Keeping it cool

[ratbag56]

wot sort of things do u guys do to keep ur race bike cool, i run mine at a track day at brands yesterday and it hit 120 degress then blow a rod out the front , i just wondered as i am bout to do another rebuild and thought i could do some modding along the way, i am running a cut rad for the ram air, samco hoses no thermostate, rad is standard, i am also running on oil cooler and i managed to fit a cooling fan for track days? any help?

[extonyg]

with all that still fitted and thermostat not fitted theres no way it should be getting that hot while riding........is the water pump ok?i wood atleast check it while its having a rebuild

[ratbag56]

It was a new one last year! I drained it out over winter and put antifreeze in it like normal? Is just a pain in the butt! I just had a new crank put in as well! Do u use a bigger rad?

[lucky77]

the L model rad's are huge, bigger than my R6 one and pretty much bigger than any other rad ive seen on a bike. Even on the hottest day I have to run one strip of tape either side of the rad to keep it nice and warm, although that is on tracks with a longer straight than brands (presuming you were doing teh indy circuit).

I think most other zxr racers have to tape their rad's too or if they dont they never run hot like that. The only time mine gets a bit hot under the collar is if we are kept in the collecting area as i dont run a fan, but i just knock it off when it reaches the top line (before it gets to the red block).

As suggested I'd check your water pump and cooling system, and you aren't running anti freeze in your rad are you? Big fines if it dumps that on track, its supposed to be water only!

cheers

[cargo]

Generally speaking I feel ZXRs are over cooled...................never had a over heating problem while on track........................only when sitting on the line for too long.

A bit of tape is good for cold days.................

I'm sure that for racing you are NOT allowed to use antifreeze or coolant ?

And if you thing the 400 rad is big you should come look at the Pace rad on my 600...................hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[RedexRobB]

Is throwing a rod out a sign of overheating?

[ratbag56]

I assumed it was as the oil smells burnt and the temp gauge hit 120 b4 it blew? I dont run antifreeze at all I just put some in it over the winter to stop it seizing up and corroding the water ways? It must b a problem with the water pump then if all u guys dont have problems? Do u all run oil coolers thou? It is the first time it has been used in anger on such a hot day? Coz other things I cud check am going to change engines at the weekend and will put up some pics?

[lucky77]

i run an oil cooler as my engine builder said i should and i dont like throwing 3 grand away but theres a lot of lads on here who dont and they still dont have any over heating probs?

[ratbag56]

I know there is a post I found bout it? I am going to fit it 2 my spare engine as I cant afford another let go? Its the first time it hot this hot? Its bothering me as I wan2 know wot caused it? Will post pics at the weekend strip down!

[lucky77]

yeah be good to see the evidence bud!

[Davw]

Might be crud n the radiator causing inefficient coling

[ratbag56]

I will post pics asap it looks like the oil had got to hot as the head gasket was all good looks like I will fitting the oil cooler and changing the make of oil I used wot oil u guys use?

[zimm]

mine runs quite happily with no oil cooler and halfords semi-synth 10w-40 in it.. not sayng its great oil (it probably isnt) but its cheap, doesnt cause clutch slip and so far (been using it for 3-4 years in all my bikes, and those i do for other people) i havent had an engine let go

rock oil fully synth is the dogs apparently, but i've not tried it.

I'd hazard a guess that you're "overheating" was due to a clearance/wear issue with one or more of the big ends.. once they start picking up they'll generate a lot of heat, then seize .. hence thrown rod. This could be the oil you were using (i recall some tuners in the past having oil related bigend problems at high rpm) or carelessness on the part of your engine builder, or just bad luck.

[ratbag56]

The big end bearings I replaced with the same coloured ones as b4 so may have been the bad luck! I used halfords stuff up until the track day it blew up and I used the stuff my kwak uses! Will get the make! It sounds like wot u said? Oh well im not ment to have money lol

[mark400]

Had an engine boil over with the wrong rad cap - The seal around the cap was slightly too big and didn't allow for expansion into the side tank.