Thermostat

[Superfly]

Has anybody pulled the Thermostat out of the V and ran the bike without it?  

[h2olawyer]

Why  ???  If you're having problems keeping the bike cool, you might need to "burp" the system.  You can also check the operation of the thermostat by placing it in a pan of water on the stove & turning on the heat.  Check the water temp when the thermostat opens.

Most Visions typically run toward the upper end of the green zone - especially in warm weather & urban traffic.  You can add a manual switch to turn the fan on earlier so it doesn't get as hot.  This is very useful in stop & go traffic.  I'd probably forget to turn it on so I will not likely do that mod.  I've never seen mine get out of the green zone.  Close to the top of it but never above - including a few times in 100F + temps & heavy traffic.

Without the thermostat, you will take significantly longer to get the bike to operating temp, and in cool weather, might not get there at all.

H2O

[Superfly]

It is something we used to do back home (in North Carolina) to our "older vehicles" to keep them cooler.  Out here in Los Angeles, it is almost always hot, or sunny.  Cold weather is not a problem, (even the winters are a joke, you only need a jacket maybe 2-3 months a year.)  

What do you mean "burp" the system?  The bike has been getting up to the red line, has not crossed yet, but getting very close, I just flushed the radiator, and I am having it serviced tomorrow (just to make sure)  It is starting to get "too close for comfort"

[h2olawyer]

Superfly -

If you flushed the coolant, you need to remove the air in the system by taking off the tank & removing the air bleed bolt in the upper cooling line.  With the bolt removed, & bike on center stand, gently rock the bike to get the air out.  Even if you followed the Haynes manual for the procedure, you will likely have to do this step.  I had to do it twice after changing my coolant last year.  If your bike heats up quickly and doesn't cool back down at all, trapped air is most likely the culprit.

Is it running hotter than it was before you flushed the system?  If you let it heat up fully, shut it down and then restart it does the temp read cooler again?  Those are both signs of trapped air in your coolant.

In warm weather - 75F+, mine will stay near the top of the green if I am in stop & go traffic.  The cooling fan runs a lot as well.  You do not need to worry unless you get the needle into the red zone.  Then STOP & let things cool down before proceeding.  Like I said, mine spends a lot of time right at the top of the green.  It runs a little cooler now that I'm using synthetic oil.  It stays around the middle of the gauge (needle straight up) when I'm riding on open roads @ 30MPH+.  But it still gets quite warm in traffic.

I used to worry about the high temp readings - it did it from new.  Dealer said it was normal in stop & go to run @ the high end of temp range.

I remember the thermostat removal thing for supposedly cooler running temps but found that it generally didn't make any difference other than taking longer to warm up the vehicle.  Once the thermostat is fully open, the flow is not very much less than running without one.  The water pump moves only so much coolant & a properly operating thermostat doesn't impede the flow.

H2O

[Superfly]

One of the first things I did when I got the bike was drain the system, Never touched the bolt, but it does seem to be running a little hotter than it used to.  I will remove the tank tonight and look for that bolt.  

I do a lot of riding in the desert, on the way in to work, and even the wind is hot.  I have overheated a car before, and it was not pretty, after doing so much work to this bike, I do not want the same thing to happen!!

[h2olawyer]

Superfly -

I've been across those So Cal deserts in August a few times myself.  No air-co in a dark blue '84 Toyota 4x4 pickup - top speed 70MPH!  Used a spray bottle to soak my t-shirt every half hour or so.  Managed to raise goosebumps a couple times!  Temp in Barstow on one trip was 118F.  Truck never overheated but it did destroy the electronic ignition.  Toy dealer in St. George, Utah told me they were prone to ignition failure in high heat.  Always carried a spare after that experience.

If you have the Haynes or factory manual, those show the bolt location.  If you don't have them, the coolant hose that runs along the bottom right side of the airbox has a "T" fitting that houses both the temp sensor & air bleed bolt.  You might have to remove both the bolt & the radiator cap to get it to burp fully.  You also might have to run it then burp again if your first try doesn't get all the air and you are still running hot.

It doesn't seem to matter how hot it is out, on the open road, the temp needle seems to stay nearly vertical until you get into stop & go, when it heats up right to the top of the green.  This is the reason some folks have installed the manual switch - to turn the fan on earlier than the sensor turns it on & keep from getting quite so warm.

H2O

[Superfly]

That desert is brutal!! I am used to the humidity of the east coast, this "dry heat" is still a new experience.  

I do have the haynes manual, and will do that tonight.  Thanks for the advise H20.....

[Cdnlouie]

Anybody ever use a Redline product called Water Wetter. ?I put it in my Venture and while it is never too hot around Toronto, it is supposed to provide signficant cooling boost around the cylinder heads where it is important. ?You can put it in with about 15% antifreeze and the rest water and it should increase the cooling capability to give it a bit of an edge in really hot weather.

Stay Cool,

Louie

[Superfly]

I was just looking at the product on the internet.  Has anyone used this in the V? It looks interesting....

[h2olawyer]

Saw it in a local MC parts store & thought about it.  Since I changed coolant a year ago, I didn't relish the thought of burping the system again.  Might do it this winter, though.  Heard good things about it from some local sportbike riders.  You can use it on race tracks where ethylene glycol is normally banned

Glad to be of some assistance, Superfly.  Hope it helps you keep your cool!

H2O

[QBS]

SF; when you go to remove the burp bolt, use the flats provided on the casting it screws into to back yourself up.  Otherwise, you'll find it very difficult  to get the bolt out.  They are commonly corroded in place.  Upon reassembly, wrap the bolt threads with teflon tape.  Future removal will be very easy.

Cheers.

PS: V's Have excellent and robust cooling systems.  Don't worry about hot running until the needle TOUCHES the red mark.  Then worry alot.

Have had my '83 heavily loaded in the Mohave with sustained 8000 rpm operation.  It eventually did touch the red mark.  But, dropping back to 5000 rpm resulted in an immediate decrease in temperature back to normal range operation.

[Superfly]

Thanks for the advice.  I just found some of the redline water wetter, and I am going to add that soon.  I will post the results.