It would be nice to know where the thermostat temp was on the gauge, and to have actual numbers. It is unnerving to watch the gauge running up at 3/4 or more when you are not even doing anything aggressive. If you find a "cool looking" gauge let us know, haha.

 

I do think a couple of temps on the gauge would be nice.

But, for now here's this, from a thread a while back.

http://www.vulcanforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=102401&postcount=29

I don't know where the info came from or if it is accurate. But it seems legit to me.

Scott

 

I haven't read many heat issues with the Voyager. I have read where riders complained about the amount of heat they feel. Those are two different things.

Anyway. Let the bike idle and see where your fan kicks on. It should just past the tick mark that is to the right of 12 o'clock. Once the fan kicks on the temp should start to drop until the fan kicks off again. If this isn't happening or if the temp gauge continues to climb while the fan is on then you might need to service your cooling system.

 

Twowheel: thanks for the suggestion. I will try that tomorrow. I have been hesitant to let it idle very long because it is not broken in yet, but it seemed like a fan came on even before midway, and when I started rolling it continued to climb to 3/4 or more. I will also pull the side panel and make sure they filled the coolant to the correct level when they did make-ready.

 

Have 2010 voyager and in sw florida it runs on the middle mark or just over. Stop for a light and climbs to the to the next mark and the fan comes on. A few weeks ago I did a 4000 mile round trip to the NE and it ran below the middle mark and got better milage in the more hilly terrain. The amount of heat you feel is a direct correlation to the outside temp. 6am at 45 degree it was on the first line and I was begging for some engine heat to keep me warm. I should have returned to sunny FLA.

 

That is how my 2010 Voyager behaves. I guess you and I got the two good Voyagers.

Don is correct, the bile will run around 205 degrees, but the redline is posted at 240 degrees. The bike should run about 5/8 to 3/4 to hot side depending on movement and traffic. This is a large motor and a limited coolant system. This is why you hear your fan. It will run almost continously when the bike is stopped, in heavy traffic, or idling. The fan goes off once the bike stars moving again. I would not worry unless your bike is overheating (you will definitely know that).

My fan will not stay on. If I let the bike idle until the fan comes on it will only remain on for a minute or so and the fan will bring the temp back down to where the fan shuts off. This cycle may repeat if I have to sit there for a long time.

I just completed wrapping the pipes and changing to engine ice. Didn't do it because I felt I needed to. Did it because it was time to change the coolant and pull the exhaust to lube the swingarm so I figured might as well.

 

When first starting a cold engine and running up to operating temp, it is common for the temp to keep going for a short span and then drop back off. The reason for this is that the thermostat (180/195 deg f) takes a short while to open after temerature reaches the set temp and the temp still climbs in the area of the temp sender till the hot coolant flows past and the cool coolant flows into this area. The coolant circuit flows through passages in the top of the head around the spark plugs then to the junction manifold housing where the thermostat is located, above top of motor. Another control for this temp is the heat range of the spark plugs and the heat range of the plug is how much heat it retains and/or how fast it dissipates this heat. It is also common for the fan to not come on at all during a ride when all is workig correctly. The radiator gets enough air to keep it all under control above 35 mph and the fan will only come on when temp says it is needed, such as idling, hot wheather, etc.
Point is not to worry about it unless you experience a blow out of the reservoir from over heating. I only had this happen once when I forgot to change out some hot plugs one spring for a hot day ride. For a while I used the hotter 5 plug in the winter to compensate for a rich condition with stock carb.
The running temp on the road should be in the area of 205 degrees, which should be just a little past the middle of your gage.

 

The running temp on the road should be in the area of 205 degrees, which should be just a little past the middle of your gage.

Don,

According to the table, linked to earlier. (maybe RAW6464 will see this thread and chime in on where he got the temp info)
The fan comes on at 203F; which is a little past the 4th white line. (next one after the middle)

This is just about 3/4 of the gauge.

A couple of weeks ago we were having pretty warm weather here in TX and mine would run about the 5th mark.


