Weird overheating problem

Classic Goldwings

Help Support Classic Goldwings:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

lew1701

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
129
Reaction score
0
Location
Plymouth, IL
Hey all, as I've stated in previous posts, this is my first wing...a '77 GL1000 so I'm hoping for some experienced insight before I go poking around internally. The bike runs pretty good, I can run all day as long as I stay below 60 mph. As soon as I go over 60 the temp starts to climb. It takes a little under 5 minutes to start but as soon as it does it steadily climbs to the high side of the operating range. The fan is wired to a toggle switch so I turn it on then, the temp stops rising but will not come down until I slow back down below 60. Even if I start the fan then accelerate beyond 60 it still does the same thing...goes to the very high side of the op range then levels out. I've checked the usual suspects...flushed the cooling system, filter & oil change, water flow from the pump seemed fine. I thought maybe these bikes normally run warm but haven't read anything to support this. Any opinions on where to start, I'm all ears.
 
Couple of thoughts come to mind.. did you burp the radiator and verify the air was out of the system?? could be small air bubble expanding.. also have you check your radiator for free flow.. I am talking about air flow.. no overly bent fins.. fins not blocked by bugs and crud.. and is it possible your radiator needs to be (rodded/Tanked) cleaned?? your fan could be running slow also.. . and last thing is head gaskets.. you may have one that is beginning to blow.. and when running pressure is high enough it is pushing exhaust gas into the cooling jacket.. ( and you are running silicate free antifreeze/coolant.. right??)
 
well mywings dont run hot ......first thing id do is take out the thermostat ...you live in dallas ....not like you need to be cocerned about it running to cold....the fan is not much help at speed you already getting 60 mph wind the fan dosnt blow that hard.....with the thermosat out of the way and no restriction ...if it still gets hot then somthing else is going on plain and simple .....but yrs ago when i was in fla. my bike started running hot and i could whatch temp guage go up and down and overheat the system could not keep up with fla. hot weather ......took the thermostat out put manual switch on fan and done deal bike ran cool and i hardly ever use the fan except in stop and go traffic and when i turn it on then it realy runs cool and makes for enjoyable riding comfort as for heat .....ive never looked back and all my wings are setup that way .....and like i said if the bike runs hot with thermostat out its for sure somthing else .....with all the cleaning you have done it sounds like it not a radiator thing ......make sure it not loosing coolant ......thats what id do your halfway there anyway ..... :mrgreen:
 
My bike does not run hot either,but I do notice it will run warmer over 65 than under for some odd reason.
It will run 1/4 to 3/8 gauge normally,but will rise to about 1/2 gauge when pushing 75 or more down the freeway for any extended period of time.

I am curios how warm you run under 65,perhaps it just time to address the t-stat ,or take it out like joe says,and if you can bring the overall temp down,the hi speed increase wont be an issue.
 
When I was chasing that overheating problem on the 1200 I had 3 different radiator shops tell me if it overheats going slow it's a air flow problem, going fast it's a coolant flow problem.
The way I see it there are no hard and fast set rules but this is a good place to start as a guideline.

Looking at the problem mechanically,
water has to flow through the radiator,
Air has to pass over the radiator to expel the heat.

Considering yours is not a failing head gasket or exhaust gas getting into the cooling system some other way, if the tstat isn't opening far enough that could slow coolant flow.
Like was mentioned with bent or clogged fins air won't pass through the fins.

I'm not a big fan of leaving the thermostat out, for testing ok but not permanently.

You mentioned with the fan on the temp will stop rising. That tells me there's a air flow problem because at speed the fan should almost never be needed unless your loaded pulling a long grade with a sidecar or trailer.

Are the air deflectors in place? That makes a HUGE difference in temps.
The 1200 with a special front end for sidecars has a larger mass which blocks much of the air flow. After I put the metal air deflectors on from a 1000 the temps dropped considerably. Originally the 1200 Standard doesn't really have air deflectors.
 
dan filipi":fd3wvyyd said:
Are the air deflectors in place? That makes a HUGE difference in temps.
After I put the metal air deflectors on from a 1000 the temps dropped considerably. Originally the 1200 Standard doesn't really have air deflectors.
Were the air deflectors Honda original equipment? My '82 deflectors were rusted away from being outside for 12 years and the '81 only had the fancy chrome grill cover (which I did transfer to the bike.) My fan will come on while going down the highway! Perhaps the deflectors would be a worth while investment for me.

