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Thermostat.....I'm overheated!!


rickrad

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I have called ALL of the dealerships in the area and nobody keeps them in stock!! I really would like to ride. Does anyone know if there is an automotive thermostat that would cross over? I noticed the honda dealers want anywhere from$32 to $49 depending on which one I ask. Seems that all of the auto parts are under $5.

HELP!!!! My scoot is a '99 XX

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Thermostats very seldomly fail, and almost never fail in the closed position.

Are you sure your stat is at fault? What are your symptoms?

The thing runs on the warm side at speed but if you stop at a light, it starts heading toward the red!! The other day, I was stopped at a light for a long period (granted it is 100 degrees here) and it shot up past the red. You couldn't hardly touch the tank. This was happening before and the cap was found to be faulty but that was just last year.

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Do you you have a cute sister? :banghead:  :grin:  

Hugo

Yea, if you think a woman that is over 400 lbs with hairy legs and armpits and more chins than a chinese phonebook is cute :shock:

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Yea, if you think a woman that is over 400 lbs with hairy legs and armpits and more chins than a chinese phonebook is cute :shock:

Can we PLEASE on the BIKE problem at hand then? :grin:

Hugo

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Switch to a 97 ot 98 bird, they NEVER go more then half way to red.

Seriously the FI bikes run hotter, did you actually boil over or just get in the red zone? I'm starting to wonder if the FI bikes just INDICATE hotter running, as in gauge reads high.

I agree the thermostat is most likely not the problem.

Any bug buildup on the radiator or a lot of bent fins?

You can straighten them but it's a long project and be careful.

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If you have removed the thermostat, it's easy to check it. Put it in a quart pan with enough water to cover it, stick in a cooking thermometer, and turn on the heat. It should visibly start to open just under 180, and be fully open just over 180 or thereabouts. This is the only way to know for sure.

I assume you've checked the coolant level in the radiator when cold? What coolant mix are you running? Has it boiled over?

The normal operating range, even in the hottest conditions (remember I live in that), is right up to the top of the middle range. With Waterwetter and only 20% coolant however, it will stay right at the fan-on spot (about 2/3 range) no matter how hot the weather is.

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Ok, it's not the thermostat. Heated it in water and it opened up like a $2 hooker.  

What the hell? :???:  :???:  :mad:  :mad:

Just my added two cents.

FI bikes do run hot but not red level (just right before red). However, mine had an electrical grounding issue that would make the temp indicator become moodier than the average female during its period. So my question would be: bike at idle - at a stop - rev engine to 3-4 krpms and while watching the temp indicator. Does it trigger a quick fluctuation reading?

Hugo

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Keep the suggestions coming guys....if any of you have been reading my posts the last 3 weeks you know that I'm having EXACTLY the same trouble as rickrad. The shop has had my bike in its shop for 3 weeks now and mega bucks later, still no solution and no ride! They have called Honda and Honda has said they haven't heard of any overheating problems on any of their engines! (BS!!!) The shop has another bike (RC51) that has the same problem as my XX! Help!

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OK :mad: :mad: :mad:

Pulled the thermostat (fine)

Drained and flushed the coolant (a little dirty)

Refilled with water and water wetter.

Cooling fins are fine

no short in electrical (it really gets hot I can barely touch the bottom of the tank)

Fan comes on

SONOFAF-NBITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What the hell. I am lost. I don't know what to do other than trade it in for a new bird. I really don't want to do that, but shit.

Does anyone make aftermarket cooling pump blades or cooling fans???

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Have you pulled and examined your coolant pump yet? You say the coolant looks a little "dirty." Could it be debris fdrom a fragged pump?

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Overheatin' Gents:

Years ago I had an Isuzu Trooper that randomly overheated. (It turned out to be a leak in the head gasket) I spent a lot of time troubleshooting that problem, changing thermostats, etc. If you're totally fucking stumped, here's what I would try:

* Can you find someone to test your coolant? If there are any gasket leaks, any shop can find this by checking the coolant to see if there are any traces of combustion byproducts (hydrocarbons) in the coolant.

* You need to verify that your water pump is doing its job. When I did this with the Trooper, I disconnected the upper radiator hose from the radiator, and routed that loose end to a 5 gallon bucket. I opened up the radiator cap and laid a trickling garden hose in there. Start engine and let it warm up. When the thermostat opens, it'll start by burping coolant out at first, then will turn into a steady flow. Keep the garden hose flowing to match the level of coolant pumped out of the block. You should get a steady flow of water OUT of the block, past the thermostat, and it should be fairly warm but not boiling......you don't have a closed system. If everything checks out, I would examine the 5 gallon "waste" bucket for any residue or foreign matter, indicating that a seal or gasket has let loose.

***disclaimer: I have done this on a Trooper, not a Bird....but I don't see why it couldn't work as well. Also, flush that tap water out of there as soon as possible after the "pump" test.

These two checks should tell you whether or not the basic cooling system is working. Hope this helps.

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Have you pulled and examined your coolant pump yet? You say the coolant looks a little "dirty." Could it be debris fdrom a fragged pump?

Good thought, I'll pull it apart tonight. The dirty look was just a little cloudy off colored green, thats all, not like a bunch of sediment or anything.

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