Overheating after 10minute of ride time

Discussion in '6th Generation 2002-2013' started by Kris78, Jul 21, 2016.

  1. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Well if you started at the low level and added 1/2 a beer can full of coolant, that is the level it should rise to at normal operating temps. Drink the beer first before using the can for coolant measurements, and don't put beer in the VFR. If you were to add 3/4 of a beer can (might need a second can of beer for this) of coolant from low, that is the maximum level it should rise to when very hot. See, science and beer do mix.

    My 5th gen manual tells me to fill the reservoir to the upper line when cold.
     
  2. Kris78

    Kris78 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Darwin , Northern Territory
    I just re read the service manual , it says the level should be checked at running temp the level should be between the lower and upper level marks.

    I though it would have been more specific as at cold it's should be at ...... Mark and at running temp it should be at ...... Mark.

    Anyway I will do as the manual states and see how i go
     
  3. Kris78

    Kris78 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Darwin , Northern Territory
    So back to my original post ....
    The only other thing I have done is fitted another water pump....
    I am getting the same results as I have stated in my 1st posting.
    It seems once the coolant temp rises after riding for 10min I cannot get it to cool other than turn the bike off

    I must be just one unlucky Honda vfr800 owner
    All different test's have been done by both Honda dealer and local bike mechanic and everything tested has come up all ok ,I can't seem to get an answer why the bike is doing what its doing.

    Time to sell I think
     
  4. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    If it was mine I would replace the thermostat and radiator cap before I would sell. Have they been replaced? There's not much else that would cause it to overheat.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  5. Kris78

    Kris78 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Darwin , Northern Territory
    Yes new thermostat and I have tried 2 new radiator caps and a good used one
     
  6. Lint

    Lint Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    4,805
    Likes Received:
    950
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Simi Valley, Ca.
    Map
    Are you absolutely certain your hoses are routed correctly?

    Are you running really really lean? What color is your header and what color are your plugs?

    Are both radiators equal in temperature? Buy a laser thermometer.
     
  7. Lint

    Lint Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    4,805
    Likes Received:
    950
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Simi Valley, Ca.
    Map
    Did the Honda dealer give you the right parts?

    Are either of your radiators blocked internally? Have you done a chemical flush and made sure that all fluids are running clear? Watch this:
    https://youtu.be/s--5ft5YiHg

    Which coolant are you using and what is the concentration? 50/50 water and coolant, or are you running 100% coolant, which will absolutely overheat. Have you tried running 70% water/30% coolant? Or, just straight distilled water?
     
  8. Kris78

    Kris78 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Darwin , Northern Territory
    Hi , yes the rights parts were supplied by Honda and installed ,I did the search on part numbers before taking them in and asking the spare parts guru to double check them before he ordered them.
    The radiators are brand new so they are no issue

    I am using RHK performance coolant premixed , recommended by local track rider made in here in AUS , previous I have used engine ice and I have had no difference between them


    I can flog the bike max rpms for 10mins and its normal operating temps after 10mins then it overheats and I can't cool it down.
    The next day I can ride it granny style low rpm gear changes for 10 mins then after 10mins it overheats and I can't cool it down
    I am stumped and so are the mechanics
     
  9. NormK

    NormK New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2012
    Messages:
    1,821
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Many years ago I had a freshly rebuilt motor in my car, that on any hot day the temp would go off the dial. A friend gave me a bottle of Bitron oil treatment to put in the motor. Never had an overheating problem again. Probably not suitable for wet clutch because it obviously reduced the friction dramaticly
     
  10. DeeBee

    DeeBee New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2016
    Messages:
    285
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Fort Ooglethorpe , Ga
    Sounds like your are only getting enough coolant flow at Max rpm , somewhere the flow is either blocked (very little flow) or crossed up so that not much of the cool water from the radiators reach the engine.

    New radiators have Ben found to be plugged or partially plugged.

