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2012 ZX10r overheating

11K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  belkins 
#1 ·
Can anyone help with an overheating problem. Runs OK up to 10000 rpm without any problems above this on track temp. Builds up to 100deg
. Checked for airlock and removed thermostat problem still persisted. Decided to change the head gasket. When water drained there were brown particles in the water. No sign of water in the oil. Changed head gasket no sign of gasket blowing. Problem still persists. Checked fuel pump just in case this was causing the bike to run lean and removed kit harness and ECU again just in case mapping was to lean at the top end. Fuelling did drop off badly at 10k? Is there any way the cooling system can get oil contamination?
 
#2 ·
Oil could enter cooling system if the oil cooler fails. But it would look like a milkshake.


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#3 ·
100 C is not "overheating". A little hot, perhaps, but not overheating.

What's the ambient temperature and what kind of riding is this happening in?

With my 1st-gen, unless it's raining, the coolest that the engine will be once warmed up, is around 55 C above whatever the ambient temperature is, and it's only up from there (stuck in traffic, etc). If it's +30 C weather, the coolest the engine will be once warmed up is around 85 C and more usually 90 or above ...

Check thermostat, radiator cap, and water pump condition ...

On the Gen 1, one of the modifications involved in the official race kit (back when they were available) was a bigger radiator, and there was an optional sub-radiator in case of racing in warm weather. These bikes are short on cooling capacity.
 
#8 ·
The temperature behaviour that you described is normal. When you are moving, there is airflow through the radiator. Trickle through the paddock, there is little airflow. Stop, and there is none. Meanwhile, the pistons and cylinder walls are still transferring heat to the coolant. It's normal for the coolant temp to go UP in the first minute or two after shutting off a warmed-up engine ... and if it was working hard prior to being shut off, it's going to go up more!

Brown stuff in the water means you do not have enough anticorrosion in the coolant.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Yeah 100 degrees is not overheating...

There are some simple things you can do to get the temperature down though. You mentioned track riding, so I'll take a stab that you have a race fairing. A lot of race body work allow the airflow to go around the radiator rather than through it (this was the case in my race kits), this can be rectified by getting one of these which forces the air through the radiator...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAWASAKI-ZX10R-2011-ONWARDS-RADIATOR-SHROUD-/121174207678?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item1c368bacbe




You can also go a high pressure radiator cap, this will allow your system to hold a higher pressure... higher pressure = higher boiling point (this is a good thing)
http://www.superbiketoystore.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=23251


You can also go Samco silicon hoses, as well as looking great they offer an increase in flow.
http://www.superbiketoystore.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=22326

If you have a race ECU/harness you would have lost the option of having a fan, this can be installed and wired independently and controlled as you wish.

You can take it further and replace your plastic fan blades with the Muzzy stainless steel items.


If you are really concerned, check out these guys and see which systems suits you best.

There is this supplementary radiator, which will hurt the credit card;
http://japan.webike.net/products/20535966.html



Or go the full SBK unit, you may need to sell your first born;
http://japan.webike.net/products/20535965.html



Or you can do the whole lot.
 
#12 ·
I have heard that in hi heat the use of a big aux radiator is a must... but Im talking extreme heat.

the aux radiator is 400usd...

my solution was, changed the radiator cap, thermostat, then I discovered that head gasket was the problem...

changed the hg, problem solved.. and since I run thinner hg, and live in Santo Domingo..
use syn oil
flashed the bike and the fan kicks in at 90
use water wetter

also my race plastics guide the air via radiator so no problem there here....
 
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