How your cooling system works and such

[sunnbobb]

I recently have been exploring the possibility of using a high pressure radiator cap, such as those offered here: http://www.mishimoto.com/mishimoto-high ... 3-bar.html

Doing my research I found this article on cooling and thought it worth sharing. Enjoy!

http://www.tuneruniversity.com/blog/201 ... iator-cap/

[vonzoog]

Thanks, a lot of that information I knew/ thought to be true. I did learn something about running straight water and water wetter. I may be adding some wetter to the antifreeze in the future.

[kenai]

Hi All - used to drive a shovel nosed pontiac transam with no airflow thru the radiator. when water wetter came out I used it for a run from CA to TX in mid summer and dropped 20+ degrees, so unless it's freezing time I like it!...kenai

[ole496]

I never even considered finding an upgrade to the cooling system and I had no clue that a high pressure cap could do so much to increase the ability to cool the engine. That was a very useful article Sunnbob -- thanks!

[Sidecar Bob]

If you decide to run straight water and you live anywhere where the winter temperatures come anywhere near freezing, make sure you change to an anti-freeze mixture and run it enough that you are absolutely sure that any plain water in there has been mixed in thoroughly before winter storage.

A guy I used to know did a lot of work on his Trans Am's engine - hot carbs and all that stuff - and decided to run straight water in the summer and drain it for the winter. The next spring when he filed the cooling system it took a lot more water than he thought it should need. When he checked the oil he found out why. When he took the engine apart he discovered that a small amount of water in a couple of "galleries" did not drain and when they froze the block cracked.

[Rat]

I ran an 18# cap for years by accident.

I had replaced an old one on the road one time and my old eyes missread the 18 for 13.

Last season when Steve (WF) and Dean (SB) were rescuing me from a failed stator 2000 miles from home we noticed the 'mistake'.

I replaced it with the 'proper' 13# cap .... now it runs hotter, still OK, but hotter.

I may look around for that 18# cap again.

Gord

[sgwilly]

Dang. Wish you wrote this last year when I did this to my bike for 12 hours a day crossing the country during 100+ degree days. Now I know better. Thanks!

[vonzoog]

Dang? Did you say Dang? Dang is taking a nice steady picture at 80 MPH.

Dang!

[sgwilly]

Yeah. I did that with my phone and I kept thinking if the wind catches this thing it is GONE!!!!! That would have been a catastrophe 1000 miles from home and all alone. Kinda like being jettisoned back to 1983. We have it so easy nowadays.

[polkadot]

I ran an 18# cap for years by accident.

I had replaced an old one on the road one time and my old eyes missread the 18 for 13.

Last season when Steve (WF) and Dean (SB) were rescuing me from a failed stator 2000 miles from home we noticed the 'mistake'.

I replaced it with the 'proper' 13# cap .... now it runs hotter, still OK, but hotter.

I may look around for that 18# cap again.

Gord

Maybe you should just look for another 13 lb cap. It worked for you once, and I don't think your eyes have gotten any youger!

[Rat]

Careful ....

Gord (pots and kettles) Jones

[Marc]

This is real good information, however; remember what they stated in the article, "So if some extra pressure is good, why not a lot? Well, it may seem obvious, but the cooling system on your car is rated to a certain pressure. The radiator cap is designed to be the weak point in your cooling system so it can safely vent pressure, you don’t want to use a cap that is so resistant to venting pressure that it causes some other part of the system to become the weak point."

On old systems, like many of our Goldwings, the extra 5 lbs. pressure can cause leaks that you didn't have before. You have to weigh the chance of overheating against the chance of springing a leak on your nice long road trip this summer. In extreme weather conditions on a newer bike, or a fresh well done rebuild and a radiator that has been tested above 18 lbs, I think this is a great idea.

Excellent point regarding antifreeze - more is not better.

[Sidecar Bob]

+1 on that.

I think it might be better to upgrade the fan or add an oil cooler or both. More work but less of a chance of causing more problems than you solve.