I have an 03 rincon and the oil temp light comes on more often than I would like. It is rejetted with a 2" exhaust outlet and a K&N. Runs great but when climbing long hills or running over 40 mph on slight inclines, the light comes on. At first I thought it was my oil as I was running 5w-30 and it happened in the spring while the temps were in the high 50's low 60's. I switched to 10w-40 and the problem remained. I thoroughly cleaned the radiator to try to help but it was to no avail. I then had new coolant put in along with all new differential fluids and the such and had it rejetted and it still happens. Today I rode with temps in the 20's and doing about 40-45 on a slight incline it came on again. Air flow should help at when it is cold at those speeds?!?!

I have heard a few people mention overheating problems before and would like to know what hondas answer is or anybodys solution.

thanks

 

If the unit does not smell hot, you may have a bad sending unit.

I suggest using the lighter oil, for my Rincon customers, in the cold temps here, I strongly recommend the 0w-30 oil.

----- Gregg -----

 

I'll bet it is just a sensor......

 

thanks. Is it common for a sensor or sending unit to go bad? I will be running 5w-30 through the winter and I only had a problem once. The tranny seemed to be slipping and within a few minutes it was fine. It was a cold night, well below zero. I have thought of ordering 0w-30 but my dealer said I was nuts to run 5w-30. I think they never go out in the cold!!

I am kind of bummed right now because we have no snow in NH. I often go to Canada where my relatives are from to ride and they have limited snow. Slow start to the winter. It will be a challenge to match last years 2000 miles in 10 weeks!!!

 

I have had a few senders bad, not a lot of them.

Here is what I recommend to my Rincon customers, not wanting to pay the price of the synthetic 0w-30 oil and choose to run the 5w-30 oil, is to let the unit fully warm up. I can't express how critical this warm up proceedure is in cold weather operation. A ' slipping ' of the transmission under cold operation can be experienced along with other issues affiliated to cold operation.

----- Gimpster -----

 

thanks gimp. I will check the radiator real good to make sure it is spotless and see what happens then. The first three thousand miles were overheat -free and the past 400 weren't. If the light comes on again this winter I will bring it in for service.

Thanks

 

Rincong - Seems like you have checked it out pretty well but a couple things come to mind. You mentioned that you have rejetted. Sounds like you could be on the lean side. And rejetting could have brought on another problem. I have recently read of a sensor that is on the lower front of the engine that is comes loose easily when taking the carb off or turning it over to rejet. Might give it a closer look. I wish I could remember where I read it. It may have been on the Rincon web site. Also, on the Rincon site, take a look at this link and the fix he came up with on his Rincon for overheating. He has several pictures of how he moved the tranny cooler out away from the radiator.
http://rincon.atvowners.com/index.cf...le&userid=1556

 

It does sound like the sending unit may be suspect. Especially if it comes on when the machine clearly just isn't that hot...ie. the cooling fan isn't running. By the way, it does work doesn't it? I've found the 0w-30 Honda oil to work much better in cold weather. If I had a Rincon, that's definitely what I would run in the Winter. It's worth the extra pocket change. According to the specs (if I remember correctly) you can run it up to about 60F too.

 

rinconq!
If you re'jetted, than I'll bet money that the fan sensor wire came loose from the connector. Thats the one Duramax mentioned. It tells the fan when to come on. Their are two wires that come from the top side of the carb. It looks like they are taped together and are held down by that black tab that sits just about on top of the smaller vent hose. One of them has a female connector on the end that will plug into a mail connector on the engine. Look under the front side of the carb at the engine and you should be able to see where it plugs in at.

 

Thanks guys. I think I found the problem. I had to go away last week but managed to get my bike in the shop. They claimed to have found the problem. Upon picking it up they charged me $42.50. And I asked what the problem was. They told me there was more mud clogging the radiator than there was down south!! I paid and was grateful. This weekend I was in Montreal and rode it hard. Harder than I have in the recent past. Of course there was a Brute Force with us and I wanted Honda to look good!! Well he couldn't keep up!! I think rider ability had something to do with it though. But the second day I was happy to tow him ten miles at 30 mph and not overheat!!!

Score:
Honda 1
Kawi 0