over-heating?

[ebers17]

I went riding today, snow on the ground and probably about 35 degrees out.  I used the clutch quite a bit with alot of wheel spin the whole time, and about a half-hour in i lost a ton of coolant out of the over-flow tube.  I let the bike sit for ten minutes and put a little water in and was able to get out.  Everything seems to be ok.  I'm just curious as to why it might have over-heated with the cold weather.  Is there something i should look at, i was thinking maybe my radiator vents might be a little too smushed so its not getting the air flow it needs?

[Paul]

Wow, mine has never puked and I live in the desert    I run Engine Ice but have also heard good things about Maxima's Coolanol

[TomL]

Might be running too lean due to the denser cold air.

[alan]

Just like a car, if the cooling system isn't holding pressure it will boil at a lower temp! I would replace the cap an check th intire cooling system to see if you have any leaks!

Alan

[KXcam22]

Ebers17,
  Lots of good points here.  What does your plug look like? Rad cap is a definite thing to check.  My stock cap is a 1.1, KX80 is a 1.2 and I saw that Kaw also makes a 1.3 option cap.  Bike will get leaner in snow, but mine doesn't puke when riding in snow, only when I "clutch & first gear it" for a long time in ugly stuff.  I run honda car coolant. Cheap and very aluminum friendly, supposed to be good.  You could also check your retaining nut on the waterpump impeller.  There was a link around last year from a similar problem and the water pump impeller was loose.  Hope this helps. Cam.

[doordie]

engine ICE!

//doordie

[John]

When the engine heats up the ice thaws and everything works. Use engine coolant so that the cooling liquid does not freeze and the iron parts don't rust. You will also get a a slightly higer boiling point than if you should use only water. All for the better exept you can't drink the stuff.

//John

[Rick]

I have a different take on this topic.  While I do not overheat anymore, while I was learning to run the big 50 in the woods, I slipped the clutch WAY TOO much, and was constantly over heating.  Once I started riding the woods in the higher RPM range, I was able to use the power of big green instead of the clutch, and my over heating problem was solved.

Rick

[mikesmith]

Ive never overheated except when my water pump seal went out,so that doesnt count.And Ive ridden deep snow,deep mud,tight woods and technical hill climbs, also have ridden 119 degree heat. I run water wetter but I also have aluminum radiator guards that dont help cooling (but keep the tree limbs out).Try a new cap,make sure the hoses arent kinked,fins in the radiator arent all bent down,run water and water wetter,and make sure the pump works.

[ebers17]

I checked out some things you guys recomended, i think i do what Rick and Cam were saying, with clutching too much in ugly stuff.  I do use coolant though, not just water.  I'll just wait to see what happens next time i ride and try to use the rpm's rather than the clutch as much.

[Hogwylde]

Two things you did that directly contributed to overheating......lots of clutch slippage and lots of wheelspin.  What this all "boils" down to (pun intended   ) is that you are burning LOTS of fuel and making lots of power......with NO cooling air flowing thru the radiators to keep things cool.  Just remember that you don't have a fan to pull or push air thru the radiator, you have to be moving to force that cooling air thru the radiators.  If you are doing lots of clutch slipping (a heat building endevour in it's own right) and spinning that rear tire a bunch without making any significant forward motion, then overheating is an almost certainty.

[mikesmith]

Try the watter wetter,it helps keep the temps down.Water cools better than anti-freeze,but you need it to lubricate and stop feezing,mix 50/50.