Engine temperature

[Michiel900GT]

Did a run in around 10 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. Temp is around 68-71 when riding in free air.

Last week the outside temp was around 15 degrees but I was stuck in traffic (very narrow roads, so no getting around the traffic jam). The engine slowly heated up to 105 degrees and every time it did the fan kicked in.

[TTR Ignition]

10 hours ago, norcal616 said:

at the track where it will run at 215-230*F last I recall... 

230F?! WOW - that's nuts. I have to wonder if your thermostat isn't undersized for the load you're putting on it. That, or your rad is in dire need of a flush.

Another option might be your new tune - 120hp might be too much for your cooling system, especially if the fuel map leans out vs OEM as you approach peak power at WFO. Even more than cars, bikes are partly cooled by the fuel evapourating in the intake ports and against the pistons.

[norcal616]

On 11/9/2019 at 1:05 AM, TTR Ignition said:

230F?! WOW - that's nuts. I have to wonder if your thermostat isn't undersized for the load you're putting on it. That, or your rad is in dire need of a flush.

Another option might be your new tune - 120hp might be too much for your cooling system, especially if the fuel map leans out vs OEM as you approach peak power at WFO. Even more than cars, bikes are partly cooled by the fuel evapourating in the intake ports and against the pistons.

Nah, running it hard, and letting it sit after a back to back session without leaving it on electric wise to run fan or having a fan blow on it... I'm also running a -1T front sprocket so my rpms are a bit higher... this was a few years ago in the middle of a evil wicked heat wave... I do agree that seeing running temps at 230 is extreme... i also remember that day after that session,  I left the heated grips on and went to turn the power on to turn em off and caught a glimpse of coolant temp at 230... yes I do have a wideband hooked up and yes the AFRs hit the 15.7- 16.2 range at WOT above 11k rpms... as for the tune in general it typically  runs AFRs from 13.3-15.3 under my normal  conditions... 

I didn't  realize I posted this, I was saving it to think it over move... I must have hit sent and not the back button...

[Suu Kyi]

On 3/16/2019 at 7:09 AM, Luma46 said:

Did my first ride on GT at temperatures 8 to 10 C. Engine temperature indicated around 60 C. That seem to me rather low, a car would have temp around 85 C. What are you guys seeing on your bikes?

From stone cold, the thermostat opens at around 40c, I'm guessing this as prior to the gauge registering a temperature it says "Lo". Freeway cruising with the ambient temperature in the mid 20s the coolant temp is around the mid 70s, it will climb to around 85c in stop start traffic. Fan comes on at around 100c, I can hear this and also notice the temperature reduce slightly by a few degrees as a result.

[riding_tall]

I have been wondering about this myself. All other water cooled vehicles ( bike or car )I have owned , have a thermostat that opens at a much higher temp .. 180F or 190F so the engine will go to that temp and stays close to that temp. My bike runs like it has no thermostat. If it's 40F the motor is at 140F .. 60F it's 160F up to about 180F motor temp (while moving). I had always suspected that the thermostat was stuck open from the factory or this motor runs a lot of bypass to keep the water moving. I do plan to do a flash of the ECU mostly to have the fan kick in sooner when not moving. 220F just bugs me and I'm not even 100% sure why.

[skipperT]

2 hours ago, riding_tall said:

I have been wondering about this myself. All other water cooled vehicles ( bike or car )I have owned , have a thermostat that opens at a much higher temp .. 180F or 190F so the engine will go to that temp and stays close to that temp. My bike runs like it has no thermostat. If it's 40F the motor is at 140F .. 60F it's 160F up to about 180F motor temp (while moving). I had always suspected that the thermostat was stuck open from the factory or this motor runs a lot of bypass to keep the water moving. I do plan to do a flash of the ECU mostly to have the fan kick in sooner when not moving. 220F just bugs me and I'm not even 100% sure why.

