Runnin warm

[Ansimp]

Looking at your gauge I believe it should run around the step (cold to hot thickening, two less bars). You have many possibilities: bad signal from sender ( earth, wiring, faulty sender), fan switch ( same as sender) and engine thermostat is too high a value or faulty. As you said the coolant overflow bottle was low you may have a leak and air in the system causing incorrect readings on the gauge and fan switch. I use an infa red thermometer to check the radiator core temperature which gives a lower reading than a temp gauge but at least gives you a base line.

That said you feel like the bike is hot and the temp gauge agrees with you.

BTW when the thermo fan cuts in you do get a lot of hot air blown back on to you, more noticeable when you are stationary. :yes:

 

[bronko37]

Ansimp » Tue May 27, 2014 5:38 pm[/url]":31uqqzc2]
Looking at your gauge I believe it should run around the step (cold to hot thickening, two less bars). You have many possibilities: bad signal from sender ( earth, wiring, faulty sender), fan switch ( same as sender) and engine thermostat is too high a value or faulty. As you said the coolant overflow bottle was low you may have a leak and air in the system causing incorrect readings on the gauge and fan switch. I use an infa red thermometer to check the radiator core temperature which gives a lower reading than a temp gauge but at least gives you a base line.

That said you feel like the bike is hot and the temp gauge agrees with you.

BTW when the thermo fan cuts in you do get a lot of hot air blown back on to you, more noticeable when you are stationary. :yes:

Yes, lots of hot air blowing back at me. I am thinking it has something to do with a sender or thermostat switch. It cant be normal for a bike to blow this much heat on you. If it is I dont know how honda stays in business, and I am a honda fan!

 

[backlander]

Sounds like the base cooling system is working but not to 100 %. Could be system pressure due to bad radiator cap, partially clogged radiator fins or core. Your gauge is showing your operating about one bar more than mine is so I don't think you have much of a problem. You might as well get used to the fact that Honda dropped the ball when addressing the heat problem to the inside of your calves when the outside temps get in the 80's and 90's on the fully dressed GL's. Get you some forward floor boards or crash bar highway pegs to get your legs away from the engine. That's what I did so I could cool them off and give them some relief. You can run without the lowers but you have to have the radiator air scoops that surround the radiator to funnel enough air through the core. You can fab your own, I made a set out of some damaged lowers but haven't tried them yet. Apple fabbed up a set also. That will let more air get out of the engine compartment quicker which should mean a cooler air hitting your legs. I'll see if I can find my post on the ones I made.

found the link on the scoops. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7711&hilit=radiator+scoops

 

[bronko37]

I topped off the recovery tank and the bike was running one bar lower than in the pic. It was getting warm with no air running through it. I discovered that there are already highway boards on the bike, lol. I knew they were there but I actually tried them yesterday on a ride with the wife. What a relief. I am no longer dreading riding this bike for 300 miles at a time. I am thinking about cutting out the molded pockets in the front of the fairing to allow more air to run through. I will take a picture to show you what I am talking about. I would think any additional air flow would be an improvement. :builder:

Also, :0fftopic: The CB on the left side of the fairing does not work, nor do I think I will ever use it. Is ther any other cool goodies that can replace that? Just curious what else I could put there that may be a bit more functional.

 

[bronko37]

I was just reading through the owners manual and learned that it is totally normal for the bike to be warm like that. The manual says that the normal operating range is from 2 - 8 bars on the digital display. Coolant is full and the fan is working so I assume everything is working as normal. I will just have to use the highway pegs when its hot out.

 

[joedrum]

hmmmm id be doing something to stop that heat .. like move it along its way .. but thats me ... i lke my motors to run on the cooler side ... not honda way ... and i dont like heat ... its no good for me and its no good for motor in my opinion ... especially on a motor that hard to get parts for

 

[bronko37]

I rode the bike a bit last night and today. It seems to be runnin in the 4 bar range and cooling in the 5 bar range after i topped the recovery tank. Dont know if ill get it better than that. Do people remove the lowers in the summer? Is that a common thing to do?

 

[slabghost]

Some remove the lowers and some remove the shield between the radiator and carbs. More air flow is a bit cooler.

 

[dan filipi]

Removing the lowers also removes the built in air direction through the radiator they provide. The lowers dont provide much but you may see it running warmer in the gauge without them.
What helps greatly for this is installing the standard model radiator deflectors or making your own.

 

[mcgovern61]

Do we have any pics from any Member that has installed the Standard radiator deflectors on a 1200?

 

[dan filipi]

mcgovern61 » Fri May 30, 2014 6:52 am[/url]":3eidh18t]
Do we have any pics from any Member that has installed the Standard radiator deflectors on a 1200?

Well I did on suzies 1200 with sidecar.
Her 1200 is a standard which comes with silly little plastic pieces to direct air, pretty worthless.
I also modded on an 1100 radiator.
Together with the early deflectors it runs nice and low on the gauge even pulling a loaded sidecar.
I'll check on the pics.

 

[bronko37]

dan filipi » Fri May 30, 2014 8:47 am[/url]":2mvtdh0e]
Removing the lowers also removes the built in air direction through the radiator they provide. The lowers dont provide much but you may see it running warmer in the gauge without them.
What helps greatly for this is installing the standard model radiator deflectors or making your own.

Are you talking about the "air scoops" on the sides of the radiator like on my 75 and 76 GL1000? Just try to push more air through the radiator I guess is the idea?

Are there any cons to removing the shield that is between the radiator and the carb? That seems like a quick easy thing to do...

 

[joedrum]

oh my ...you looking for a verbal beating or something ... :smilie_happy: ..dont you know honda is perfect and it is blastomy to do anything against mother honda and the army of puritians :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :hihihi:

if you want cooler legs and a cooler running motor ... it can be done ..all kidding aside .... not one of my wings have a solid shield just on the other side of radiator ... the motor mount bar can still be there on 1200s and on 1000-1100 the two bar mounts can be there ... access to carbs and all greatly incresed ...me speaking for me i could never see the sense in such a design ever ..... :mrgreen:

 

[slabghost]

I hadn't noticed we are talking honda lowers yes the side scoops like on the 1000's. If you do remove the lowers you should install the side scoops. I've not read of any downside to removing the shield. Some say it's structural but no one who has removed the shield has reported any troubles.

 

[Steve83]

The shield itself is not structural, but the braces behind it are supposed to help control torque flex. The only advantage I can see using the shield is keeping hot air away from the carbs, preventing the fuel in the bowls from evaporating or boiling, and keeping the intake air cooler, thus more dense.

 

[dan filipi]

I removed that shield tin and glad I did.
So much easier to work on.
With it out there does seem to more air blowing through to cool legs.

Just as a thought, with the earlier deflectors on mine the fan blade gets spun by the ram air effect at 40 mph. Without them it doesn't spin til 60 or so.