cooling down the f6

[franco6]

 hi everyone! now i m contemplating inzane but i think the valk is running hot any remedies out there? any experience with water weter on the valk? i realize i need a gauge but that fan comes on quickly compared to the other bike. thanks

[Robert]

Do a search on cooling system, I use water wetter a 180 thermostat and baker air wings and the bike is as cool as a cucumber, or at least as cool as possible and really I have no notice of heat from the engine at all. To really diagnose the cooling system you at very least are going to need a infrared gun or temp gun and that will tell you at what temp the engine is running. If the temp light works and is not coming on, then more than likely there is no problem. Also search for water wetter there is allot of reading.

[Ricky-D]

It would be appropriate to check the ignition timing. Advanced ignition timing will cause a motor to run hotter.

Any blockage of the air flow will do the same.  Aftermarket covers and stuff like that will possibly cause a motor to run hotter.

It would be a good thing to manually check the temperature of the coolant when the fan comes on. Could be the thermal switch is faulty or maybe it has one of the upgraded switch installed. That's what they do - turn the fan on at a lower temperature.

Look at you're riding habits. If you do a lot of sitting and idling like in city traffic, that could be the reason.

Change the radiator fluid and be sure it is up to specification including the overflow system.

It does not seem like you are at a desperate point but you could be approaching one.

[sandy]

I use Water Wetter here in AZ. 40% Prestone Dexcool + 4 oz of WW and the rest distilled water. The oil temp runs around 208 when we're going 70+ in heat over 100 deg. 190-206 around town.

[Jeff K]

I run distilled water and water wetter, no anti freeze at all. It runs 15 degrees cooler.

[f6john]

I run distilled water and water wetter, no anti freeze at all. It runs 15 degrees cooler.

Jeff, any particular ratio of water to wetter?

[BF]

I use distilled water and Water Wetter.  It's not a miracle worker, but it does cool it down some.  The directions are on the bottle.  I forget, but it tells you how many cap-fulls per quart/gallon.  It's easy. 

[longrider]

franco6

A few years after I owned my first valk I felt that the engine was running hotter and the fan was cycling  a bit more.  I removed the rad and carefully placed it on a clean rag and washed it from the rear and straight through (so as not to bend the fins) with a pressure washer.  to my surprise the rag had an amazing amount of bugs, tree fuzz etc in it as it showed up on the rag.  I remove and wash now every second year.  You might consider cleaning it.

warren
5054

[RP#62]

hi everyone! now i m contemplating inzane but i think the valk is running hot any remedies out there? any experience with water weter on the valk? i realize i need a gauge but that fan comes on quickly compared to the other bike. thanks

Please define running hot - i.e. feels hotter than normal, , feels hotter than my last bike, fan comes on all the time, fan come on while at cruising speed, overheat light come on or what.  Not being a smart ass, it just that "running hot" is subjective.
-RP

[franco6]

grat suggestions. RP#62. i ride to work on 4 lanes hy 59 for about 10 miles, 75 mph ,take the ramp off at the bottom stop light the fan will usualy come on .and on and off again for the 2 miles in to work. now the only reference ihave is the st 1100 i also ride to work. the fan sometimes comes on as i park it there. its much cooler .i think i ll try the water wetter . flushed the system 7 month ago when i put in new fan thermostatic switch. what s the word on a cooler replacement thermostat? is there a swap for a car one available? thanks.
Fred

[sandy]

After running at 75 for awhile, it takes a few moments to cool down. Remember the engine has latent heat and there's not much airflow over the radiator anymore. The fan coming on a few times after a freeway run is perfectly normal.

[Ferris Leets]

I am not a believer in cooling the motor more.  My feelining and understanding is that they are designed to run properly at a specific temperature.  Too cool and the parts never get up to operating temp and the tolerances don't close up correctly.  I ruined a Ford motor one time by running it without a thermostat,  kind of an experiment.  Got bad gas mileage, lower power and ruined the motor in about 3k miles.

[1FAST6]

The fan will come on fairly quickly sitting at idle or in slow traffic.  Should not come on during hiway speed.  When it's 100 degrees out, it comes on really quick and feels like it's on fire.  I think that's more dependant on the ambient temp.

[98valk]

grat suggestions. RP#62. i ride to work on 4 lanes hy 59 for about 10 miles, 75 mph ,take the ramp off at the bottom stop light the fan will usualy come on .and on and off again for the 2 miles in to work. now the only reference ihave is the st 1100 i also ride to work. the fan sometimes comes on as i park it there. its much cooler .i think i ll try the water wetter . flushed the system 7 month ago when i put in new fan thermostatic switch. what s the word on a cooler replacement thermostat? is there a swap for a car one available? thanks.
Fred

did u burp the system IAW the tech manual after changing the coolant?
my bike runs at 195 degrees, the fan doesn't come on until 210. spec is 208-216 per TM. I use the stock thermostat and evans cooling.

[franco6]

CA EXHAUST COATING  can older exh manifolds be chromed? did nt see a bleeding nut on therm. housing i did check the coolant levels a few times afterward , used distilled h2o and xerex (i think its what its called)
in the winter it was not a problem. i d just think a cooler engine in summer is warranted. the new 8 plugs are doing good ,maybe its my immagination but the f6 is running cooler. did not have a chance for along haul as my manometre ran in some intrusive air from the vinyl hoses dilating on the nipples. i know should have put the vacuum tubes on the ends. got the junctions at the fish store and am ready to try again .got a root canal done today . maybe now i ll have more energy.got to get ready for frisco.   : si, mas frisco!

[Tundra]

Sounds to me like it's running as advertised and your fan is cycling on and off as advertised What's the other bike? What bikes are being compared?
  Don't make my mistakes, I "thought" it was running hot. I wound up taking off the radiator and cleaning it out, along with the fins. (that needed it) Then I replaced both sensors and the thermostat. (didn't need that) I still got my hot light! Then I "LISTENED" to experience speaking on this board and found and replaced the switch under the sidecover. (took less than 5 minutes) Lot's of painstaking labor, but helped me learn my Valkyrie. ???

[franco6]

TUNDRA  . the other bike is the 1991 honda st 1100 with 70 k miles. what switch are you writing about?the red light never comes on and i know it works as it lights when grounded also the temp switch on thermo housing tested fine.i need to install a temp gauge.