Blocking Radiator in Cooler Temps

[Fazer]

Just saw a comment in another thread about thermostats that recommends blocking the radiator to help the engine reach and maintain operating temp.  I have not heard about blocking the radiator to aid with warm up before, but it seems to make sense. 

Anyone else doing this? 

I ride in cooler temps during the winter and can come up with something to block the radiator if it's recommended.

[Moonshot_1]

Just saw a comment in another thread about thermostats that recommends blocking the radiator to help the engine reach and maintain operating temp.  I have not heard about blocking the radiator to aid with warm up before, but it seems to make sense. 

Anyone else doing this? 

I ride in cooler temps during the winter and can come up with something to block the radiator if it's recommended.

This would make no sense to me with a properly working thermostat. The thermostat is closed till the engine reaches the appropriate temp. then opens to maintain the temp.

Blocking the radiator will not allow the air flow needed to cool down the heated coolant to the proper operating temp. and will result in over heating.

The engine has got to be able to bleed off that heat.

[hubcapsc]

I don't think DDT blocks his radiator... 

-Mike

[hukmut]

Works if you    do not   have a thermostat. And why would you not? If your junk Ford van's heater does not work well, and it is cold as.....well, you get the idea, a well-placed piece of cardboard can make things toasty.
Later that year, had to replace headgasket. Live and learn my friends, live and learn.

Ride safe.

[Fazer]

Here is what 98Valk said on another thread, which prompted my post...

"That is normal.
this is an all aluminum engine. aluminum dissipates heat much faster than cast iron.  This engine was designed to be fully enclosed in body work with side mounted radiators. The Goldwing also used water heated intake manifolds which I think was computer controlled.
so cold ambient temps it will run cold.
I use various radiator blocks to maintain at least 180+F. when the temp is 35F and below the rad is blocked 90%. 35F-50F shorter rides 50% longer rides 25%. above 55F usually no block, depends if short or long ride. If I miscalculate, I pull over and remove blocks. % blocked #s are all approximate.
Engine wear is greatly increased when water temp is below 180F.
I've post this before and posted the stock thermo specs. the thermo is a high flow unit and starts to open just under 180F."

I have not learned how to copy quotes yet, so I have to use the cut and paste method.

[h13man]

I agree wiith 98' Valk  as these beasts run extremely cool thus adding radiator shielding helps with cold weather riding. It a procedure used in the trucking/auto industry for a many years. Now I wouldn't do it w/o a temp gage to monitor it but I have no need to ride in cold weather that would  require blocking.

[0leman]

I lived many years in cold country.  WE blocked the air flow to the radiator all the time during the winter.  When driving with temps never getting up to the teens, it sure helps in keeping the inside of the truck warm.  Saw most of the big trucks on the interstate with nearly blocked radiators.

I personally wouldn't block my Vlak's radiator as I tend not to ride in temps below 35.   

[da prez]

   Blocking any radiator can be fatal if not properly done.  Example = you block half of the fan (actual fan)area. As the fan spins , it flexes. It hits a lack of air flow and pulls itself forward , and when it hits  air flow it moves into a relaxed position. This flexes the fan and will lead to pre-mature failure.
   I used to work on road trucks (in addition to many other things) and would see where only half of a radiator was covered. Many a radiator was destroyed by a fan being sucked thru them.
  Drivers with clutch fans were shown how to leave only the very center open so the cold air would keep the fan from turning.  Electric fans can cause the same damage but it will take longer.
  If you must block the radiator , block it with equal coverage  , but make the cover with a round hole in the center to allow air flow.

                                                       da prez

[Gryphon Rider]

I think the better solution is to get a slightly warmer thermostat if you think the engine is running too cool, especially if you don't have a temperature gauge or you have one but don't look at it very regularly.  I also think the stock thermostat is fine if it is working properly and that blocking the radiator is not required.

[Tfrank59]

Well what kind of temperatures are we talking here – single digits or teens?  It's pretty insane to ride in that cold of weather anyways (even low 20s IMO), so you probably can't stand it for more than a few miles, even with heated gear.  If you're riding in weather that's say somewhere above freezing, and you have a working thermostat in your bike, I see no reason to block the radiator.  Just my 1.5 cents.

