Over Heating

[Bikerinia]

I have a 2014 RT-S Have owned it for about five months and put on quite a few miles. I just started having problems with the temp gage going into the danger zone and the red temp light coming on. I have checked the fluid level and am ok. I checked the radiators and nothing blocking them. As long as I stay moving, the gage stays put but when I stop and idle, it eventually goes high and the red light comes on. I start moving and it all clears up. Nothing ever steams or feels hot but it's really hard to tell with everything covered like it is. I am thinking it must be either the temp sending unit or the module that is controlling the temp. Anybody had similar problems and have a solution or ideas?

 

[Ex-Rocket]

Have you check to make sure your electric fans are coming on?

 

[cravenfun]

Overheating when stopped sounds like the fans are not coming on when your stopped.
Moving forward push's air through the radiators, fans are needed when stopped. Check the fan for something in it first and that it's turning freely.

 

[Bikerinia]

Fans are coming on. Okay, at least one is since the noise is the only way I know to check. What all would I have to tear apart to check the fans. Can't just open the hood.

 

[Jheck]

The fans should engage long before it pings a red light.

 

[Bikerinia]

Oh they come on long before the red light comes on but how would I know if both are coming on?

 

[BertRemington]

Bikerinia -- the fans (there are two, one for each radiator) are bi-directional. They are controlled by several relays. First step is to walk through fuses and relays with the information in your owner's manual. If you don't find the problem, then next step is to buy a service manual and trouble-shoot from there.

The normal temperature in almost all conditions is 4 bars. As Jheck noted, the fans will come on idling in traffic with temperatures in the 70s. I believe they exhaust forward at that time to keep the heat away from the rider's legs but never bothered to confirm. Easy to feel by hand.

If you haven't replaced the coolant, now is the time as the water pump and thermostat are an expensive integrated assembly.

 

[Bikerinia]

Next time the fans are on I'll check an see if they are both blowing out the front, thanks for telling me that. I think it is not really over heating but just that it has a bad module or sending unit

 

[SportsterDoc]

Is there more than one temperature sensor on the Spyder?

This could help determine if temperature sensor(s) are an issue.

https://www.harborfreight.com/121-infrared-laser-thermometer-63985.html

However, based on fan noise before overheating, more than likely that the second fan is not engaged.

Check for both fans operating before doing anything else.

An infrared laser thermometer can be pointed at radiator or water pump or head(s) to compare temperature with specs.

 

[Bikerinia]

So how would I use that temp sensor gun to check the temp? So it would tell you the exhaust air temp from either side? As long as each fan was working right?

 

[Lew L]

. Check out my posts on overheating--- long ,long story short, water pump failed and the replacement had an internal leak.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums...Fans-running-a-lot&highlight=fans+running+lot