I think many people are right when they say there is probably an air leak in the system. I didn't think it was worth it to try and trace the leak in my system so I simply wired a switch in for my fan. Currently, my fan is wired so that it will turn on automatically if the sensor tells it to, or this can be overridden with the flick of a switch so that the fan is constantly on. What this allows me to do is turn on the fan whenever I am sitting in traffic before the point at which the coolant starts to boil. This effectively keeps the temperature at about halfway (i hate analog gauges, wish I could give numbers).

Now, before everyone starts yelling, let me say this. This is not technically a fix, but rather a lazy way to deal with my problem. By turning on the fan at an earlier temperature, the coolant simply doesn't reach its boiling point. Is it bad? Well that is a matter of opinion and some people feel it is while others don't. As long as I remember to turn the fan on when there is a risk of overheating, there is no real risk of me overheating. Sure, its an added drain on the electrical system, and so on, but that doesn't bother me personally. Now, this is one case, installing a switch on another bike with similar issues may or may not solve the problem.

It is much better to install a switch if you are worried about overheating than to do nothing at all. If you think you might have a problem, either take it to get checked out, install a switch and closely monitor it to see if the problem remains, or find the problem and fix it yourself. Switches are still only a temporary solution, and should not be relied upon to prevent overheating. If you go the switch route, pay attention to the temp everytime you ride.

Input/comments?

 

Yeah my bike is overheating and it runs like crap when really hot. I changed my R/R and the bike runs great until it heat rises. How would I go about changing the coolant? Any picture guides or anyone know the best way to do it?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Is your bike overheating just when sitting in traffic, or even if the bike is moving?

Changing the r/r has no effect on the cooling system.

As for changing the coolant, its pretty simple. There should be a drain on the pump on the left side of the engine. take off your fairings, locate the drain plug and drain, simple as that. It is also a good idea to flush some distilled water through the system just to clean it out as much as possible. Once flushed, close the drain plug and fill the the radiator with coolant. I personally use engine ice, some people use water wetter or something like that. Just get a decent quality coolant and fill it up using their directions.

If you want a picture guide, download the service manual for the F3, if you search there should be a link for a free pdf download somewhere.