ST-L heat problems and my concerns

[flamingobabe]

My 2013 ST-L is so hot near the gas cap, that I can barely touch it...I have to open the Corbin gas door, let it cool a couple of minutes, then release pressure from gas cap, take gas cap off, wait a minute or two put in gas slowly....I have started not filling all the way....the gas is boiling...hot air coming out of the vents near handlebars...put my helmet on the hanlebars when I got home yesterday and about an hour later the handlebars and my helmet were very hot...something is not right.....I told BRP about this at Owners Event and they said I needed a roll-over valve...went to Pitbull on my way home...had it replaced and still have the heat issues...the entire dash area has a lot of heat escaping.....does anyone else have the heat issues with 2013....I know Ann Meyers is having the gas problem

[Sny]

I have noticed a lot of heat escaping through the handlebar base vents they added in the 2013 models...

I'm not sure heat from there is a sign of a problem.

I think this was an intentional design to let the heat chimney out vertically when the bike is not moving or turned off (err, hopefully both?)

It's nice when it's cold out, my gloves and helmet are nice and warm But when it's hot out... I put the helmet on a the handlebars or on the seat.


Now the gas cap, I agree, that whole left side gets really hot due to the exhaust pipe that runs down along that side. I've heard that wrapping that pipe helps a lot.

Maybe BRP should consider ceramic coating all of the exhaust pipes and the cat so the heat goes out the tailpipe not into the body of the bike. It can't add that much to the cost and there's a chance it'll increase volumetric efficiency. Especially if it's done by BRP and they can manage the exhaust pulses for maximum scavenging...

So anyhow, I think wrapping or ceramic coating all the exhaust pipes would greatly reduce the heat under the plastic and reduce the problems of hot panels, hot gas cap and boiling fuel (this happened on my GS as well... it's not a big deal, just sounds bad.)

I think I've just convinced myself to ceramic coat all of them...

[BajaRon]

Exhaust wrap on the pipes does a lot to reduce under-Tupperware temperatures and keep heat off the gas tank. It's cheap but does take some patience. I've found that the 1" wrap is easier to work with but it does take longer to wrap than with the wider 2" material.

You want to overlap 1/2 the width of the material. So with 1" you only travel 1/2" per wrap and with 2" you travel 1" per wrap. I've had my pipes wrapped for about 20,000 miles and I think it is well worth the effort.

[Jharpo]

My ST is extremely hot on the left side. Even though BRP installed a heat shield on the inside of the Tupperware, I installed more, all the way to the edges. Helps some, but still warm. I also have heat escaping around the fuel door on my Corbin seats. Going to try wrapping the pipes if I can find them. They are not directly behind the panel I removed.

[PeacefulBen]

Exhaust wrap on the pipes does a lot to reduce under-Tupperware temperatures and keep heat off the gas tank. It's cheap but does take some patience. I've found that the 1" wrap is easier to work with but it does take longer to wrap than with the wider 2" material.

You want to overlap 1/2 the width of the material. So with 1" you only travel 1/2" per wrap and with 2" you travel 1" per wrap. I've had my pipes wrapped for about 20,000 miles and I think it is well worth the effort.

How much (1" or 2") will it take to wrap the exhaust pipes on a RT? And where did you find your wrapping tape?

[flamingobabe]

Mark is going to wrap my exhaust and he bought some type of heat guard, not fiberglass maybe ceramic??? to help with the heat....but this is not right with the gas cap and boiling gas.... the gas tank is seamed .....when does it leak? my 2009 RS never had a hot gas cap or boiling gas...I've heard of 2 spyders 2013's that have gone into limp mode due to heat...we live in south Texas...95 - 100+ daily...heat is always a concern...just don't need the added heat fron Can-am

[BajaRon]

How much (1" or 2") will it take to wrap the exhaust pipes on a RT? And where did you find your wrapping tape?

A 50' roll will do both pipes front to back with some left over. You can find it at most auto parts or speed shops. You can secure it with thermal ties, hose clamps or wire. I used hose clamps but they can be a challenge. Thermal ties or special heat tape are probably the easiest way to go.

Some wet the wrap to get a tighter finished product. Having a tight and uniform the wrap is important. I have not tried the wetting but I may if I do it again.

Pictured below is a highly touted wrap which is more heat tolerant (1800 degrees compared to the normal 1200 degrees) and does not need to be wetted (is that a word?) to get a tight wrap (according to them). Just another option but more expensive and may be hard to find. The standard 1200 degree wrap will work just fine too.

Whatever you do, if you do a decent job you'll be happy with the results. I started from the rear and wrapped forward. Start as far back as you can get to. You can wrap around bends but be careful to keep the wrap tight. I do a few wraps and then grasp the pipe that has just been wrapped (like a baseball bat) and twist to get a good, tight wrap. Take you're time.

Then you need to cure your newly wrapped pipes. Leave the Tupperware off and take your Spyder outside as you're going to get some smoke and smell as you do the cure.

