Ticking, Excessive Heat

[McMurphy]

'08 12R, stock except for breather reroute.

Noticed a ticking noise the last few days when my engine heats up (5-8 miles or so).

Excessive Heat on the right side frame, especially around the weld above the rearset. Excessive as in "**** is my leg on fire", not "It's a Buell, it's supposed to be hot".

Both are an issue once the bike gets up to temperature, but it still runs fine besides that.

Checked oil level when it first started, was a little low so I added. Using Harley Synth 20w50 atm. Only been around 600 miles since the last oil change.

Also had a CEL episode about a week or two ago, only lasted a few minutes, and never came back up again. Checked trouble codes earlier, even though the light hasn't been on, and it came up with 3-4 (Idle Air Controller Fault). So not sure if that could be effecting it? Bike idles/runs fine, besides what i mentioned.

I generally use 92 or 93 octane, as it's all that's available. Not running the bike excessively hard (cruise between 55-80mph depending on what type of road).

Only other issue I've had is the bike acting like the battery is dead at start-up, checked and need to clean the negative post on my battery, and get a battery strap as mine was removed at some point, and have no idea where the clip that the rubber end of the strap attaches to went. I just tighten the negative side, and it runs fine.

So any ideas? Putting a RSS on today, and doing and oil change to Amsoil Synth, along with changing out the plugs for NGK Iridiums whenever my stands get here in the mail. So hopefully about a week.

 

[Bolty]

Sounds like you already are doing what you can.

 

[TooFst]

Sounds like a clogged oil passage??? Not related but when's the last time you cleaned out the oil cooler scoop area?

 

[McMurphy]

Scoop area is pretty clean, probably been a couple weeks or so since I actually got in there and cleaned, but it's not dirty beside a little bit of road grime and bugs.

I park next to a broken sprinkler head, bike gets washed for me every night.

 

[jimijeans]

Make sure the bike isn't getting water into the harness area and the Pond OR reclaimed water will cause certain bolts to rust and the terminals to Corrode. The Right Side Scoop and Header shield will make a big difference on cooling and your leg will be better off as well. Metal expands and contracts and These Bikes do get hot! My 08 and 09 XB12Rs have as much protection as possible. Well the 09 is a race bike I wrapped the headers on her and the Scoops so I really can't compare that.But it still Ticks. Your bike will tick sometimes a lot just don't hose it down right away once parked. Watch that Sprinkler and see where it sprays that water. *Jimi

 

[McMurphy]

Sprinkler sprays about 10 ft straight up in the air, and and generally comes almost straight down. By the time the sprinkler goes off the bike has been parked for a few hours, so not worried about it rapidly cooling.

Already had my headers ceramic coated about a month or so ago. Though I'm not sure why, and don't have any data to back it up, but it didn't really do anything as far as stopping external heat radiation, though they do cool back down quite well.