Goldwing Overheating issues

Hey everyone, hope you can help me with this problem I'm having! I have a 2010 GL1800 with a 2018 CSC Viper trike conversion, but this issue started before it was triked. My issue is that the goldwing will overheat whenever I'm trying to climb a mountain road (paved of course!). I have had it happen in Colorado, Montana & Wyoming. I'm aware of how and when the radiator fans kick in and out. I've tried several different combinations of speed (40 to 50 MPH, 2nd gear), RPMs (4000 to 5000 RPM) and air temperature (low as 40deg) and it still overheads! And yes the radiator is full! I can ride on the interstate roads all day at 80 MPH in 100deg heat and the temp needle doesn't move even a tick! But ask it to climb a mountain and the temp gauge climbs right along with it! Each time I need to pull over and wait for the temp to go down before continuing up, or even turn around and go back down. I've flushing the system a couple of time, checked for blockages/restrictions, checked the pressure (good) and even replaced the radiator cap, but nothing seems to help! Hope someone has a solution, because I would hate to restrict my riding to only the flatlands!

Have you checked the thermostat? Might not be opening all the way? Or the wrong thermostat all together, wrong temp?

[QUOTE=FuzzyWuzHe;709966]Have you checked the thermostat? Might not be opening all the way? Or the wrong thermostat all together, wrong temp?[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the reply! I have not had the thermostat checked! I guess I assumed that if the bike wasn't overheating on flat ground that the thermostat must be working correctly. But I never thought about partial opening or the wrong one. I'll get that checked! Thanks again!

Drop over to the gl1800rider.com forum and post your problem. There's a guy over there that can help you.

[QUOTE=bikerbillone;710141]Drop over to the gl1800rider.com forum and post your problem. There's a guy over there that can help you.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, I'll do that right now!

[LEFT][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]To bring you guys up to date on my issue here, I just got off the phone with the mechanic that has been working on my bike, to let him know what some of the suggestions I have rec'd. Sounds like he has thought of and looked into most if not all of what you have brought up. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]1) He has checked to make sure nothing was blocking any air flow to the radiators[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]2) Made sure the radiators were clean with no restrictions[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]3) Both fans turn on[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]4) Did a good flushing of the existing coolant because he was replacing it with the Evans coolant[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]5) Checked the movement of the coolant with the radiator cap off and felt that the pump was working good[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]6) He did not take any temp readings. [/FONT][/COLOR]

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[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]I mentioned about replacing the thermostat and water pump. He said he could do that if I wanted him to, but he felt that both were operating like they should. He said that it's been his experience that if the stat was stuck partially open, I should have more movement of the temp gauge during different riding conditions. As I mentioned in my original write up, I don't have any issues except climbing mountains. Until then, the gauge stays locked in the normal operating spot.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana] [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]Probably an important point I fail to mention earlier is that the most frustrating thing about all of this is that the overheating issue is not consistent. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]1) The first time I took the bike into the mountains we had not problems. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]2) The very first time it overheated was the following year, on the third day of riding in the mountains. On the first two days, we climbed all over the mountains without any problems. The third day it overheated and puked out coolant (wasn't watching the gauge). I filled up the reserve tank 2 or 3 times till it stayed full, then proceeded to ride the rest of that day and another 2 days in the mountains without another issue. So I thought this was a one time problem! [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]3) Two years later, back in the mountains. The first day was incident free, the 2nd day it overheated. This time it wanted to overheat each day thereafter until we left the mountains. I checked the reserve tank each day to be sure it was full. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]4) Last year we headed out to Glacier National Park. On the way out we went through the Wyoming mountains around Buffalo/Sheridan without incident. At Glacier, we tried to ride the Going to the Sun Road, but it overheated and puked out coolant (couldn't stop or pull over because of traffic and narrow road). Coming home we rode on the same road through the Wyoming mountains as before. This time it overheated whereas the last time we rode thru here we had no issues![/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]5) When I got back home, the mechanic pressure check it. It was good, but put a new radiator cap on anyway and changed the coolant to Evans.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]6) Two weeks later I went back out to Wyoming to ride the same roads to see if the new cap and coolant helped at all. The first time up the mountain (switchback type road up to 9,000' elev.), the gauge went between the 5th and 6th mark and stayed there. The second time up the mountain, but on other side (with not as many switchbacks), it stayed right around between the 4th and 5th mark. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]So it still heated up, but not as bad as the previous times. Does this sound more normal now, or do I still have a problem I need to address? I don't mind paying the cost of replacing the thermostat and water pump if that will solve the problem. That is still cheaper than a new bike![/FONT][/COLOR][/LEFT]

I hate to be a Debbie Downer ... but it sounds to me like a "sticking" thermostat ... could be the big flush and coolant replacement cleared whatever the item causing it to stick ... I've never done one on a Gold Wing ... so I'm not sure what's involved ... if it's been changed ... there could be some sealer or gasket "intermittently" causing it to stick as the temp rise ... or just defective and sticks as the temp rise ... not sure how the mechanic tested it at higher load conditions (up hill in lower oxygen conditions). If it's not outrageously expensive to change the thermostat, I think I'd have him do it ... but that's me

The thermostat seems to be the main culprit that everyone points to when I tell them about my situation! But is it normal for it to act up only under the added load of going uphill? I guess nothing is normal if it is a sticky thermostat. I didn't ask him, but I'm sure the testing that the mechanic did was just your normal pressure on the system type test. I've heard that the thermostat and water pump come as one unit, so apparently when you change one you change them both?