thermostat replacement?

[Brian]

hey guys,
I am going to replace the original water hoses on this 97 just because of the age on them. I see there is a posting on the generic parts list for this and assume 180 degree unit is the stock temperature setting too?

What other thermostats will fit these bikes? Brands and part numbers would be awesome and appreciated.

I have done the search to see where the Duralast # 15868 might be the after market unit to go with along with the FEL PRO 25565 gasket.

Thank you,

[98valk]

OEM is best. its a high flow unit and designed for best operation of an aluminum engine with al heads.
its the same thermo used in a GL1500 Goldwing. they don't overheat,
and never will the valkyrie.
your existing thermo is still good to use.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Did the same on my 97 over the past winter. And for the same reason, they were getting old. I had no complaints with how the Honda engineers set it up so I used an OEM thermostat and replaced the upper and lower hoses too. I had a SS cover on the lower which worked like "Chinese handcuffs" and I was unable to get it off the hose without destroying it. If I had it to do over I would have had a new cover on hand before I started the job.

[Black Dog]

I did the same thing a few years ago, while chasing a coolant leak.  I'm attaching a link to the write up I did about the project, that may or may not be of interest to you.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/forum/tech_archive.cgi?noframes;read=1267544

I would sudgest having the 'O' rings (numbers 11 & 12 in the diagram below) on hand for the coolant tubes (not hoses) that go in to and out of the thermostat housing.  That is where my leak was, and I know others have seen these leaking too.  Also, while not necessary, removing the crossmember that goes in front of the housing, makes it so much easier to reach the housing, if ya got big meathooks like I do.



Good luck 

Black Dog

[Ricky-D]

I don't feel age should be the final arbiter when considering replacing the cooling system components.

There are only three quarts of coolant in the motor and that is all that needs be changed regularly.

An annual check is all I think needs be done.

If there is no problem, why tempt fate?

***

[Brian]

I did the same thing a few years ago, while chasing a coolant leak.  I'm attaching a link to the write up I did about the project, that may or may not be of interest to you.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/forum/tech_archive.cgi?noframes;read=1267544

I would sudgest having the 'O' rings (numbers 11 & 12 in the diagram below) on hand for the coolant tubes (not hoses) that go in to and out of the thermostat housing.  That is where my leak was, and I know others have seen these leaking too.  Also, while not necessary, removing the crossmember that goes in front of the housing, makes it so much easier to reach the housing, if ya got big meathooks like I do.



Good luck 

Black Dog

Black Dog, I ordered the hoses but not the o-rings....oops. Didn't think I would be disturbing these tubes as there are no leaks there yet. I still have time to order these. To be honest I am having a hard time giving Honda almost $30 for a $9 thermostat. I got time to ponder over that expense. I read your article. Thanks for the heads up and advice.

[longrider]

replacing the t-stat may not be necessary but it might be a good idea to check it's operation full closed to full open in boiling water when changing antifreeze.  I installed temp and oil gauges when I bought my valk many years ago.   This last spring the t-stat decided one day it would just stay open and it was only three years old.  no way to tell without a gauge.  there may be a few cold running valks out there

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Seems like I've been stranded or had to limp home in several cages over the years when the thermostats went bad. Guess it's just because I've owned mostly older cages. Anyway, I've tried to get in the habit of changing them before they have a chance to ruin my day. And, although it doesn't look like it, my Valk is 15 years old.

Beside that, my day job revolves around preventive maintenance. That would make it cursed embarrassing to have a thermostat problem with my bike on my way to work. 

[valkyriemc]

Search Jeff K' suggested replacement. I have a 2K Interstate with a temp gauge and have tracked my temps here in NE Fla. Big improvement with a higher flow. Dont have info handy right now. One of the best mods made to my bike.

[Brian]

Search Jeff K' suggested replacement. I have a 2K Interstate with a temp gauge and have tracked my temps here in NE Fla. Big improvement with a higher flow. Dont have info handy right now. One of the best mods made to my bike.

It was a Jeff K thread where I found this Duralast part number. I was hoping to hear from riders who have used this or others. So far the input on using OEM is the leading answer to my question. I don't have a water temp gauge or oil temp dipstick to refer too. That's another search I need to make. I do remember a thread on this subject as to what is better. A new dipstick is the easiest but is oil temp a better way to go?

[Black Dog]

Brian,

The 'O' rings need to be ordered from Honda, unless someone else knows differently.  Reason being is that they are 'tapered' and only fit/work a certain way.

Yer doing a good thing in changing the T-stat, and hoses.  Might as well complete the job and replace those 'O' rings too.  Nothing like getting to know the Phat Lady better, and having some piece of mind when many miles from home.

Black Dog

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I replaced my stock one (had 140K on it) with one from autozone. I got the number off of K's page. I went with the 160 degree one and really like the cooler temp. I live where it is hotter than hell most of the year so the cooler one was just right for me. Get the gasket from OEM I lucked out and the orginal gasket was still usable. It takes my bike a lot longer to warm up while sitting in traffic now before the fan comes on.

[Brian]

Thanks guys.

[98valk]

the oem thermo opens at 176-180 same as any 180 thermo and it is fully open at 203, same again as any 180 thermo. these #s are from the tech manual. just about all thermo's are fully open 20 degrees more than their temp, i.e., 160 is fully open at 180. if an engine wants to run at 210 it will do that no matter if a 160 or 180 thermo is installed.
plus the oem is high flow with a larger opening then off the shelf so called high flows at least the ones I checked.

so putting an auto 180 thermo in and saying the bike runs cooler is nothing but a placebo effect and to satisfy us guys egos that we fixed something.   

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Ok so your saying that I don't know if the bike is really  running any cooler.. Well I have guages  and can see what the bike is running. You are correct in saying if it is running hot that it will still get hot if it is ran long enough at slow speeds or stop and go traffic no matter what thermostat is in it. I'm just saying if the stock thermostat doesn't fully open til 203 and a 160 is fully open at about 180 the water is cooler and it takes longer to reach the temperture for the fan to come on. My bike has 154 thousand miles on it and I've put about 100 thousand of those on it. I'm no mechanic but I've done all the work on this bike since I've owned it so I at the least know about this bike.

[valkyriemc]

Jeff K's thermo mod had to do with increased coolant flow, the unit he specified opened further/wider, temp was still 180. I think he said it opened +50%. His post and info is here somewhere. RP#62 made the aluminum adapter a "T" fiting to get the temperature sending unit into upper coolant hose. FWIW, Jeff K, and RP know their stuff.



Checked my valk maintenance binder and the Duralast unit I used was #15868.

Jeff K's post--->http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,21490.msg192676.html#msg192676

[Brian]

Jeff K's thermo mod had to do with increased coolant flow, the unit he specified opened further/wider, temp was still 180. I think he said it opened +50%. His post and info is here somewhere. RP#62 made the aluminum adapter a "T" fiting to get the temperature sending unit into upper coolant hose. FWIW, Jeff K, and RP know their stuff.



Checked my valk maintenance binder and the Duralast unit I used was #15868.

Jeff K's post--->

[url=http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,21490.msg192676.html#msg192676]http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,21490.msg192676.html#msg192676[/url]

Thanks valkyriemc. You answered my question on the duralast thermostat and my question for another search on where and how an aftermarket temperature sensing unit would be installed.