Start the bike and let it idle for a bit until you start to smell a strong odor or see smoke. Don't worry, you're Spyder will not catch fire! The smoke is normal and the wrap will not burn.

Repeat this several times (maybe 4 or 5) letting your bike cool down for a few minutes in-between. You will be able to let it run longer each time before you start to get smoke/smell. The pipe heats very quickly close to the head and slower as the exhaust travels rearward so you'll get smoke near the heads first.

Now you can put the Tupperware back on. For your 1st ride try to take it easy to complete the cure process. You may still get some smell and possibly a bit of smoke. But soon all of that will go away and you'll have thousands of miles of less heat (and actually a bit less noise as well)

[Sny]

...this is not right with the gas cap and boiling gas.... the gas tank is seamed .....when does it leak?

The gas tank is actually vented into an evaporation canister which is then vented to atmosphere eventually.

But you were talking about a hot gas cap. That's just convection heat from the over under the tupperware. To reduce any of this heat you either need to vent it out somewhere (like they did with that handlebar area) or relocate it (wrap/coat pipes to keep the heat in and headed out the back).

Or I guess they could make the engine run cooler by running more rich. I still think they run these things too lean. But I can't say this is the easiest way to reduce heat.

Wrapping or coating all the pipes will help a lot. And adding insulating foil anywhere you don't want heat absorbed into...

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[twain]

Hey Char, I have a lot of heat on my left leg side for some reason. Have gone into limp mode twice due to heat already. First time was somewhat understandable. We did ride on Fathers Day, approx 300 miles for my ST. From Huntsville o Houston was running bout 80-85 and stopped for gas north of 610 and 45 N. after gas got on bike and screen showed High engine temp, limp mode home. Let cool about 5 minutes then rode home rest of 0 miles Jo problem. Was hot that day about 98. Second time was short ride to Rosharon to post office and back about 14 miles round trip. Same thing. Oil and coolant both ok. Have not noticed and heat coming from handlebars yet but I'll try to keep closer eye now. Suks because summer really hasn't hit here yet.

[ARtraveler]

Just wondering here. With heat issues being mentioned by some very experienced riders and their 2013's. Some brainstorming questions for the experts to ponder.

: Should BRP be looking at wrapping the offending parts as part of the build process? Not everyone who lives in a hot temperature area is mechanical enough to do the heat wrapping on their own.

: The mention of gas hot enough to boil, extra precautions being taken before even opening the gas cap to fill, and not able to fill the tank: Are we dealing with a potential dangerious fire hazard here? I surely don't want to hear about someone injured while trying to fill their gas tank.

: IMO: This sounds like something that should be addressed sooner rather than later.

[Sny]

Hey Char, I have a lot of heat on my left leg side for some reason. Have gone into limp mode twice due to heat already. First time was somewhat understandable. We did ride on Fathers Day, approx 300 miles for my ST. From Huntsville o Houston was running bout 80-85 and stopped for gas north of 610 and 45 N. after gas got on bike and screen showed High engine temp, limp mode home. Let cool about 5 minutes then rode home rest of 0 miles Jo problem. Was hot that day about 98. Second time was short ride to Rosharon to post office and back about 14 miles round trip. Same thing. Oil and coolant both ok. Have not noticed and heat coming from handlebars yet but I'll try to keep closer eye now. Suks because summer really hasn't hit here yet.

No matter what the temp outside, your engine should not overheat.

If it does, there's something wrong with the cooling system or possibly a fueling issue. This is definitely something the dealer should check out. You might have a fan problem or something gunking up your coolant.

When you got the high temp warning, what did your engine temp read?

[twain]

@Sny, my bike was only reading four bars but the temp gauge read 106. Not sure if us southern riders may need larger cooling system since gets so hot here. My RS never did this and an it in 100 plus weather almost daily in stop and go traffic. Last night road about 120 miles and no problem. Highest reading was four bars and 93 degrees on numerical reading.

[twain]

@Sny also my cousin bought a ST from Len at Spyderfest and he had the same thing happen the same day. Maybe it is just too hot down here. Will head your advice though and dealer check out regardless. Thanks

[flamingobabe]

my temp was reading 102 most of the day home...350 miles and it was about 93 outside temp.. my concerns is fire..it would only take a spark and up in flames it would go...I had 54k on my 09 RS never did I have these problems...yes there were some heat issues...but not like this....this ain't my first rodeo...this heat is not right

[Doc - Riverside]

How much (1" or 2") will it take to wrap the exhaust pipes on a RT? And where did you find your wrapping tape?

I wrapped my RT with 2" Vulcan Titanium Ultimate Exhaust Header Wrap 2X50 Lava Fiber about 6 weeks ago. The front pipe from the head to the top of the slip joint took about 400 inches. The back pipe took about 150 inches. Overlap was 1 inch or more depending on the bend. Secured the wrap with stainless steel tie wraps. The nice think about the Lava wrap is you work it dry. The key is to keep the wrap tight and I used the tie wraps about every 6 to 10 inches. Front pipe can be done with just the tupper ware off. The back pipe was a pain and I decided to remove the right lateral support so I could get the wrap on. The electric brake use in the way. Take your time and it would help if you have a second person handy to pull the wrap as your wrapping the front pipe.

