How to tell if an Air-cooled engine is getting too hot?

[adengtg]

Hey guys, with all the nice weather approaching, i'm wondering how to tell if my bike is getting too hot and if there are any ways of keeping it cool? Ive got a 1999 Xj600S, they used to be air cooled but mine has a small-ish oil cooler as its a later model.

The past week has been stunning and with temperatures of 23° means that i've been out on some long rides and pushing my little restricted engine fairly hard on some roads. I can't help but feel paranoid that i'm going to overheat my engine or cause heat related damage somehow.

What ways are there to tell if this is the case when i'm out riding in hot weather? I did think of putting fans on my oil cooler and just wiring them into a handlebar mounted switch but i wouldn't be sure if it would do anything or be worth the hassle if it did. I'd be grateful if anyone could offer some advice or tips.

Thanks for the help!

[Nobby the Bastard]

How do you tell if an air-cooled engine is too hot? It heat seizes....
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[adengtg]

[MCN]

Glue a Thermistor onto the head. (Araldite it on.)

I'm sure you can find a device on eBay that has the sensor and an LED Display.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Led-Display-Thermometer-Fridge-Temperature-Gauge-Meter-Monitor-GF/113698757263?hash=item1a78f95a8f:m:mQ0qbPeLA2COUc5-Nh1nXjQ&frcectupt=true

good up to 110° Centipede. (It should be almost well cooked by then. )

https://www.go-araldite.com/products/araldite-product-selector#r_34_199
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[adengtg]

[Riejufixing]

I reckon it'll cook your 110C thermometer, as well as the Araldite.

If you want to stick something to something hot, then silicone adhesive (as in instant gasket compound, etc.) will withstand much higher temperatures than Araldite.

Why do you think your bike will suffer in a mere 23C ambient temperature? Say for instance it's OK at a cool 15C. If ambient goes up to 30C, you've still only added a sort-of-potential 15C to the running temperature, and in real life you won't even get that, since heat will dissapate faster from a hotter object.

[Ste]

If it catches fire then it's getting too hot.

[Robby]

It's air cooled. It was designed to operate over a wide range of engine temperatures. It was also designed for a global market, including sitting in traffic in sandy countries. You aren't going to hurt it.

Of course, might be a blessing if you do kill it it. One less divvy is always nice.

[MCN]

[redeem ouzzer]

Ignorance is bliss.

Plus what would you do if your engine got “to hot”?

I’ve had lots of oil cooled GSXR’s and never once worried about how hot they were getting.
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Be a REAL MAN!

[adengtg]

[adengtg]

[chickenstrip]

I can't afford anything else, but I still haven't got a divvy
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[RhynoCZ]

Don't worry about it, as long as the revs match the speed (meaning, your not reving it while stationary) the engine won't overheat.

None of the air cooled machines that I have ever ridden/owned overheated and we do get 35°C+ summers here. In fact, I'd overheat sooner than the engine would.

The only thing one can do is to check the spark plugs. Those will tell you whether the mixture isn't too lean or the engine running too hot.

Other than that, I would not worry about it much. Just don't rev it when stationary and keep moving.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[adengtg]

[RhynoCZ]

To make things a bit more clear, lean mixture leads to overheating. Rich mixture has the opposite effect while washing out the lubricant off the cylinder walls, which leads to accelerated piston rings wear. Overheating might even happen when the mixture is perfect though, but it's unlikely on an air cooled engine.

Also, running too hot could alter the colour of the exhaust headers.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[adengtg]

[Riejufixing]

[RhynoCZ]

[Yorkshire Geek]

As the owner of a '96 you'll be able to smell it. Don't sit in traffic queues

[adengtg]

[adengtg]

[Riejufixing]

[RhynoCZ]

I'd say the insulator bit on both the iridium and regular spark plugs is about the same, so it will discolour the same with wear/damage. But again, I recommend less thinking more riding.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[adengtg]