPVMC
President

[hank43]

This is normal, the worse that happened to me was last year heading to the AVA Rally. While going over the Tehachapi Grade, and pulling a Time Out Trailer loaded with brake pads, stainless steel brake lines, cases of Amsoil to sell at the rally, I had to back off my speed and down shift to 3rd. Because the temp gauge needle was at the red mark on the gauge, temp that day was 106. Later while leading a ride to Cedar Breaks overlook, while following a line of slow moving cars my temp gauge needle went into the red. Once I picked up speed the temp gauge needle came back down to the 1:30 position.

This year with 40K something miles on the ODO and fresh Amsoil Coolant. the needle hardly ever goes past the 1 o'clock position on the gauge. Even when the temp rose up to 105. I've also started only using high test unleaded. Thanks Ed, for that info on gas. As soon as I started using the 91 fuel my 1700 started running cooler. The real reason for using high test, was I was doing a top end run and with mid-grade fuel is would only pull 4,000 RPM in 6th. Now with the 91 fuel, pipe color is light gray, cooler engine running, top end is now 5,000 RPM plus.

No I haven't wrapped the pipes. No I didn't add engine ice, I use 10-40 Amsoil in the engine.

Agree with Don, on our recent long trip to Logan, there were several times when I hit the red in the Colorado Mountains in particular, but it didn't stay there, and dropped down when going downhill. On fairly level ground when crossing the plains states, it just burbled along at it's usual sub-nuculer temperatures of approx 2 o'clock on the gauge. I was riding a trike, Engine Ice, Wrapped Pipes, and a KAMS retrofit, 2 up pulling a trailer (see below) so I guess I can't complain too much. This is an '09 Voyager, and I am enjoying it much more now that I have over 10,000 miles on the odo. (Don says "it aint even broke in yet")

hank43