Over Heating

[dockside]

My last trip thru the Dragons Tail I noticed the temp gauge getting hotter and hotter finally had stop and cool down. Happened twice, no water leaks cap tight, fans working ??? I live in Fla. never any over heating here even in summer traffic. Anyone with idea's? 2009 GL1800 CSC Trike. Thank's Dockside

 

[lgjhn]

My last trip thru the Dragons Tail I noticed the temp gauge getting hotter and hotter finally had stop and cool down. Happened twice, no water leaks cap tight, fans working ??? I live in Fla. never any over heating here even in summer traffic. Anyone with idea's? 2009 GL1800 CSC Trike. Thank's Dockside

Hi Doc.
Before my 2006 was triked, mine did that running the Dragon as well as going up the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Sliverton, CO. I've not been back to either one since it was triked. In both instances, I had to stop and let it cool off for a bit.
IMHO, I think what's happening is that we're running in the lower gears/higher rpms versus a slower speed and over a period of time like that, the bike just gets warmer. I did notice as soon as I got to where I could run in 5th gear at a higher speed, everything settled back to "normal".

 

[Gold Rush]

The only time anything similar to that happen to me was several years ago. It was caused by bugs and road debris getting packed into the radiators back side. I now use a garden hose and medium water flow a couple times each summer to flush out the bugs. It's amazing how few of them can cause reduced air flow through the radiators. :xszpv::xszpv:

Hope that helps.

 

[mhgoldwing]

You didn't mention whether you had checked the coolant level as prescribed in the service manual or have ever had the cooling system serviced.

Last year mine overheated in Colorado and I discovered I was low on coolant. Turns out there was a leak in the hoses on top of the engine in what my tech called a "cold engine leak"; it only occurred on a cold engine and stopped once the engine was warm and the hoses sealed off. He fixed the leaks, drained and refilled the coolant, and pressure tested the cap. All was good and it has not overheated since.

Another poster was correct also that the "parade mode" riding, under 20-25 mph, can cause overheating because the fans blow air forward negating any cooling effect from the fans or bike movement. Normally, the bike will heat up but not actually overheat when this happens if cooling system is in good shape an operating properly. IMO.

 

[dockside]

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Thanks for the feed back

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QUOTE=mhgoldwing;351913]You didn't mention whether you had checked the coolant level as prescribed in the service manual or have ever had the cooling system serviced.

Last year mine overheated in Colorado and I discovered I was low on coolant. Turns out there was a leak in the hoses on top of the engine in what my tech called a "cold engine leak"; it only occurred on a cold engine and stopped once the engine was warm and the hoses sealed off. He fixed the leaks, drained and refilled the coolant, and pressure tested the cap. All was good and it has not overheated since.

Another poster was correct also that the "parade mode" riding, under 20-25 mph, can cause overheating because the fans blow air forward negating any cooling effect from the fans or bike movement. Normally, the bike will heat up but not actually overheat when this happens if cooling system is in good shape an operating properly. IMO.[/QUOTE]

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Thank you for the feed back

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The only time anything similar to that happen to me was several years ago. It was caused by bugs and road debris getting packed into the radiators back side. I now use a garden hose and medium water flow a couple times each summer to flush out the bugs. It's amazing how few of them can cause reduced air flow through the radiators. :xszpv::xszpv:

Hope that helps.

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you for the feed back

<tbody>
</tbody>

Hi Doc.
Before my 2006 was triked, mine did that running the Dragon as well as going up the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Sliverton, CO. I've not been back to either one since it was triked. In both instances, I had to stop and let it cool off for a bit.
IMHO, I think what's happening is that we're running in the lower gears/higher rpms versus a slower speed and over a period of time like that, the bike just gets warmer. I did notice as soon as I got to where I could run in 5th gear at a higher speed, everything settled back to "normal".

 

[tndragonrider]

A friend had an overheating problem on his '05 and I suggested for him to swap out his temp sensor. It was erroneously delaying the fans coming on and caused it to overheat. Once it was swapped out it was perfect.

However it was a bear to get to. He had to remove the front fairing.

 

[07BlueCSC]

My guess would be low coolant. The only times I had a problem
was Mt. Washington & Pike's Peak.
Got the coolant up to the proper level and the problem went away.