TEMPERATURE GAUGE TICKS IN FAHRENHEIT
C=120
1=140
2=160
3=180 Middle Tick
4=200 Fan on at 203
5=220
H1=240
H2=250

Scott

 

Don is correct, the bile will run around 205 degrees, but the redline is posted at 240 degrees. The bike should run about 5/8 to 3/4 to hot side depending on movement and traffic. This is a large motor and a limited coolant system. This is why you hear your fan. It will run almost continously when the bike is stopped, in heavy traffic, or idling. The fan goes off once the bike stars moving again. I would not worry unless your bike is overheating (you will definitely know that).

 

Engine temp

You can buy a laser directed digital temp. gun for 50.00 and check temp. at every point on you engine. Read coolant temp while under pressure. And compare it to you in dash gauge, very accurate..

 

At any ambient temp over 28 Celsius my bike runs at or over the 4 that mark and as it gets hotter up goes the gauge until at 38 Celsius or above (100f ) it is at or just below the 1st red mark. This worries the heck out of me but there are no noticeable signs that the motor is over heating other than that damned gauge. The bike has had a new radiator (kam's kit) new thermostat, engine ice, then liquid intelligence, as well as having the square and sensors checked. It still runs hot according to the gauge.

At the moment as we head into our long hot summer I am considering changing coolant back to OEM specs as I am beginning to question the value of the engine ice's and liquid intelligence fluids when used in the bike.

 

Did you follow the Engine Ice instructions regarding flushing your system with distilled water and white vinegar? Did you make sure you didn't have any air trapped in the system?

 

Greetings Dozrtravlin from Blue knights Florida XXX
In Sunny north central Florida..
Fred, Ride Coordinator/Quartermaster

 

RWP Brother I hope the hurricane left you alone

 

Update on mine. So this morning I put a 2x4 under the kickstand to get it to true vertical, checked the oil which looked fine, and then removed the cover to check the coolant level, which was fine. Maybe a teeny bit low, but close enough. So, I then put on full gear, with liners, and went for a nut-numbing ride in the 35 degree temps. I took Scott's suggestion and ran FM5 - our local "dragon" haha. GREAT ride. Thanks for the suggestion. I was very pleased to see that when I was able to get it up to higher speeds, and cruising, the temp gauge did in fact drop back down closer to half, or even below. So, at least it was a little peace of mind for me that the temps did come back down out in the open.

 

...... our local "dragon" haha. .

Dragon!!???
LOL!

Its not bad for short ride from the doorstep though.

Scott

 

Amsoil coolant boost....

Has anyone used this product? "Amsoil coolant boost"....I was given a bottle from a local distributor when I first bought my 2011 Vaquero in the Spring. Added it to the system and never looked back. I cannot pers. say I noticed a big difference on the temp gauge, especially in the HOT mid-west Summer temps. The nice thing, its meant to be added directly to the anti-freeze mix. Thoughts!??....

 

IMO, you guys are fooling yourselves by thinking any type of special coolant is going to miraculously help cool down the big engine. The engine is big and the cooling system is tiny so it can only do so much (or little).

The only way you will not bake on this bike is to ride in 60F temps on the expressway.

 

I wouldn't go that far. For me, wrapping the pipes made a huge difference. If at a total standstill, I certainly get heat from the engine, but not so much the exhaust. Still quite warm when sitting still, but nothing like what it was before wrapping the pipes. Back then, it was more along the lines of cooking the family jewels!

 

I am not so much worried about my comfort. The KAMS does seem to be working, and providing some improvement in that regard. However, I am still very interested in reducing operating temperatures of the motor itself, for the sake of the motor. I keep one eye on the temp gauge when pulling heavy trailers with the dually, or running my farm equipment. It is disturbing to see the gauge on this bike climbing toward the red when not moving on hot days. Unlike "normal" vehicles, where the cooling system can keep the gauge at or near thermostat temp, this cooling system obviously does not and can not. The good news is that we have a couple of months of cooler temps, and Scott's knock has disappeared, at least for now.