first gen temp guage

[george0fthejungle]

Yet another question from this NOOB about his 83 VR:

 

My bike seems to run warm....I wont say hot because the guage never gets in the red but it gets close sometimes. Now granted, this may just be my paranoia and inexperience with a bigger bike (Ive always had smaller bikes w/o temp guages).

 

Anyway, heres what Im seeing....if you will divide the temp gauge into quarters in your minds eye, like a car gas gauge, the top quarter being redline, the bottom quarter being cold and the half in the middle the normal operating range: When I start out in the mornings, the outside temp is about 70 and the bike runs pegged right in the center of the normal operating range...at what would be 1/2 tank on the imaginary markings. But in the afternoon when temps get up around 95 - 100, the bike hangs just below the redline with only maybe a 16th of an inch of green showing. The fan comes on occasionally, not constantly, and if I ride the bike conservatively (65 - 70 mph, keeping rpms around 3500) it doesnt get any hotter. Even if I push the bike it doesnt redline, but the fan runs more frequently.

 

So.....am I a paranoid wack job and this is normal summer heat woes for an 83? Or is that hotter than it should be and if so, what can I check or adjust to cool this bike off a little. Oh, PS, it was just serviced, had the cooling system flushed out, pump tested and coolant replaced with "Engine Ice" brand coolant.

 

 

Paul

[GeorgeS]

Maby you need to replace the Fluid, 50 / 50 mix anti freez, distilled water.

 

Maby the Thermostate is in need of replacement.

 

Maby, the Temp Sensor unit is out of calibration.

 

I would just drain it at the plug under the water pump, flush out the system, and refill with New Anti Freez, and see what happens. ( Don't mess with the Valve on the front of engine as it calls out in the service manual, will just cause problems )

 

And then go from there.

[bongobobny]

OK it is quite normal for the Mk1 1st Gen's temp gauge to read on the high side. It is quite normal for them to read high but they are not really overheating. That was one of the many minor things that got changed on the Mk2 1st gens.

 

Just wanted to pass that bit of info on to you...

[BradT]

My 86 ran right there as well. Just make sure the fan comes on and it stays out of the red, quite normal.

 

BRad

[bongobobny]

Hmmm, the '86 was a Mk2 Brad, and Mother's '86 works normal. Maybe yours was an early '86 or ???

[Dano]

When's the last time you had the carbs synch'ed? Out of synch carbs can cause a lean condition in one or more cylinders causing them to run hot. That's how mine was till it was synched correctly.

 

Dan

[george0fthejungle]

Thanks for those replies guys...that reassured me quite a bit. Im sure I will settle down and relax with this bike as I get to know it but for now Im like a nervous first time father...freaking out everytime it does something new.

 

I appreciate you taking the time to post with your own experience with your bikes.

 

Paul

[george0fthejungle]

When's the last time you had the carbs synch'ed? Out of synch carbs can cause a lean condition in one or more cylinders causing them to run hot. That's how mine was till it was synched correctly.

 

Dan

 

When I bought the bike it had been in storage for awhile and was running rough....varnish I suspect, so I ran a bottle of Red Line through it (SeaFoam being hard to find here) and then took it in and had the bike get a "major service". I/E oil change, carbs synched, all hoses, etc checked, fluids replaced, radiator flush and fill, etc.

 

I think its just me with new bike jitters. This being a 25 year old machine Im trying to take really good care of it and make it last as long as I can because I love riding it!

[Squeeze]

The 'hot' Reading of the '83 Temp Gauge is a little Bug. They changed something inside the Gauge to have it read lower in the Range later Years, but other than this, your Bike seems to be normal.

[Condor]

So.....am I a paranoid wack job and this is normal summer heat woes for an 83? Or is that hotter than it should be and if so, what can I check or adjust to cool this bike off a little. Oh, PS, it was just serviced, had the cooling system flushed out, pump tested and coolant replaced with "Engine Ice" brand coolant.

 

 

Paul

 

It's normal......

[Gearhead]

What you describe sounds JUST like my 87 in terms of behavior in different ambient temps, fan cycling, etc. The ONLY difference is that my gage consistently reads maybe 1/16" lower than yours for any given condition, which is consistent with what Squeeze said about them being recalibrated after 83.

 

Jeremy

[chocking]

Exactly what my 83 has done for years.. Seems normal from everything I have ever heard on it. Concerned me at first too, but no problem if it is not running in the red

 

Clay

[SilvrT]

If it ain't pukin coolant... nothin to fret about LOL

 

My '85 was the same and this one shows a bit lower...generally just above the "half full" mark.

[Snaggletooth]

Sounds normal to me. My '84 runs about the same. I changed out the OEM thermo to a NAPA 149 (?) and it didn't make a lick of difference.

 

My fan don't kick on until I'm brushing past the red and that is only when I'm doing a lot of in town stop-and-go traffic on a hot day. And I mean 90 degrees or better. Running down the high way at speed in 90 degree plus heat and even for a couple of hours straight she still stays just below the break off line on the green/red zones.

 

You should be fine.

 

Mike

[george0fthejungle]

I have to say, I love this website so far. So many knowledgeable people and all willing to share info. I will try to do the same as I learn more about my 83 VR.

 

Thanks everyone!

[BradT]

Hmmm, the '86 was a Mk2 Brad, and Mother's '86 works normal. Maybe yours was an early '86 or ???

 

Not sure Bob, but it ran real close to the red, on a hot day in the city. Fan would kick in just before red line on gauge

 

Brad

[Squeeze]

Not sure Bob, but it ran real close to the red, on a hot day in the city. Fan would kick in just before red line on gauge

 

Brad

 

 

You might have a little Resistance on the Contacts of the Sensor Wire.

[BradT]

You might have a little Resistance on the Contacts of the Sensor Wire.

 

Never overheated and sold it three years ago, so it does not matter anymore

 

I will try to find something with the s/n for Bob

 

Brad

[Condor]

You might have a little Resistance on the Contacts of the Sensor Wire.

 

There's a ground wire that comes off the housing that holds the temp sensor and fan sensor. Might be a dirty ground. Also the drain valve may be in the 'ON' position and the coolant is bypassing the thermostat. I had that happen to me about a month ago, and when I put in on 'OFF' I noticed that the temp didn't climb as quickly and the motor did run cooler. Might be something to look at....

[BradT]

There's a ground wire that comes off the housing that holds the temp sensor and fan sensor. Might be a dirty ground. Might be something to look at....

 

I think he was talking about my old 86 that ran close to the red, but not in the red. Anyway I know which wires your refering to and I had checked them. Also had to pinch the female end to make it a tight connection.

 

Brad

[Guest goldv4rider]

My 84 VR gets close to the red when its real hot and in stop and go trafic.It's the fan switch turning the fan on when the bike gets to hot.Some VR riders that ride in hot weather put a switch wired from the fan switch wire to ground to bypass the fan switch when the bike gets hot .