2014 300...what is the plastic tubing connected to coolant hosing?

[95jersey]

On the right side of the bike coming off the head into the radiator. The tubing splits and there is some kind of plastic device (a thermostat?). There is nothing else connected to it (no wires).

If this is a thermostat, can I remove it? To me it seems like just another point of failure.

 

[Jakobi]

On the right side of the bike coming off the head into the radiator. The tubing splits and there is some kind of plastic device (a thermostat?). There is nothing else connected to it (no wires).

If this is a thermostat, can I remove it? To me it seems like just another point of failure.

It is, and you can.

 

[95jersey]

OK, that is what I thought. Is there any reason I should leave this on? If not, who makes a hose kit?

 

[rosco]

You can remove it but I don't know why you would want to. Generally cooling systems work better with a thermostat than without.

 

[95jersey]

You can remove it but I don't know why you would want to. Generally cooling systems work better with a thermostat than without.

Are you sure about this? If that were the case then every MX bike would come with one. My thought is they are there for low temp geographies and even then probably only stay closed for the 1st 10 minutes after start up.

The better the flow (less obstructions) the cooler the bike will run unless I am missing some new design feature.

 

[Leo]

MX riders doesn't do long downhill rides....

 

[hamilton]

You could install a connector pipe or new hose and be ok.
Personally I'd leave it in there, yes one more moving part that could fail.
But the thermostat is there to lessen the chance of a cold seizure, provide a restriction to the coolant flow( flow too fast through the radiator doesn't allow enough time for heat transfer to the air) and maintain a constant engine temp.
Under most circumstances a cooling system with thermostat will run cooler.

 

[memphis2857]

Mine was leaking when I got it so I took it out and put the temp sender for my Trailtech Voyager in its place. I have heard of others breaking in half on the trail too.


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[shang]

I suspect my thermostat failed and helped cause a meltdown. During the process the housing melted. I removed it and put a tee for a sender in there.

It's just another thing to fail.

 

[wence]

I removed mine as the outer end of one of the thermostat ends looked like it had shrunk or was made incorrectly. It reduced in size as it got further away from the body of the thermostat.
Popped of twice and that was enough.
Cheers Mark

 

[shang]

I removed mine as the outer end of one of the thermostat ends looked like it had shrunk or was made incorrectly. It reduced in size as it got further away from the body of the thermostat.
Popped of twice and that was enough.
Cheers Mark

Mine was doing this too. I thought that it was due to being super heated.

I was under the impression that the thermostat was there to help bring the bike up to operating temps faster for emissions reasons? While I think most cooling systems benefit from a thermostat to help regulate coolant flow through the radiator, slowing the flow down to give it time to transfer heat. I think on most dirt bikes it's not necessary. My bike boiled over more before I removed it.

 

[95jersey]

The whole point of failure thing makes me nervous when I am miles and miles back in the woods.

Bottom line if thermostats helped a bike run cooler/more efficient, MX bikes would have them. And I don't buy the down hill theory. Remember these bikes are made to be homologated in countries all around the world. So they build one model vs. different models for different countries. A good example, is my 14 300 has turn signal switches, but yet has no turn signals.

Once these bikes warm up to temperature (even in cold), those thermostats are staying open. No way they open and close on a hot engine.

 

[earlystock]

I haven't had any problem with my 14 over heating, but on M racecar I tried to take it out and it actually made it run hotter, if they flow too much the water never has a chance to cool. Instead of removing it I would drill some holes in it or gut it out so that there is still a little restriction giving the water more time to cool.

 

[Wimpy525]

On my 12 the thermostat let go while I was sitting on my bike after hitting some tight trail. The result was third degree burns to my inner leg. Bike showed no signs of overheating while I was riding. First thing I removed on my 13.