Unusually High Temperatures?

[Call Me Ahab]

Hey guys, I'm fairly new to the forum here, and I tried to use the search tool to find a standard operating temp to no avail.

I just ran my bike from Alvin to the Goe Kawasaki in Angleton and back, allowing for an hour rest between there and back.

I got back home and tagged the engine with an IR thermometer and it reads 290 degrees! Now, I was thinking that maybe this was normal, tagged my brother's Kawasaki zx1000... 160.

So now I'm freaking out a bit, trying to find aftermarket oil cooler kit for my bike (didn't find one, damnit) and trying to figure out what's going on.

I run mobil 1 10w-40 pure synthetic w/ the Lucas pure synthetic oil additive.

I personally synched the carbs and pilot screws, so fuel mixture should be accurate. I have NOT yet replaced the Intake O-rings, they're on order right now.

Any ideas, suggestions etc would be greatly appreciated. I don't want my beloved suzi blowing up!

[Guest]

What year and model for your bike?
Some run hotter than others.

[Call Me Ahab]

Sorry about that, thought I had that in there...

'82 gs850gz

[Guest]

On a really hot and humid day in Houston, my 1100 will run hot after a while, up to the temps you reported. Probably nothing to worry about, but I will look forward to other responses.

[Big T]

Put your bike in your signature

It's hot down there, right?

The bike will run hot - you can't compare an air cooled bike in 100 degree weather to a water cooled bike

[Guest]

don't compare your bikes operating temperature to a liquid cooled bike.

It is not hot, but it depends a lot on where you point that thermometer you could read a lot hotter than 290, closer to 350 maybe more, exhaust gas temp is in the 500 ballpark
try pointing above the exhaust port for cylinder 2 or 3.

[1980GS1000E]

Exactly right. Water-cooled can not be compared to air-cooled.

[koolaid_kid]

No, it's not hot in Brazoria County, just south of Houston.
Wait, yes it is.
Before I put a cooler on my GS it consistently ran that hot on long rides.

[bwringer]

The last thing an 850 needs is an oil cooler.

Don't worry about it.

[Call Me Ahab]

Hmm... After about half an hour of use I notice a sharp drop in performance right at 5k rpm, abt 60 mph. I'm hoping this is just damage to the intake boots, as I can see dark deposits encompassing all four of them, and can hear a faint whistle when I rev the engine originating from that area.

O-ring kit on order.

Okay... I'll keep an eye on it, but those temperatures make me nervous as hell. And about the water-cooling, didn't even really think about that, that's my bad.

To be on the safe side, in case the o-ring kit and some other maintenance fails to remedy this, do they make an oil or water cooling kit for these bikes? If it's getting hot enough to blow out the new - as in less than a month old, sealed with high-temp rtv sealant - head gasket, something can't be right...

And thanks everyone, I'll keep an eye on it... Have a good night / day!

[MisterCinders]

RTV sealant on the head gasket?

[Guest]

My '82 GS1100EZ runs hot, much too hot for my liking, maybe about 250-260, and that's with cooler plugs. I've noticed though, the hotter it is outside, and it's been real hot these last couple of months, the hotter the bike runs.

[gearhead13]

My factory temp gauge (unreliable I know) hits 160C or 320F on hot days in traffic. At some point smoke starts to rise off the engine
Its been quite warm here lately although I doubt as warm as Texas

[Guest]

My '82 GS1100EZ runs hot, much too hot for my liking, maybe about 250-260, and that's with cooler plugs. I've noticed though, the hotter it is outside, and it's been real hot these last couple of months, the hotter the bike runs.

cold plugs won't make the engine run any colder,
If it is hot out the bike runs hotter, cold out, runs colder
there is no thermostat , air cooled engines run hot, it's how they get rid of heat
spark plug electrode temperature is 1000 degrees, combustion temp 2000 degrees

[2BRacing]

If it's getting hot enough to blow out the new - as in less than a month old, sealed with high-temp rtv sealant - head gasket, something can't be right...

As others have said, the higher temperature in hot weather is not a problem on these engines.

However, what is a problem, is that RTV gunk you put on the head gasket! This is not required, and not recommended! The gunk will prevent the proper torque being obtained on the head bolts/nuts, due to its rubbery consistency. If you have not re-torqued the head again a couple of times after a few heat-cycles, you will probably find that the nuts are now loose, as that RTV gunk has been compressed and "settled".

In order to get your bike running as it should, I suggest that you replace the head gasket with a new OEM one with no sealer used, after removing all traces of that RTV gunk from head and cylinder surfaces.

I am not sure what else you did when you removed the head previously, but you must inspect the valves for wear; lap the valves into their seats; and replace the valve stem oil seals if that was not done. Also replace the base gasket with a new OEM one if that was not done. Re-torque the head after a few heat-cycles, and keep checking the torque until it stays steady. The new gasket will "settle" after a few heat-cycles, resulting in the head loosening slightly.

Sorry to go from temperature-related query to this, but I just could not let this go by without giving you a serious heads-up, as MisterCinders also wanted to do!