overheating

[GinoE]

As I’ve always done since I bought the bike brand new in 2003, I mount the ZRX and head off on a mundane morning 40mi work commute into NYC. Flying down the Palisades Parkway, there’s the usual backed up traffic heading towards the GWB toll booth. I split lanes to make better time, pay the toll and keep splitting lanes as I ride through the helix.

Once across the GWB there’s more snarling traffic on the Cross Bronx. No lane splitting here so I crawl along with everyone else. Reaching Jerome Ave, someone is flagging me down ‘hey, you’re leaking something!’ I see the temp idiot light is on, I pull over to the shoulder and coolant is spewing onto the rear tire. I wait a bit to let the bike cool off, while waiting I cellphone work to tell them I’m not going to make it in.

I turn around to head home to try and figure out what’s wrong. It overheats again on the Deegan. Let it sit some more to cool down. As I wait, traffic is getting lighter. I figure it won’t overheat if I’m cruising instead of crawling – I finally catch a break.

I call IVAN to ask what coolant he used when he did the service. He said to bring it over to him now, he’ll take a look. He did the once over, sensor, fan, fuses, everything tested OK. No charge, though I tipped the kid that was helping him troubleshoot.

Left the shop, took a cruise along the Hudson, smoked a cigar up in Bear Mt. then grabbed a hotdog at a local joint. No sign of overheating. I should try sitting in traffic again.

The bike ran great when the Bank owned it. I made my last payment a few weeks back. I should have known this would have happened…

[ImmaSquashYou]

so what your saying is that coolant started leaking, you over heated and now there's no problem??? There's something not kosher here. Coolant just doesn't leak out of no where. Did you have to refill it??? Or no....if you did and everything is fine now, it was just because there wasn't enough coolant. But i hope that you found the leak. Oh btw, water works just as good as coolant for a lil bit. Thing is that you are suppose to use distilled water so it doesn't rust your radiator. But if you're in deep measures like this, it won't hurt it once you flush it out and put new coolant in.

[CBRBob]

Perhaps the bike was not heat cycles to circulate the coolant and then refilled to rid the system of air prior to you picking it up after it being changed? Easy way to see if it will overheat again. Start it up and let it run..........

[GinoE]

I’ve ridden this same path every morning since 2003 - sweltering hot summer days without a problem. Dunno why it became a problem during yesterdays commute.

I tempted fate and rode in again this morning. This time I took a different route – NYS thruway, TZB, Cross County, Hutchison Pky, WSB. The TEMP idiot light came on when I was crawling at the Cross County/Hutchison merge. Luckily for me it’s a down slope, so I did as the mechanic suggested and shut down the bike and coasted for about 5mins until I merged into faster traffic.

I’ve ridden the bike over 600mi since I got it back from the shop without any temp problems. Though I was cruising the entire time, no sitting in traffic. The mechanic purged the coolant and refilled it again from empty.

I suspect the fan sensor.

Fan sensor does not know it’s hot enough to turn on to cool the radiator
TEMP idiot light goes on, Engine overheats
Coolant boils and spews out the overflow

In the past I used to hear the fan come on occasionally, now I don’t hear it at all. The mechanic tested everything OK. I’ll have to re-check it again…

[Cakes206]

Like Bob said, start it up and let it get to temp. Not sure what temp the fans kick on for that bike, manual should tell you. Also, depending on where the sensor is vs. the amount of fluid can cause this. Some bikes have the sensor way up top on the rad, if the level isn't high enough it won't get a good reading.

[IrocRob]

A thermostat installed backwards is a possible explanation.
Was the thermostat removed to make it easier to flush out the cooling system?

[Lucky7]

Dude, do you ride out of Rockland county? I know IVAN's in Congers and your shots look like they are out Nyack and Nanuet.

[SPL170db]

You know for sure the system was bled properly?

You think it's the fan sensor not kicking on, that should be easy enough to diagnose. On my bike the fan comes on at 220 degrees. Turn the bike on and let it come up to whatever temp it's supposed to turn the fan on and see what happens.

[Redlinerider]

i think you should have gone back to work before the cigar and hot dog

[GinoE]

we have a winner!

i ride up/down 9w (IVANS shop is near rockland lake) - from bear mt to nyack, there's a new hot dog joint in nanuet. i just happened to see it when i was out shopping for a new putter at the golf store around the corner.

Originally Posted by Lucky7

Dude, do you ride out of Rockland county? I know IVAN's in Congers and your shots look like they are out Nyack and Nanuet.

[GinoE]

i'll try all these suggestions.

i was reading up on this at the ZRXOA site - i might consider this thing: FAN CONTROL

[Cakes206]

Originally Posted by ginoe

i'll try all these suggestions.

i was reading up on this at the ZRXOA site - i might consider this thing: FAN CONTROL

Hey G, need to figure out whats causing the problem man, the bike ran all this time w/o one, thats just putting a band aid over a wound.

[Lucky7]

Originally Posted by ginoe

we have a winner!

i ride up/down 9w (IVANS shop is near rockland lake) - from bear mt to nyack, there's a new hot dog joint in nanuet. i just happened to see it when i was out shopping for a new putter at the golf store around the corner.

I recognize the pics since I keep my bike up there and I ride around there as well. I think I've seen your ZRX in Main St in Nyack.

[GinoE]

i notice you're in astoria, i work in flushing.

lol, yep - main st, nyack - i'm usually at the olde village inne doing 12oz curls.

[NYCSTRIPES]

thermostat?? sticking
Ken