Got a bit too hot...
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
Got a bit too hot...
I decided to ride downtown Houston for my 9:30 VA appointment at DeBakey Tuesday morning. I made it through the first two traffic jams with no temp issues, but the third one I ran into was a ****. At 8:45 am, it was already 90ş and hotter on the pavement. We crept along barely moving 10 feet at a time and I watched the oil temp indicator climb past 230ş and on up closer to 250ş when I started having difficulty with keeping it from stalling at idle. After a few minutes struggling to keep it from stalling and moving in inches, I pulled off the freeway at 8:30 and pulled into a parking lot under a tree and shut it down. While it cooled down, I plotted an alternate route through downtown on my phone. After about 20 minutes, I fired it back up, the temp was back to normal, and I had an uneventful nice ride through town and made my appointment in time.
I learned two things, at what temp to look for a place to cool down, and that the HPD motorcycle LEOs lane split illegally. I thought about getting in behind one of them just to see what he would do, but we all can pretty much figure out what would happen and I was already stretching the time. It is very disappointing to see the ones we trust to enforce traffic laws so openly and arrogantly breaking them.
I learned two things, at what temp to look for a place to cool down, and that the HPD motorcycle LEOs lane split illegally. I thought about getting in behind one of them just to see what he would do, but we all can pretty much figure out what would happen and I was already stretching the time. It is very disappointing to see the ones we trust to enforce traffic laws so openly and arrogantly breaking them.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,442
Likes: 1,429
From: pensacola fl
I agree about the LEOs. Here, some not all, seem to do whatever they want to do on the rode. No turn signals, flying down the road with no lights or siren on, ride in the left lane, etc. I guess some laws don't include them.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
Likes: 36,032
From: Carlsbad, CA
In a recent trip we were going through the ‘Virgin River Canyon”. located between St. George, Utah, and Beaver Dam, Arizona. The ambient temperature was 107! , and due to construction it was down to 1 lane for several miles. After duck walking for about 15 minutes, my legs started cramping, and I thought my brains were going to spontaneously combust. We pulled over to the shoulder to cool off for a while. I checked my oil temp and it was 260. And the M8 was still running fine...but I wasn’t. We decided to take the shoulder, which fortunately was wide enough and fairly clean. We put on our flashers, and ride about 10 MPH, and passed about 2 miles of crawling traffic. No one gave us any trouble. When we got to our hotel in St, George, it was like the scene in “ Wild Hogs”, when they ran into the cafe and drank everything in sight.
In in this case, it would have been really crappy for any LEO to cite us.
oh yeah, , I was impressed that the motor oil only got to 260...and the bike was still running fine.
In in this case, it would have been really crappy for any LEO to cite us.
oh yeah, , I was impressed that the motor oil only got to 260...and the bike was still running fine.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 432
Likes: 43
From: Portland, Oregon
I installed the Love Jugs fans on my Deluxe just for sitting in traffic. I haven't seen my oil temps get above 230 since. Not really as hot in Oregon as it is in Texas, but worked great in temps hovering around 100.
Last edited by Spindrifter; Aug 8, 2019 at 12:58 PM.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
I make a point of avoiding downtown, and especially unarmed, but this was an extraordinary circumstance...I was stuck in traffic and my engine was overheating and I was going to the VA at the medical center...no firearms or knives are allowed, even in vehicles. I might accidentally forget that last part in the future.
All the information I can find on performance built TC88 engines indicates that they will run hotter but there is scant data on how hot and how hot is too hot. When I put it all together, I installed a low profile HD oil cooler system that works great if you are not stopped and idling too long. I do not know if the EITMS kicked in or not or even if it is activated, but it started really sputtering and trying to die at idle and the oil temp gauge indicated in between 230ş and 280ş, making it around 250ş when it started sputtering. I could not hold my bare hand on the horn cover. It has gotten up to 230ş before, but not this hot.
All the information I can find on performance built TC88 engines indicates that they will run hotter but there is scant data on how hot and how hot is too hot. When I put it all together, I installed a low profile HD oil cooler system that works great if you are not stopped and idling too long. I do not know if the EITMS kicked in or not or even if it is activated, but it started really sputtering and trying to die at idle and the oil temp gauge indicated in between 230ş and 280ş, making it around 250ş when it started sputtering. I could not hold my bare hand on the horn cover. It has gotten up to 230ş before, but not this hot.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 307
From: Houston, Texas
You didn't hurt anything. I have been in worse. These bikes can take the heat way better than we can.
I too live in Houston and rode to work this morning, Like every other morning. Before climbing on the bike to go home this evening, I checked the weather for pop up storms and saw the temp said it was 101 and the feel like temp was 122. After sweating my ***** off yesterday on my hour and half commute across town in traffic to get home when it was only 97, I decided today would be a good day to leave the bike at the shop and take the company truck home.
Most of the Leo's are pretty cool. I have had several that were solo wave me to come with them as they passed. Not splitting lanes but side by side hauling ***. It's fun watching how fast cars get out of your way when two Road Kings come up behind them side by side.
I too live in Houston and rode to work this morning, Like every other morning. Before climbing on the bike to go home this evening, I checked the weather for pop up storms and saw the temp said it was 101 and the feel like temp was 122. After sweating my ***** off yesterday on my hour and half commute across town in traffic to get home when it was only 97, I decided today would be a good day to leave the bike at the shop and take the company truck home.
Most of the Leo's are pretty cool. I have had several that were solo wave me to come with them as they passed. Not splitting lanes but side by side hauling ***. It's fun watching how fast cars get out of your way when two Road Kings come up behind them side by side.
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,406
Likes: 834
From: Straight Jacket Memories and Sedative Highs
What year was your last bike? They have gotten hotter with emmissions, and bigger engines.
My advice is move. There is a reason why people are sent to a lake of fire to pay for their sins. Granted stuck in traffic sucks no matter the outside temps.
My advice is move. There is a reason why people are sent to a lake of fire to pay for their sins. Granted stuck in traffic sucks no matter the outside temps.