170 Thermostat found

[vl5150]

I found a direct replacement thermostat to help things run a bit cooler (or at least until heat soak gets you).
Nextday auto has them.  P/N is: W0133-1634599

Nissan Sentra 1.6 in the 90's uses the same P/N so you can try the local parts store too.

I'm testing fan thermo switches as well and will start a post when I find the right one.  I think I found a solution, but it's too early to tell.  It's specs are 185f/176f.

[Rikugun]

Thanks for posting and definitely update if you find the thermo switch.

[Blake]

Not sure if this is it.... part number at the bottom of the page is identical:

http://www.amazon.com/NTC-W0133-1634599-NTC-Thermostat/dp/B001G6JOTU/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1404262565&sr=1-1&keywords=W0133-1634599

The review says its for a nissan sentra with a 1.6.   Might be worth a try. 

[vl5150]

Looks like they're one in the same.   This is a huge win for the bike since the Yamaha engineers blew it with the cooling.

I tried the Standard Products TS-198 in for the fan switch and it does not work.  It's more of a sender than an on off switch so once the water gets a little warm, it starts the fan and keeps it on.  My bike runs the fan after the ignition is off so it would run the battery down.  I have a VERY promising replacement that's due to be delivered tomorrow so stay tuned.

TS-198 (do not use this)- http://www.summitracing.com/parts/smp-ts198

[QBS]

In the interest of stopping an "urban legend"/aka bad data before it gets started, the Yamaha engineers didn't "blow it" with the cooling system.  Period.  End of discussion.  My 30 years and over 80k miles of '83 ownership have shown the V cooling system to be one of the most robust systems on the bike.  Many hot(100+F.),  high speed(8-9krpm) miles through the deserts of Western America carrying extended camping/touring loads, have never seen my V over heat.  Likewise, heavy stop and start traffic in urban south Texas traffic have only caused one overheat event.  That was caused by a blown fan fuse.

Don't trash what you don't know about.

[sunburnedaz]

QBS I know we may never see eye to eye on this one but living in the desert of Phoenix AZ with 110*+ days with air temps on the road being in the 130+ range and running 7000 to 8000rpms keeping up with traffic is pushing the cooling system to its limit. Its always running 7/8's on the freeway and touching the red in stop and go traffic. When the temps are below 80* She is much happier with the winter being her favorite time to play.

Just to list the things I have tried.

170* thermostat. - No help did seem to help with the initial heat soak though.
Almost brand new rad - no help
Bleed and burped this goofy thing till I I was blue in the face. - No help
16psi cap - This keeps its from boiling over when I come to a stop so its keeping it from getting steam bubble. - Little help
Verified the temps I was seeing with an external IR temp gun and a contact K-type thermocouple.
Checked for vacuum leaks. - None that could be found with carb cleaner or propane torch.

Next two projects are going to be a dyno run with a sniffer to see if its running lean.
Oil cooler that will have a minimum of oil restriction. Welded on AN-6 fittings so that the oil passage is not limited by installing a fitting.

[Rikugun]

I'd have to agree, the Vision cooling system at it's best is marginal. I'm sure there will be some who think otherwise but the topic comes up often and for good reason.

In hot weather they can run very close to the red when in traffic or pushed to maintain a freeway pace. I'm not even sure a 170 thermostat would help much. At the other end of the spectrum, they often have a hard time achieving and maintaining good operating temp when ambient falls to only 40-50 F range.

A ride last weekend with a friend reminded me of it's limitations. Temps were in the low 90's and underway the gage was in the middle. We got stuck in stop/go traffic for 10 minutes and it made me nervous watching the gage climb towards the red. My friend's Triumph Explorer on the other hand was seemingly unfazed. Although his gage didn't budge, his fan did come on - he commented it was the first time that's happened.

[QBS]

fyi to all: the V manual states that overheating occures when the needle Touches the red zone.  Anything other than that is considered to be within normal operational conditions.

[Rikugun]

You are 100% correct. However, "overheating" in the sense of boil over isn't the only concern. Mine has exhibited poor fueling characteristics, stalling, and difficult re-starts when the needle is almost at the red. It's absolutely not overheated by the manual's definition but most assuredly displeased by hanging out so close to the red.

Some other LC bikes do a better job of maintaining a more consistent operating temperature. Can we agree on that?  :)

[vl5150]

In the interest of stopping an "urban legend"/aka bad data before it gets started, the Yamaha engineers didn't "blow it" with the cooling system.  Period.  End of discussion.  My 30 years and over 80k miles of '83 ownership have shown the V cooling system to be one of the most robust systems on the bike.  Many hot(100+F.),  high speed(8-9krpm) miles through the deserts of Western America carrying extended camping/touring loads, have never seen my V over heat.  Likewise, heavy stop and start traffic in urban south Texas traffic have only caused one overheat event.  That was caused by a blown fan fuse.

