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View Full Version : Wow these NC30's really run hot...



racefactory
21st September 2008, 10:24
I know these bikes do run hot but this is starting to really distract me. It's running at 80 degrees or just above on the motorway, which i reckon should be right, however in 50k/60k zones it is running at over 90 and when i'm in busy areas and in traffic it goes right up over 100 which is just over half way on the gauge. Sit in traffic for a little while and it will proceed to 3/4 of the reading.

My Haynes does not say what temp it should be running at/optimum temp so I would like to know from some NC30 owners:

-What is the normal running temp for A)50/60k zones with some traffic B)motorway ?

-I thought maybe my fan was not working but indeed i took a good look and it does turn on, however, it only turns on when the temp gauge goes to 3/4 of the reading! i thought that was kind of alarming considering that's probably over 110 degrees- why doesn't the fan go on at or before the halfway point and should i modify this?

Morcs
21st September 2008, 10:53
Nah its pretty normal.

Going down queen street at 10pm my TL gets to 110 degrees.
Not looking forward to ever doing that in the middle of the day...

lostinflyz
21st September 2008, 11:08
yea its pretty normal. the cooling on them is pretty limited. oil coolers go a long way on them (like the nc21 and 24 i think).I struggle to get my nc21 at much temperatuire at all.

So long as it doesn't go past 125 C i think it is ok. Depending what oil is in it. But dont quote me.

They do hate sitting however. just switch them off if it becomes an issue.

Ixion
21st September 2008, 11:10
Sounds like it's doing exactly what it should. That's why you have a pressurised radiator system.

jrandom
21st September 2008, 11:47
Coolant temperature gauges just cause annoyance and distraction.

I choose to ride a bike with an aircooled engine, so that I may remain in blissful ignorance of whether it's about to melt and run down between my legs.

:yes:

racefactory
21st September 2008, 18:32
125- it probably does get bloody close to that. lostinflyz- does yours get to 3/4 temp in traffic?

I've heard of the fan switch mod- is it simple to do? Lostinflyz do you have a spare lower radiator by chance? about 20% of my fins are a bit bent but i don't know if that really makes much difference.

You guys think there would be a noticeable change in performance from 80 to 110 degrees? I ask because the times that it is 110 degrees are when im in traffic so i cant thrash it!

discotex
21st September 2008, 18:53
I know it's a different bike but my CBR runs around 72-80 on the open road depending on air temp and speed. Around town the fan kicks in somewhere just over 100 degrees (104 or 106 I think).

Never thought twice about it.

mark247
21st September 2008, 18:59
Thats fine for a nc30. Mine runs at about 1/3 around town but if i get stuck at the lights for too long it can go over half way and sometimes even nearly hit the red ( only happened twice ). I know for a fact my fan doesnt work tho. If i just keep her moving she stays at a good temperature.

racefactory
21st September 2008, 19:28
Thanks guys.

hey disotex is that a CBR400? How do they go compared to the NC30's?

Instead of creating a new thread- I think my Viffer could idle a bit nicer and it made me think it would be nice knowing it's in shape so i'm wondering how much is a good price to pay for carb balancing?

off topic: If anyone has a spare set of rearsets/pegs/brackets.... left hand switch case or assembly for CBR VFR NSR let me know cheers

lostinflyz
21st September 2008, 20:43
125- it probably does get bloody close to that. lostinflyz- does yours get to 3/4 temp in traffic?

I've heard of the fan switch mod- is it simple to do? Lostinflyz do you have a spare lower radiator by chance? about 20% of my fins are a bit bent but i don't know if that really makes much difference.

You guys think there would be a noticeable change in performance from 80 to 110 degrees? I ask because the times that it is 110 degrees are when im in traffic so i cant thrash it!

hey mate. depending how long your in traffic she can go off the clock. not to worry. just shut her down. they cool down bloody quick once you get moving.

sorry mate havent got a lower radiator. youd be doing well to find a radiator anywhere that doesn't look a bit worse for wear.

there shouldnt be a performance drop due to the temp increase. i know that my race bikes dont run perfect till in the low 90's. pain in the arse in winter when they only get to high 70's. cant be arsed taping up rads. 110 is no prob. so long as theres good oil in it shell be sweet.

racefactory
21st September 2008, 20:48
good v4 info from you lostinflyz- thanks. what do you think about the carb rebalancing thing i mentioned? The bike just doesnt constantly purr it kind of blips or falls a tiny bit every few seconds or so... maybe it's perfectly normal i dunno- it's just my car doesn't do it lol. Or is valve clearance a better thing to spend money on? How much would be a good price for valve clearances to be done?

discotex
21st September 2008, 21:04
hey disotex is that a CBR400? How do they go compared to the NC30's?


