Running FZ6 w/ No Rad and/or Coolant

[DefyInertia]

I'm NOT worried about overheating as I would only like to run the bike for a minute or two at idle.

I have new pipes that I would like to hear but currently do not have my radiator installed, the system has little or no water/wetter left in it, and the 5 or so hoses that connect to the rad are just sitting there open ended.

Any issues with sucking air into the system? Any lack of lubrication issues for the pump etc. that will come into play within just a few minutes? Any other issues? Should I try and be more mature and just wait to hear the new pipes until I've mended my radiator (couple weeks)?

Thanks

[steveindenmark]

Be patient and wait...whats the rush?

Steve

[reiobard]

well... DO NOT TAKE MY ADVISE!!!

But if it works like a car then there needs to be some temperature reached before the cooling system even tries to do anything, so you should be all set, but i would probably be to scared and I personally would wait...

[wolfc70]

I would not worry about a minute at idle with no coolant. Do not excessivly (sp?) rev the motor, as this puts intense heat in the head, and can cause warping and/or cracking. It can cause pressed in valve guides to loosen also.

I would do this; start bike and let idle for a few seconds, then blip the throttle a few times to hear the new exhaust, then shut down. You should be able to do this in a thirty second window.

[schumy]

bike took 10 minues at idle to get warm. and it took me a bit of revving to get the fan to startworking. So i think you're set for at least 5 min of running on empty

[DefyInertia]

steveindenmark, just eager and excited, that's all. I've never had pipes on a bike and had not planned on putting them on my FZ6. Oh yeah, I also have friends who are egging me on

Originally Posted by wolfc70

I would do this; start bike and let idle for a few seconds, then blip the throttle a few times to hear the new exhaust, then shut down. You should be able to do this in a thirty second window.

That is exactly what I would be doing, thanks.



Doesn't the water circulate even when the fan is not running? I thought the pump runs at all times? I'm pretty sure my cooling system is going to be doing SOMETHING but I'm not sure exactly what. I'm also not sure what exactly to look at in the manual, if anything.

[schumy]

from what i remember when the mechanic flushed my car's coolant, he waited until the fan turned on to check the coolant level.

If i'm not mistaken, the fan starts running when the thermostat opens (at least on cars)

[CanadianFZ6]

I would be nervous about the water pump... Would it be damaged running it without rad fluid to protect it? Maybe it could handle the 30 secs or so of no lubrication, but what would happen when there is no fluid to cushion it and or slow it down?... Kinda' like a prop coming out of the water?

[dako81]

Originally Posted by schumy

from what i remember when the mechanic flushed my car's coolant, he waited until the fan turned on to check the coolant level.

If i'm not mistaken, the fan starts running when the thermostat opens (at least on cars)

The fan starts running when the radiator isn't cooling enough with just whatever airflow is going over it at that time. So when you're sitting there at a stop and your temp is rising and there is no flow over the radiator to cool it down your fan comes on. When you're cruising down the road and plenty of air is flowing through the radiator, the fan doesn't come on because youre already moving enough air over the radiator.

The thermostat opens to let coolant flow through the radiator when the coolant in the engine reaches operating temp.

If he opened the radiator cap when the fan came on, I am sure coolant would have sprayed everywhere. The system builds up pressure when it gets hot.

To the O.P., I wouldn't run it more than a minute or so just to be safe.

[Denver_FZ6]

No way! You're risking water pump seal damage and possibly overheating the head for what? To listen to new pipes for 30 seconds. Do the job right.