Fat Bob - heat from engine
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 712
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From: Ponte Vedra, FL
Fat Bob - heat from engine
Hi Guys. Don't know how many of you have had your bikes long enough to ride in hot weather but I'll ask anyway. I got my bike in late September while it was still quite hot here in Florida and the heat from the engine was so intense I had to start wearing chaps in the 90 degree heat to keep it from burning my upper thigh (sitting in traffic on Main Street during Biketoberfest was a b!tch). I'm talking frying pan hot! I've looked into heat shields but they only seem to make them for Softtails and touring bikes. Also looked into the download that the MoCo will do for you that shuts off the rear cylinder at an idle but I guess that can't be done with this year's engines. Any other suggestions (besides toughening up and taking it like a man LOL)? I feel like a dweeb wearing chaps in 95 degree weather!
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,722
Likes: 7
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
I'm surprised that you get that much on a dyna. I've heard of the bigger bikes that have fairings and such having an issue with heat. I have the TC96 on my 07 and don't have any heat issues. It gets hot, yes, but not where I can feel it on my legs or thighs. Do you do a lot of stop and go and traffic riding?
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 971
Likes: 2
From: Mid USA
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
Hello K;
All of the late model stock TC88 engines are running kind of warm, thanks to HD trying to make the EPA happy. In order to meet the EPAs demands HD has the engines running really lean. It is a bigger issue if you are using a free flowing air cleaner and free flowing exhaust. You might try looking at some kind of fuel controller like the SERT, PC III, or others. Even if your bike has not had the A/C or exhaust changed, adding a fuel management system of some kind will help cool the engine down. You might also consider an oil cooler, they are not quite as effective when forced to idle in heavy traffic for extended periods but they will help some. The search feature is now working, so you might try a search for "over heating" or "running hot problems". It will most likely return more info than you can read in a day.
Arcane
All of the late model stock TC88 engines are running kind of warm, thanks to HD trying to make the EPA happy. In order to meet the EPAs demands HD has the engines running really lean. It is a bigger issue if you are using a free flowing air cleaner and free flowing exhaust. You might try looking at some kind of fuel controller like the SERT, PC III, or others. Even if your bike has not had the A/C or exhaust changed, adding a fuel management system of some kind will help cool the engine down. You might also consider an oil cooler, they are not quite as effective when forced to idle in heavy traffic for extended periods but they will help some. The search feature is now working, so you might try a search for "over heating" or "running hot problems". It will most likely return more info than you can read in a day.
Arcane
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette, LA
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
I got my FB in Nov. It can still be in the 70's here in Louisiana at that time.I could feel it getting pretty hot at long stop lights, but not unbearable. Mostly was concerned for my engine. Anyway, I let it sit one night and idle for about 3minafter I just rode about 20 min down the interstate. THe pipes at the heads were glowingorange.
Ive since changed outmy exhaust and AC and just put on a powercommander. It seems to run a lot cooler now and now more glowing exhaust pipes.
Ive since changed outmy exhaust and AC and just put on a powercommander. It seems to run a lot cooler now and now more glowing exhaust pipes.
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 712
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From: Ponte Vedra, FL
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
I try to avoid traffic as much as possible but it's Florida and if I take my bike into town (live in the burbs), which I do quite a bit, there's going to be congestion. I had a Stage I download done and had a new breather put on it over the winter and hoped that might help a bit but I don't think it has. Gonna be heading down to Daytona over the weekend and will get a better feel for it but the temps are only going to be in the 70's s0 not a true test. I ran into someone a while back who suggested putting an oil cooler on it? He had one on his but it looked sort of funky. Not sure I want to put that on my bike. I'm not sure but I think that this may be particular to the 08 engines. Was talking to another lady the other day who had an 08 Street Bob who was also inquiring about the cylinder shut off down load. We were both disappointed to find out it couldn't be done on the 08's. Maybe someone will come out with some heat shields specifically for 08 Dyna's this year. I can only hope.
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 712
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From: Ponte Vedra, FL
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
I might check into the Power Commander, was just reading about it and it looks like it might help plus give me better performance which is never a bad thing![sm=smiley20.gif]
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,722
Likes: 7
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
Strange that you'd feel it that much on a dyna, especially with a stage 1. You could try a tuner or fuel manager to get a little richer mix instead of just going with the download. That may cool it down some. I hear the HD download still runs a little lean. I saw some things somewhere in a catalog that mount between the seat and the frame to block the heat from your thighs but I don't know where and I don't know if they were bike model specific or not.
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Ponte Vedra, FL
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
Great info Arcane! I will definitely check into all of the above. Nice dragon[sm=smokin.gif]
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 712
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From: Ponte Vedra, FL
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
Yeah FXDC, those are the heat shields I mentioned. I know Kuryakyn makes them but not for Dynas, just the heavier bikes. My husband can get them for his Heritage but it doesn't run hot. Thinking I'm going to look into the fuel controllers and see if that will help. Otherwise I'm just going to have to just deal with wearing the chaps. They help a lot. Just sort of warm and out of place in our climate down here.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 52,957
Likes: 44,476
From: SW OH.
RE: Fat Bob - heat from engine
I don't believe drowning the engine with fuel will make much difference but nightrider has a simple add on which is claimed to enrichen the mixture and help for app. 80$.You have two 800 cc cylinders and one is right under your legs so prolonged low speed stop&go riding is going to produce heat.The exhaust is different on your model and a different set of pipes would probably help.I'm just guessing here but if you look at a superglide there's more air space around the mufflers which has to help.My 07 FXD doesn't like to sit in traffic either but it does not get as hot as you describe.