Likelihood of Overheating?

[Boatguy]

I have felt some pretty fierce heat coming off my engine. I mean, that’s a good thing. But I have a question.

What is the likelihood of me overheating and causing damage to the engine driving in stop and go traffic when it’s 90-100 degrees out?

My Lifan has no temperature gauge or light. That I know of.

[Big Bird]

I would say its possible as that was the whole point of lane splitting originally.

[Bill Hilly]

You could buy you a cylinder head temp gauge. A lot of people use oil coolers, and if you went that route you could probably tap into the line some how for an oil temp gauge. A lot of people use electric fans mounted to blow air on the head, and jug of their 4 wheelers. I guess you could probably use a small one on your bike, and only switch it on when you are not moving, and suspect that you are running hot.

[Biker_Andy]

Also a hot engine will degrade the oil life so you should be changing your oil often. If you add an oil cooler you get the added advantage of less frequent oil changes and a cooler happier engine.

[Megadan]

It's never a good idea to idle an air cooled bike for more than a minute or two on really hot days. If you find yourself sitting at long lights, or in traffic jams in those scenarios, shut the bike off for a bit. Even moving at just a few mph is enough to prevent most air cooled engines from overheating, which is why the lane splitting Big Bird mentioned was implemented, allowing bikes to filter through stopped traffic at a slow pace to keep them moving.

Bear in mind that the oil cooler only really works when moving, so if you end up sitting for extended periods of time, shut the bike off. The oil coolers do a great job of shedding that built up heat once you get moving far more effectively than the engine case alone though, so they are definitely worth it. I can usually judge how hot my oil is getting by the feel of my clutch (clutch fade) and generally I have noticed that once I get moving a couple of blocks at even 15-20mph, the cooler has already started to do it's job.

[Boatguy]

Good input. Thanks, everyone.

I had a sense it wasn’t too good for it. Anything more than a long stoplight is probably too much, right?

I didn’t realize moving along at a few miles an hour was enough. Is that true of stop and go traffic that stops for like 10-15 seconds, then putts along in first gear a bit, then stops? Over and over?

A fan may be a good idea

The lane splitting thing seemed to be good when I was a kid, but these days, I’m pretty sure a lot of people think that’s cheating and will actively swerve to make you crash. Or even do something crazy that cuts you off by mistake and you don’t have time to stop. Or a pedestrian might dart through the traffic and you can’t see them.

Doesn’t seem safe enough to me these days.

[Boatguy]

Orr maybe an oil cooler with a fan on that?

Or possibly just turning the bike off when really sitting?

Which of all the options might be best?

[China Rider 27]

I think they make an oil temperature gauge that goes in the dipstick hole. I would get one and see what the oil temperatures are in given situations.

[China Rider 27]

Curiosity led me to this. 25 watt. Hawk should be able to run that maybe.

https://www.amazon.com/OTOM-Universa...0871Y784S&th=1

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by China Rider 27

I think they make an oil temperature gauge that goes in the dipstick hole. I would get one and see what the oil temperatures are in given situations.

This is probably a good place to start. I’m assuming a problem when it’s possible I don’t even have one.

I’ve also read a couple times that the fins just have to be in air, not necessarily moving air, to adequately cool the engine at idle. And that the cooling fins are designed to handle really harsh conditions.

I felt a lot of heat pouring off the motor onto my legs, but maybe this is a good thing. The fins working.

[Wild Dog]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

I

What is the likelihood of me overheating and causing damage to the engine driving in stop and go traffic when it’s 90-100 degrees out?

Highly unlikely.
The engine mounted in your lifan x-pect is a working man engine, for millons that engine it is their only meaning of transportation and for others even their work tool.
The engine was designed to be a working tool, not a racing one, not a fancy engine. Just a simple engine
It's a common view to see motorcycles mounted with a CG being used as a delivery motorcycle that works the whole week 6-8 hours.

So as it is, you can use it in stop and go traffic even with 100 degrees, yes you are going to fell it a bit hotter.

If you want to improve the cooling because you are afraid of destroying the engine in a stop and go traffic. DON'T DO IT.


If you want to improve the cooling because you like to mod your motorcycle. DO IT

[Megadan]

^^^^^^
What he said.

As long as you aren't trying to idle it for several minutes at a time, and your idle mixture isn't on the lean side of things, it will be just fine.

[XLsior]

Hot air rises even at standstill.

Keep the cooling fins clear and clean and don't rev the beans out of it stationary and it should be fine.

In storage keep an eye out for mud dobbers making a home in between the fins...
If you take it off road muddin don't let the mud cake up and dry on the fins...
Rodent nests also kill many aircooled shrouded engines but not high risk on motorbikes.

If you wan't to install a fan go for it might help with engine oil life in stop n go traffic...also might help cool the riders legs from cooking...
General maintenance and regular oil changes should keep it all ticketyboo

[Boatguy]

Ok. Great!

I’ll just forget about it then. Best outcome possible. I definitely don’t like to work on the bike. I have literally 7 other engines to deal with. That’s why I went with the Lifan. Fuel injection and a low maintenance bike. It’s just for fun riding, not for modding or working on any more than routine maintenance.