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Engine Overheating and how to manage this weird key!

N

nanaskids

New member
I've had my spyder SE5 for about 3 weeks now, LOVE IT! Question for ya'll out there . . .

I know there is a fan that comes on if the engine begins to over heat, but at what temp? Yesterday we did a 270 mile ride out to PK Lake and at several traffic lites, with long waits, I watched the temp get higher and higher. When I would start moving again, it would go down. Okay, guys this is "girl speak". When riding it stays around 3 bars (that's the only way I know to describe it), but when sitting at a long light, it got up to 5-6 bars and I could really feel the heat from the engine.

Also, how do you manage your key with no hole in it? It worries me that it just lays loose in my pocket or bag with nothing attached to it.

I've enjoyed reading all the posts from ya'll and I'm lovin' the spyder!
 
:congrats: and :welcome:!
There have been a couple of posts on where you can drill a hole in the key without daqmaging the chip. Try the "Search" function on this forum.
 
Never had a problem with overheating, so I'll leave that to others.
But as for the key, it should have come with a plactic sheath that the metal part of the key slides into. That sheath has a hole at the bottom for a key ring. You should slide the key back into the sheath when not in use, and not let it jumble around in your pocket with other things. Hope that helps...
 
Engine overheating

I discussed this with Carlo when I moved from MN to Palm Springs CA. I too noticed that the engine temp display showed 5 or 6 bars when stopped for lights. Carlo said not to be concerned as that is normal. I could always hear my fan running at that time. Fan ran but 5 or 6 bars continued to show until I got moving again. Doesn't appear to be a problem, but you are correct, you can really feel the engine heat when stopped for any period of time.

Looked at drilling a hole in the key but decided not to, didn't want a key chain dangling from the key while in the ignition. I just slip it into the key holder and put it in my pocket.
 
I have the same temperature readings and I believe that it's normal. 5 bars is not all that "HOT". Lamonster took tha actual temp readings and 5 bars is far from over heating. I do't think it should go over 6 bars. Check and see if your fan kicks in at 5 bars. You can see it on the right side thru the hole in the lower side panel. If the fan is not working at 5 and especialy 6 bars, have it checked. Also check your coolant level : open the trunk, pull the plastic panel with computer sign on it. Collant reservoir is a white plastic container on your left whe you are facing the Spyder.
 
nanaskids said:
I've had my spyder SE5 for about 3 weeks now, LOVE IT! Question for ya'll out there . . .

I know there is a fan that comes on if the engine begins to over heat, but at what temp? Yesterday we did a 270 mile ride out to PK Lake and at several traffic lites, with long waits, I watched the temp get higher and higher. When I would start moving again, it would go down. Okay, guys this is "girl speak". When riding it stays around 3 bars (that's the only way I know to describe it), but when sitting at a long light, it got up to 5-6 bars and I could really feel the heat from the engine.

Also, how do you manage your key with no hole in it? It worries me that it just lays loose in my pocket or bag with nothing attached to it.

I've enjoyed reading all the posts from ya'll and I'm lovin' the spyder!
Click to expand...


3 Bars at speed 5/6 at long lights is normal, BRP should have put the bars farther apart so when you see 5/6 bars it doesn't look like it's at the top of the scale and ready to over heat.
Heat is normal with all bikes, Don't forget your sitting on a hot engine, And when that engine is rapped in panel's :yikes:
 
Key sleeve.

Hello Nanaskids,
Yes, your spyder keys should have come with a sleeve that attaches to your key ring. Here's a pic of it. Your key snaps into the sleeve. I have 23 thousand miles on my spyder and the key sleeve is as tight now as it was when new.
 
As said above, 5 to 6 bars is fairly normal, the fan should come on at 5 bars, if it doesn't, check the relays in the fuse box, they tend to work loose. You can reach down and check for air flow from the fan with your hand when stopped.

john
 
The Spyder's temperature gauge is very sensitive. It moves a long way (several bars) with a relatively small change in coolant temperature. This gives the false impression that there is an overheating problem.

Add to this that you begin feeling heat coming off the engine (especially sitting still) and it makes you begin to worry.

Really, you're not even into the overheating range even at 6 bars. But, if at 6 bars your fan is NOT running, you need to look into that.

