High Speed Cruising temps and engine safety.

[838]

Rode with a few guys today that were running 85-90 down the freeway... I'm on my air cooled 117" (11.25:1 compression/CR595i) street Glide. It was over 100 degrees in some areas and 60 degrees in others (CA... oceans 60s and mountains 100+*). I have a Power Vision mounted to the bars and saw sustained HeadT (a formulated number that is not actual Head Temperature) of 385-390 with a high of 405 (up a long sustained grade going 85... 100* outside), the Engine Temps (which is actually measured at the sensor on the front head) were constant 270-285 with a high of 295 on that same grade.

Bike seemed to run better as the temps went up crazy enough, but I just want to be sure rolling at a sustained 295 engine temp and 405 headT are not going to make me pay in the long run...

Cause if not I'll be doing it again real soon!

Don if you read this post the bike F'ing Shreadz'!!!! I just don't wanna roach it by playing too hard, too long 🤘!!!

[Hillside Motorcycle]

Plenty warm, no doubt.
I run the OEM cooler, and siamesed a 10 row Jagg into the system on my personal 131".

[No Cents]

    with Scott...that sounds plenty warm.
I don't see too many 100* riding days...but mid 90's are frequent.
  I run an OEM oil cooler with a set of little powerful fans behind it that I can turn on when needed. I do have an oil temp gauge in my fairing so I can keep an eye on my oil temp. I also run the Mighty Mite fans that are pointed at the heads. I have them wired directly to the battery so I can flip the on/off switch at will. If I see my oil temps rising I flip the oil cooler fans on. When in town and if I see my temp rising higher than I like...I flip the Mighty Mites on and that helps a bunch. My oil temp has never seen above 240* no matter what kind of riding I'm doing. 

[838]

I have a jag fan assisted 10 row and mighty mites on this one. I don't have an oil temp gauge and neither of these temp parameters are oil based, but what I did was: after shutting down the engine I flipped the switch back on and allowed just the jagg to be running. It took 60-90 seconds before it shut down, knowing the thermostat kicks in at 215*, I'm led to believe oil was not too hot... but I want to be sure all is well throughout.

[838]

Apparently power visions engine temp (ET) is more accurately a reading for head temps. Normal operating range is 250-330 (Depending on conditions) 👍.  The head temp "HeadT" is an estimated value used for spark temp correction, and not to be used as a basis for measuring operating temperatures... HeadT was where I was getting the 400* readings... Engine Temp (ET) I saw a high of 295... so we're all good!!!

Thanks No Cents for the tip on the oil temp gauge... that'll be installed real soon.

[kd]

Plenty warm, no doubt.
I run the OEM cooler, and siamesed a 10 row Jagg into the system on my personal 131".

I did what Scott does but with a Lockhart cooler from the FX era shovelhead. It is in series with the OEM Premium Cooler and it mounts under the neck at the top of the front down tubes as it did on the early shovel.  In the cooler days the cover takes it out of the system and allows the engine to get up to temp.  Uncovered on a hot day it is noticeable on the hot idle oil pressure and heat reflection.

[One4Tone]

..really comes down to the oil (here we go again)...Harley oil is comparable to aviation oil (older airplane engines)..I have never used synthetic, but then again never seen the temps you describe. Fans are a good idea, oil cooler, no lugging, that is all I can suggest...maintain

[boooby1744]

You can always install a Baker +1.5 oil pan to shed a little oil temperature.

[Don D]

It is a scenario that doesn't get hit on a typical dyno tune, long mid to high rpm and not full but high MAP pressure . Look at your target AFRs there. Also consider doing data logging. There are ways other than PE to add fuel, appropriately as and when needed by using Head Temperature AFR. The logging should also look for spark events. Disclaimer, I am not a tuner.

[peckerwood]

 mine is around 250 degrees in mid 90's , running a 124 , tts tuner, got a harley oil temp gauge  dip stick, 

[1workinman]

 I always thought a larger oil cooler or another in line cooler might be a great way to control oil temp when the ambient is 95 or so and slow driving ect . I use the wards cooling fans and oil temp gauges on both bikes to know what is going on   

[838]

Interesting, after posting this thread I have ridden multiple times, with this same riding style and same ambient temperatures and I haven't even hit 280... Maybe the little 117" just finally broke in fully... 🤷‍♂️.

Regardless I have mighty mite fans, a jagg fan assist, and Santa is bringing me an oil temp gauge... so I hear.,

[smoserx1]

Well you said in your original post  that the high temperature was a "a formulated number that is not actual Head Temperature" (I think you later said estimated) and gave a reasonable engine temperature you said was actually measured at the front head temperature sensor, so I am wondering if your power vision device miscalculated this parameter on that hot day.  The value in the 250-300 range is what I have measured at the spark plug area using an IR thermometer, but I am riding a really old FLHT with no fans, no oil cooler and nothing to monitor any type of engine temperature.

[Jamie Long]

Power Vision does not do any channel related calculations, it reads values directly off the vehicle data bus. Engine Temp (ET) is derived from the ET sensor on the cylinder head, where Heat Temp (HeadT) is a channel that is derived by Engine Temp, Intake Air Temp, modeling and other factors & calculations, it is more dynamic and the reported values are much higher than ET.
The temps the OP reported are well within the normal range as ET will vary based on many factors.

[harpwrench]

The real world gauge from another post is that the bike is hot on the legs. Wondering if a change to cr630 cams would bring the temps down without much of a hit on power at this compression?

[Thermodyne]

Generally the engine over heat alarm is set to 375, and you can go as high as 400f for a little while.  Based on engine temp reported to the ecm by the sensor in the head.  I would want to know how that reported number relates to the actual head temp as reported by the temp sensor.

I'm thinking that the sub 300f numbers are what you need to look at and that they need to be below 375f.

[838]

The real world gauge from another post is that the bike is hot on the legs. Wondering if a change to cr630 cams would bring the temps down without much of a hit on power at this compression?

This is something I may consider down the road. Or the 9b.

I think I would have to send the heads back though to have geometry and spring protrusion corrected. Not really interested in tearing down a great running bike right now..

The heat I was speaking of comes off the rear header of the wrath, it s-bends right by my wife's foot peg so she feels the heat. She's living with it cause the wrath works too good to change..

[kd]

Foot boards?

[838]

Foot boards?

No, it's an 09 FLHX, it has street glide pegs.

[kd]

You can probably pick up a pair of eBay takeoffs cheap.  I have a Dragula 1 pipe and the header is the same pipe as your Wrath. She'll appreciate the extra comfort (position) and less heat reflection. Put a chrome back cover on it and they look great.

[838]

Thanks, I'll take a look. Cheaper than a new exhaust system and tune 👍.

[kd]

That pipe is the same header as my Dragula 1. They are both great performers.

[838]

That pipe and the Dragula 1 are excellent performers. Your around the Twin Cities, who's your tuner?

No I'm in California. I've used Bob Lobenberg and Gene Thomason. I like them both.

[kd]

  Ha ha I was typing when you were.  I had you confused with BJB.   

[harpwrench]

The real world gauge from another post is that the bike is hot on the legs. Wondering if a change to cr630 cams would bring the temps down without much of a hit on power at this compression?

This is something I may consider down the road. Or the 9b.

I think I would have to send the heads back though to have geometry and spring protrusion corrected. Not really interested in tearing down a great running bike right now..

The heat I was speaking of comes off the rear header of the wrath, it s-bends right by my wife's foot peg so she feels the heat. She's living with it cause the wrath works too good to change..

Got ya, +1 on footboards