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Overheating while in traffic

J

jmackd1

Member
This weekend there was an old hot rod show in town, hotrods and harleys(mostly) cruising up an down the blvd. Engine got extremely hot, oil temp was almost at 300 degrees( normally runs around 200) before I pulled over and shut the bike down for awhile. I'd say I was creeping along at 1 to 2 mph for close to an hour until it reached high temperatures. A Harley guy I was speaking to said don't worry about it, if it gets hot enough the bike will shut itself off, is that true? It is a '04 Softail standard. And how hot is too hot?

Thanks,
Jeff
Austin, TX
 
The ECM has a heat management system built in and will deal with the heat in it's own way by shutting down a cylinder. I don't like to get it hot enough to have it kick in and also at 300*, I would change the oil after you get it home. Look in the self help forum under the proper section for more info on the heat management operation and the oil temp breakdown.
 
jmackd1 said:
A Harley guy I was speaking to said don't worry about it, if it gets hot enough the bike will shut itself off, is that true?

Thanks,
Jeff
Austin, TX
Click to expand...

If the oil was truly 300 degrees, your cylinders really had to be cooking. I have never read anywhere that the entire engine will shut down. Heat management yes, but complete shutdown no. On the positive side I believe your bike does not have O2 sensors for ecm feedback so it probably runs richer than most factory FI bikes..
And as Glider suggested, change the oil.
 
Sounds like you use synthetic oil as saying "it never gets over 200*"
If you don't use a full synthetic, think about it. Now is the time.

? how hot is too hot????? you were there! and more! I would never allow my bike to get that hot!

300 degrees is a 60* over where I would shut mine down.(.) Even at sturgis, I would pull-off and take a nap.

The thing I always "harp" on to bikers who ask?
Harley is an air cooled and oil cooled engine.
Slow moving your bike and stand-stills will ruin a good engine.

The traveling at idle speeds in stop-n-go traffic is not the way the harley is designed and nothing short of a 20 mile an hour breeze would improve that situation much.

HEAT is the killer of the air-cooled engine. While cooking oil at 300*, the oil has long gave up it's lubrication function and damage to the pistons/rings/wall is probably there at that temperature....

Change like Glider suggested.

Hopefully your engine will not show the damages it could of sustained.

I will install a JAGG oil cooler and a ?FAN (when ginny-pig smitty reports) when I take my 09 FLHR down to Az. (thanks smitty lol)

I run full synthetics in all my bikes with good results. The break-down of oil is less using synthetics and a little more abuse can be given them..

You showing austin texas as in avatar...
HOT is a real killer there. hope you have an oil cooler/fan
I went to the ROT in 09 and thought az. was hot!

why do they have that rally in the hottest mo. of the year?

If you did damaged the engine, it will smoke a little. To check, go down a hill leaving off throttle under compression.... the longer the hill the better,then watch the exhaust if smoke is there when you throttle up....

Let me know your finding please. Probably okay THIS TIME !

signed....BUBBIE
 
Problem with an oil cooler is in stop and go traffic it won't help much. There is a fan that goes where the horn attaches that would help. Going to put one on myself.
 
New cams and a dyno tune by a pro. Really helped cool my bike down. I use to run synthetic oil because of heat. After the cam and tunes, the stop light inner leg:D scorcher was 10 times better, like riding a different bike. I switched back to dino oil. Quiets things down. The performance increase from the cams and tune was a big plus also.
 
Hoople said:
Interesting. If it's Ok to ask, which one. I am running Dino also.
Click to expand...


I run Revtech SAE50, Revtech Transmssion SAE80W90, and Rev Tech Primary Oil.

I'm not stuck on Revtech, but I use it in the shovel and the Local Indy who sells it, has helped me out countless times. I would rather give him my money.
 
glider said:
You run the 50 wt in the 04 RK? That's a bit heavy for that in a TC engine. I'm sure that it does quiet things down once you get it running. Must crank a bit slower than with 20/50 oil.
Click to expand...

I live in NC.

50SAE is good above 60 degrees(according to the manual). Switch to 20W50 in the fall. If it is below 60 straight 50 weight is not a good idea.

My bike is parked in the garage and i live in NC, so the 50 works out well (Spring and Summer).
 
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