2007 Running too hot?

[renink]

I have a 2007 that seems to be running hot at stops. In the Summer I thought it was just maybe the hot temperatures and I was just happening to notice the temperature on my legs and looked at the reading. Temperatures have been low to high 60s lately and when I come to a long stop light the temperature eventually gets all the way to the top. As I hit the road again and start moving it dips just below halfway again. When I get back home and pull into my garage and turn off the engine I hear the fans going to cool it off so I am sure the fans are working properly. I am just not sure if it is something I just happened to notice and is somewhat normal or that it is a symptom of a problem.

 

[HJHFJR]

Sounds like a stuck thermostat. Normal temperature for a Gen II FJR running at speed is 4 bars. How many bars is the temperature gauge showing at speed on your bike.

 

[J Paul]

Sounds normal. My 08 will get above 4 bars(normal) at anything below 45 mph.Just idling up the alley to my garage,after 2 miles of city streets will have the fans running when I get in.The only time I notice any different is when it's below 40. Jeff

 

[bluesdog]

If you do end up replacing the thermostat, note that the FSM procedure for doing so is absurd.

All that is required is to drain the top liter or so of coolant, and you really don't need to remove the throttle bodies; fuel tank &etc!

You don't even need to remove the front fairing -- just the left lower side, and the left inner panels, to gain access to the various fasteners and bolts.

Make sure you install the replacement with the little breather hole pointing up.

 

[HotRodZilla]

What do you mean, "All the way up?" All 8 bars come on?? Your fans should kick on around 6-7 bars. I don't remember exactly as it happens so seldom on my '07.

If your getting more than 6 bars and the fans aren't on, that itself is an issue. If your going to full 8 bars, as said above, you prolly have a stuck thermostat. OR you have a bubble in there. Anyone change your coolant lately?

Also, your fans should not work when the bike is off.

 

[renink]

Sounds normal. My 08 will get above 4 bars(normal) at anything below 45 mph.Just idling up the alley to my garage,after 2 miles of city streets will have the fans running when I get in.The only time I notice any different is when it's below 40. Jeff

Sounds like my bike

Sounds like a stuck thermostat. Normal temperature for a Gen II FJR running at speed is 4 bars. How many bars is the temperature gauge showing at speed on your bike.

I would have to go and count the bars next time but while riding on the streets or highway it does seem to be around 4 bars, (if 5 bars is at mid). It's when I am stopped for a bit it starts to ramp up. Once I start moving again it goes back to "normal" bars pretty quickly.

edit:

If the total is 8 bars then while riding it would be around 3 or 4 bars.

 

[renink]

What do you mean, "All the way up?" All 8 bars come on?? Your fans should kick on around 6-7 bars. I don't remember exactly as it happens so seldom on my '07.
If your getting more than 6 bars and the fans aren't on, that itself is an issue. If your going to full 8 bars, as said above, you prolly have a stuck thermostat. OR you have a bubble in there. Anyone change your coolant lately?

Also, your fans should not work when the bike is off.

Yes, when I am stopped at a long light it will climb up to all bars. When I get in my garage I put the kickstand down which kills the engine but doesn't shut off the bike. While just standing there the bike's fans are running.

 

[garyahouse]

One simple test, just start it up in the driveway and wait until the fan comes on. That way there are no distractions. On my Gen 1, which has fewer bars, the fan comes on immediately when it clicks from 3 up to 4 bars. If four bars are showing, the fan is running: period, no exceptions.

+1 Zilla: when bike is shut off, fan goes off.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[mcatrophy]

What do you mean, "All the way up?" All 8 bars come on?? Your fans should kick on around 6-7 bars. I don't remember exactly as it happens so seldom on my '07.
If your getting more than 6 bars and the fans aren't on, that itself is an issue. If your going to full 8 bars, as said above, you prolly have a stuck thermostat. OR you have a bubble in there. Anyone change your coolant lately?

Also, your fans should not work when the bike is off.

Yes, when I am stopped at a long light it will climb up to all bars. When I get in my garage I put the kickstand down which kills the engine but doesn't shut off the bike. While just standing there the bike's fans are running.

Just to be clear, there are 10 bars on the temperature gauge of your GenII.

Normal running, which you seem to get, is 4 bars. To me, that suggests the thermostat is not stuck open or closed, and I doubt your temperature indication would remain constant at 4 bars during a range of "normal" running if the thermostat was stuck somewhere between. I can't conceive of a thermostat that only opens when it sees more water pressure from the water pump as the engine speed rises above idle.

If stuck at a "long" light, I'd expect your temperature gauge to climb 6-8 bars, somewhere around there the fans should start; once started they should bring the temperature back down within a few tens of seconds/very small number of minutes.

As garyhouse suggest, just start it, let it idle. Watch the temperature gauge, listen for the fans. They should kick in at the appropriate number of bars (I can't remember whether it's 6 or 7). From that point on the gauge should go down again; the fans will turn off at 4 or 5 bars, then the engine will heat up again. If the fans don't start, there is a problem with the fan circuit, if the fans run but the engine doesn't cool I'd suggest a blocked radiator or some such.