Nah mate I've got a modern 600 (the one in my sig). Haven't ridden a 400 ever. Just figured if my bike runs that hot new it's no big deal for other bikes.

racefactory
21st September 2008, 21:08
Oh ok lucky man!!

lol one more thing to add to the list! I have a slight dent in my exhaust pipe- after the headers but before the can... that bit. My can has been gutted too. This can't make much/any difference to performance could it?

mark247
21st September 2008, 21:12
Oh ok lucky man!!

lol one more thing to add to the list! I have a slight dent in my exhaust pipe- after the headers but before the can... that bit. That can't make much/any difference to performance could it?

If its just a small dent it will make absolutely no difference i suspect. I think there is a bend that is near where the pipe comes out from under the bike on the left and it looks like a dent, you might mean that?

racefactory
21st September 2008, 21:19
umm yeah lol it's exactly that!! That's not a bad dent then? But there are 2 of those ''dents'' right? One on top of that bend and one on the outside? it's just my exhaust has some scratches around that a... so i thought it may be damage... but i guess i might be wrong.

mark247
21st September 2008, 21:30
umm yeah lol it's exactly that!! That's not a bad dent then? But there are 2 of those ''dents'' right? One on top of that bend and one on the outside? it's just my exhaust has some scratches around that a... so i thought it may be damage... but i guess i might be wrong.

Not entirely sure, i think there is only one on mine on the inside of the bend. I'd check but im too lazy at the moment haha.

racefactory
21st September 2008, 22:21
please get back to me if you check!

mark247
21st September 2008, 22:35
please get back to me if you check!

remind me tomorrow

vagrant
23rd September 2008, 18:59
Hiya Trademe,
These guys in the UK have a really strong NC30 section, loads of good gen here, and they also have better access than we do to second hand parts. They don't mind shipping them out to help out the antipodean cousins!
Also some good links to parts catalogs etc.

www.400greybike.cc (http://www.400greybike.cc/newforum/)

You can splice a switch into the wires running to and from your thermo switch, they should be black and green according to my wiring diagram. This will allow you to bypass the thermoswitch and turn the fan on when you want it, but will also allow it (the thermoswitch) to turn the fan on when it gets hot (it's handy and safer if you don't notice or forget)
You also maintain the fuse protection for the circuit. And it will turn off when you turn the ignition off as well.

You could also wrap your front header pipes in thermal insulation tape. This will help keep the radiator cooler when stationary.

racefactory
23rd September 2008, 20:58
Damn thanks a lot man! I was thinking of buying some thermal wrap. Mod sounds good!

Awesome cheers.

motorbyclist
26th September 2008, 02:18
i had my nc30 go well past the "90" mark while i was thrashing it without problems
had it go right off the clock in heavy traffic a few times. just gave up, pulled up onto footpath and turned her off for 5 minutes facing into the wind
just wait til you're sitting at lights on a summers day with hot air pouring out from the fairings all over your legs. even the chassis will be hot to the touch!
my thermal switch failed, and so did the replacement; fortunately it was piss easy to bypass it with a manual one
if it's a concern, pull the radiator off and fix all the fins up with some tweezers to get the airflow back into it. i've done it before on both top and bottom NC30 radiators and a few dirtbikes - it takes fucking ages but is strangely satisfying, like popping bubblewrap.....
that dent is probably from a footpeg when it got dropped? the gutted muffler is more of a concern
that gutted muffler has probably not been followed up with a re-tune (otherwise they'd not have lost so much bottom end with no gain in the top end), so expect the bike to be running lean, which will make it run hotter than it should - learn carbies or take it to a mechanic who knows these bikes. i know Sam at red baron used to race these (now a NC35) and he did a reasonable job of my one the one time it saw a mechanic. expect it to cost $200ish at a guess - these bikes are cunts to work on, but having a mechanic familiar with the nc30 will make the job faster and less likely to be fucked up

and oil coolers were stock with the european models, along with no power/speed restrictors.... the french ones also had larger headlights....

