Hot or Not? 86 Suzuki Intruder

[Geosuk86]

Just picked up this VS700 bike a few weeks back. Great condition. Had a complete over haul of fluids, etc. before really running it. I’ve only driven it about 100 miles since.

After a few miles the Engine Heat light illuminates. Outside air temp is about 85 degrees. The coolant has been spitting out the over flow tube too. The mechanics who did the work indicate that is likely for a while as it may be expanding and their may be a bit of air inside.

The fan does kick on and off, and they have checked the engine with the heat gun to see if it is really overheating; they say the temp is good.

I'm not sure where the light sensor is located, maybe an easy fix.

Boy, I really don’t like to see that red light come on though, any ideas? Signed Puzzled

[Suzuki Intruder Man]

Originally Posted by Geosuk86

Just picked up this VS700 bike a few weeks back. Great condition. Had a complete over haul of fluids, etc. before really running it. I’ve only driven it about 100 miles since.

After a few miles the Engine Heat light illuminates. Outside air temp is about 85 degrees. The coolant has been spitting out the over flow tube too. The mechanics who did the work indicate that is likely for a while as it may be expanding and their may be a bit of air inside.

The fan does kick on and off, and they have checked the engine with the heat gun to see if it is really overheating; they say the temp is good.

I'm not sure where the light sensor is located, maybe an easy fix.

Boy, I really don’t like to see that red light come on though, any ideas? Signed Puzzled

I'm on my second 1986 VS700 right now. On my first one, I had put 17,000 miles on it before I let it go and on my current one I've got probably 10,000. With both bikes I had a problem with overheating. Except if I remember right, the red light never even came on.

I fixed it by wiring the fan to run continuously from the moment the key was turned on until it was shut off. Sure this puts a little extra strain on the fan but in my experience the fan never did come on soon enough otherwise and I'd rather have to replace a fan (which I have yet to do) than an engine!

[DrBob]

Air trapped in the system could cause this problem, especially if the person working on the bike was not real familiar with intruders. there is a bleed hole in the frame- you have to remove the bolt from that hole when you change the fluid or air is trapped in the system. the bolt is on the right downtube, even with the top of the valve cover right at the bottom of the neck cover.
oh, and for what it is worth, I've owned three intruders- a 86 I sold after only 10,000 miles; a 1996 I put 135,000 miles on, and a used 1993 I bought with 7000 miles that now has 64,000 on it. The temp light never came on with any of them, and none of them overheated or ran hot, even in 107 degree temps in Texas.