Whats wrong with my bike?

[ky_paramedic]

Last week while riding my bike the temp. light came on. I had been running it really hard before that and it was like 95 that day. When it came on I was sitting at a stop sign so I figured it was a combination of both. When i got home I checked and the coolant was a little low. So i filled the reserve up. I rode today with no problems. But when I got home, and pulled in my driveway it came back on again. Checked the coolant and it was still on the full line. What could be causing this? It was only like 75 this evening.

[SilverBullet]

Your coolant temperature sensor is probably going. It is like a 15 dollar part and screws into the radiator. When the temp hits a certain point it completes the circuit and the fan turns on.

Have you noticed your fan running as normal, or running less frequent?

[SilverBullet]

I see you have an 09 and yes you can have a fulty switch. It will be covered under warrenty.

I had mine go 2 weeks after I bought my ZX-12R and there was only 2700 miles on it. Found out it was an issue with the 00-02 bikes. They either went in the first 4000 miles or not at all.

[ky_paramedic]

Originally Posted by SilverBullet

Your coolant temperature sensor is probably going. It is like a 15 dollar part and screws into the radiator. When the temp hits a certain point it completes the circuit and the fan turns on.

Have you noticed your fan running as normal, or running less frequent?

well thats the problem. seems like the fan has been running more then usual. but maybe thats where i have been paying more attention. ??????

[SilverBullet]

Well it looks like you have an actual thermostat on that bike instead. so you may have to replace that.

From the Ron Ayers online microfiche.

Parts found with Part Number: 49054-1067
Description THERMOSTAT
Price $28.77

[SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by ky_paramedic

well thats the problem. seems like the fan has been running more then usual. but maybe thats where i have been paying more attention. ??????

If the fan is running that is a good thing.

When I had my problem the fan didn't run at all due to the sensor being bad. With you having a thermostat and the fan still running, I'm not sure what it is. Maybe it is not opening up and allowing the collant to circulate. Or it could be a water pump.

If it is under warrenty take it to the dealership.

Another thing check your oil level and make sure you are not too low.

[ky_paramedic]

i dont understand it either...my oil is good. my coolant is good. i mean its been hot and i wasnt going very fast . but it still shouldnt come on like that.

[SilverBullet]

Like I said, I would suspect, Faulty Thermostat, then a faulty water pump. There isn't much more to the operation of a coolant system.

Take it in for warrenty work.

[ky_paramedic]

im gong to..well i dont know if they can get it in tomorrow but at least i can report the problem and schedule it in. i will ride it again tomorrow and if it comes on i will just park it until then.

[ky_paramedic]

i just let it sit in the driveway and idle for about 30 min. its around 75-80 out and the light never came on.

[Bwadife]

Did you check you oil level ? what bike do you have ? is it the old 1500 ? they had a plastic oil pump empeler that used to fail around 15000 miles and cause overheating and even engin siezed. There is a metal replacement for that and solved the problem of overheating.

[SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by Bwadife

Did you check you oil level ? what bike do you have ? is it the old 1500 ? they had a plastic oil pump empeler that used to fail around 15000 miles and cause overheating and even engin siezed. There is a metal replacement for that and solved the problem of overheating.

He has an 09 VN900

[doughrek]

I wonder if you messed up anything when you changed all of your cases. Didn't you say you had to drain the oil and coolant?

[ky_paramedic]

i rode it agan this morning around 60 miles and no problems. light never came on. i dont think anything is wrong or it would have overheated by now. when i changed the clutch cover i never touched the water pump or anything behind it. I did drain the coolant. i just wonder if maybe i got some air in the coolant system making it do that. becuase i rode all day in the heat yesterday and it didnt come one. then it did when i got home last night. and it was a lot cooler out by that time.

[SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by ky_paramedic

i rode it agan this morning around 60 miles and no problems. light never came on. i dont think anything is wrong or it would have overheated by now. when i changed the clutch cover i never touched the water pump or anything behind it. I did drain the coolant. i just wonder if maybe i got some air in the coolant system making it do that. becuase i rode all day in the heat yesterday and it didnt come one. then it did when i got home last night. and it was a lot cooler out by that time.

Oh I missed about having to drain your coolant. Yeah if you got air in the line and didn't completely fill the system that is a possibility. Especially if you opened up the rad and had to fill it some like I did see in the first post.

[ky_paramedic]

Originally Posted by SilverBullet

Oh I missed about having to drain your coolant. Yeah if you got air in the line and didn't completely fill the system that is a possibility. Especially if you opened up the rad and had to fill it some like I did see in the first post.

yeah i would almost be willing to bet thats the problem. you think i need to flush the system? or will it work itself out maybe? like i said i rode for a couple hours today with no problems.

[SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by ky_paramedic

yeah i would almost be willing to bet thats the problem. you think i need to flush the system? or will it work itself out maybe? like i said i rode for a couple hours today with no problems.

No I would just check the fuild level again in the radiator and make sure it is still full. If it is I wouldn't worry about it.

[ky_paramedic]

i checked and the rad. is full. when it gets low it just vacumes it out of the reserve tank..right? so as long as it is full i should still be ok?

[Alf]

Not to chime in late but you could have some air in the system that is affecting the water pumps ability to circulate coolant intermittently. Maybe someone with the service manual could chime in and tell us what it says about bleeding air from the coolant system...

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by Bwadife

Did you check you oil level ? what bike do you have ? is it the old 1500 ? they had a plastic oil pump empeler that used to fail around 15000 miles and cause overheating and even engin siezed. There is a metal replacement for that and solved the problem of overheating.

Wasn't a plastic oil impeller, it was the gear that drives the oil pump of of the clutch housing.... and it didn't cause overheating, it caused an immediate drop to zero-psi oil pressure. Yes, the engine would seize if it was not shut down immediately.

The problem was corrected in production in 2000.