K11 Owners Group

merlin geikie · Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 10:51 am Post subject: Engine heat dissipation

Well its howdy again folks from downunder (australia)

The day is drawing near when i will be on my K bike. Being a little forward looking, i realize that ile have to do something about the leg cookin, tank toastin, thigh roastin, gas boilin, engine hot air flow.

Australia can be very hot in parts and i will need to address this feature of the K lt asap. I have seen good hints on the net, but cant seem to locate em anymore. There are probably good tips in the archives but they seem to dodge my greenhorn searches.

Could someone please direct me to the good sources of remedy procedures for the hot air issue, or tell me how to search the lists for these handy tips and hints myself.

Thanks in advance for your help with this....
Safe fun rides.....full of satisfaction and bliss
ps ile send you pics when i get the bike Laughing

Mystic Red · Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 11:15 am Post subject:

http://www.k11og.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4215&highlight=

Lots of the guys have done this.
_________________
Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

Off the grid · Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 1:59 pm Post subject:

A fan switch basically solves your problems.

The fan on the motobrick comes on WAY too late.
_________________
Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

Jim · Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 4:20 pm Post subject: heat dissipation

Merlin - I just installed a three core radiator - haven't had time to reinstall the plastic parts yet - I'll let you know how that works out... I'll probably also add a thermoswitch or a fan switch.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

merlin geikie · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:35 am Post subject: Thanks folks

Yes it can get really hot here in the sub tropical mid east coast of down under. Tis hard on cooling systems and electronics coz often lotsa humidity and rain and then humungous heat, all in a few hours. Hot hot African type sun as well. The upside is fabulous rainforest with all its attendant critters, loads of em.

Jim the three core rad sounds like da go. I guess the K11 only has a one or two core. The early cut-in switch or manual over ride switch sounds like a very good idea. I guess if you use a 15amp switch on the manual fan switch then you would not need a relay.

Does anyone know if the water temp sensor can have a digital display hooked up to it? Maybe a Radioshack digital thermometer mounted just aft of the rad would pick up enough heat to be useful....the display being in the cockpit.

Thanks for all your help folks Wink

Flying Duck · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 10:52 am Post subject:

Jim:

I'm interested in how the 3 core thing works out. I have a couple of them in my basement but haven't convinced myself if it's worth the effort or not.

I recently added Red Line Water Wetter to all 3 K bikes. To be honest I"m not sure if it's snake oil or not but it cost $10 to do all three bikes so if it is snake oil that doesn't bother me much.

On adding a digital thermometer:

I don't see why you couldn't tap into the wire from the temp sensor in the water pump for the temp gauge and then calibrate it with a resistor or potentiometer.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

merlin geikie · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 11:54 am Post subject: K bike engine overhot

From what i gather the motor shuts down in the case of a destructive overheat. Is that right?

I guess ime concerned about the possibility of the cooling system being overwhelmed in high temp and load conditions.

Thats why an early fan cut in is good and the 3 core rad, to keep wastin out all that heat before it builds up and cooks the head.

Do the K11 motors have hot spots or are they so well designed in terms of cooling chambers, galleries and flows that the dreaded hot spots dont happen. I havent heard much about engine overheats.

In many outback parts of downunder these are critical factors and a breakdown can be .... life threatenin Wink

So any info here, in this area, is a great help.

Thanks folks and exciting fun rides Laughing

Flying Duck · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 12:14 pm Post subject:

It's my understanding that the engine temp light in the instrument cluster will come on if the fan doesn't kick in and it's getting and then at some threshold a bit higher than the the Motronic will shut down.

bmwmick probably knows more on this topic though.

I've had K75s/K100s with non-working fans. Shut them down when the engine temp light came on and they ran fine afterwards.

I'd say that if you're paying attention and shut down when the engine temp light comes that you're not going to hurt anything.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

andyc · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:27 pm Post subject:

I put a 3 core radiator in last summer after the fan came loose and ate the original one. Has not seemed to make a big difference in keeping the temp down. Manual fan switch however does make a difference at the long lights.

Andy
_________________
93 RS

Jim · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 2:43 am Post subject: engine heat dissipation

Gary Bennett · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 8:41 am Post subject:

Merlin,

I'll PM you the instructions on a proven way to fix your heat problems and it will only set you back about $160 for the parts. I've tried all the other suggestions and they are simply Band-aid ideas.
_________________
Gary
'94 K1100RS

merlin geikie · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 11:49 am Post subject: Thanks buddy...

Really good to get so much help, great folks..
Very kind Gary, appreciate those hints n tips and i will do em.
all good to you..
.safe fun rides Wink

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:24 pm Post subject:

michaelcurrin · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:24 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:38 pm Post subject:

merlin geikie · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:45 pm Post subject: Heat solutions....

Flying Duck wrote[/quote]Would you mind posting that in the Tech Resources and Stickies subforum for all to see?

Sure thing ..... soon as i get the mods... ile post em...
all the best folks:wink: Wink

Off the grid · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 1:56 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 5:16 pm Post subject:

Did some poking around. I found some kits from down under where you build your own adjustable voltage sensitive relay (yes, you have to solder) and then hook it up to the existing temp sensor.

I ordered two kits, one for each of my K1100s. $58.94(US) shipped to my door. That's <$30 per bike and no additional probe to fiddle with. Very Happy

Here's an article on it:

http://autospeed.com/cms/title_Electronic-Radiator-Fan-Switch/A_2477/article.html

And it's even got an LED! Laughing

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

merlin geikie

Yes well...right in my own backyard. Yes a bit of solderin...can do that. And fully adjustable for variable conditions...and of course the LED...too good.

Wonderin if the K100 has the same rad as the K11, volume, surface area, fin count, coolant tank size, inlet and outlet pipe diameters etc? Smile

Must be a good idea.... if Dr Duck s definately goin ahead with orderin and fitment. Ive bookmarked that site, good one.

I mean... the support here on K11OG is awesome. Smile

Not sure how to do that cool quotation thingy...where the quoted text is sorta greyed out a bit.

Thankyou very much folks
Very Happy

Gary Bennett · Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 6:22 am Post subject:

I have already posted it, but I think it has vanished into the Archives. I posted a question on how to retreive stuff out of the Archives as I have other great mods that have disappeared as well, but nobody has replied.
_________________
Gary
'94 K1100RS