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How do you know it is too hot

bigbubba402

Active Member
Ok I am fairly new to HD so how do you know when the engine is too hot that you need to shut it down.I have an 02 no temp gage if you are stuck in traffic when do you know that you have to get to the side and shut it down for a while to protect the engine.I run Mobil 1
 
Usually the heat radiating will be a good indication of overheating. If you are at a slow pace in stop and go traffic, there may be some pinging going on when you start to let the clutch out which would be an indication it's time to either get it moving or pull over and let it cool for a while till the traffic starts to move again.
 
When you are old and your hearing is gone I guess I better put in a temp. gauge. I can't hear the pinging. Most of the time I try and stay out of the traffic but once in awhile I get hungup.
 
If I get stuck in stop and go on my commute as much as I want to get on it when traffic gets moving again I stay in the right lane and run easy on the throttle until I get some air flowing on the block for a bit. I'm not a mechanical expert but figure if the bike is hot from stop and go and I imediately get on the throttle hard it may cause some unnecessary wear and tear!!!!
 
On the newer bikes - when EITMS kicks in...she's hot. Your '02 would be when your sweating like a pig & bike's sluggish...time to pull over.
 
On the newer bikes - when EITMS kicks in...she's hot. Your '02 would be when your sweating like a pig & bike's sluggish...time to pull over.

The EITMS kicks in around 290 degrees. I have been stuck in traffic and seen temps up to 330 degrees and had no problems with the bike running sluggish or pinging but that is usually when I will pull over and let the bike cool down. With the outside air temps in the low 90's + and running 70-75mph on the freeway the engine will run around 275 degrees and the oil temps will get up to 235 degrees. The Dakota Digital Gauges have a feature that allow you to monitor the engine temps utilizing the EITMS heat sensors, that is why I can give some pretty accurate temp readings. It would be safe to say that outside air temps in the high 90's to low 100's would get the engine/oil temps higher.
 
Time to replace that useless air temp gauge with an oil temp gauge. Then consider a cooler.

TQ
 
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