[msb]

Ditto to Tfrank59 and Gryphon Rider. I ride all year long here in SW BC, but of course in temps that are at least above freezing. I replaced my thermostat a few years ago with a new OEM when it quit working one Summer, but I have never had any issues with the bike running at a proper temperature in the Winter ("Winter" being a relative term in this neck of the woods, compared to many)

[98valk]

Ditto to Tfrank59 and Gryphon Rider. I ride all year long here in SW BC, but of course in temps that are at least above freezing. I replaced my thermostat a few years ago with a new OEM when it quit working one Summer, but I have never had any issues with the bike running at a proper temperature in the Winter ("Winter" being a relative term in this neck of the woods, compared to many)

do yourself a favor and educate yourself from an engineering design perspective and esp what is being done with all of the new vehicles today. some even have dual t-stat systems, rather then old wives tales opinions. I think there are a few out there with computer controlled rad louvers.
one such site http://www.eng-tips.com/
everybody Enjoy!

[Tfrank59]

Just saw a comment in another thread about thermostats that recommends blocking the radiator to help the engine reach and maintain operating temp.  I have not heard about blocking the radiator to aid with warm up before, but it seems to make sense. 

Anyone else doing this? 

I ride in cooler temps during the winter and can come up with something to block the radiator if it's recommended.

I don't think it's advisable to block the radiator on a motorcycle engine with a working thermostat, but I will say that on my other bike (a v-twin with aftermarket exhaust) it would never actually warm up in the cooler temps (below about 45 Fahrenheit) until I rejetted it.  Maybe that's what your bike needs?

[Gryphon Rider]

do yourself a favor and educate yourself from an engineering design perspective and esp what is being done with all of the new vehicles today. some even have dual t-stat systems, rather then old wives tales opinions. I think there are a few out there with computer controlled rad louvers.
one such site http://www.eng-tips.com/
everybody Enjoy!

Translation:  I know secret stuff that you don't know, therefore you don't know what you are talking about.  If you want to know what I know, just Google "secret stuff" because I either can't be bothered to, or am unable to, reveal my secret knowledge.  Bless your hearts!

[msb]

Ditto to Tfrank59 and Gryphon Rider. I ride all year long here in SW BC, but of course in temps that are at least above freezing. I replaced my thermostat a few years ago with a new OEM when it quit working one Summer, but I have never had any issues with the bike running at a proper temperature in the Winter ("Winter" being a relative term in this neck of the woods, compared to many)

do yourself a favor and educate yourself from an engineering design perspective and esp what is being done with all of the new vehicles today. some even have dual t-stat systems, rather then old wives tales opinions. I think there are a few out there with computer controlled rad louvers.
one such site http://www.eng-tips.com/
everybody Enjoy!

  I wasn't professing to being an expert on the Valkyrie cooling system or for that matter a mechanical expert on the engine or bike in general (I most definitely am not, btw). I was merely commenting on the fact that, as one who has traditionally ridden his Valk 12 months a year through the cooler Winter months here in BC, that I have never had an issue with the OEM thermostat keeping the bike running properly in cooler conditions...something I thought was relevant to the topic. I'm glad you found it necessary to point out my obvious lack of "education" in this respect...I'll certainly learn from this and try to do better the next time I post a comment on here 

[old2soon]

I've started and ridden the Phatt Ghurl in the mid teens. Took a little longer too warm up and after about 10 miles or so she started to run a LOT smoother. NEVER felt like I needed to block the air flow to the radiator on my Valkyrie. The last 2 trucks I drove before I retired did NOT even have winter fronts. If your coolant is correct-amount and proper mix-I see no reason to impeded the air flow to the radiator of the Valkyrie. RIDE SAFE.

[Fazer]

Think I'll just ride her the way she is.  I guess if there was danger of engine damage in lower temps the good folks at Honda would be warning against riding in temps below freezing.  I might ride in the upper 20's if the sun is out, but not for long.  Just to satisfy the fix.

