KX500 water pump modification

[Motorrad]

Did some town riding yesterday.
It was 80 F but I don't know the humidity.
25-45 mph, stop and go traffic.
Head temps were 162-179.
Water temps were 140-165
I wasn't really fussy about recording the numbers but these are close.

Your numbers still have me scratching my head.


I may have a few requests for you in the near future.

1. Id like to see a picture of the plug color...

2. involves taking things appart (like the clutch cover)

[Sandblaster]

I'll be happy to help.
I know that I am running a little richer then you advised but I just got my new jets in late last week and haven't had the time to change them out.
I'll also have to get some clutch cover gaskets as I think I am out...
Also waiting for my wp gaskets to get here.
I just want to verify the clearance mod.
So let me know what your thinking and I'll get it done asap.

[Motorrad]

I still dont get......... why the hell yours runs so cold.

and mine runs so. FREEKIGN HOT.

[Sandblaster]

Part of the reason I think is because yours is putting out about 8 billion rear wheel HP and mine is weezing in at about 60 crank HP.
Then, I'm running half green stuff and half water.
The WP gaskets have shipped so hopefully I'll have them next week and I'll pull the clutch and WP and see what it's looking like inside.
Perhaps the inlet tube on mine is less restricted?

[Sandblaster]

Today it is 91 F at 35% humidity.
I rode around town for about 30 minutes.
I was averaging the following temps.
Head 160-165 F
Water 145-150 F

I took her out on the freeway at 65 and recorded the following temps
Head 170-175 F
Water 155-160 F

Then I found a nice spot to run up the RPM's
75MPH in 3rd and 90 mph in 4th.
It was still pulling very hard (For a stocker) ....and recorded the following MAX temps:
Head 190 F
Water 175 F

While these are the hottest temps I have seen yet they are still very respectable

[Sandblaster]

Took the sand bike out to Florence Oregon for some abuse.
I wanted to really test my new dog bones as well as record to temps.
It was 70F and humidity was 80%.
My engine is stock.
PC pipe, FMF arrestor, jetting Pilot 58, Main 170, stock needle at 3rd position.
I have some cheap Chinese rads on it and I am running Engine Ice.
After fully warming up the bike and doing some hard runs I recorded the following:
Head 237F
Coolant 199F
I'm sure Motorrad feels a little better now
Certainly in no danger with those temps but a lot warmer then I have ever seen my SM run...
Then again it's hard to ride the SM like that on the street and it certainly has a lot less resistance then riding in the sand.

[Sandblaster]

This afternoon I took the Super Moto for a hour ride around town.
Speeds 35-45
Air temp 72F
Humidity 43%
Head: 158-162 F
Coolant: 133-138F

[Sandblaster]

Today I took the Super Moto for a 1/2 ride to the shop and then 1/2 hour back.
I ran to the shop with the radiator screens off and then back home with them on.
I did not see any temp differences with or without the screens installed.
Speeds 55-65
Air temp 78F
Humidity 36%
Head: 160-170 F
Coolant: 135-145F

[Sandblaster]

Just got back from Christmas Valley.
Saturday was a real work out.
97F and 18% humidity (HOT for me).
Just before I left the shop I took out the Engine Ice and put in 50/50 Prestone/Water...
I know... You hate the green stuff.
But, I'm trying to discover why my SM bike runs so cool.....
The only difference between my Sand bike and the SM is where it's ridden and the sand bike has some Chinese rads on it.
The max all time temps for the weekend was as follows:
Head 224F
Coolant 202F
That was running Several WOT Sand hill climbs in a row and then idling to watch some others ride the climb.
Average running temps trail riding 2nd to 4th gear:
Head 185-195
Coolant 165-175
All in all I think this is very similar temps to what my SM runs.
Next up....
I'm gonna do 1 water mod at a time to the SM and see if we change anything.
The reason for using the SM for the tests is it's easier to make consistent runs under the same conditions and I don't have to load up and go anywhere to do it.

[Sandblaster]

Motorrad came up with another good idea..:
so. Ive been thinking of a good way to test this without possibly hurting parts.

how about this.

2 5gal buckets of water. a clutch cover, with hoses hooked up, and a drill on the back side. time how long to move water from one bucket to the other?

can put a ball valve at one end to simulate restriction for testing also...

just trying to come up with a K.I.S.S method.

I think this is a great idea.
So I added the following:
Hey, that would be cool.... cheesy
I'm wondering.... Could you do basically the same thing but even more realistic by removing the inner clutch cover while leaving the hoses hooked up and using a flow meter in line somewhere? That way you could maintain a closed loop system with all the stock or modified restrictions...

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Thoughts?