If ever the gauge goes to 9 or 10 bars, you do have a real problem.

I suppose it's possible there is some air in your cooling system that only allows water to circulate when the water pump pressure is high (normal running) but not when low (idle).

 

[gumba]

Renink, I can assure that there is nothing wrong with your scooter. If you kil the engine with the sidestand (key on) of course the fan will continue. Would not reccommend killing the engine with the sidestand. In my experience, the ECU don't like that shit. It's 4 am here and I just came in from the garage. I was out there with bottle of hydrogen peroxide, flashlight, and a toothbrush - cleaning crap out of my radiator. I have a 09 with 90k mi. and have never heard the fan run. I live 30 mi. from the Mexican border. It gets hot here. I don't get caught in traffic or the heat of mid-day. Got caught in road construction once on an 04. Thought that s.o.b. was going to blow up, but no damage.

 

[Fred W]

I agree with mcatrophy. Since the temps are normal while making way, the cooling system is mechanically sound. So it would have to be some sort of a fan control issue for the temp gauge to go to max scale.

Somewhat interesting note on the fan control:

Unlike many other vehicles, the FJR's ECU controls the radiator fan on/off state. You already know that the fan can run (as evidenced in your garage). You do not have an electrical functionality issue, so no point commanding the fans with the diAg screen, but you could do that if you wanted to.

The temp sensor that the ECU monitors for fan control is the same one that it also displays the value of on the instrument panel. So it is impossible for the sensor to be the problem based on your symptoms. I'd be willing to wager that your fan is turning on at the appropriate temperature display.

If the temperature doesn't respond to the fan running by dropping temperature back down, as it should, then the fan may not be pulling enough air through the radiator. This could be caused by a partially blocked radiator (just in the area that the fan pulls air through), a fan motor that is running too slowly (or backwards), or a damaged fan blade. Either of the last two might also coincide with your apparent inability to hear the fan while riding. I know that I can hear my radiator fan quite clearly even when wearing 33 dBa ear plugs in my helmet. But maybe the 2nd gen fans are quieter?

As for not killing the engine in gear with the side stand, that is pure nonsense. It is just an interlock circuit that activates the same as if you turned off the kill switch. The ECU doesn't mind in the least bit which you use. I use my side stand any time I stop the bike that it is not in my perfectly level garage, and the ECU is perfectly happy with "that shit.".

 

[RaYzerman19]

On mine, the fans will kick in at 7 bars. If it is 80-90+F, the fans may not bring the temperature down much, but they should prevent it from going beyond 8 bars. With ambients in the 60's, the temperature should not climb beyond 5 or 6 bars very much, but it is possible. Overall, it sounds kinda normal, but I would check (1) engine cold, that the coolant level is filled and top it up if necessary. (2) that your overflow reservoir is filled to max when it's cold, and after a day's ride and all things cooled down again, you see if the level went down (i.e., if it needed a bit more coolant in the engine, it would suck some in during cool-down, to replace an air bubble). Might take more than one cycle. (3) that your rad is not plugged up with debris. (4) There is a burping procedure when replacing coolant to purge most of trapped air. Another way to minimize this is when pouring in coolant, pour in very slowly so air can escape while you pour.

 

[RichDoyle]

Well, I have kind of a related OCD-ish question, so this is a bit of thread drift, I suppose. Mine is a GenIII, which displays coolant temp digitally. I've only had it about a month, so no real hot weather to deal with so far. BUT - I notice that, when I start it up cold, the bike warms up pretty fast, and keeps on warming. At a steady speed (60-ish), over several readings it'll climb to about 170, then drop in the next reading to 140. Then it'll climb to maybe 174, then drop to 142. It'll keep up this sawtooth pattern, with a periodicity of maybe 30 seconds, until it finally settles in, after around a half hour, where the oscillations get down to something small, like a few degrees.

It feels like a sticky thermostat, though temps never seem to get outlandish. Anyone else notice this on the Gen III's?

 

[ionbeam]

Well, I have kind of a related OCD-ish question...It'll keep up this sawtooth pattern, with a periodicity of maybe 30 seconds, until it finally settles in, after around a half hour, where the oscillations get down to something small, like a few degrees...Anyone else notice this on the Gen III's?

Yes, been discussed and determined to be normal.

 

[renink]

Thanks for all of the replies. I will inspect everything sometime this week and make sure there are no obstructions in the radiator or anything else like that. I know the fans kick on so I will pay more attention as to when going forward.

 

[ionbeam]

Thanks for all of the replies. I will inspect everything sometime this week and make sure there are no obstructions in the radiator or anything else like that. I know the fans kick on so I will pay more attention as to when going forward.

Do all of that after you check the fluid level in the radiator.