    Seems to be flowing good from the water pump to the radiator. If not a plugged radiator then look for a stoppage in the return line where cool water flows out of the radiator and back around through to the water pump.

    Never heard of a cracked head on one of these but , a cracked head acts similar as far as excess pressure ,over heating, and cooling down a bit at high rpm and light load (steady speed
     
  11. Kris78

    Kris78 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Darwin , Northern Territory
    Sounds like your are only getting enough coolant flow at Max rpm , somewhere the flow is either blocked (very little flow) or crossed up so that not much of the cool water from the radiators reach the engine.

    No matter how I ride the bike ...At either high / max rpm or low rpm the engine coolant stays normal temps for the 1st ten minutes of riding
    Then after 10minutes is up the bike cooling temp overheats (122deg) and I can't cool it ... I have flogged it ridden it hard and it won't cool , I have ridden it slow normal speed limits and it won't cool ..only way for temp to cool is to shut the bike off.
     
  12. DeeBee

    DeeBee New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2016
    Messages:
    285
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Fort Ooglethorpe , Ga
    My bad at first I thought you said it would cool off a little if you held it near redline.

    Even if you had no coolant flow it would take ten minutes to get hot. It shows just how much heat your coolant mixture can hold. This is why drag cars can fill the water
    galleys in their engine full of special stuff and run without a radiator / water pump etc. Even with tons of heat and HP made, they just won't heat up on a 10 second or less pass.

    Either way your engine is not getting enough fresh coolant moving through it to carry away the heat. It has to be poor flow (gotta pinpoint why) and/or more heat is being created than the cooling system can handle (lean condition, blown head gasket)

    Sorry I am not familiar with you particular model nor, do I have
     
  13. Mohawk

    Mohawk New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2010
    Messages:
    559
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Bristol
    Have you checked the thermostat bleed hose ? This comes off the thermostat & connects to the right rad front inside, its a 6 or 8mm hose. Also the Thermostat recirculation hose that comes from Tstat to the water pump 11mm hose IIRC. the small one on the pump.

    The cooling circuit works like this from cold.

    1. Engine start, coolant pumps around the BLOCK/HEAD only, via the recirculation hose back to the pump.
    This allows hot coolant to reach the thermostat so it can open.

    *** High temp on the dash, with cold rads means the thermostat is NOT opening, the temp sender is in the block in the V & measures coolant temp in the block, NOT the rads. ***

    2. Thermostat opens when recirculated coolant is at the correct temperature, this sucks in cold coolant from the rads, so the Tstat closes. This repeats until the WHOLE system is at operating temperature, which means the Tstat is open constantly.

    3. Temp on dash should stabilize in the 80-85C range. The excess coolant is expelled into the overflow tank, which when stone cold should have a level at the BOTTOM line.

    4. If temps exceed the FAN control switch temp setting then the fan kicks in.

    5. If ambient temp is very low, then Tstat will operate open/closed continously, this is normal, its there to keep the engine at the correct temperature, NOT the rads.

    So if you remove the right rad cap & start the engine from cold with the rad level below the hose from the Tstat, you should NOT see any coolant being pumped in, or very little.

    When the engine temp gauge reads approx 78-80C the Tstat should open & you will see full rate idle pumped coolant coming out of the hose into the rad. If you don't see any by the time the temp is up to 85, then you have a faulty Tstat or the recirculation hose is NOT working.

    Hope that helps.
     
  14. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Well put Mohawk.

    I re-read my owners manual and it states to check the coolant level at normal operating temps, and fill the reservoir to the upper line, which may end up the same as filling to the lower line when stone cold as you suggest. I have been doing this wrong for the past 32 years of riding liquid-cooled Hondas as I have always filled to the upper line when cold; have never had an overflow that I know of, but then I've never had a bike overheat either.
     
