excessive heat fix
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Brookville, Ohio
excessive heat fix
HI all this is my first Harley. I'm getting a 08 Ultra, and I have read that they run hot, in that they can heat your legs up. If the newer bikes, do run that much hotter, what is the best fix, with out screwing up the gas mileage? I'm not a mechanic, and plan on having everything down by the dealer, so that it is covered on the warranty.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 593
Likes: 4
From:
RE: excessive heat fix
If you want it all done by the dealership then you will need to get the SE Race Fueler, SE slip-ons and a SE filter. Have them set it up to run richer and it will cool down. Also the heat deflectors do help some and you can also add an oil cooler. After spending about grand on it, you will run cooler. You can do this cheaper if you go to aftermarket components, but as you said you don't want any issues with warranty, then just talk to your local dealership service manager and the will usually have you setup in no time and if you don't like it you can bitch at them until you do like it. I have the K&N filter, SE slip-ons and a EFI tuner by Thundermax and it does run fairly cool compared to what it was stock. I sent from almost 300 degree oil temps down to running about 225 average in the summer time now. I barely hit 200 in the cooler months down here in florida.
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: the Iron Range
RE: excessive heat fix
oil cooler, cheap and easy. you can do all the hop-ups, but if your just gonna ride, not race, it's all you'll need. if you want to do all the performance add-ons, thats another story.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
RE: excessive heat fix
the main reason the '07 and '08s run hotter is that they have different cams...change to a short performance cam like se204, slip-on mufflers, open air cleaner, and have the bike tuned THOROUGHLY FOR FUEL AND TIMING BY THE BEST TUNER YOU CAN FIND...these mods will cool the bike a lot and add power, too...did I mention the importance of good tuning?
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,984
Likes: 7
RE: excessive heat fix
To get the dealer you will have to buy the SERTand the cables. It marrys to your bikes ECM. Some dealers don't charge to adjust after you buy that from them.
Manual explains everything. Canned programs to start with, all HD or SE, but useful to start with. Hardest thing is doing it the first time.
I found this thing to be wounderfully useful after reading and studying the mauual that comes with it. You can change anything you want anytime. Do it inside at the kitchen table then hook up and download. Takes about 30 seconds to do that. Except for dyno tuning thats what the dealer does
Hook the laptop on in record mode and you can see everything the engine is doing. Save that and review everything at the table. Watching spark retard is neat. Can do things to help out here. More fuel or less spark, all adjustable. Adjust and reload. Can save everything so if you don't like one thing undo it.
One thing to do now is change the fuel bias to 798 and the engine during closed loop runs about,14.0-14.1 AFR. Cools it down a little. But there is really nothing wrong with 14.6 specially with syn. oil.
Almost as much fun as wrenching except can think about and do it in comfort.
Manual explains everything. Canned programs to start with, all HD or SE, but useful to start with. Hardest thing is doing it the first time.
I found this thing to be wounderfully useful after reading and studying the mauual that comes with it. You can change anything you want anytime. Do it inside at the kitchen table then hook up and download. Takes about 30 seconds to do that. Except for dyno tuning thats what the dealer does
Hook the laptop on in record mode and you can see everything the engine is doing. Save that and review everything at the table. Watching spark retard is neat. Can do things to help out here. More fuel or less spark, all adjustable. Adjust and reload. Can save everything so if you don't like one thing undo it.
One thing to do now is change the fuel bias to 798 and the engine during closed loop runs about,14.0-14.1 AFR. Cools it down a little. But there is really nothing wrong with 14.6 specially with syn. oil.
Almost as much fun as wrenching except can think about and do it in comfort.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
RE: excessive heat fix
Elpoman:
Nightrider makes a little wire that takes you about 10 minutes to install. It sends a voltage signal through the O2 sensor that works the same way if you put 798 in your Bias table with a $500 Race Tuner. Except Nightriders fix only costs $69. It works great and will lower the temperature significantly. Check it out
https://www.hdforums.com/m_2836828/tm.htm.
Nightrider O2 IED's http://www.nightrider.com/parts/
Nightrider makes a little wire that takes you about 10 minutes to install. It sends a voltage signal through the O2 sensor that works the same way if you put 798 in your Bias table with a $500 Race Tuner. Except Nightriders fix only costs $69. It works great and will lower the temperature significantly. Check it out
https://www.hdforums.com/m_2836828/tm.htm.
Nightrider O2 IED's http://www.nightrider.com/parts/
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,984
Likes: 7
RE: excessive heat fix
You are right. I got one when it first came out. Does good. But I already had a SERT so Ithough, might as well figure out what everybody is talking about. Its interesting stuff.
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Advanced
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Reno, NV
RE: excessive heat fix
Do your self a favor and find a local shop with a mech who is certified for Harley. I just had my 07 FLHX worked over to reduce the heat problem and saved about 1k in the process by not doing it at the local stealership.
I live in Nevada so the heat and altitude is an issue. I got the new V&H true duals in black poweder coat, stage I, power commander, HD's premium oil cooler set up, an a 57 mm oversized intake. My mech also was able to override the closed loop o2 system via 1 volt dead drops which trick the computer into thinking the closed loop sysytem is still in operation. That solved the detonation and heat problem. Just make sure you can pass smog if required in your state.
No matter what you do, take you rig to a certified mech (not Harley) and save yourself some money right off the bat.
Just my 2 cents worth.
I live in Nevada so the heat and altitude is an issue. I got the new V&H true duals in black poweder coat, stage I, power commander, HD's premium oil cooler set up, an a 57 mm oversized intake. My mech also was able to override the closed loop o2 system via 1 volt dead drops which trick the computer into thinking the closed loop sysytem is still in operation. That solved the detonation and heat problem. Just make sure you can pass smog if required in your state.
No matter what you do, take you rig to a certified mech (not Harley) and save yourself some money right off the bat.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 438
Likes: 2
From: Florida
RE: excessive heat fix
Nobody has mentioned synthetic oil yet. My dealer said mine would run cooler just by putting synthetic oil in. I did that at the 1K service, and it went down 15 degrees because of that alone.