[pidjones]

Made a BIG mistake while leading a friend on her Spyder of taking the Cades Cove Loop. It was clear as we got on it, but about 200 yards into the 10 mile single-lane loop we came up behind gawkers lined up and refusing to take pull-offs (like so many signs indicated). Two and a half hours later, we finally made it through. T 'wing was doing Ok, cycling the fans until about half way through. Then I found that I needed to run the RPMs up to about 2k to move the water cooled in the radiator to the block and bring the temps down. 3/4 through and I saw the needle climb to almost H. Near the very end, it went to past H (but still no steam or puking). It took almost three miles of 35-40 mph mostly downhill to get the needle back to its normal spot at the lower end of the operating range. I plan to buy a new jug of Rotella tomorrow and change the oil.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

There are 4 main reasons your symptoms can occur.
- a poorly maintained cooling system
- something blocking air-flow through the radiators ... chrome around in the radiator openings, blocked radiator grids, etc
- something is not working correctly ... fans, gauge, etc
- over stressing the cooling system ... heavy GVW, pulling a trailer, etc

If you were riding with another 5th gen, was it having the same issue ???

 

[pidjones]

The "other" was a Spyder.

 

[sailordudeii]

Others have looked on the inside of their radiators and found them blocked by dirt and bugs. I would start there.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[techdude2000]

Made a BIG mistake while leading a friend on her Spyder of taking the Cades Cove Loop. It was clear as we got on it, but about 200 yards into the 10 mile single-lane loop we came up behind gawkers lined up and refusing to take pull-offs (like so many signs indicated). Two and a half hours later, we finally made it through. T 'wing was doing Ok, cycling the fans until about half way through. Then I found that I needed to run the RPMs up to about 2k to move the water cooled in the radiator to the block and bring the temps down. 3/4 through and I saw the needle climb to almost H. Near the very end, it went to past H (but still no steam or puking). It took almost three miles of 35-40 mph mostly downhill to get the needle back to its normal spot at the lower end of the operating range. I plan to buy a new jug of Rotella tomorrow and change the oil.

Sounds normal, 2.5 hours to go 10 miles would have made me overheat, much less the wing! Dang Lookyloos!

 

[pidjones]

Other than the oil (and of course filter), is there anything else I should check? Cooling system was flushed and right rad changed August 2016 (wreck). Coolant changed again this past Spring. I run Rotella full synth, so hopefully no serious oil breakdown.

 

[jettawreck]

What sort of ambient temps at the time?? This summer I pulled the camper tent trailer in lots of different conditions (although none over 80* ambient) and nothing made the temp gauge budge from its rock solid "normal" of just a notch over half. I sort of worried about it at first after reading many overheating issues and kept a good eye on the gauge the first day but after that only typical observation.

 

[JoeHall]

Sounds like the cooling system was a bit overly stressed, and pretty sure my 2008 woulda done the same thing, under those conditions. Have seen the temp gauge go up to about 7/8 once when stuck in traffic an hour or so around Louisville. I noticed the higher it goes, the more squirelly the gauge becomes. I see it was mid 70s yesterday in Cades Cove, not hot but not cool either. Unless concerning symptoms occur, i.e. average temps change, fan comes on more often, oil consumption becomes more than normal, I wouldn't do anything to the bike. But would avoid senseless parades/traffic jams if possible in the future. Sounds like your cooling system has not been neglected, and pretty sure the synthetic oil did its job. OTOH, you could spend a lot of time and $ trying to, "fix" it, if you insist.

 

[Captron]

Not sure if i'm correct in suggesting this... BUT I found that if I lowered the gear that I was riding in, and increased the RPM of the engine that it also lowered the engine temp...and fans stop running!

Ronnie

 

[mrbill21]

I found when in that situation, to pull off and let the bike idle and cool it's self. The fans will pull enough air while stopped to cool an over heated Wing.

 

[doug of no fl]

I have been on the very same road also ( Tourist trap!!!) I don't care what your riding in or on, If you have not been informed anything you drive on that stupid road it will over heat. If you walk it, you will over heat. Always full of tourists that have never seen a deer or squirrel or butterfly, Should only take 15min to drive & stop & see!!!!, 2.5hrs is a fairly quick time to get thru it, you got lucky!!. If you were the only one on it, it would be fine, but a one narrow lane one way road to nowhere with no way to get off is just poor management been like that forever worst thing to go to in Smokey's. Don't know of anyone that hit it right and got thru it at a reasonable time.
(Just in case someone has not heard this description before!!!!) ( my 26gal Tundra almost ran out of gas!!!!

Probably nothing wrong with your system but what are doing is fine (Just in case ) & make sure you check level of coolant (just in case also)!!

 

[schlep1967]

Coolant level would be my first thought. If that is good try to think of the speeds traveled. The fans only run up until about 18 mph. I'm betting you were doing just over that a good bit. Enough to keep the fans from running but not enough to cool the coolant.

Question for the electrical masters, would a low or weak battery prevent the fans from running? In this case the fans running often may have drained down the battery reserve. Would that stop the fans from coming on? Seems like it when he says he had to run at higher RPM to get the fans to run. Was that what it took for the alternator to put out enough to run the fans?

 

[Wing'n it]

Years ago my 02 Wing had a similar issue and it was a crap ton of bugs in the rads. Soaking them down with a peroxide solution and rinsing them out solved the heating up issue.

 

[Corventure]

I experienced quite a similar thing on the road to Las Vegas. Traffic stopped on a grade. 98 degrees outside. Someone drove off the road! So conditions can cause this.
This was with my 2005. There was never any detonating from over heating or coolant overflowing. Yes it was hot but I do not believe the temp gauge is accurate. It's more of an indicator.
My coolant system was always serviced to spec's. I also see you mentioned that the temp came back down right away when you got moving again.
I believe any obstructions or old warn out coolant would not recover that quickly.
Your changing the oil and servicing is a good precaution. However I think your Wind is fine.


Interestingly my 2016 has not done this in quite same conditions. I know Honda made some upgrades.


Corventure Dave

 

[pidjones]

Gee, I would have run in a lower gear, if there was one lower than 1st. My left hand is still aching today from holding the clutch in. Drained the oil and it is the darkest I've ever seen it. I believe that the temperature sensor is in a different location from the fan switch. I reved the engine (2k only) to move coolant faster through the radiator and block. Seemed to work fine until there finally got to be too much to recover from near the end. New belly full of Rotella T6 and fresh filter, overflow tank still ~1/4. I asked my riding partner for the day if she saw it puking any, and she did not.

 

[GLblinded]

I think your ok, ‘06 has the bigger radiators too! My ‘05 has the small ones.

 

[Dn]

Earlier 1800 Goldwings had a recall to replace the ECM because of this problem. Most all 1800's will overheat in certain situations.