TEMPERATURE READING 7 BARS

This morning I rode through mild/heavy traffic for about 10 minutes then was on the motorway for the rest of my ride to work. The gauged flicked between 5 & 6 bars, even when on motorway, but was mostly on 6 bars.

The noises that you mentioned earlier, was it a ticking noise...I had some sort of ticking noise that I can only describe it as similar to a botched cambelt repair job on a car?

I can be a autohypocondriac at times, so unusal noises can give me nightmares! I know the history of the bike, and that the previous owner did a 3 week trip in and around Syria/Jordan/Lebanon last month without any problem.
 
As i recall a mixture between very loud ticking and clattering. Not easy to define a noise?
 
I think that sounds about right.

Any tips on how to keep the engine cool in traffic...other than motorkote?? :D
 
I think that sounds about right.

Any tips on how to keep the engine cool in traffic...other than motorkote?? :D

I've only been stuck in really hot stop start traffic once, but my 1100 started to rattle its camchains and pink.

I've wondered about the feasibility of retrofitting a small radiator fan to the rear of the oil cooler so that it pulls air through. You'd have to find one small enough and it'd have to be waterproof but lots of watercooled / oilcooled bikes have little fans, so I'm sure something could be found. This could then just be switched on manually via a small switch on the bars if you're stuck in hot traffic and the temperature starts to climb.

I'm pretty sure that police RT's have fans fitted to their oil coolers but the official BMW bits would probably cost a fortune.
 
At the risk of attracting the "oil police" I use hein gericke fully synthetic 10 /50 all year round. I ran 20/50 in it, that also seemed to cure the "problem". As someone else said, 10/40 is for temps up to 20c. the "10" part of the oil reduces the strain on the starting system in winter as it's a lower visocity than a 20/50 when cold, so the 10/50 covers me in both hot & cold weather. easier? starting. IMO

Any 20/50 oil in high temps is better than 10/40?

:hide
 
I've only been stuck in really hot stop start traffic once, but my 1100 started to rattle its camchains and pink.

I've wondered about the feasibility of retrofitting a small radiator fan to the rear of the oil cooler so that it pulls air through. You'd have to find one small enough and it'd have to be waterproof but lots of watercooled / oilcooled bikes have little fans, so I'm sure something could be found. This could then just be switched on manually via a small switch on the bars if you're stuck in hot traffic and the temperature starts to climb.

I'm pretty sure that police RT's have fans fitted to their oil coolers but the official BMW bits would probably cost a fortune.

Matt
Have a look in Maplin's for a 12V computer fan, which should drop in without any problems, and still give a decent airflow.

Neil
 
Matt
Have a look in Maplin's for a 12V computer fan, which should drop in without any problems, and still give a decent airflow.

Neil

Thanks Neil,
I did consider this but I don't think computer fans will be waterproof enough (or at all)?
 
I've only been stuck in really hot stop start traffic once, but my 1100 started to rattle its camchains and pink.

I've wondered about the feasibility of retrofitting a small radiator fan to the rear of the oil cooler so that it pulls air through.....

The fact that it started to rattle is probably more an indication that you were using too light an oil for the conditions than that it was over-heating. What was the temp gauge reading? I had this rattle once in Italy queuing in 40 degree temperatures but I was running 10W40 at the time. Same conditions, same bike the following year but with 20W50 the engine was rattle-free.

If the oil temperature was within normal parameters then fitting a fan to the oil cooler won't really gain you anything.
 
The fact that it started to rattle is probably more an indication that you were using too light an oil for the conditions than that it was over-heating. What was the temp gauge reading? I had this rattle once in Italy queuing in 40 degree temperatures but I was running 10W40 at the time. Same conditions, same bike the following year but with 20W50 the engine was rattle-free.

If the oil temperature was within normal parameters then fitting a fan to the oil cooler won't really gain you anything.

20-50 ever since I bought it ;)

Oil temp was one bar from the top - came into solid traffic after a high speed run. Had it been completely stationary I'd have just turned off, but it was nudging along slowly so I had to keep the engine running. The rattle wasn't really bad but it was pinking pretty well until I got going again.

Anyway, I don't want to start getting accused of being a 'paranoid GS'er' :rolleyes: - it's only happened once and it's not something that bothers me. The retrofitted oil cooler fan was just idle musing...
 
The fact that it started to rattle is probably more an indication that you were using too light an oil for the conditions than that it was over-heating. What was the temp gauge reading? I had this rattle once in Italy queuing in 40 degree temperatures but I was running 10W40 at the time. Same conditions, same bike the following year but with 20W50 the engine was rattle-free.

If the oil temperature was within normal parameters then fitting a fan to the oil cooler won't really gain you anything.

The rattly main cam chain can happen at a variety of temps according to how well the tensioner holds it's oil pressure. As it's air cooled it will pink a little if hot enough. The chances of any damage being caused on an air/oil cooled is fairly minimal so you can put it down to experience for next time.

Once had a courier bike in a West End log jam get so hot it scorched my legs:eek: KLT's can seemingly run melting hot in summer traffic but it's just "their way" with barn door fairing:augie
 
Had my 2002 1150 since new, use 20/50 oil, just to say to all the paranoid folks, had mine up to 9 bars stuck in traffic in salzburg the that year. Had it running hot other times aswell, with no lasting effect. U just have to kno wen to shut her down to cool. And yes it clatters like f**k. This year got 7 bars just riding two up loaded over some alpine passes , woz hammering it a bit though.
 


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