Oil temp and blocking the radiator.

Hey guys and gals, Ok heres the details. k4 750 10,5 on the clock (not that mileage is a issue here) Anyhow. I go about 3K between oil changes with Mobil 1 4T 10-40. My bikes a regular commuter regardless of the temp so it gets used every day. I'm at about 1,500 on this recent change. I was at work today and I went out on lunch, took it down the road to a local sandwich shop. Ordered my lunch and went out to eat since it was nice, but cool. Now, heres the thing, its been cool here, When I start the bike, the temp gauge just reads three dashes till it finally gets to around 68 degrees at the temp sensor. I've noticed, since driving highway A lot between home and work (about 15 miles each way) the bike never gets over 165 - 170 degrees, till I exit the highway, but never gets hot enough for the fans to kick on at 218 by the time I am at work or at home before I shut it off. So I am thinking my problem I am experiencing is due to the motor oil never achieving a high enough temp to chase out the moisture. Anyhow, Whats occurring is that today, I noticed the oil window was steamed up. While the motor was off, I tipped the bike level so the oil would "wipe" the glass. It did that but showed a 1/8 of cream on top, which I know is moisture. Now, since I know its moisture and its getting absorbed while the motor sits idle for 8 Hours at work, and for how ever many hours at home.. My thinking way, I need to make a way for the oil to heat up just a bit more while I am riding to dissipate the moisture. Logically, to me, I would block off a small portion of the radiator to allow the motor to warm up more while on the highway. I just got home from work and its in the upper 30's. I noticed the temp Gauge didn't get near 170 on the way home. Anyone run into similar issues with moisture and oil? Anyone block up the radiator during the winter and how much did you block. My previous bikes were air/oil cooled and normally ran about 200 degrees in the winter and well over 400 degrees in the summer, So I never had this problem before. Thoughts? P.S. a ride home on the highway will clean up the oil and oil window, But I know if I go and start it in the AM, the same thing will appear. Even though when I got home tonight, the site window was fog free. BTW: Yes, I do know oil temp and antifreeze temp are not the same, However if the motors never fully acheiving higher temps on the antifreeze, the oil is also not acheiving a hot enough boil off temp to release the moisture contained therein.

Your analysis is correct, however, it is a very bad idea to try to artificially raise the oil temperature. Rest assured your oil will get hot enough to drive the moisture out, but your problem is that you aren't running it long enough for that process to occur. This by the way, is fairly common in the winter time, and I see it myself when I take lots of short trips even though I tend ride a couple hundred miles a day for commuting purposes. What I would recommend is that you plan on going for an hour ride someplace, at least once a week to keep condensation inside the engine under control. If you can't do that, you may want to temporarily increase the frequency at which you change your oil until outside temperatures warm up.

Your analysis is correct, however, it is a very bad idea to try to artificially raise the oil temperature. Rest assured your oil will get hot enough to drive the moisture out, but your problem is that you aren't running it long enough for that process to occur. This by the way, is fairly common in the winter time, and I see it myself when I take lots of short trips even though I tend ride a couple hundred miles a day for commuting purposes. What I would recommend is that you plan on going for an hour ride someplace, at least once a week to keep condensation inside the engine under control. If you can't do that, you may want to temporarily increase the frequency at which you change your oil until outside temperatures warm up. Good thought and thank you for the response. My commutes are always highway and then its shutdown. 15 - 20 mins at near 100 MPH till the occasional statie spots me :bowdown: I let it come up to temp prior to taking off, just it never gets above 170 during the commute. 212 is boiling point and the fan doesn't kick in till 218 Its why I was thinking about it simply not getting hot enough and contemplating the need to block the radiator so things get a little hotter.

Keep in mind that the oil sees temperatures that are much higher than the coolant temperature. The oil temperature in the crankcase may not be much over 200 degrees, but the cylinder head is running 300 degrees or more and the oil leaving it can be quite hot before it passes the oil cooler. And you don't need for the oil to reach full water boiling point to drive off the water either, it just takes some time.

Keep in mind that the oil sees temperatures that are much higher than the coolant temperature. The oil temperature in the crankcase may not be much over 200 degrees, but the cylinder head is running 300 degrees or more and the oil leaving it can be quite hot before it passes the oil cooler. And you don't need for the oil to reach full water boiling point to drive off the water either, it just takes some time. Thanks for the additional info. I am new to the FI side of bikes So they seem a little more delicate. I mean in terms of oil ect. My previous bikes were all air/oil cooled. My last, a 93 Katana, was oil/air cooled, temps in the pan would range from 300 - 450 degrees, But thats about normal operating temp range for those bikes. I do know the oils obviously hotter around the cylinder heads. I think I am going to add a oil sender to this pan so I know where the oils getting to. Fairly simple to add and the guage is waterproof and has a temp range far exceeding this bikes limits. Would be a good heads up to know if theres someone out of norm via a glance at the guage.

I really wouldn't worry about it too much with a liquid cooled engine. Oil and cylinder head temps run cooler on these engines than on most air cooled engines. As long as there is coolant and the coolant temperatures don't exceed the maximum allowable (I think 240 degrees is the shutoff point for most years and 225 on a hot day at idle isn't uncommon) the engine is fine. I guess you could add an oil temperature sending unit if you want but I don't know what that buys you.

Well, it wont gain me much, but it will get it off my shelf. I bought it last year and its still sitting new waiting for an install. I bought it as a spare for the next bike down the road. Its senders accurate to 475 degrees and is extremely small. Just need to find the right place in the pan to drill and tap it in. Its definately going on the upright part of the pan, in the back so if its on one wheel it still reads. As for the summer temps, yep, seen it hitting around 227, but that was on a hot ass day stuck in traffic.