SLVR_BLT
Zone Head
Chicken Strips!
Posts: 589
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posted March 03, 2010 05:20 PM
ZX 14 runs too hot?
Is it normal for a ZX14 to have almost all bars up to the H mark on the temp gauge? I noticed riding slowly through LA traffic that the temp gauges rise up to perhaps 1 bar below the max? Its barely 70 degrees outside today, that has me kind of worried about the warmer summer months or trips to hotter places like Vegas on the ZX. Any insights would be appreciated. 
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2006 Kawasaki ZX14, Muzzy Full Titanium Exhaust w/ Carbon Can, PCIII, BMC Street Filter
  
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epd345
Pro
Posts: 1494
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posted March 03, 2010 05:29 PM
Its normal for them to run hot, its the nature of the beast. I live in the North East and its not uncommon for my bike to be running one under from the top when idling in traffic or riding slowly. Mine has never overheated or pissed anti-freeze.
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2012 ZX14, Ceramic Coated Brock's CT Meg, PCV, throttlemeister
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Flame On
Needs a life
Fuel Air & Spark
Posts: 17104
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posted March 03, 2010 05:30 PM
A ZX 10 front fender will make a big difference
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77 RD 400
80 GS1000 GT
06 ZX14
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Red1
Expert Class
Posts: 442
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posted March 03, 2010 05:36 PM
After the ZX-10 Front Fender a 2nd fan will help also!!
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Red12/Blue14
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biker
Expert Class
HU$TLER
Posts: 165
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posted March 03, 2010 05:41 PM
quote:
Is it normal for a ZX14 to have almost all bars up to the H mark on the temp gauge? I noticed riding slowly through LA traffic that the temp gauges rise up to perhaps 1 bar below the max? Its barely 70 degrees outside today, that has me kind of worried about the warmer summer months or trips to hotter places like Vegas on the ZX. Any insights would be appreciated.
My bike would run 1 or 2 over half even in the Phoenix summers of HELL. But mine went to 1 bar below top in 50 degrees, my oil light flickered only a few times and then SEIZED !$!$!
Check your overflow bottle and make sure it didnt fill up on you, as mine did! My fuckin HEAD Gasket went and I HEAT SEIZED!!! CHECK YOUR WATER.
Run water wetter and straight water, no anti in the heat...she will run cooler.
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SEIZED...REBUILDING HOT ROD TIME
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SLVR_BLT
Zone Head
Chicken Strips!
Posts: 589
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posted March 03, 2010 05:47 PM
quote:
quote:
Is it normal for a ZX14 to have almost all bars up to the H mark on the temp gauge? I noticed riding slowly through LA traffic that the temp gauges rise up to perhaps 1 bar below the max? Its barely 70 degrees outside today, that has me kind of worried about the warmer summer months or trips to hotter places like Vegas on the ZX. Any insights would be appreciated.
My bike would run 1 or 2 over half even in the Phoenix summers of HELL. But mine went to 1 bar below top in 50 degrees, my oil light flickered only a few times and then SEIZED !$!$!
Check your overflow bottle and make sure it didnt fill up on you, as mine did! My fuckin HEAD Gasket went and I HEAT SEIZED!!! CHECK YOUR WATER.
Run water wetter and straight water, no anti in the heat...she will run cooler.
Oh damn, that sucks! What do you mean by make sure the overfill bottle didn't fill up on you? Isn't the coolant reservoir supposed to be at the full line?
Also something else i noticed was hot air hitting my legs, i mean its nice on a cold mornings to work but in the summer or hot days it would probably drive me crazy.
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2006 Kawasaki ZX14, Muzzy Full Titanium Exhaust w/ Carbon Can, PCIII, BMC Street Filter
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smokinZX14
Needs a life
Posts: 10197
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posted March 03, 2010 06:13 PM
It will run warmer till you get some miles on it .. 1500 to 2000 and it will start to run a bit cooler . Syn oil helps and water wetter can also help ...The heat on your legs , Well get used to it because they all do it ... What helps big time is tossing the factory exhaust .. .. also If you keep your legs off the grills by just an inch that helps .. Now go ride ...
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Smokin Performance Cycles..
Tampa Bay , FL .. Brocks Performance Dealer ..
Gen 2 ZX14R Best ET 8.43 , Best MPH 164.95
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SLVR_BLT
Zone Head
Chicken Strips!
Posts: 589
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posted March 03, 2010 06:22 PM
quote:
It will run warmer till you get some miles on it .. 1500 to 2000 and it will start to run a bit cooler . Syn oil helps and water wetter can also help ...The heat on your legs , Well get used to it because they all do it ... What helps big time is tossing the factory exhaust .. .. also If you keep your legs off the grills by just an inch that helps .. Now go ride ...
Its got 5700 miles on it, i bought it used. Only other thing i was thinking of is using that heat wrap on the exhaust header pipes.
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2006 Kawasaki ZX14, Muzzy Full Titanium Exhaust w/ Carbon Can, PCIII, BMC Street Filter
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sj1400
Novice Class
Posts: 96
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posted March 03, 2010 06:24 PM
SLVR,
Are you still using the stock exhaust ? They tend to run cooler when you ditch the factory exhaust.. 08's have 3 cats..
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biker
Expert Class
HU$TLER
Posts: 165
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posted March 03, 2010 06:30 PM
Oh damn, that sucks! What do you mean by make sure the overfill bottle didn't fill up on you? Isn't the coolant reservoir supposed to be at the full line?
Also something else i noticed was hot air hitting my legs, i mean its nice on a cold mornings to work but in the summer or hot days it would probably drive me crazy.