Probably because there’s little in the automotive world to indicate what the actual operating or coolant temp of your car/truck is...  so it’s difficult to compare the 220F number to anything familiar and operating normal. 
-Skip

[CumuloNimbus]

Just to add a little detail to the coolant thermostat, the parts diagram in this link 

Yamaha TRACER 900 GT 2018 WATER PUMP with fast delivery to United States | Fowlers Parts

---

Yamaha TRACER 900 GT | 2018 | BLUISH GRAY SOLID 4 | England | WATER...

 shows item 21 as the thermostat assembly.  Just below that (but not numbered in this diagram, the square thing) is the oil cooler.  I've been warned that it could get hit and potentially punctured by road debris flying up from the front wheel.  If that happened, the first you might know about it, is when your rear tyre gets a liberal coating of oil.

So worth keeping an eye on for damage and leaks!

It's also worth noting I suppose that it is a water cooled oil cooler, (and air cooled to some extent) so if it failed internally,  you'd probably get oil in the header tank and symptoms similar to a blown head gasket, etc.

[CumuloNimbus]

[nhchris]

3 hours ago, CumuloNimbus said:

Just to add a little detail to the coolant thermostat, the parts diagram in this link 

Yamaha TRACER 900 GT 2018 WATER PUMP with fast delivery to United States | Fowlers Parts

---

Yamaha TRACER 900 GT | 2018 | BLUISH GRAY SOLID 4 | England | WATER...

 .... just below that (but not numbered in this diagram, the square thing) is the oil cooler.  I've been warned that it could get hit and potentially punctured by road debris flying up from the front wheel. 

Another good reason to run a front fender extender.  The R&C I have knocks down a lot of debris that would normally hit the headers and engine bits.  Cheap insurance!

Edited November 11, 2019 by nhchris

[norcal616]

33 minutes ago, nhchris said:

Another good reason to run a front fender extender.  The R&C I have knocks down a lot of debris that would normally hit the headers and engine bits.  Cheap insurance!

Or a Higdonion engine cage/skid plate... my buddy tells me it makes a nice "ting" when a rock/pebble is denied the chance to say hello to the engine/oil pan..

[riding_tall]

Probably because there’s little in the automotive world to indicate what the actual operating or coolant temp of your car/truck is...  so it’s difficult to compare the 220F number to anything familiar and operating normal. 
-Skip

 

I'm a bit of gauge geek so I do have digital gauges in my 4 wheel vehicles.  But even with a simple gauge this no number scale .. cold-hot .. as long as you pay attention the gauge will go to the same spot and stay close to that. You can even see the thermostat open on most as the needle will drop slightly. If you have ever removed a failed thermostat and run without one then you will see a much wider range in temps .. much like my FJ and that was really my point. 

Edited November 11, 2019 by riding_tall

[norcal616]

Im starting to believe once the temp goes past "lo" temp the thermostat stays open till the temps drop below "lo" reading again... 

[skipperT]

 @norcal616 I’d guess that’s fairly close.

The service manual doesn’t specify for the Original models. The manual for the GT states thermostat begins to open at 69-73 C (156-163 F) and is full open at 85 C (185 F).

Correlating that data with the IC display won’t be exact. My guess is that the number refers to the temp of the water the thermostat is in... the temp sensor isn’t located in the T-stat housing, but in the  engine block near the throttle bodies.

-Skip

 

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by skipperT

[MartyP]

I ride all year round in NYC traffic. Stop and go 6 miles takes me 30 minutes. My fan kicks in at 220F and depending how fast I move it has dropped to 140's in the cold. Other wise it stays between 200-220.

[Seawatcher]

Seems you might be right, checked it today on a run with the air temp. at around 10 degrees C, cruising at 60mph the engine temp did not get past 63 C but rises quickly in very slow traffic. Even when it was 30 plus degrees in the summer whilst cruising it still stayed at about 70 -75C. 

Still seems low!