[MarkT]

You can also run Evans waterless coolant which makes the coolant run slightly warmer as it has a boiling point so high it never generates pressure in the cooling system.  Bonus, you never change the coolant and it eliminates aluminum corrosion, and localized boiling around the cylinders does not happen.  I have been running it in my Wing, and Deerslayer for years, and now in Jade too.  Yeah it's expensive at first.  But then you are done servicing your cooling system.

Watch this video from Jay Leno:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7PykrgzWPQ

[The emperor has no clothes]

do yourself a favor and educate yourself from an engineering design perspective and esp what is being done with all of the new vehicles today. some even have dual t-stat systems, rather then old wives tales opinions. I think there are a few out there with computer controlled rad louvers.
one such site http://www.eng-tips.com/
everybody Enjoy!

Translation:  I know secret stuff that you don't know, therefore you don't know what you are talking about.  If you want to know what I know, just Google "secret stuff" because I either can't be bothered to, or am unable to, reveal my secret knowledge.  Bless your hearts!

Hey, what's a Canadian doing using Southern sarcasm ? 

[Gryphon Rider]

Hey, what's a Canadian doing using Southern sarcasm ? 

We're too nice to have a Canadian version of that. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

Hey, what's a Canadian doing using Southern sarcasm ? 

We're too nice to have a Canadian version of that. 

Yeah I guess "hey you hoser" doesn't really get it. 

[Firefighter]

I don't recommend this,   but,   last week I rode in 68 degree weather!  Can be done with cold weather experience and the right equipment.  South Texas winter already moved in.

[gordonv]

I know we are talking a Valkyrie here, but in the past (a long time ago) when driving my car in the winter cold, when the car doesn't seem to heat up, I would block a portion of my radiator. This would allow the antifreeze in the rad to not cool as much.

But with regards to a bike, on my GW I have a thermometer to show me water temp, and a heater for the rider, but I can't really notice how warm the air is. So would I block the rad? And how much of it? I'm out in the cold dry winter days, but not often (not a daily rider to work), so I wouldn't bother.

[98valk]

http://www.carnut.com/ramblin/_cool3.html

http://performanceunlimited.com/illustrations/thermostats.html

or search

cylinder-wall wear vs operating temperature

what the best mpg and lowest wear, coolant temp should be in the 190-200F range.
more power, (but then again it would only be seen at the higher RPMs near redline, who rides there all of the time?), 175-180F.

and mr GR no secret stuff, just sound engineering principles and following the auto manufacturers and top engine builders.
and I provided basic info it seems u are the one who is too lazy to do more research for yourself.
bye!

[DK]

Many diesel tractors we have used on the farm have radiator shutters. They are necessary to keep the temperature hot enough to keep I burned diesel from getting past the piston rings and thinning and overfilling the crankcase oil.

However, I've never seen shutters on a gasoline engine. It makes sense to me that the combustion chamber in a gasoline engine that a 30 or so degree drop in ambient temperature makes little difference provided you have the proper viscosity oil in the crankcase. Even a tractor diesel engine will maintained sufficient temperature when pulling a moderate to hard load.

If engine temperature in cold climates were a significant problem, I think Mother Honda would have furnished a temperature gauge and make mention how to deal with the problem in the operator's manual.

Dan

[98valk]

shutter the thought since 2011.

http://www.autos.ca/green-news/auto-tech-radiator-shutters/

case in point my 01 7.3l ford diesel is known for running cool most of the time due to the over-sized worst case max power/hauling cooling system. since I don't presently haul a trailer or have a bed camper, I use lund winter grill blocks yr round. never over heats in the summer dash gage always goes to the same spot. winter time needle will be slightly less than summer.

It has been noted before the Valkyire cooling system is much more capacity then normally needed. summer going down the hwy high speed, gage will sit at 190F.
blocking the rad in 50F and colder temps I'm able to maintain that range. no blocks it will run 150F. I thought my T-stat had failed the first winter with the gage. I pulled it and it tested perfectly. this is when I started using rad blocks.
If u have a gage go for it no gage, I would use no more than half block.