Boiling fuel, hot legs & feet, melted boot glue & passive limp home modes

[Bob Denman]

That's why I didn't major in anything that required brainpower in college... pps:
Thanks!

 

[Buttsy]

My honda Magna will try and make a baked potato of you in town with temps above 90, the radiator heat has to go somewhere.

Yup.................84 Magna V45 you could roast hot dogs on that baby on a hot day! nojoke

 

[Ga Blue Knight]

I know I'm going to get flamed here but please have an open mind. I've ridden v-twins for over 40 years and they are Hot Hot Hot. I see no real difference with my 2012 RT which I do beleive is not as hot as the new 2013 RT's which may have other issues at play. The point is that for many Spyder Riders this not only their first motorcycle but a v-twin to boot with lots of heat trapping body panels. Now having said all this there is a problem out there with heat not venting and being trapped but it is sort of to be expected with the type of machine we have. Goldwings have overheating issues as well as HD Triglides which are cooking riders throughout the US.

 

[shelbydave]

Could the boiling fuel issue actually have something more to do with fuel tank venting than the actual temperatures that are reached? :dontknow:

According to what I have read this afternoon. The higher the pressure of the container, the higher the boiling point will be.

However, reducing the pressure by removing the cap could result in boiling...

 

[Sny]

I wonder how many ST's with heat issues have fog lights installed instead of the open air intakes...

 

[Jeriatric]

However, reducing the pressure by removing the cap could result in boiling...

Instantly!

 

[Ga Blue Knight]

I wonder how many ST's with heat issues have fog lights installed instead of the open air intakes...

Had fog lights on my RS installed after a few thousand miles. Did not see any increase in heat. Something has changed in the heat trapping on the ST.

 

[flamingobabe]

Had fog lights on my RS installed after a few thousand miles. Did not see any increase in heat. Something has changed in the heat trapping on the ST.

I have fog lights on the ST

However, reducing the pressure by removing the cap could result in boiling... what does one do when you need gas? the cap has to come off to keep traveling

 

[Zenagirl]

Fog lights causing heat problem?

I wonder how many ST's with heat issues have fog lights installed instead of the open air intakes...

I did have fog lights installed before taking my ST-L. Also wanted to say, I had an XL 1200 Sportster that got warm in hot weather, but I was still able to hug the tank when riding. I'm in Washington State, and it has NOT gotten that warm here yet. The upper left side of the Spyder gets hot at 60 degrees out, and not from riding all day either. It is very quick to get warm. Also, I am not wearing shorts, but nice heavy denim jeans. Just saying.

 

[NancysToy]

This is why I say that somebody needs to be brave enough to cut some extra venting up in the front of the bike to try and improve the airflow under all of the Tupperware...

It's really not that simple. You need places for the air to come in, but also to exit. You need space to allow the air to flow in critical locations, and you need to block off paths that could bypass where you want the flow. On top of it all, the aerodynamics need to be considered. A hole may do the opposite of what you want it to when air starts to flow into it or past it. A hole in a dead air space can flow nothing at all. Add the problem of trying to cool anything with a flow of 110 degree ambient air, and things begin to get complicated. This is a job for a batch of engineers, lots of instrumentation, and a wind tunnel.

 

[rabtech]

I am not mad or going to slow down my riding so dont take this post as me ranting. Just wantee to see if others are experiencing these issues.

I have a 13 RT. I was going to start a post about the fuel expansion and vapor. And the heat blowing out under the front of the seat. When I ride every time I crank the bike it starts with the temperature all the way up and the limp home warning and within about 45 seconds it fall to normal and the limp mode goes away. I am aware an engine climbs in temperature when it is shut off. But every time is annoying. Why cant they build in some kind of delay so it doesnt freak out.

The heat is so bad that I cant wear cargo short when I ride. It will blister your knees and lets not even talk about you private parts

The gas is almost at boiling point. I can absolutely tell you the vapor is wayyyyyy to strong. If I wanted to barbeque the spyder I could just strike a bic lighter.

And yes... I do have the skidplate installed with back two splashpans now removed.

I havent ridden my 13 ST in the heat yet so I cant tell yall if it does the same things.

Post if yall are having same issues. Like i said im just curious. Not mad or disappointed. Im sure I can make a few modifications and get it cooling better.

Sent from my Galaxy S3. I may have made a spelling error or may have some grammer issues. My fingers are way to big to type on this tiny screen!

 

[StanProff]

I have fog lights on the ST

However, reducing the pressure by removing the cap could result in boiling... what does one do when you need gas? the cap has to come off to keep traveling

FB, The comments I made before, about the heat V-twins produce, was not in any way to diminish the issues you are having. It was kind of a general statement that was more directed to the RT's than the RS or ST's. My RT is much cooler to ride than the large V Twin motorcycles or a couple of the other bikes I have, A warm foot is nothing to complain about in comparison.
I have no doubt, with your experience on A Spyder, the factory would do well to listen to you. There is no question, from what you have shared with us, that the ST has a major problem getting the heat out of the upper body panels. I trust your judgement 100% ! The ST's should not be having this sort of an issue. I have never had Boiling gas on my RT. The RT gets warm under there but I don't believe it is going to make the gas boil. It could in hotter climates, all we see here in East Tennessee is the occasional summer temps in the mid 90's. A 100 degree day would be very unusual. I always run my tank down to the reserve level, that at least gives more room for expansion I guess.

 

[rabtech]

A liquid cooled v-twin when running will be 180degrees if the thermostat is a 180degree. I had a vtx1800 and could ride it wide open all day on a 102 degree day and if you got off and left it idling you could semi quickly put you hands on the cylinders fins. Im not saying grab it and squeeze but yall know what I mean. It will gain heat when you shut it down but when running it should stay within the thermostat temp range. The issue has to be the catalytic converter adding heat to the equation.