 

[HotRodZilla]

What do you mean, "All the way up?" All 8 bars come on?? Your fans should kick on around 6-7 bars. I don't remember exactly as it happens so seldom on my '07.
If your getting more than 6 bars and the fans aren't on, that itself is an issue. If your going to full 8 bars, as said above, you prolly have a stuck thermostat. OR you have a bubble in there. Anyone change your coolant lately?

Also, your fans should not work when the bike is off.

Yes, when I am stopped at a long light it will climb up to all bars. When I get in my garage I put the kickstand down which kills the engine but doesn't shut off the bike. While just standing there the bike's fans are running.

Just to be clear, there are 10 bars on the temperature gauge of your GenII.

Normal running, which you seem to get, is 4 bars. To me, that suggests the thermostat is not stuck open or closed, and I doubt your temperature indication would remain constant at 4 bars during a range of "normal" running if the thermostat was stuck somewhere between. I can't conceive of a thermostat that only opens when it sees more water pressure from the water pump as the engine speed rises above idle.

If stuck at a "long" light, I'd expect your temperature gauge to climb 6-8 bars, somewhere around there the fans should start; once started they should bring the temperature back down within a few tens of seconds/very small number of minutes.

As garyhouse suggest, just start it, let it idle. Watch the temperature gauge, listen for the fans. They should kick in at the appropriate number of bars (I can't remember whether it's 6 or 7). From that point on the gauge should go down again; the fans will turn off at 4 or 5 bars, then the engine will heat up again. If the fans don't start, there is a problem with the fan circuit, if the fans run but the engine doesn't cool I'd suggest a blocked radiator or some such.

If ever the gauge goes to 9 or 10 bars, you do have a real problem.

I suppose it's possible there is some air in your cooling system that only allows water to circulate when the water pump pressure is high (normal running) but not when low (idle).

Yup, you're right...10 bars. I couldn't remember. I didn't go out and look, but was thinking that if there's only 8 bars, when it reaches 7, that's pretty damn high. I don't think my bike has ever been over 7, and that has been days where it was crazy hot outside and I was stuck in traffic or something.

Either of the last two might also coincide with your apparent inability to hear the fan while riding. I know that I can hear my radiator fan quite clearly even when wearing 33 dBa ear plugs in my helmet. But maybe the 2nd gen fans are quieter?

They're about the same. I know when my fans come on. The only time they have ever come on when rolling is hot days and slow speed stuff. As soon as I get around 40mph, the incoming air is enough to drop the temp to shut them off.

 

[Fred W]

Well, I have kind of a related OCD-ish question, so this is a bit of thread drift, I suppose. Mine is a GenIII, which displays coolant temp digitally. I've only had it about a month, so no real hot weather to deal with so far. BUT - I notice that, when I start it up cold, the bike warms up pretty fast, and keeps on warming. At a steady speed (60-ish), over several readings it'll climb to about 170, then drop in the next reading to 140. Then it'll climb to maybe 174, then drop to 142. It'll keep up this sawtooth pattern, with a periodicity of maybe 30 seconds, until it finally settles in, after around a half hour, where the oscillations get down to something small, like a few degrees.
It feels like a sticky thermostat, though temps never seem to get outlandish. Anyone else notice this on the Gen III's?

Normal.

Here's what's happening:

Your temperature sensor is on the end of coolant pipe (on top of the head) a little bit before the thermostat.

The thermostat is a mechanical wax motor device. It takes a certain amount of temperature at the thermostat to heat the wax motor enough to open the spring loaded valve.

There is a small hole in the plate of the valve that allows a trickle of coolant to pass through the stat when it is fully closed. If the valve were fully sealed and there were no flow at all, the thermostat would sense the engine temp changes too slowly and wouldn't open until too late.

As soon at the thermostat opens it allows cold coolant from the radiator into the engine and it again takes some time before the cooler coolant chills the wax motor enough to allow the stat to close down again, then repeat the cycle. So what we are observing is a tangible amount of mechanical hysteresis.

You'll continue to see this sawtooth response until the coolant in the radiator has all been brought up to close to the engine operating temperature, and even then the sawtooth continues albeit at a smaller amplitude dependent on the ambient air temp which will affect the radiator coolant temp.

As others have said, it's absolutely nothing to worry about. It is one of the primary reasons many manufacturers and designers are hesitant to put digital temp meters on vehicles. My old 98 VFR800 had a digital temp gauge and it was a constant but needless worry for many owners.

 

[renink]

Ok, I assume this is the coolant reservoir?

https://imgur.com/fQt55nE

The top was off the bottle so I assume that some of the coolant must have evaporated leaving me low on fluid and the reason why I was running high temperatures. I picked up some Yamaha coolant 60/40 from a local dealer. I can just fill up this bottle and top it off over the next couple of days right? Do I fill the bottle up to the top or right up to the ridge that you see towards the bottom of the picture?

Btw, I feel like an idiot for not thinking about that earlier and I am not sure why the top was off the bottle.