racefactory
26th September 2008, 06:17
i had my nc30 go well past the "90" mark while i was thrashing it without problems
had it go right off the clock in heavy traffic a few times. just gave up, pulled up onto footpath and turned her off for 5 minutes facing into the wind
just wait til you're sitting at lights on a summers day with hot air pouring out from the fairings all over your legs. even the chassis will be hot to the touch!
my thermal switch failed, and so did the replacement; fortunately it was piss easy to bypass it with a manual one
if it's a concern, pull the radiator off and fix all the fins up with some tweezers to get the airflow back into it. i've done it before on both top and bottom NC30 radiators and a few dirtbikes - it takes fucking ages but is strangely satisfying, like popping bubblewrap.....
that dent is probably from a footpeg when it got dropped? the gutted muffler is more of a concern
that gutted muffler has probably not been followed up with a re-tune (otherwise they'd not have lost so much bottom end with no gain in the top end), so expect the bike to be running lean, which will make it run hotter than it should - learn carbies or take it to a mechanic who knows these bikes. i know Sam at red baron used to race these (now a NC35) and he did a reasonable job of my one the one time it saw a mechanic. expect it to cost $200ish at a guess - these bikes are cunts to work on, but having a mechanic familiar with the nc30 will make the job faster and less likely to be fucked up

and oil coolers were stock with the european models, along with no power/speed restrictors.... the french ones also had larger headlights....


thanks again andrew- as usual some good fucking info from you man. Because it's gutted, why does it make it leaner? I would have thought only altering flow before combustion would have changed mixture?

What exactly did you have done on your one ? jetting only?

Sounds like a good bet to take my viffer there. How much for a valve clearance job do you reckon?

imdying
26th September 2008, 12:55
if it's a concern, pull the radiator off and fix all the fins up with some tweezers to get the airflow back into it. i've done it before on both top and bottom NC30 radiators and a few dirtbikes - it takes fucking ages but is strangely satisfying, like popping bubblewrap.....HVAC engineers generally carry a 'comb' designed for this purpose... makes it a 2 minute job :yes:

vifferman
26th September 2008, 13:52
Damn thanks a lot man! I was thinking of buying some thermal wrap. Mod sounds good!
Just be aware that thermal wrap can cause (non stainless steel) header pipes to rust out quickly if the wrap gets wet from riding short trips in crappy weather a lot, and moisture is trapped against the metal.
Yes, a carb synch could be a good idea, but the uneven idling could be from a number of things, including air leaks in the intakes or in the exhaust plumbing, crap in the carbs, worn needles/sliders/seats, etc etc etc. If you are having the bike tuned, you need to be sure that everything is ship-shape mechanically, otherwise you'll just be chasing your tail.

motorbyclist
26th September 2008, 23:35
What exactly did you have done on your one ? jetting only?
jets were already right, the problem was number 3 cylinder wasn't getting fuel above idle revs.

i didn't have time nor patience to find the fault so gave it to sam and told him to fix/tune it and look at teh forks (which were confirmed to be bent) - turns out number three carby vacuum line had come loose. he put that back on and replaced the air filter with a foam one, tuned it and got the forks straightened... only thing i didn't like is he put the foam in dry and didn't use grease or anything to seal around the edges/corners, so crap DID get past the filter in the two weeks before i had a look at what he had done



Sounds like a good bet to take my viffer there. How much for a valve clearance job do you reckon?

well it's red baron, and the nc30 has 16 valves attached to four camshafts on two different heads, one of which is hiding up behind a radiator etc etc

nc30 was designed to be an endurance racer, which means a bomb proof engine that is (relatively) piss easy to do a complete overhaul, but frustratingly difficult to do minor jobs on


J
Yes, a carb synch could be a good idea, but the uneven idling could be from a number of things,

told jafa to take his nc30 back to the dealer (cyclespot) and sure enough all teh idle screws were in random positions (or so the mechanic says)

idles fine now that it's had the work that should've been done to it before sale done