Sent from my Galaxy S3. I may have made a spelling error or may have some grammer issues. My fingers are way to big to type on this tiny screen!

 

[NancysToy]

Yep, a liquid cooled engine is a whole different animal from an air cooled beast. Still, enclosing it tightly, especially the exhaust pipes which run at over 1,000 degrees, can make things difficult. It would not take much change to make a bad situation worse...which seems to be the case for the 2013s.

 

[Tierhog]

Hey Rab... You might be on to something. Mine ran cooler after I ditched the boat anchor for my aftermarket. Didnt even put 2 and 2 together till now

 

[finless]

You are correct. You can't compare a quick trip of 20 to 50 miles to riding 650 to 750 miles in a day. I will have had my new Spyder for 2 months tomorrow and I already have over 8,000 miles on it which is more than some owners put on in 2 years.

I have to disagree with this. It does not make any sense.

My Spyder comes up to temp pretty fast. So if I do say 100 miles on the same highway you might do 800 miles, how does it get hotter? If that were the case and the spyder gets hotter every mile, for sure this would be something EVERYONE notices. But that is not the case. Sorry but physically this makes no sense. The heat output is pretty constant at running temp. So no matter how many miles you put on a year vs someone that does not, tell me how cooking a foot would be different logically?
Sorry... that argument makes no sense.

I think I might be glad I did not get a 2013... It's all "redesigned" but sometimes that does not mean it is better.
My 2011 RTS is not giving me any of this burning foot or leg issues. Just today I was riding home in bumper to bumper traffic and it was 82 ambient (Spyder ambient read 89). Simply no heat issues here.... I guess I will call myself lucky? :bowdown:

Bob

 

[Ga Blue Knight]

It's really not that simple. You need places for the air to come in, but also to exit. You need space to allow the air to flow in critical locations, and you need to block off paths that could bypass where you want the flow. On top of it all, the aerodynamics need to be considered. A hole may do the opposite of what you want it to when air starts to flow into it or past it. A hole in a dead air space can flow nothing at all. Add the problem of trying to cool anything with a flow of 110 degree ambient air, and things begin to get complicated. This is a job for a batch of engineers, lots of instrumentation, and a wind tunnel.

If you remove the bottom splash panels, which by the way do nothing to keep water out during a rainstorm, there would be a good path for heat to dissipate while moving. Air rushing underneath the Spyder would create a Venturi effect drawing air from the interior downward and out the back. The problem as you mentioned is that there is not enough air entering the engine compartment. I think that front scoops plus removal of the splash panels will create a positive flow through the interior. Removal of the stock air intake in favor of the Kewmetal intake will creat additional air space and flow area.

 

[Ga Blue Knight]

I have to disagree with this. It does not make any sense.

My Spyder comes up to temp pretty fast. So if I do say 100 miles on the same highway you might do 800 miles, how does it get hotter? If that were the case and the spyder gets hotter every mile, for sure this would be something EVERYONE notices. But that is not the case. Sorry but physically this makes no sense. The heat output is pretty constant at running temp. So no matter how many miles you put on a year vs someone that does not, tell me how cooking a foot would be different logically?
Sorry... that argument makes no sense.

I think I might be glad I did not get a 2013... It's all "redesigned" but sometimes that does not mean it is better.
My 2011 RTS is not giving me any of this burning foot or leg issues. Just today I was riding home in bumper to bumper traffic and it was 82 ambient (Spyder ambient read 89). Simply no heat issues here.... I guess I will call myself lucky? :bowdown:

Bob

I have to agree with the above. With a water cooled engine operating temps are maintained no matter how many miles are travelled. Heat build up can only be from a radiating source that is holding heat. Say a catalytic converter or exhaust manifold. If cooling air does not get to them they will store and radiate heat.

 

[NancysToy]

If you remove the bottom splash panels, which by the way do nothing to keep water out during a rainstorm, there would be a good path for heat to dissipate while moving. Air rushing underneath the Spyder would create a Venturi effect drawing air from the interior downward and out the back. The problem as you mentioned is that there is not enough air entering the engine compartment. I think that front scoops plus removal of the splash panels will create a positive flow through the interior. Removal of the stock air intake in favor of the Kewmetal intake will creat additional air space and flow area.

It might also do exactly the opposite, "stuffing" the air into the opening with nowhere to exit, and making things worse. It could also just be ineffective, due to ground effects which limit air flow underneath. I might add that heat flows upward, not naturally downward, the splash pans probably don't affect the gas tank area much. No way to know the results without computer or wind tunnel analysis. BTW, the splash pans on the 2013s are not readily removeable.

 

[Bob Denman]

It's really not that simple. You need places for the air to come in, but also to exit. You need space to allow the air to flow in critical locations, and you need to block off paths that could bypass where you want the flow. On top of it all, the aerodynamics need to be considered. A hole may do the opposite of what you want it to when air starts to flow into it or past it. A hole in a dead air space can flow nothing at all. Add the problem of trying to cool anything with a flow of 110 degree ambient air, and things begin to get complicated. This is a job for a batch of engineers, lots of instrumentation, and a wind tunnel.

:agree:... But some backyard aero-engineering might still accomplish a lot. You start with an opening in the nose of the bike...
Where is it coming out? Note where you're either getting, more, or less, heat... If it's coming up into your lap; try working some seals under the Tupperware to re-route it.
The trick might be to increase the airflow around the exhaust system... get that blast furnace heat forced out the back onto the rear tire... Where it can melt the bead, or cause tread seaparation!! :yikes: :roflblack: :joke: