water temp. appears to be running hot

[mjsidp]

Hello,

I'm a new member here as I just purchased a used 2011 spyder RTS with 2,300 miles total. I live in eastern Pa. & I have driven the bike locally about 200 miles in outside temp. of between 60-75 degrees. Each time I take the bike out the temp. gauge runs very close to the overheat mark and sometimes right up to the bottom mark but never in the red. Even when I idle it outside it run right up to the bottom mark of the overheat section. To me this doesn't seem to be right but I'm not sure. Is this normal for this engine or do I have a problem with my cooling system? I have checked the radiator overflow when it is cold and it is just above the low mark on the tank. I'm a little concerned what is going to happen when I ride it in the summer time next year? Any suggestions?

 

[vrodrjs]

Hello,

I'm a new member here as I just purchased a used 2011 spyder RTS with 2,300 miles total. I live in eastern Pa. & I have driven the bike locally about 200 miles in outside temp. of between 60-75 degrees. Each time I take the bike out the temp. gauge runs very close to the overheat mark and sometimes right up to the bottom mark but never in the red. Even when I idle it outside it run right up to the bottom mark of the overheat section. To me this doesn't seem to be right but I'm not sure. Is this normal for this engine or do I have a problem with my cooling system? I have checked the radiator overflow when it is cold and it is just above the low mark on the tank. I'm a little concerned what is going to happen when I ride it in the summer time next year? Any suggestions?

Is that on the analog gauge? My '12 RT always ran like that too, on the analog gauge. I unhooked it and that moves the temp gauge to the console. That seems to be a much more accurate gauge.

 

[mjsidp]

Is that on the analog gauge? My '12 RT always ran like that too, on the analog gauge. I unhooked it and that moves the temp gauge to the console. That seems to be a much more accurate gauge.

Yes, the reading is on the analog gauge. Did you ever have a problem when the outside temp. was hot?

 

[NancysToy]

The Spyder will run hotter when you idle, than when you are moving. Normal at the ambient temps you report would more likely be a bit above half the gauge at highway speeds...maybe a bit more. For long rides this would rise above the fifth hash mark. Around the sixth hash mark your fan should come on, which often happens in stop-n-go traffic. If you hit the red, you should get limp mode. I'd say yours may be reading a little bit high, but it is very close to normal. If you are worried, see your dealer.

 

[vrodrjs]

Never had any issues but it always made me nervous.

 

[NancysToy]

It shouldn't make you nervous. It's just a gauge, and can be calibrated when designed to read almost anywhere on the scale. BRP chose to make the normal reading in the upper half of the scale. As long as you don't hit limp mode, you are doing OK. Just get used to what is normal and don't be alarmed unless it goes well above that.

 

[Farmbanker]

My first gauge read higher on the temp on my RT as well. When the shop replaced the entire cluster with the one from my loaner bike it read one whole mark cooler consistently. Running during comparable weather.