1300 (and others?) overheating revisited

[trikebldr]

Sorry, Doug, if this is not the exact area for this, but I think this might apply to the 1300 and the XII, as well as any other bike with the exhaust pipes right behind the radiator.

The 1300 is a relatively rare bike with parts becoming even rarer, so as water pumps, fuel pumps and other major parts fail, we may not have replacements for them, even used ones.

The water pump is a biggie issue on the 1300, as well as the bike's history of low-speed overheating, even when new. I'm mainly addressing the overheating issue in this thread.

I was studying the layout of the water system the other day for possible remote pump locations. This is actually a fairly easy alteration except that the pipes would travel behind three of the six exhaust pipes. That's not a big problem if I used either copper or stainless steel pipes with normal rubber couplings and 90's at each end. But then it dawned on me that there is a heck of a lot of heat coming off of those pipes all the time. At low speeds the air doesn't move enough behind the radiator to remove all of that heat until the fan kicks on. And, in summer weather and stop-and-go traffic, even the fan can't keep up sometimes. I'm surprised that the stock rubber hoses don't cook slowly and crack, as well as the fan cooking to death. So, the solution is to look at racing technology and apply a little header heat-wrap tape on those pipes in the area just behind the radiator where it would still be out of sight. The wrap forces all of that heat to continue down the pipe until it is safely out from behind the radiator into open air spaces.

If you've never used this stuff, I can tell you that it is very effective, even in just a double layer (normal) wrap. Just wrap the pipe, overlapping it just once, as you would the handlebars on a bicycle, using a hose clamp at each end, plus maybe one in the middle. I wouldn't hesitate to touch those pipes after running the engine for a while!

I will be trying this on my 1300 when the weather warms up enough to do some serious work on it. My experience with the stuff on cramped engine bays, such as hot-rod "A's" and "T's" gives me confidence that this could eliminate the idling and slow-speed, around town heating problems that the 1300 has. Not familiar enough with the XII, but it would at least help with keeping heat away from items such as the fan and hoses. Any other inline, transverse-mounted, water-cooled engine might benefit from this, too (hence, posting this here!).

For those who might like this idea but would rather take a slightly more technical approach to the solution, ceramic coating will do almost the same job. Ceramic coatings, such as Jet (brand) coatings, do not transfer heat very well, so they also keep the heat contained inside the pipe and force it all the way past where the coating is. Jet coating will also help protect the pipes and make them look good for a long time. Better than chrome!

BTW, I'm also looking at a way to mount a remote electric water pump to augment the stock one on a 1300. I plan to wire it to come on with the fan, as well as being able to manually drive it. It will fit inline with the upper radiator hose and be mounted behind the right fairing lower. Still working out the details, but it will also push enough water that if I can figure out the thermostat relocating issues, it might also be a total replacement for the stock pump.

On my first 1300 many years ago I tee'd into the upper and lower hoses to run water over to the heater in my sidecar. I ran a small axial, inline pump to make sure I got flow. Of course it was separately powered, but it was quite effective at keeping the bike running cool in summer stop-and-go driving as long as I didn't have a hack rider with me. Two valves let me shut off/control the flow, and two quick-disconnects allowed me to remove the sidecar. Can't find that neat little axial pump now, but there are several, larger, higher volume ones available from speed shops everywhere. They would fit neatly inside the right fairing lower, mostly out of sight.

[Lucasind]

You are gonna be a busy guy this winter with all these neat projects you have going !
The mention of the long coolant hoses going over to the side hack in itself would effectively lower the temp of the coolant ! From what I've been reading from your in depth,detailed posts.... I'm surprised that you didn't have a temp gauge at the furthest point of the side hack to see the coolant temp.
that far away ! .....or did you ? ................any progress on the hybrid final drive ? or too soon ?..................................tony

[trikebldr]

I didn't care what the temp was in the sidecar, but, I did have one of those old analog Stewart Warner triple gauge sets for water temp, oil pressure and volts.

Not much to update on the final drive project yet. I did get a rear wheel last week. However, after studying the ratios of the Gold Wing 1100, I may go with that rear end system. Slightly (a LOT!) higher ratio. Also uses a 16" tire rather than a 17", so I wouldn't have to buy a new tire for the tests. Just the cost of a new rear 17" tire would offset the cost of a GW final drive, swing arm/driveshaft and wheel. Still got some research to do to see how well they will work.

YUP! So many cool (literally!) projects, so little time and good weather. I'm not rich like you, Tony and don't have a heated garage! I have to flip the cover back and work under the carport. Machining and welding happens down in the dungeon (basement!).

[Lucasind]

Ive been heating the garage for the last forty years with kerosene..... never seemed to bother me as much as it has the last couple of years,the headaches,sore throat, pinchy eyes,really puts a dampner on the long winter hours of bike improvement, I found this used woodstove and stole it for a hundred bucks at a garage sale and installed it last weekend by taking everything out of one of my metal cabinets of m/c stuff and putting the woodstove inside the cabinet, it turned the cabinet into a huge radiator of sorts that emits plenty of heat to keep the garage at 62 with a medium size fire.
I've worked in the garage every night since installing it, and love the results. Not only do I not have to keep spending 20 bucks on the 5 gal. can of kerosene every few days....... but for the price of my labor,all the firewood is free from my property. win-win 4me !



I've began the winter beast improvements.updating to progressive suspension,stainless steel brake lines,(thank you Don M) and the rims will no longer be the factory gold. The forks are being disassembled for inspection and repair and the fork lowers will also be painted to fit the theme of the bike. Alot of rusty 30 year old fasteners are being replaced or cleaned so the bike looks better after winter has it's way with us ! (it seems to have started early this year

[trikebldr]

Can I just print out a big blow-up of your heater and hang it on my wall? Maybe that will make me THINK it's warm in my carport. I have one of those propane jet heaters, but they make everything wet!