Author Topic: Overheating.  (Read 14149 times)

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Offline TomL

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2018, 05:38:23 pm »
Once you start to have overheating problems because of blocked cooling fins the only answer is a new radiator. Don't ask me how I know.

Don't waste your time get a new rad.
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Offline richtea

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2018, 06:54:30 pm »
Non-ESA is available - Wilbers is the posh non-ESA (https://www.motorcycleparts-hornig.com/BMW-K-1300-S/Suspensions/Wilbers-Suspension-Type-642-K1300S.html), and what others have previously recommended, but there's probably other options.

Re: cleaning rad - the cable tie is for poking through from the back, to straighten out the fins. Expect to spend half a day fiddling, I think Brian has suggested previously.

Offline Phmode

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #17 on: April 17, 2018, 07:27:10 pm »
There are a few options.

Firstly, when the bike was struggling in traffic, was the fan working? If you are not sure, check it out before you go any further.

Secondly, I assume you have checked the coolant level. If not, then doh!

Thirdly, does the bike have a full BMW service history? It doesn't mean the previous owner/s haven't been meddling, but it is not unknown for meddlers to not bother with the vacuum filling technique which is vital for the bike. It is NOT a nice to have. If it has been filled without the vacuum kit then the airlocks in the head could be causing the overheating and this will eventually lead to the head cracking. There is no way of checking the vacuum stuff without actually doing it. If it has a full dealer history this is probably OK(?  :o )

The rad could be clogged with shite thrown up by the front tyre, (a really dodgy design fault) or by the fins being mangled.

The clogging is NOT inside the rad. but rather is muck between the fins in the lower, outer corners of the rad. The first check is simple enough, just take a close look at the front of the rad to see if the fins are OK. Lots of bent or crushed fins could well be the cause. If so, careful 'combing' should see the issue sorted.

If all the fins look OK, you need to go deeper. With the side panels, belly pan and fan off and with the help of a mirror and torch, look through the lower corners of the rad. to see the extent of the clogging. If you have a completely clear rad. the problem lies elsewhere. If it extends a couple of inches up and inwards on each corner then un-picking the mess is certainly possible.

Soaking and waiting is the order of the day; mad poking isn't. So, allowing a good half day, wet the clogged area from both front and back and leave it to soak for ten minutes or so. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat! Once the muck is well soaked, try a garden hose with a multi-head jet thingy to direct some sharp needles of water into the clogged area, again from front and back. If nothing substantial comes loose then try more soaking. If stuff does start to wash out, you are in luck.

At this point I tend to use the tip of a very small tie-wrap to poke and prod at the muck, both front and rear. Then more washing to see if more stuff gets dislodged. If more stuff comes out then just continue carefully.

However, the really bad news is that the aluminium core of the rad starts to corrode if the bike is ridden in the winter and if the salt gets into the clogging it tends to turn to concrete in which case it is doomsville.

No one makes a replacement rad. I found a place oop north who would copy my alloy and plastic rad in steel and copper but the cost was as high a new one and although it would last a lifetime it would weigh as much as the rest of the bike.

So, hope for the best but prepare for the worst  8)

Offline TomL

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #18 on: April 17, 2018, 10:05:24 pm »
Don't waste your time get a new rad.
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Offline richtea

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #19 on: April 17, 2018, 10:15:04 pm »
Don't waste your time get a new rad.

Ouch. So says a rich man!
£500 + labour is worth a little investigation, surely?

Offline TomL

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #20 on: April 17, 2018, 10:26:14 pm »
I think you should investigate to your hearts content and I promise not to say I told you so. I wish someone had told me.
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Offline Phmode

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #21 on: April 17, 2018, 11:00:44 pm »
So, from a professional mechanic the advice is to buy a new rad without even finding out whether the coolant and fan are all OK?

Rich man indeed if you think that the cost of a new rad is not worth an afternoon's work.

I cleared the crap out of my K13's rad when I first got it but granted it wasn't overheating.

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #22 on: April 18, 2018, 09:27:14 am »
Surely, if nightrider has only owned this bike for ten weeks and bought from a dealer, then the responsibility lies with that dealer to get the problem sorted. It would seem that the previous owner had the exact same problem and rather get it sorted as any honest person would he's just traded it in for another bike and kept stum. Think I'd be contacting the previous owner to gleen some info.

Offline Phmode

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #23 on: April 18, 2018, 09:42:59 am »
It's not covered under the extended warranty. (I've just asked that question at the dealers - guess why??? My bike is 25 months old!).

I know you live in the middle of the shite fields of Suffolk David, but 2 years old FFS!

Are you serious? Seriously  ???

Offline black-k1

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #24 on: April 18, 2018, 10:13:24 am »
It's not covered under the extended warranty. (I've just asked that question at the dealers - guess why??? My bike is 25 months old!).

I know you live in the middle of the shite fields of Suffolk David, but 2 years old FFS!

Are you serious? Seriously  ???

More importantly 36,000 miles!

I believe that shite collection in the radiator is proportional to miles rather than time.
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Offline Phmode

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #25 on: April 18, 2018, 10:31:15 am »
You're right but even so. In the bad old days, a dealer would have understood the problem and washed the fins through at every service.

Have you given the rad any tlc between services? I know you have it ACF'd as well.

It's a great pity that the guy never delivered on his promised extended front guard.

One wonders what effect it would have on the cooling if you blanked off the bottom corners to stop the crud.

Offline black-k1

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #26 on: April 18, 2018, 10:48:23 am »
Cleaning the rad isn’t on the service schedule so I wouldn’t expect a BMW dealer to do it. The frustration is that BMW have not put it on the service schedule while knowing the issues. (And that they did nothing to improve/remove the problem throughout the 11 year production life of the K1?00)

I’ve not done anything to the rad myself. The bike is ACF50’d once a year and I have a “fender extender” fitted but other than that, I don’t touch it. Any work I did would simply be delaying the inevitable and my time is more valuable to me than the slight saving I could obtain. (Remember, my bike is a “company bike” so the equivalent cost of the rad to me is significantly less as HMRC effectively make a substantial contribution.)
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Offline Phmode

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #27 on: April 18, 2018, 01:34:31 pm »
Wanna buy me one  8)

Offline black-k1

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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #28 on: April 18, 2018, 01:40:26 pm »
:D
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Re: Overheating.
« Reply #29 on: April 18, 2018, 01:47:27 pm »
Sheesh! I've been lucky then, 3 years and 40k with the last bike (bike total 52k) and radiator never went critical (and I never noticed anything).

This one I've had now for 2 and a bit years damn, but nothing yet fingers crossed.

This is the one at the bottom yeah? I'm an ignoramus and just noticed some shiny bent bits on that top radiator thing...

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