It does take some getting used to having the temp jump 3 or 4 bars in a short time. But mark it off to an over-active gauge and ride happy! :ohyea:
 
:welcome:

As others have stated, 5-6 bars sitting still or in slow moving traffic is no big deal. When the Spyder gets too hot you will receive a message on the instrument panel telling you to check coolant temp. At that point you will want to pull over and let things cool back down.

As for the heat coming off the engine, there are a few things you can do to make it more comfortable for yourself.

One is to check out the heat management system that SpyderPops offers for sale. There is a link to his site on the home page and he will be at Spyderfest as well.

Another is the new fan can by ISCI, another sponsor on the home page who will be at Spyderfest as well. The fan can forces the hot air out underneath the Spyder, and Jeff rydes all summer in Alabama, and did so at Biketoberfest this past fall, with only a pair of crocs on his feet and doesn't get burned by the heat.

Several of us have also wrapped our pipes with exhaust heat tape.

Hope that helps give you some ideas as to what you can do to beat the heat. :thumbup:
 
Agreed...spoke with Carlo about the bars last year...bike made to run as hot as it wants...the engine is quite solid...it shouldn't overheat.

As far as the key goes, ditto comment above...just slip it into its sheath and you're good to go...I think drilling a hole is a messy approach to this issue. I put the shealth, along with my phone and other items in my tank bag, when riding...never an issue...and no, you don't want items dangling and scratching your bike while you ride...the vibration is enough as it is...
 
key management

I put it on a lanyard around my neck when not ryding. The sheath holds tight to the key, so I'm not worried it will fall out, plus it's easy to check to make sure I haven't lost it. I'm not brave enough to drill the thing or leave the key with the IPS.
 
bone crusher said:
Agreed...spoke with Carlo about the bars last year...bike made to run as hot as it wants...the engine is quite solid...it shouldn't overheat.

As far as the key goes, ditto comment above...just slip it into its sheath and you're good to go...I think drilling a hole is a messy approach to this issue. I put the shealth, along with my phone and other items in my tank bag, when riding...never an issue...and no, you don't want items dangling and scratching your bike while you ride...the vibration is enough as it is...
Click to expand...
A couple of summers ago I got stuck with quiet a bit of traffics (unable to merge) and Spyder heated up to 6 bars with fan blowing. I actually had a temperary limp mode due to that high temp. It was okay as soon as I got it going again. But I decided to switch over to synthetic oil for lower running temp and also added some coolent ice to further reduce the possibility of over heating. From reading other people's posts here I know if you are not moving quickly and you get a cross wind blowing against the heat vent port on the left side, that reduction in thermoefficency can also cause over heating.

I have added SpyderPops AMS since and it should help a bit if I am ever in that situation.
 
M2Wild said:
A couple of summers ago I got stuck with quiet a bit of traffics (unable to merge) and Spyder heated up to 6 bars with fan blowing. I actually had a temperary limp mode due to that high temp. It was okay as soon as I got it going again. But I decided to switch over to synthetic oil for lower running temp and also added some coolent ice to further reduce the possibility of over heating. From reading other people's posts here I know if you are not moving quickly and you get a cross wind blowing against the heat vent port on the left side, that reduction in thermoefficency can also cause over heating.

I have added SpyderPops AMS since and it should help a bit if I am ever in that situation.
Click to expand...

I have the missing airdam but really haven't seen a change in temp when I'm riding...either way, I don't think I get much over 5 bars...and according to Lamont's test, that's only 200 degrees, and that ain't too hot.

As far as your situation goes, that is a little odd...the bike should be able to handle 6 bars without an issue...looks like you made good mods to help that out...hope all is good with it now...
 
Good comments on the heat. Perfectly normal. On key management- get the IPS and just leave key in bike all the time.
 
Be careful with drilling a hole in the key..... for a couple of reasons. First, if not done very carefully, you could render the key useless by damaging the circuitry inside, and I'd imagine it would be a fairly expensive key to replace.

Much more importantly though, would be the consequence of succeeding and being able to put that key on a key ring. If you then, while ryding, have your keychain (now attached to your Spyder's key) dangling down at the top of your handlebar, you could interfere with the steering of your Spyder. :lecturef_smilie:

There are tight clearances between the forward part of the handlebar, just below and around the ignition key area, that if a keychain or other keys were dangling down, could interfere with the ability to turn the handlebars. At the very least, I could imagine a whole lot of scuffing and scratching of the surfaces in that area.

IMO, that's why there's no hole in the key to begin with. It was purposely designed to keep us out of trouble!

Bill
 
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