Yamaha R1 2004 Engine Shuts Off In Stop And Go Traffic

[GizmoBKK]

I just bought a second hand Yamaha YZF R1 year 2004 with 13,000 km. Wonderful thing BUT: all the time in Bangkok's stop and go traffic, the engine shuts off apparently due to overheating. I am not talking about any warning lights or anything like that; I simply cannot restart the bike until it has cooled down which takes between 5 to 15 minutes. (And you may imagine how annoying it is to sit on one of the fastest bikes of the world, watching all these scooters pass by...)

There is a Yamaha shop on Ratchada, and 90 % of their bikes in the showroom are R1, so I do hope to find some other R1 riders around in Bangkok. Did you face the same problem? If so, what is the solution? And please don't tell me that Bangkok is simply too hot; in Japan or Europe, you also have 30 deg + in summer...

[apetley]

I know Yamaha had a recall on some of the R1's as the throttle position sensor may cause intermittent unstable idling or stalling.

May be worth trying to find out if your bike has had the modification.

[GizmoBKK]

Thanks for this valuable hint; I will have my dealer check on that!

The other thing I observed is that the cooling fan will always start at 104 deg C exactly, but then at something like > 110 deg it already cuts off. So I was wondering - if it is an inherent R1 problem and not any other damage - if

1) a stronger fan might help or

2) the control temperature could be manipulated in a way that the fan starts already at e.g. 100 deg C

[goldfish]

You say it's apparently over-heating. Is it overheating or does a sensor believe it's over-heating. I don't know the 2004 model, it's a completely different bike to preceeding models, but it should have a temperature reading on the dash. What does it say and at what temperature do the fans (I presume it has two) cut in?

[dotcom]

Who is your "dealer"?

[GizmoBKK]

Of course i do not know if it's "real overheating" or the sensor "believes it's over-heating". but my legs also got really hot... anyway, i will see if the dealer can check that. thanks!

strangely there is only one fan (and considering the size of the whole radiator, the fan looks rather tiny. which leads me to the question: can i install a second fan???)

as mentioned, the fan will start exactly at 104 deg C (at least that's what the indicator tells), but i couldn't identify if the shut off is at a defined temperature, too. and I cannot figure out if there is a certain temperature when i can re-start.

[GizmoBKK]

Who is your "dealer"?

dotcom, i've just sent you PM to answer that

[goldfish]

104 degrees sounds about right. Is it not possible to leave the dash on the temperature setting and therefore keep track of when the fan is turning off, or whether the temperature is still increasing?

You're in a hot country sitting atop an engine, it's gonna get hot. It's very difficult to diagnose via the internet, but I cannot rule out a fault other than the temperature. Check out the basics, water pump, radiator an even temperature all round as well as hoses.

Don't mess with Yamaha's design. If it needed two rads it would have them

[Lickey]

My 1000GTR and ZZR1100 would do the same when touring hot southern european countries, opening the fuel filler would cure them, give it a try, might help?

[JimsKnight]

I'm mulling over whether to buy one of these for when I'm next out in LOS. I guess it may just be a glitch with your model.

Throw at the garage and see what they can come up with.

[davidgtr]

Who is your "dealer"?

dotcom, i've just sent you PM to answer that

Arh come on, let us in on the secret. Who's your dealer?

[mikethevigoman]

Well it wasnt on a R1 but on another bike i had that did the same thing i fitted an aditional fan to the rad, ( from a honda sonic ! ) cured it, never overheated again,big 4 strokes here can in traffic get hot and be a pig to start til they cool a bit,.

[BSJ]

Goldfish: It's very difficult to diagnose via the internet, but I cannot rule out a fault other than the temperature. Check out the basics, water pump, radiator an even temperature all round as well as hoses.

Your advice (above) is sound but in hot areas there is a good reason for a second fan and one should be fitted. Yamaha like every other manufacturer make product to be "Good enough" for average conditions. Bangkok on a hot day is far from average.....LOS is far from average!

[Richard-BKK]

My g/f like to ride our Yamaha F1, and in basic the F1 is based on a earlier R1 engine. She rides very aggressive with lots of attention throttle work at traffic lights. She never complains that the engine go overheated, or that the engine failed on her.

So after you checked the obvious problems sources and still the mystery problems remains, check your exhaust cans, 2003 bike never changed the cans or repacked them can over 5 years cause some problems..... Especially when filling up at cheaper, less professional fuel stations...