Overheating Ec300

[normanator27]

I suspect one of two things, in this order, probably both:
Rad cap
over filled radiators

Bad rad cap will allow the bike to over heat, not just vent. Pressure maintenance allows the bike to operate at a higher stable temperature, a bad rad cap will vent, causing temperature spikes.

Over filled radiators won't allow any room for expansion of the fluid and therefore the rad cap has to vent off. A bad rad cap in combination with over filled radiators will cause over heating, or at least symptoms of over heating (biol over, pinging).

So, get a new cap, like a 1.6-1.8 Bar, and just barely cover the fins in the radiator with water/fluid.

Simple fixes first, then dismiss them with evidence.

I'll get the caps, I might get both. Ive always made sure the radiators are full in accordance with what the owners manual states. I think also that i'll invest in one of those in line cooler things. Do you have any experience with those?

 

[Lincolnlock]

32 degrees c not f, about 90f, if anything it will be richer

I just assumed he was using F since there wasn't a location in the first post. That makes a pretty significant difference to say the least! It's summertime down under!

 

[normanator27]

I just assumed he was using F since there wasn't a location in the first post. That makes a pretty significant difference to say the least! It's summertime down under!

sorry lincoln, yep i'm in oz, and its hot and humid around here right now as there is rain to go with the heat at present. Tough conditions on man and machine.

 

[Jakobi]

Nothings broken with the way you did it Only really an issue if things are corroded and you have to lean on it.

 

[normanator27]

Nothings broken with the way you did it Only really an issue if things are corroded and you have to lean on it.

Cool. thanks Jake.

 

[Jakobi]

Same goes for install. Just be aware its only a plastic gear on the back side holding things in position, and don't get too hamfisted.

Should still be able to check the fuel flow with the filter in place. If it doesn't look too good remove the filter and compare the rate of flow. Those little filters can get blocked up over time, especially if filling in rather remote places (or from old jerry cans).

 

[normanator27]

Same goes for install. Just be aware its only a plastic gear on the back side holding things in position, and don't get too hamfisted.

Sweet thats what I wanted to hear. I have fists of ham so i'll be extra careful. I'm getting prices for an impeller, radiator caps (i dont suppose you'd know what bar the stock radiator caps are?) and one of those inline water coolers, is there anything else anyone could think that i should be getting (other than a 2015 model ) to help my cause?

 

[hamilton]

Plenty of good advice here for you, let me add one more thing to check.
Be sure the antifreeze your using is predeluted. Pure antifreeze will not provide enough cooling. 60% water(distilled) 40% antifreeze will work best.

 

[mtnmanseth]

Hi,
my 08 model is overheating when its quite hot. It overheated on the weekend just gone when it was 32degrees and quite humid. it was pretty muddy so the pace wasnt that quick but i wasnt flogging the bike by any means. Its also overheated previously on similarly hot day or maybe a little warmer but dry day, albeit at a gentle pace as i was alone and doing a little exploring. Its all pretty good until after around 30-60 minutes then after hitting the pipe a bit, it starts to surge for revs a little (sort of sounded like a rotary engine) when the bike isnt moving. It also leaks a bit of what I can only presume is oil from where the spark plug screws in when its overheating.Ive been reading a few posts about dodgy radiator caps so i'll have to try and get my hands on another one and see if thats it. If anyone could give me a clue to other things I could be checking that would be great. Thanks.

It sounds like your bike only overheats occasionally, so this may be moot, but considering the year of your bike (but depending on age/use of your current top-end) you may want to check for evidence of a slight base gasket failure/crack/leak at the base of the cylinder. The one and only time my EC300 boiled over I happened to notice some staining around the base of the cylinder, indicative of a significant air leak (leading to VERY lean condition). Other guys may know better than I, but it might be that higher revs causes greater vacuum, which may bypass a failed/failing base gasket. Just a thought...

