Running hotter on 98

[MrMelon]

Originally posted by jrandom
Um. Well, then, I don't want to be flippant, but what precisely are you worrying about?

If you *do* really want data on expected operating temperatures (and that would be understandable given that you want your baby in tiptop shape and all) why not just find a good two-stroke mechanic around town, have a chat and possibly (le horreur!) pay him for an hour's work to check the bike over...?

Or bribe a Japanese mate to translate the shop manual for you

Well I spose i'm a bit worried since the average temp has increased by 20-30 degrees in the last week or so, and there was this about rgv250's, but I don't know if it's the same with tzr's.

from rgv250.co.uk
Warming up

Always warm the engine up properly before subjecting it to any load, ideally it should run at 55-65 degree's. You will need a after market temp gauge to tell but if the temp rises above 90 degree's when riding switch off the engine as serious damage is on it's way.  Warm the bike by blipping the throttle but keeping below about 6,000 rpm for a few minutes. Not recommended for early morning if you want to keep the neighbours happy.

 

[SPman]

Originally posted by jrandom
And that's cutting me own throat.

(ahem)

Your last name's not Dibbler, is it?

 

[jrandom]

Originally posted by SPman
Your last name's not Dibbler, is it?

That's *Mr* Dibbler to you. And it's pronounced 'Throatwobbler Mangrove'.

[Sheep Dags]

glenn my nsr rarely goes above 60 degrees unless im sitting in traffic... thats cause the radiator needs air to pass through it to cool it down, plus sitting right behind a car's exhaust is bound to push the temp up.. i've got right up to 80 degrees sitting in traffic which is weird for my bike but once i get a bit of open space it cools back down...

in fact, ringing the nuts out of it got my temp down to as low as 50 cause of the 160kmh winds passing through it.

but yea, didn't get above 60 the whole way from auckland to kk and back...

but shit man you're always going on about how you go over redline and shit the whole time... i mean i don't know that much about bikes but it is a red line for a reason!

[MrMelon]

Haha, I hardly ever take it past 12k.. i've only had it to 13k once or twice, but you've gotta give it a blast every now and then

I'll have another play with it when I get home tonight and see if there's anything else I can see that'd be interfering with the cooling.

[Dave]

If your radiator doesn't have a fan fitted, Then there is nothing to stop the bike overheating if it idles for too long, I would suggest if the traffic is sooo slow that the bike gets too hot. Shut off the engine and walk the bike along with your feet until you need to go again.

( the radiator fan on my GSXR400 had a 115 degree switch from new)

[James Deuce]

Theoretically your engine should run slightly cooler if anything on higher octane fuel due to improved fuel combustion. I used to have an RC30 that I went to umpteen track days on and it ran much cooler on AvGas (100 octane), so much so that I had to duct tape the radiator in winter to get up to operating temperature. Too cool is just as bad as too hot as the engine parts won't be operating at their correct tolerances.

Like other people have said, I think your problem is that the coolant got low enough to develop an air block. It would be a good idea to drain and flush the radiator and cooling system. Make sure you add coolant and water slowly and rock the bike from side to side during the refill process so that any air is flushed out.

Good Luck!

palef

[marty]

try running a slightly cooler plug - what is in there at the moment? i run NGK BPR9EVX, and have trouble getting my temp over 55, although i don't have too many slow motorway trips.....those are the factory recomended ones.

does the 98 really make that much difference to performance?

[merv]

Originally posted by MrMelon
Gah it's dong it again!

My temperature when cruising around is getting to 90 degrees, and it went up to just over 100 while stuck in traffic for 5 mins at a roundabout.. It's been running at 60-70 degrees since I got it serviced and the coolant topped up, so I ripped the fairings off again last night to check, and the coolant's still full..

Anyone got any ideas what could be causing this?

Thermostat not opening or water pump not going maybe?

I've just re-read this message you posted and I am a bit baffled. Was it running at 90 deg until you had it serviced and now its OK running at only 60 - 70 or was it OK until you got it serviced and now its running at 90?

If it started after the service and when you started using 98 octane you can eliminate the fuel by going back to what you used to use. Then if its still no good you have to figure out what else has been changed since. What got touched when it was serviced? Still to change the temp by 20 deg something major has happened - like leaner jetting or something, or as has been said before air in the system or check the plugs. Usually air will work its way out though and drain coolant from the overflow each time the engine cools down and you have said the levels are OK now.

I'm running out of ideas.

[MrMelon]

Sorry, that wasn't the clearest of posts, and I'm sure the fuel I'm using has nothing to do with it.

I've been using 98 for the last 3 months.

About 2 months ago I took the bike in to get serviced, as it was running at 90-100 degrees. The shop checked it out, and found there was next to no coolant in the bike and said they flushed the system and topped it up. They also changed the plugs, but I'm not sure what they are. It ran fine at 60-70 degrees for the next month and a half.

Just in the last week the temperature has gone from the usual 60-70 degrees to 80-100 degrees. Cruising at 100km/h the temp sits at 80, but if I open it up for more than a few seconds, the temperature will climb up to 90-95 fairly quickly.

If I sit in traffic it'll get up to about 100 degrees, and go back down to 90 or so when I start getting some decent speed up again.

I'm going to try and flush the coolant system tonight to try and get rid of any air pockets that might be in there that could be stopping it from working properly (any tips on doing that anyone? :P)

[MrMelon]

Fixed it.. looks like there was an air pocket in the cooling system somewhere.

Went for a big thrash and didnt get the temp above 70 deg.

[Redstar]

your right that the water level in the header tank is lower when cold as the contracting water is sucked back.
Is it throwing water out the overflow.
when hot. worth checking the rad cap seal. if you start from cold and see bubbles in the neck of the rad with the cap off as it heats then you have blown the Head gasket.

if you have milk in the crank oil you have most certainly done so.
when you top it up you need a 30% anti freeze mix not just tap water! anti freeze has a higher boiling point and keeps things cooler and lubricants for the pump,and anti corrosive chemicals its more important in the summer than the winter they should rename it "water conditioner" as anti freeze implies protection for iceing. you can get a co2 test done on the water which if indicates carbon hydrates in the water indicates a head gasket problem.
pressurised systems increases the boiling set point like in atmosphere water boils at 100c but when pressurised to the system does not boil until much higher temperatures.

I have done 30,000klms and never needed to top up the water at all. but now I should change the coolent.
Head gasket or radiator cap,or thermostat. hope its not the first one!

[Redstar]

your right that the water level in the header tank is lower when cold as the contracting water is sucked back.
Is it throwing water out the overflow.
when hot. worth checking the rad cap seal. if you start from cold and see bubbles in the neck of the rad with the cap off as it heats then you have blown the Head gasket.

if you have milk in the crank oil you have most certainly done so.
when you top it up you need a 30% anti freeze mix not just tap water! anti freeze has a higher boiling point and keeps things cooler and lubricants for the pump,and anti corrosive chemicals its more important in the summer than the winter they should rename it "water conditioner" as anti freeze implies protection for iceing. you can get a co2 test done on the water which if indicates carbon hydrates in the water indicates a head gasket problem.
pressurised systems increases the boiling set point like in atmosphere water boils at 100c but when pressurised to the system does not boil until much higher temperatures.

I have done 30,000klms and never needed to top up the water at all. but now I should change the coolent.
Head gasket or radiator cap,or thermostat. hope its not the first one!

[merv]

Originally posted by MrMelon
Fixed it.. looks like there was an air pocket in the cooling system somewhere.

Went for a big thrash and didnt get the temp above 70 deg.

Good to hear you found it.