Don't trash what you don't know about.

My bike is a 1982 with 2500 miles and is stock.  The fan turns on just before the temp needle goes into the red at a stop light.  This is after I flushed, cleaned, purged, etc.  I've been riding 30 years and own 20 water cooled bikes.  None have ever exhibited this..NONE

Maybe your fan thermo switch is different or the 82's are out of spec, but you're out to lunch if you can tell me what my bike is doing in S. FL all the way from Texas.  As for me spreading urban legends, and bad data--too late.  This forum and many of the web pages managed by members here have this problem very well communicated in hundreds of posts and  documented right down to installing switches and oil coolers.  It's OK if Yamaha blew it on the 82 cooling system.  This was an early attempt of water cooling that just needs some sorting out.  Since the bike wasn't in production very long Yamaha didn't have the stones to stay with it.  Look at what was done with the 82.5 carbs, vacuum air box, '83 carbs completely different, etc.  They were sorting it our as it was in production. 

[QBS]

vl, has your bikes' temp gauge ever touched the red zone?  Your description of when the fan turns on is, in my experience, the way the system is supposed to function.  It is the way mine functions.  On mine, after the fan comes on the needle ceases to climb.

Rik, your fueling related observations are the same as mine.  I'm not defending hot carb related driveability problems, just the ability of the cooling system to stay out of the red zone.

[Ken Williams]

If the Vision cooling system is marginal, it's because too much heat ends up under the tank and between the cylinders.  Make sure the air deflector is present on top of the front cylinder.  Also, make sure the under-tank insulation is present.  One could even attempt to replace it with better insulating material.  Anything effective done to reduce the fuel temperature in the tank or pump/lines/carbs should help. 

My understanding is that Yamaha attempted to address this problem on the 83 model by sending unused fuel pump output back to the tank. 

[vl5150]

OK, I got my oil filled starter rebuilt today do I'll continue with the testing. Clarification: Stock mine ran fine most of the time when running at speed, but sitting at traffic lights in town would get it up to the red.  I took it to work and got caught in a traffic jam and didn't think I'd make it home because at that temp the engine would stall.  High temps on S Florida coupled with high humidity of 90% challenge cooling systems. 

[Rikugun]

Well that is disappointing news.

[vl5150]

Clarification, I was answering the question above on how it ran before the mod.

I did 50 or so miles in the last 2 days and so far it's holding up.  The fan comes on just above 1/2 on the temp gauge and turns off just below 1/2 on the gauge.  I have not been able to get it to the edge of the red zone at all.  I've tried all the stuff that was burning it up before and I can't re-create it with the new thermostat and switch in.

[Rikugun]

Well that's much better news!  That sounds like a significant improvement.

[Jimustanguitar]

Don't forget the parts and upgrades section!

[sunburnedaz]

Also have a bit of a follow up. I added a manual fan override switch to the dash of the Desert V. Just for fun I ran it back to back days on my commute into the office this week. Its been around the 105* mark all week. On Monday I ran with the fan on the whole way to work and it never got close to the red stayed around the 3/4 mark most of the trip. Tuesday I let the fan do its own thing and it lived at 7/8s on the way into work and getting into the red several times in stop and go traffic.

While that's only two days of data the best feed back was when I turned off the bike when I got to work on Monday the fan did not come on. On Tuesday getting into the parking garage after turning the bike off the fan was still running.

Same story when I got home on Monday and Tuesday.

[Rikugun]

Interesting results. How would you characterize your commute  - more highway than city? Lots of stop and go or continual movement? I've thought the fan is most beneficial at rest and wouldn't add value once moving at some reasonable speed. Do you agree or is the fan helping even at speed?

Prior to your post I've wondered if using the thermo-switch with lower thresholds would often have the fan on at speed. I thought that would be redundant but maybe not?

[vl5150]

So I have many weeks of riding with this thermostat and the thermo-switch from the other thread.  I haven't some close to the red and it stays in that narrow band in the middle of the temp gauge.
Having the fan on with a manual switch will have the same effect I think as was posted above. The thermo switch does this all for you though.

The stable temps have a positive benefit on the carb tuning as was correctly stated above as well.  My bike is consistent now and I don't have to wonder how it's going to idle at any given time.