Photo in this thread: http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18680&highlight=failed+gasket

 

[normanator27]

Plenty of good advice here for you, let me add one more thing to check.
Be sure the antifreeze your using is predeluted. Pure antifreeze will not provide enough cooling. 60% water(distilled) 40% antifreeze will work best.

cheers hamilton, Ive got some liquid intelligence coming for the bike for when its back together.

 

[normanator27]

It sounds like your bike only overheats occasionally, so this may be moot, but considering the year of your bike (but depending on age/use of your current top-end) you may want to check for evidence of a slight base gasket failure/crack/leak at the base of the cylinder. The one and only time my EC300 boiled over I happened to notice some staining around the base of the cylinder, indicative of a significant air leak (leading to VERY lean condition). Other guys may know better than I, but it might be that higher revs causes greater vacuum, which may bypass a failed/failing base gasket. Just a thought...

Photo in this thread: http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18680&highlight=failed+gasket

thats interesting, i had the power valve cover off not so long ago and where one of the bolts are on the bottom left hand side is seems to have a small leak. I wonder if this would be a problem? would such a leak if it was making it run lean affect the plug colour, as the colour looks good.

 

[rosco]

If it had a bad enough air leak to make it overheat as easily as you describe it would run like crap. I would replace the radiator cap with the stock 1.8 cap before I did anything else.

 

[GasGasDreamer]

I would replace the radiator cap with the stock 1.8 cap before I did anything else.

agreed.
remember going to a higher psi cap, like a ktm, raises the 'highest' operating temp, if you get into that range.

 

[normanator27]

when i'm putting the water pump cover back on do i just bolt it on or do I need to replace the gasket? the gasket looks fine although it looks more like a seal than a gasket. a silly question i know but i want to get it right. cheers.

 

[normanator27]

when i'm putting the water pump cover back on do i just bolt it on or do I need to replace the gasket? the gasket looks fine although it looks more like a seal than a gasket. a silly question i know but i want to get it right. cheers.

A silly question deserves a silly answer (or no answer in this case, sorry fellas, mr impatient didnt want to wait for new gaskets to come). Any way ive put it back together (with new gaskets) and a new 1.8 bar radiator cap and while i'm not sure about the overheating issues (as ive only taken it for a short test run) the bike is definitely running better. It used to have a flat spot before it came onto the pipe which no amount of jetting seemed to fix (which i just assumed was the nature of the bike), but that seems to have gone. Id actually say that this is the best this bike has run in the 2 years ive owned it.

 

[Jakobi]

A silly question deserves a silly answer (or no answer in this case, sorry fellas, mr impatient didnt want to wait for new gaskets to come). Any way ive put it back together (with new gaskets) and a new 1.8 bar radiator cap and while i'm not sure about the overheating issues (as ive only taken it for a short test run) the bike is definitely running better. It used to have a flat spot before it came onto the pipe which no amount of jetting seemed to fix (which i just assumed was the nature of the bike), but that seems to have gone. Id actually say that this is the best this bike has run in the 2 years ive owned it.

Good work mate!

Reusing gaskets is one of those things. Some do, some don't. Sometimes it works, other times not. Generally I weigh up the cost vs time/effort/impact if reusing doesn't work.

 

[gnilrub]

So is it still running as it should? What do you think the reason for it was?

 

[normanator27]

So is it still running as it should? What do you think the reason for it was?

Replacing the radiator cap with a new 1.8 bar one seems to have been a very good thing for the bike. Unfortunately, I havent had many opportunities to ride it since I last posted due to work commitments and a ridiculous amount of rain in this part of the world recently. The few times ive got on it it seems ok but i havent had the opportunity for it to get hot enough to potentially overheat as it was previously. Unfortunately this is the latest in an ongoing list of problems Ive had with this bike in the 2 years ive owned it. I'm very hopeful (rather than confident) that ive sorted its issues and i'll have a good period with the bike from here on. I'll keep you posted if I have any more drama's with it.