During the past week with 100+ degrees and high humidity, my temp gauge stayed dead in the middle until the stop and go traffic when it rose to just past center (half) and went up to just under 3/4 (still in the white zone). It then just stayed there even on the highway. Get home and shut it down and within 10 minutes the engine cools so the temp gauge drops to 1/4 (even in the sun!) (Gotta love aluminum!)
 
thats agood point about the side skirts on the radiator my neww 1100 didnt have any and ran hotter till i put them on .....but also the volt changing thing for the guages might be going in and out seems like my 1100 was doing that and making me think i was running realy hot and it was running pretty hot but not like what the guages was saying and the biggest culprit was the wind deflecters and i also think the 1100s run a little hotter than my 1000 and all this had me fooled a little ....i also had to add some fluid to it like it is leaking .... but now everthing is ok and im not sure what was going on except the deflecters......

yes gerry thats original eqipment the after market stuff is bigger and better as for wind deflecting :mrgreen:
 
mcgovern61":2gy46jqi said:
Were the air deflectors Honda original equipment? My '82 deflectors were rusted away from being outside for 12 years and the '81 only had the fancy chrome grill cover (which I did transfer to the bike.)

The Interstate models didn't come with deflectors, a deflector of sorts is designed into the fairing lowers, not anywhere as effective as the chrome deflectors you had and what the Standards came with.
On mine I put the deflectors on with the lowers also on. It will run below 1/2 on the highway in 100+.

I would loose the chrome grill cover myself, blocks too much air flow but yours may be ok if you added the deflectors.
Not sure if they'd mount up with the fancy grill though.

I have a couple ifin ya want em.
 
dan filipi":2l8zgrwe said:
mcgovern61":2l8zgrwe said:
Were the air deflectors Honda original equipment? My '82 deflectors were rusted away from being outside for 12 years and the '81 only had the fancy chrome grill cover (which I did transfer to the bike.)

The Interstate models didn't come with deflectors, a deflector of sorts is designed into the fairing lowers, not anywhere as effective as the chrome deflectors you had and what the Standards came with.
On mine I put the deflectors on with the lowers also on. It will run below 1/2 on the highway in 100+.

I would loose the chrome grill cover myself, blocks too much air flow but yours may be ok if you added the deflectors.
Not sure if they'd mount up with the fancy grill though.

I have a couple ifin ya want em.
You have a deflector? I will take it! PM me the cost. I would like to have it before I head out to Ohio in a week and half if possible.

My '82 was originally a Standard and the deflector was (at one time) chrome on the outside wings, but mesh on the radiator fins. Never dawned on me that may have been needed. I thought it was dress up that I could do without. I would lose the chrome grill in a heartbeat, but I didn't want the radiator fins exposed to rocks and other debris kicked up from the front tire.
 
joedrum":3tfwmurs said:
sounds like you might have to do some custom work gerry !!!!! :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :mrgreen:
Joe, I think I see a set real close by. Ohhh, they're on the Mongrul!
 
Sorry Gerry, I can't find them.

I thought for sure I had another chrome set and used the painted set on Susie's bike :head bang:
I'll keep looking around.
I do have a rock screen if you want that.

Might try a wanted ad here and at NGW. A lot of guys take them off saying they like the look.
 
Well, I went out this morning to start running down the checklist of suggestions everyone listed...but , let me run this by you guys. I got a new fuel filter for this bike on Friday so I figured it was a quick job so I went ahead and put it on. Before I could get into anything I got called away to my mom's house about 35 miles away. I decided to ride over there and guess what...no overheating problem. Took it up to 85 and temp gauge stayed dead center of op range. Is it possible that fuel deprivation could cause heating issues?
 
Well, just got back from a 3 hour ride with the wife on back. Temp held steady right where it should. I read Dan's thread concerning his overheating problem from awhile back, guess I got off pretty lucky. Hope my luck holds out. Thanks everyone for the great suggestions.
 
Running lean will definitely create hotter cylinder temps! Timing that is too far retarded will, also.
Hope that's all it was, as it sounds like it is running mooch better now. :mrgreen: :clapping:
 
Top