crshovrd Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi y'all, So I live in California and I know it can still be balmy this time of year but this bike is seriously hosed I think and I am looking for everyone's opinions. Also, I just purchased a new motor which will hopefully be here some time this week... anyone want to help with an engine swap and/or have any chain tools :)? Current motor has 72k miles and was owned by a mechanic previously and he said he took care of it... it's a 94 and seen it's fair share of road rash... but it still pulls like an Ox. So, first my fan switch wasn't working as the fan would never come on even though the gauge was reading high so I bypassed it and put in my own switch. That seemed to work for a bit but then the temp just kept climbing and climbing over half then eventually over H! This was over a period of months. Now the thing is pegged at H within the first 5 minutes of starting and sometimes i see white smoke from the exhaust... i know this is a tell-tale sign of head gasket failure and since i've been riding it like this for a bit... i figure the engine may not be salvagable, at least by me. So I bought a new motor for $340 shipped with a a 30 day gaurantee with about 29k on it from a 97. Just for kicks, what could possibly be the issue with the current engine? Is the immediate rise in temp due to head-gasket failure? It has enough oil and coolant. Also, anyone need a motor with a possible blown head-gasket?? :) Thanks in advance! BTW, I LOVE MY VFR!!! I owned a 92 before this one. Also, seriously, if anyone in LA has a chain tool I could borrow that would be awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer SamW Posted January 12, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 12, 2015 I am not sure mine even warms up in 5 minutes, might be worth using one of the touchless thermometers to see if it is getting hot, might be a bad sender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum CEO HispanicSlammer Posted January 12, 2015 Forum CEO Share Posted January 12, 2015 VFRS have an issue with thermostats sticking up, I replaced mine twice on the old girl and 1998 I used to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Remove your thermostat. Tie a piece of string to it. Immerse it in boiling water on the stove and watch. If it doesn't open, it's pooched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted January 12, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 12, 2015 you have a 91 and live in southern cali... aka land of shake and bake.. remove the thermostat and cut the plunger off aka the spring loaded plunger . reinstall and never worry about over heating in traffic again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crshovrd Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hey thanks for all the input everyone!!! Good advice on the thermostat! I will give that a shot for sure. I did end up getting a new motor with about 1/4 the miles on it for $340 shipped... which now seems like overkill if it was just a thermo... but i was seeing some white smoke which lead me to believe it was the head gasket.. I did think about getting a no-contact thermometer or pyrometer to actually check the enginer for temperature but haven't done that yet either. all great suggestions! I think at this point I will just swap the motor because that will be fun ;) i'm hoping my old suzuki frame tools will fit this thing! otherwise time to make my own! thanks again everyone and I will post back when the swap is over... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspanglish Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Sounds like swatting flies with a nuclear bomb!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted January 15, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 15, 2015 Sounds like swatting flies with a nuclear bomb!!! hey now.. that works VERY WELL!! cockroaches are a different story... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC24 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 From cold, remove the radiator cap. Fire up the engine and blip the throttle, if you see big air bubbles shooting to the radiator neck, it's a head gasket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crshovrd Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 I like to think i have the biggest fly swatter :) RC24, I will try that!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crshovrd Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 Hey everyone! So I took the radiator to a shop and they told me they couldn't powerflush it because the inlets are too small and they can't take apart an aluminium radiator... but i showed him the cap and with one touch he said it was bad because the rubber seal felt like plastic and was very hard. I just called my local dealer and he said that the part (CAP) would cost $25 and is special order... this is a 1994 VFR 750... is it really required for me to use the HONDA specific cap or can i just go to an autoparts store and ask for a 16lb cap that fits? What are the thoughts on these things? also, I am going to take a hose to the radiator to see if i can flush some crap out... Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 2FAST4U Posted May 1, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted May 1, 2015 The first thing that comes to mind is the thermostat. Regarding the cap, I always use genuine Honda parts on my bike. Always. You may want to consider getting a new bike. Your bike is over 20 years old and you've got to ask yourself whether or not it's worth spending a lot of time and money on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crshovrd Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 LOL... thermo is new. I just did a motor swap... i love this bike and hate financing... so no new bike for me. And just cause it's 20 years old doesn't mean it sucks and isn't worth it... i mean.. i spent $950 for this bad boy... anyway... so i guess i should just go for the honda cap... OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 2FAST4U Posted May 1, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted May 1, 2015 A number of people suggested a possible problem with the thermostat and you didn't mention anywhere that you subsequently replaced it. I never said or even implied that your bike sucks. All I said is that it's over 20 years old and you may want to consider getting a new bike. With a bike that old, chances are you're gonna be having problems with it. In any event, I'm glad you're enjoying it and best of luck to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BusyLittleShop Posted May 1, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted May 1, 2015 If you see *continuous* temps higher than 220ºF or below 180ºF thentrouble shooting is in order:Continuous engine temps above 220ºF or 104ºC is also a problem and the properorder of items to trouble shoot are:1)Faulty radiator cap... system should hold 1.1 pressure ratio...2)Insufficient coolant...3)Passages blocked in the radiator, hose or water jacket...4)Air in the system...5)Thermostat stuck closed...6)Faulty temp meter or thermo sensor...7)Faulty fan...8)Faulty fan switch...Engine temps below 180ºF or 82ºC is an problem... it means that themoisture produced during combustion is not getting hot enough toevaporate out the pipe as steam... instead that moisture will migrateto the oil and produce a milky white contamination...Note normal by products of combustion is water... . Every gallon of gascreates roughly 8 pounds of water vapor... we all have witnessed waterescaping out of tail pipes on cold mornings...The sequence of events to trouble shoot are:1)Faulty temp meter...2)Thermostat stuck open...3)Faulty fan switch... (stuck on)Leaky Head Gasket Check...You can visual inspect for a leaking head gasket by pulling the sparkplugs and peering down each hole... if the top of the piston is blackthen no leak that cylinder... if the top of the piston is a brightshiny aluminum then leak detected... because a leaky head gasketallows coolant in and that produces steam under the heat ofcombustion... the net effect is a super clean piston dome and no nastyblack... On bike Thermostat Check To check if the thermostat is opening start the engine at its lowest temp... open the rad cap... observe at what temp the coolant begins to flow... if the temp rises above 180F and the coolant does not flow then your thermostat is suspect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 are the radiators getting hot, did the new engine come with a working water pump? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Rad caps from some Toyotas and Isuzus will work, as long as they carry the same pressure rating. I've had one on my bike for years and years now, and working fine. MotoMaster (Canadian Tire brand). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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