This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Overheating Problems?

H

HusabergFE550

Joined Mar 2007
9 Posts | 0+
Northern Beaches, Sydney Australia
Hi Everyone, I took my 2005 FE 550 E for it's first ride (with me) last Friday to the Watagan's (Central Coast of NSW, Australia). It went really well and definitely had a lot more poke than my 2002 EXC 400.

However, there was this one up hill section (around 100 - 150 meters long) that was relatively steep and covered in loose boulders. It was slow going and I had to fan the clutch a bit and paddle up with my feet a few times.

Around half way up it boiled over and let a fair bit of coolant & steam out of the radiator overflow (I had to top it up with approx 300 ml of coolant at home). I was riding fairly slowly for around 15 minutes prior as the preceding track was quite boggy and narrow.

Altough it was a relatively warm day (around 28 degrees Celsius), I don't think it should have been enough to make it boil over like this. Has anyone else had the same problem? I remember reading somewhere that there was an update to the thermostat on a particular year model and also a thermo fan kit, but I can't remember the details. Any help would be appreciated as I don't want to cook it like this too often. Thanks, Brian.

Northern Beaches,
Sydney Australia
2005 FE 550 E
1974 Suzuki TS 125 L (Chook Chaser)
 
I see in your post you said you topped off your coolant. You may already know this, but proper coolant level is important in a Husaberg. You want your coolant level just over the top of the internal fins when the bike is level. Any more than that and the coolant expands enough that it will overflow and give the appearance of overheating.
 
Ditch the thermostat, Run some BOSS BLUE hose and


BLEED..........BLEED......... and BLEED some more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8O

that cured my problem. Did all three at once and have not used a drop since
 
Check your jetting. Dan the Motoxotica Man set my 2005 Fe-550 up with a 48 pilot, a 180 main and the idle mixture screw at 1-1/2 turns out. It has never boiled over yet. Did I mention that I love this bike? Oh.. yeah. :lol:
 
My 2005 Fe 550E has had chronic overheating problems in the tight stuff. Richer jetting and bleeding the system properly has not helped. This past weekend I did some testing and noticed that at low rpm's, 3rd gear and lugging the motor it would not overheat as long as I stayed around 30 mph. My conclusion was a that a lack of air flow was my problem. I cut most of the fins off the aluminum Boss guards and trimmed some plastic off the bottom of the tank shrouds on both sides. Bike ran the coolest it ever did. I would follow the suggestions of Bobzilla and Celtic first and get out the snippers lastly though.

My old 2001 400exc and my son's TE250 Husqvarna are much more open around the radiators and I think must facilitate better air flow. I intend to open up the holes in the Husaberg shrouds next and see if that helps more.

Installing the Husaberg fan on a 2005 starts to get pricey as the tank and shroud need to be replaced as part of the installation.
 
400exc
Your on to something here about air flow. I got a big tank from Boss and he made it for a 06 I belive. well there is a space big enough to get my fist in between the tank and the radiator. Man this flows way more air. the hole in the tank is twice as big as the old shroud. I may have not needed to do anything else but put on the big tank. air flow and water flow with proper jetting will cure your ails.
 
!

I've been riding/racing in Southern Nevada nearly 35 years and my recently acquired Fe650 is the first bike I've owned that has overheated and boiled over. OK, I ride a bike in the desert that was designed by guys in snow country, but it was only 85 degrees (Fahrenheit)!
So I added the cooling fan, Engine Ice, big tank, bled the coolant at the bleed screw, got Blue hoses and eliminated the thermostat. Last week end it was 10 degrees hotter and the bike didn't spill a drop. Viola!
Dez
 
Hello Guys, Thank you all for your replies - (particularly that thread under the electrical heading). I haven't bled my cooling system as yet so that may well have something to do with it. I have also filled the radiator with coolant nearly all the way to the top, so that may also be the cause.

The bike seems to run fine apart from this problem and the jetting seems fine for where I ride. I'll try the bleeding and dropping the coolant level first, then maybe remove the thermostat if those steps don't work. Then I might try some after-market (or computer) cooling fans as I can't afford a new tank as yet. Thanks again, Brian. :D
 
I have a 2002 FS650e and have just fitted a Traitech Vapor computer with temp sensor. Tried it at the weekend in about 18C ambient and the return water temp from the engine to the radiator was no more than 78 deg C. At idle for a few minutes it reached 82C before I switched it off. I use procool and water 50:50 mix and fill rad to just over the fins. Sorry about temp scale but am in UK and don't know what deg F equivalents are.
 

Similar threads

2ndGen
570 longevity question...
Replies
6
Views
2K
2ndGen
2ndGen
thorgan
'02 400 gearbox problems
Replies
6
Views
2K
Taffy
Taffy
haywookp
For Sale 2010 FE 450 - 70* - Atlanta, GA
Replies
3
Views
2K
Tinomazz64
T
R
New To Me FE390 Maintenance Insights
Replies
24
Views
4K
robinasu
R
thorgan
header to front tire clearance
Replies
3
Views
2K
thorgan
thorgan

Register CTA

Register on Husaberg Forum! This sidebar will go away, and you will see fewer ads.

Recent Discussions