When I looked at my bottle it was completely GREEN!! I had anti in her for the cold morning drives to work. My head gasket went and my radiator push water out into the overfill bottle. Make sure it is only on the full mark!! But I noticed it when I was half way to the office, by the time I turned around and a mile later she seized...Thank god I was only going 20mph in traffic!! It would of been BAD if that happened at full throttle at the Drag Strip....ouch!!!
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SEIZED...REBUILDING HOT ROD TIME
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JDC
Zone Head
Posts: 570
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posted March 03, 2010 06:36 PM
 Edited By: JDC on 4 Mar 2010 02:44
quote:
Is it normal for a ZX14 to have almost all bars up to the H mark on the temp gauge? I noticed riding slowly through LA traffic that the temp gauges rise up to perhaps 1 bar below the max? Its barely 70 degrees outside today, that has me kind of worried about the warmer summer months or trips to hotter places like Vegas on the ZX. Any insights would be appreciated.
Mine ran a bar cooler than you describe before the ceramic coating! go figure. Now it runs about as you describe.
They probably put the ceramic coating on backwards... 
LOL
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dcjens
Pro
Wet side of Washington
Posts: 1059
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posted March 03, 2010 09:10 PM
I had a 10 fender and 2 fans. I went back to the stock fender recently and like it better. let it be hot like they built it. ignore the gauge and ride it.
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Black 06
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INTIMIDA2OR
Needs a life
RED rider!
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posted March 03, 2010 09:48 PM
I remember my Red 14 ran hot liike that when I 1st got her and sid her 1st road trip to the Vegas bikefest in '06.
She actually got hot enough a few times to make the whole temp guage flash!
But that was only when she was new. Now at alomst 60k miles she runs really cool , and hardly ever goes above half for too long.
I am running water wetter and water only no antifreeze.
My dads Blue 14 runs 1 bar over half at all times no matter what temp unless it is very hot then the temp guage goes all the way to H, or if it's really cold it will have only one bar lit. But even if its really cold unless she's on the freeway she'll run one bar over half lol!
The Blue bike still has stock antifreeze in it... Gotta swap that out one of these days lol 
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14
*Lee*
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zx14fan
Zone Head
Posts: 547
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posted March 04, 2010 12:35 AM
The second fan really works well for the street.You can get the kit with a 20 amp fuse that comes with it. not hard to install
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Hellmutt
Needs a job
Posts: 2013
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posted March 04, 2010 04:41 AM
quote:
The second fan really works well for the street.You can get the kit with a 20 amp fuse that comes with it. not hard to install
I've seen these and considered getting one for mine -- looks like the best $45 to spend on keeping engine temp down -- definitely need to convert to the zx10 fender too.........the cooler the bike runs, the more power they make!!! I like the water wetter and have used it for track days, but that's rare anymore so I stick with antifreeze 24/7 just for ease of winter storage -- Personally, mine heats up something fierce puttin' around downtown so I tend to take the country roads around town.......sometimes I even make time - as long as the sheriff's not out and about 
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British flying couch with endtables and an orange thumper
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jarhead
Expert Class
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posted March 04, 2010 05:09 AM
These are big bore bikes, they are going to run hot. It is good to be concerned but I think what you are seeing is pretty normal. To be honest, a second fan and engine ice or water wetter is not going to hurt but this motor is still going to run hot. If you are going to be idling in traffic keep you coolant topped off and change your oil and filter regularly with a good filter and synthetic oil. Then ride the wheels off it!
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted March 04, 2010 05:21 AM
What I am not understanding is why didn't kawi put a number temp like kn the zx6 and zx10's???? You knew the exact temp it was running, not how many "bars" I am running
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
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dcjens
Pro
Wet side of Washington
Posts: 1059
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posted March 04, 2010 06:27 AM
quote:
What I am not understanding is why didn't kawi put a number temp like kn the zx6 and zx10's???? You knew the exact temp it was running, not how many "bars" I am running
I agree, I dont care for idiot lights and flashing gas pumps  I'd like to cut in a digital gauge somewhere, maybe a 10 sender unit/gauge would work?
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Black 06
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
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posted March 04, 2010 12:05 PM
just ride it not a problem. aftermarket exhaust will help
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2006 Black ZX-14,6 inches over,16/42, flies out,BMC Street Filter,Brock's Street Meg,Brock's Radial Mount Strap,PClll with Race map,Dynojet LCD w/Techmount, ZX-14 fender eliminator,Pilot Power2CTs,Speedohealer,Pazzo Levers,Cox Radiator Guard, Garmin Nuvi 265WT
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INTIMIDA2OR
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RED rider!
Posts: 13081
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posted March 04, 2010 06:59 PM
quote:
What I am not understanding is why didn't kawi put a number temp like kn the zx6 and zx10's????
You knew the exact temp it was running, not how many "bars" I am running
I think it's more simple. C - H , keep it form lighting up the H and you're good.
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14
*Lee*
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busaisbetter
Novice Class
Posts: 79
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posted March 04, 2010 09:25 PM
my z1000 and zx14 reach all bar high in traffic. its normal.
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Flame On
Needs a life
Fuel Air & Spark
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posted March 04, 2010 09:31 PM
Yep keep her moving or shut off on long lights kick on the fan hit the start on green.
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77 RD 400
80 GS1000 GT
06 ZX14
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INTIMIDA2OR
Needs a life
RED rider!
Posts: 13081
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posted March 04, 2010 09:42 PM
Start worrying when the temp guage flashes shut it down ASAP!
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14
*Lee*
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INTIMIDA2OR
Needs a life
RED rider!
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posted March 04, 2010 10:47 PM
quote:
just ride it not a problem. aftermarket exhaust will help
There ya go! 
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14
*Lee*
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dogszzr
Parking Attendant
Posts: 6
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posted March 05, 2010 11:49 AM
I would like to see number's also. I am switching to engine ice b4 the season starts.
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