Odd Temperature problem
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Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 268
From: San Diego
Odd Temperature problem
Ever since i've gotten my shawk, the temp gauge has never past 1/4 for regular crusing. It's gotten to the 1/2 mark in heavy stop and go traffic, but nothing past that.
So, the other day I was stuck on traffic on the 5. Temp gauge reached to the 1/2 way mark, but it went down when the fan kicked on & traffic started moving a little more. nothing out of the ordinary.
However, I notice now that the temp gauge reaches the 1/2 way mark very quickly, even in regular city traffic. I'm planning to do a coolant drain and flush, but i'm willing to bet the culprit is something else. Perhaps the water pump or thermostat? Any advice or experience would be appreciated.
So, the other day I was stuck on traffic on the 5. Temp gauge reached to the 1/2 way mark, but it went down when the fan kicked on & traffic started moving a little more. nothing out of the ordinary.
However, I notice now that the temp gauge reaches the 1/2 way mark very quickly, even in regular city traffic. I'm planning to do a coolant drain and flush, but i'm willing to bet the culprit is something else. Perhaps the water pump or thermostat? Any advice or experience would be appreciated.
Senior Member
SuperSport
SuperSport
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 880
From: Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada
Since mine has a digital gauge, it's hard to compare, but in hard traffic, it reaches very high temps. Is this happening in very hot days ?? How long you had your hawk, is this a change from pas behavior ??
Try a 40% glycol/60 %water mix, but what you describe sounds like normal to me, when very hot, temp rises quickly and it takes a while to go down due to the design of the rads. I had to shut mine down on heavy traffic, it reached 109 C (228 F) and the fan could not do **** to cool it down.
Rule : if you're stuck in traffic, Honda engineers want you to sneak the hell out of there.
Try a 40% glycol/60 %water mix, but what you describe sounds like normal to me, when very hot, temp rises quickly and it takes a while to go down due to the design of the rads. I had to shut mine down on heavy traffic, it reached 109 C (228 F) and the fan could not do **** to cool it down.
Rule : if you're stuck in traffic, Honda engineers want you to sneak the hell out of there.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,138
From: Austin, Tx
Yeah, I think Willie and the others are on this. I;ve been running without a fan for the last few weeks and no worries. Just gotta pick the roads and the times of the day. Once it gets up to halfway on the gauge and no fan - it starts to get warm.
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MotoGP
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,553
From: South Texas
I have a 96 VFR project bike with a traditional front rad that also came stock with an analog gauge just the first superhawks. I recently changed out the gauge with an new digital aftermarket unit.
Previously, the vfr gauge behaved exactly like both of my previous 98 'hawks, i.e., mainly runs around the 1/4 mark and rises to about 1/2 when hot. Fan brings it back down to between those marks while running in clean air at higher speeds (above 40ish) gets it back to 1/4.
When I added the digital gauge, I found this formerly "cool" running motor now indicates the "high" temps that both superhawk and 98-present VFR owners (all with side rads) are concerned about: around 220f before fan kicks on which brings it back down to around 210f. This figures are from extended idling in the garage in 90F heat (new gauge also has an air temp function).
I had a 94 vfr (identical to my present 96) several years ago and always loved at how cool it ran, just like my first 98 superhawk since both gauges indicated so low. It's all about our perceptions.
Previously, the vfr gauge behaved exactly like both of my previous 98 'hawks, i.e., mainly runs around the 1/4 mark and rises to about 1/2 when hot. Fan brings it back down to between those marks while running in clean air at higher speeds (above 40ish) gets it back to 1/4.
When I added the digital gauge, I found this formerly "cool" running motor now indicates the "high" temps that both superhawk and 98-present VFR owners (all with side rads) are concerned about: around 220f before fan kicks on which brings it back down to around 210f. This figures are from extended idling in the garage in 90F heat (new gauge also has an air temp function).
I had a 94 vfr (identical to my present 96) several years ago and always loved at how cool it ran, just like my first 98 superhawk since both gauges indicated so low. It's all about our perceptions.
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