Engine temp and fan...

[FinalImpact]

You guys need to open these things up! Blah

There are two ways to go about this; this sensor is screwed into the block back by thermostat. By the book, you'd remove it and dump it in ice water and then boil it while reading between the body and the terminal.

It should produce the following:
5.21–6.37 kΩ at 0°C (32°F)
0.29–0.35 kΩ at 80°C (176°F)

I would start with getting it warm to say ~150F (it doesn't matter, just so it displays a number). And then unplug the sensor, inspect it, clean it and promptly plug it back in. If the 150F value drops, it could be it simply had a bad connection. If there is no change follow option #2.

Compare bikes without tearing things apart. Well unless you want to tear it apart. In that case, drain the fluid and pull the sensor. Take it out and do the ice/boil test.

Otherwise lets get a few members to measure there "Coolant temperature sensor" (CTS) when at 150F and 200F. All we need to do is get them warm and attach the meter set to ohms to the block and this terminal.

CTS is that brass thing. Unplug the connector and measure here:

 

[motojoe122]

Great stuff, much appreciated. I'll try to pick up a gun in the next day or two. As for the OHM meter, I do have one, but what exactly am I making contact with to measure? Lastly, I'm a 2-6k rider - except once in a while when I try to keep up with Erci's fz1 !

I had forgotten about that aspect...I'm the 5-12K rider, higher rpm = higher flow:thumbup:

 

[Motogiro]

Two things NOT mentioned.

The radiator cap and the thermostat.

If the cap isn't holding pressure, temps will be higher. (you two can swap caps while the engines cold and see if the issue follows the cap).

If the thermostat isn't opening fully, that'll contribute to higher temps as well.
Although the shop manual states throttle bodies, etc need to be removed to accesss it, another member replaced his thermostat without all that extra work. Tight but do-able

Down here its about 90-93F middle of the day. My temps usually max out at about 195 and drop fairly quickly back to 180 once underway. I've never had my fan kick on. Most of my RPM, normal riding range, is 6k and under BTW

Something sounds amiss

As Scott points out, the radiator cap is probably greatly neglected as a source for cooling system anomalies. One function is to keep maximum fluid content in the system while allowing expanding gasses to escape. Then when the system cools down it recovers coolant from the recovery tank keeping the system free from air. Check your cap to insure it is functioning properly.
Also fresh coolant never hurts. Coolant is generally a 50:50 mix. 50% is water because it exhibits heat transference that coolant alone is not efficient alone with. Eventually over time the 50:50 coolant/water looses properties and should be changed.

Check it out..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JdDWWoX-70

 

[metallicat]

I had forgotten about that aspect...I'm the 5-12K rider, higher rpm = higher flow:thumbup:

But wouldn't that generally increase friction, load, etc., and keep it on the warmer side? (btw, it that was sarcasm, it went completely over my head Blah).

BTW I just ordered engine ice... we'll see what that does.

 

[FinalImpact]

FWIW:
In diagnostic mode it will spit out the actual temp so you can compare it to the meter. I'm guessing it does this for temps under 110F if you wanted to know if that area is accurate.

That said - in diagnostic mode after the bikes sat all night it should display ambient temp. Basically if you choose to pull it and measure it, you could ice it and boil it near the bike and read what it says on the meter! lol I guess that depends how important it is too you!

An A/C vent thermometer is good for this as you can freeze it and throw it in boiling water.
Diagnostic mode 06 = Displays the coolant temperature. = Compare the actually measured coolant temperature with the meter display value.

Per the cap question; does the volume in the reservoir go up and down as temperature changes?

 

[Carlos840]

But wouldn't that generally increase friction, load, etc., and keep it on the warmer side? (btw, it that was sarcasm, it went completely over my head Blah).

BTW I just ordered engine ice... we'll see what that does.

I think it depends on the engine design.

Our engine is a downtuned racing engine, it was originally designed to run up to 16000rpm, and create maximum power around 14000rpm.

I assume the engineers tried to get optimal cooling in that rpm range.

The fact that on the FZ6 it is limited at 14000rpm and makes peak power a bit lower doesn't change things that much. It still makes sens that optimal cooling would be achieved in the higher range.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Mine, at higher speeds, runs slightly higher temps, even with the increased air flow.

You have many variables going on that need to be considered;

Ambient temp,
Air flow,
How much heat the engine is developing (more RPM's, MORE heat),
more cooolant flow.
Condition of coolant system (and coolant), thermostat, radiator cap,
etc.
Actual coolant used, percentages of coolant/water, etc

IMO, to say outright the bike runs cooler at higher speeds, is just NOT true. I'm not talking 15 MPH, but 30+ MPH (as fast as you want to go)

Yesterday, I had to run into town, temps, high 80's(F). While on a bridge, running about 70, 75MPH, the temp raised up some. (and it was cooler over the bridge over cooler water). Slowed down to 40-50, (6th gear), once in town, Definitly hotter with road radiant heat), temps cooled down a little bit.

I know my fan works, however, in over 5 years I've owned the bike, the fan had NEVER KICKED ON and the bike RARELY touchs 200f. That's summertime, in Florida too..

If someone's bike, in temps lets say the 90's, moving better than 30/40MPH, the temp of the bike shoudn't be any where near 220, much less 200F. That's with everything working properly as designed, maintained and instruments reading accuratly...

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JdDWWoX-70

Excellent video and very informative!

 

[FinalImpact]

metallicat, does it ping/detonate or boil over?

Until there is some proof its actually HOT, i'd say its moot point. Well other than running the fan sucking battery energy.

Our bikes are at opposite ends as mine has issues running to cool in all but the hottest weather (so it say). It never boils over so its none issue. And when it does ping during take off its because its hot (210F).
On an 85F day running the crap out its 185. Downhill will drop to 167. I think the difference in styles matters. Rev it lightly, shift often, and don't work them. Its not torque engine so that's my logic (no John Deer on the side Blah)

Anyway I don't lug any engines as it stresses them increasing piston/cylinder/rod journal wear due to loading. Oil does much more than oil, it does allot of the cooling by transferring heat from the block & reciprocating parts to the oil, and then to the coolant.

Fueling wise - lugging burns more gas than revving them.

As for full power doing more cooling. I don't agree. If you're burning XX gallons of fuel per second its making an equal amount of BTUs that must be shed. That heat mostly goes out the exhaust, the rest expelled by radiant heat in the oil and water coolant systems. I don't recall any engine that runs cooler at WOT! Its when most things overheat!

We're off topic so I'll pipe down. Its just an interweb opinion.