radiator cover

[carbold]

Sorry if my English is a bit rubbish but I'm Italian....
Here's the problem: I take 10 minutes to go to work everyday with my GS and the engine doesn't warm up (just one line instead of the 5). I'm sure I'm killing it this way.
I was thinking of covering the oil radiator with a metal or aluminium cover just to block the air from cooling. Of course that would be only for everyday's short journeys.
I've seen doing it on some cars in very cold countries...
Is that crazy?
What do you guys think about it?

Cheers
Carlo

 

[DrAlf]

I’m also in the same boat. I use my bike for work which is a reasonably short journey. By the time I get to work I only have 2 or 3 bars showing on the temp gauge. Obviously I take it very steady on the ride to work but I still feel that the engine isn’t getting warm enough. I’ll often take the long way home just to give the bike a better run. Really, the solution is to walk or cycle to work but I’m far too lazy and disorganised to do that – from the sounds of it, you are too!

Covering the oil cooler will help a little. I know that 2CV drivers completely blank off the oil cooler in the winter so the same would apply for a GS. I believe that Wunderlich sell a vented oil cooler cover for 1100 GS that allows you to effectively shut off the oil cooler for cold weather riding and open it up for longer or hotter trips – this should do the trick. Not sure if they do one for the 1150 but would have thought so.

HTH and let us know how you get on. If it hasn’t exploded within 3 months I’ll fit one to mine too.

 

[DrAlf]

Also see here for further info.

 

[CoolCarbon]

Mine warms up within a couple of miles..........

Maybe you should be walking to work.......

CC

 

[carbold]

Thanx guys, I've just tried a cheap and neat solution: I bought one of those aluminium vents you normally screw on the wall, cut it to fit and it works very well, you can even open or close it with that sliding system.

It's not beautiful but the engine warms up quickly to 5 bars, not too bad for 2 pounds!

Cheers

 

[Greg Masters]

According to the factory Repair/Service Manual, the 1150GS has an oil thermostat. Blanking off the oil radiator won't, therefore, achieve very much as no oil is flowing until the whole system is hot enough to open the thermostat.

Greg

 

[carbold]

So you think no oil is flowing until the engine gets to the right temp...
But if you switch the engine on when it's cold, and try and touch the cooler and the pipes, why do they get hot?

 

[Greg Masters]

So you think no oil is flowing until the engine gets to the right temp...
But if you switch the engine on when it's cold, and try and touch the cooler and the pipes, why do they get hot?

Dunno - you explain it!

Greg

 

[carbold]

Broken thermostat?

 

[The Mechanic]

Warm up.

I think zee nail as been it upon zee ed ere cos the thermostat ain doin wat is suppos ed to. (solly my ingrish is treble caos I Italian not)

Come on wake up the oil thermostat is not working correctly most BWM's are effing ot' after the first few minutes.

 

[Ozrob]

Hi All,
I use a thick piece of card board painted black, in the winter months.
Very cheap and it works.expecially when it is minus 15 C.