  15. James Bond

    James Bond Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2006
    Messages:
    1,313
    Likes Received:
    155
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Dixie
    Map
    Consider how you could sell, with integrity, a motorcycle with a cooling problem. The only way to do it is through full disclosure to the buyer, then you get nothing for the bike.
     
  16. Kris78

    Kris78 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Darwin , Northern Territory

    Hi mate
    That is my intention , I have listed the bike for sale with a full description of new parts and also the over heating issue.
    I purchased the bike near 12months ago off a guy and the overheating issue had happened on my way home from picking up the bike , the old owner denied any issues with the bike and said it was 100% perfect.
    I am annoyed he wasn't honest with me from the start ..
    And I know I am going to get nothing for it but at this time I don't want to throw anymore money or time into it

    next bike VTwin and air cooled
     
  17. REEK

    REEK New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2010
    Messages:
    485
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Sacramento CA
    Map
    before you sell, can you clarify: did YOU actually replace the thermostat? by that, I mean did you see the thermostat with your own eyes, installed?

    I do a lot of old sport bike restores as a hobby. buy em, fix em, sell em. anyway, I was re-building an old bike and I chased a spewing/overheating problem for weeks. Finally, I decided to start from zero again. As I took the thermostat out, I noticed, it actually has a 180 degree rotation specific installation orientation - if that makes any sense. The thermo housing was preventing it from opening completely until I spun it 180 degrees. As well, make sure it wasn't installed up side down. If I can make that mistake while I'm paying attention to a rebuild I have a vested interest in, a tech at a dealership just trying to get the job done might just as well make the same mistake, especially if the tech pulls the old thermostat and installs the new one in the same orientation as the old one. of course, all of this is moot if the original owner had never messed with the thermostat before you took possession.
     
  18. DeeBee

    DeeBee New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2016
    Messages:
    285
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Fort Ooglethorpe , Ga
    More often than not when what seems like it should be a simple problem or working well, since X X and X are new, ends up there is a problem where you would least expect it .....one of the new / recently installed parts.

    From my experience ,the sooner you get the idea that the newly installed parts are working properly and the job was done right out of your head. Then attack the problem 1,2,3 starting with the most common/ likely cause regardless of whether you "think" it's good or not. The sooner you will find the solution and get th job done. Else you end up passing the job on or selling it off cheap just to find out it was a bolt that fell into a hose and partially plugged it off, or a bad T-stat, ....etc .

    You need not take my word for it but after 25 years of wrenching. Nearly all my difficult to solve problems stemmed from not checking the obvious because I assumed it was good for one reason or another.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2016
  19. lckstkr

    lckstkr New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    May 23, 2014
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    Salem, Oregon
    Map
    I had a similar problem with my 2002 when i first bought it. I could hear bubbling in the over flow tank when the bike was up to temperature. There was a little work done, (cam chain tensioner) on the bike from the shop I bought it from before I took ownership. I don't know if they crossed a radiator hose or the previous owner did. On the right side radiator up under the headlights, the hose that connects to the radiator over flow was accidentally connected to the radiator pressure system and the radiator hose that should have been connected to the pressurized system was connected to the over flow bottle. Both these hoses are very similar in size but have different clamps on them. I suggest tracing out the overflow tank hose and make sure it is connected to the hose fitting that is next to the radiator cap.

    So what I got was no pressure in the system and it expanded directly to the over flow bottle and the bubbling was the antifreeze boiling over in the over flow bottle. Once I tracked this down and figured it out all my cooling issues went by the way side and has been fine for the past three years.

    My 2 cents

    luckystrike
     
  20. blackvfr

    blackvfr New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2016
    Messages:
    105
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Connecticut
    The same thing is happening to me. Just did a R/R and Stator change, so I had to disconnect some hoses. Now I went on a quick ride 5 mins and she shot up 225+ and I heard no fans. So later I will try to burp her as suggested / check for proper Tstat operation.... Thanks
     
Related Topics

Share This Page