[pickelhead]

Doc, sounds like I need to make another trip to your SECRET LABORATORY!

[cjackg]

Doc, sounds like I need to make another trip to your SECRET LABORATORY!

Me Too....

[SpyderAnn01]

I had the boiling gas issue twice and both times it was when I went to get gas with a half tank. I did not experience this when the tank was empty. I did get lousy gas mileage 18 - 19 mpg which makes me wonder if my gas is going up in fumes??

My Spyder went into "passive" limp mode when the air temp gauge read 110 or higher and I was going slow. Acding to Dany, the BRP tech at Maggie Valley "passive" limp mode does not retard your speed unless you were to get to the point where the temp was high enough to cause engine damage.

[coz]

has anyone tried removing the bottom splashpans yet, to help with the heat? or does this not apply to an st? what about the spyderpops gear? you guys have the big cat underneath to deal with, like an rt. you may have to try heat reduction methods from the rs AND the rt.

[flamingobabe]

I have Spyderpops heat guard...and the wrap and heat sheild Mark purchased is that Lave stuff....we will try this and see what happens....Mark cut a whole in the bottom of splashpan to make changing oil easier...might have to remove completely...he'll post more

[Trickie Dick]

You know, I've been a member here since 2008 and every year about this time we get this same issue. Every Year on every model. I just don't get it. Why should we be looking for answers to this problem for 5 years. I have Spyderpops heat shield on my RT, but why should I have to? Why should you have to wrap you pipes, remove bottom plates, etc. It's time for BRP to step up come up with a solution.

[hotglue]

Well... my feeling is.. so many complained about the heat on their legs .. that BRP did something to fix it.... but the heat has to go some where.... Ya make 100 hp... ya make heat... so, ya need to get it out, and that means yer legs get hot.... or ya keep it in and ya boil the gas in yer tank....I'll take hot legs any day... I will wrap FB's pipes, and I have some heat shield I have bought and will insulate her gas tank and divert the heat from the tank Keep as much heat out of the engine bay as possible.... boiling the gas in the tank is not an option I can live with! Every motorcycle I have ever ridden.... and that's a BUNCH of them make HEAT....Girth up and deal with it! but ya really don't want your gas to boil in the tank...It's not safe... let alone the horsepower loss due to HOT fuel.

[daveinva]

Well... my feeling is.. so many complained about the heat on their legs .. that BRP did something to fix it.... but the heat has to go some where.... Ya make 100 hp... ya make heat... so, ya need to get it out, and that means yer legs get hot.... or ya keep it in and ya boil the gas in yer tank....I'll take hot legs any day... I will wrap FB's pipes, and I have some heat shield I have bought and will insulate her gas tank and divert the heat from the tank Keep as much heat out of the engine bay as possible.... boiling the gas in the tank is not an option I can live with! Every motorcycle I have ever ridden.... and that's a BUNCH of them make HEAT....Girth up and deal with it! but ya really don't want your gas to boil in the tank...It's not safe... let alone the horsepower loss due to HOT fuel.

Unfortunately, I agree... the heat has to go *somewhere*. BRP heard people complain for years about hot right legs on the RS and the RT. Well, they seem to have solved that, only to open a new can of worms. It's like whack-a-mole.

I've already resolved that whenever I buy another one, no matter the model, I'll have a reputable dealer wrap the pipes *before* I take delivery, just to get it out of the way during assembly. Can't hurt, no matter what.

[hotglue]

Unfortunately, I agree... the heat has to go *somewhere*. BRP heard people complain for years about hot right legs on the RS and the RT. Well, they seem to have solved that, only to open a new can of worms. It's like whack-a-mole.

I've already resolved that whenever I buy another one, no matter the model, I'll have a reputable dealer wrap the pipes *before* I take delivery, just to get it out of the way during assembly. Can't hurt, no matter what.

I can wrap the pipes, and insulate the tank..... and do it better than any dealer could.... but I shouldn't have to. If I have to re-engineer a bike to make it work, I have bought the wrong bike....Dumped an 02 Goldwing for the same reason.... overheating engine (to keep the heat off the driver) frame breaking issues....Yeah... like I need to worry about that going down the road... I will do what I can to make the bike road worthy.... but I will drop it like a hot potato if the issues continue.... just not worth it.. FB will have to learn to ride something else.

[hotglue]

No matter what the temp outside, your engine should not overheat.

If it does, there's something wrong with the cooling system or possibly a fueling issue. This is definitely something the dealer should check out. You might have a fan problem or something gunking up your coolant.

When you got the high temp warning, what did your engine temp read?

The engine is not over heating, it is the transfer of heat under the Tupperware.... that is enough to boil the gas in the tank....that is the issue....