Cooling Tin removal (good or bad)

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dracothered

dracothered

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Jul 25, 2012
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Ok, I have been wondering something for a little while now. I see many 2 & 4 stroke engines on these bikes that have had their cooling tins totally removed. Also their flywheels have had the fins removed or milled off.

By doing this, is it going to shorten the life of these engines? They tend to look better with them gone, but is it at a price?
 
C

culvercityclassic

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Sep 27, 2009
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They seem to do just fine. I have several bikes and never had an issue, run the Chiz out of em on the track too. Been out on days where the weather was 108... Still no issues.
 
mew905

mew905

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Sep 24, 2012
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Humm, I'm intrigued on this concept, if the china girls can do without the fins (those ridiculously burred up uneven gross looking fins) then I may give it a shot. However I'd bet on Bairdco's side that it'd end tragically (for the motor), as I hear people have trouble with overheating running WOT alot, then again I dont hear that much because in city use there'd be enough stop n go to allow the motor to cool off.
 
dracothered

dracothered

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bairdco said:
jeff's talking about his 4 strokes. removing fins from the china 2 stroke would probably end in a meltdown.
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I'm not talking about the fins, I'm asking about the cooling TINS. I know you wouldn't want to remove the fins because then it would be a melt down.
 
Ludwig II

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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I think we're looking at the metal shrouds that direct the air around the motor. They're there particularly for stationary engines like generators etc. You might find that the airflow when on a vehicle of some sort will make the shields redundant. But I don't know.
 
fatdaddy

fatdaddy

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May 4, 2011
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So basicly we're talking 4 strokes, or 2 stroke pit bike and goped type engines. And I think that on a bike, with the air flow you'll be getting, If you think it looks cool then it shouldn't pose any problems with cooling. I leave mine on so the bike looks more stock and I think less problems with the cops. I have a 49CC tadpole recumbent with a 2 stroke goped engine.(close to 30mph.) I'm leaving mine on.
fatdaddy.
 
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dracothered

dracothered

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Jul 25, 2012
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Howell, MI.
littletinman said:
Excuse my ignorance, but what are cooling tins?
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The cooling tins are the things (sheet metal) that hold the pull start and directs the fan blade (flywheel fan blades) air flow over the cylinder to cool the engine down. This is needed on items that don't get much air flow on such things as generators and stationary engines or ones that move around slowly such as on mowers or ones that are in enclosed areas.
 
magrider

magrider

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Aug 24, 2010
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I remember back in the day when I was driving an aircooled '65VW beetle and I was told to leave the tins on because it can overheat the engine if removed. I think the tins route the air around the cylinder and block, maybe when idling at a light or in CA traffic.

The way CCC bikes have no tins look better, If he says no problems then I believe him. I've seen his bikes ran very hard
 
The_Aleman

The_Aleman

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Jul 31, 2008
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magrider said:
I remember back in the day when I was driving an aircooled '65VW beetle and I was told to leave the tins on because it can overheat the engine if removed. I think the tins route the air around the cylinder and block, maybe when idling at a light or in CA traffic.

The way CCC bikes have no tins look better, If he says no problems then I believe him. I've seen his bikes ran very hard
Click to expand...
I had a hopped-up Bug back in the day, too. Those shrouds and even the gaskets on the shrouds were very important! There was a lot of engineering put into those rear-mounted aircooled motors. I had an oil temp gauge installed on my Bug. One summer I installed a decklid stand-off kit, you know the one that extends the decklid hinges out about 3". After doing that mod, I thought my engine would run cooler, but it actually ran hotter except when on the freeway!

As for those of us putting 4-stroke engines designed for stationary use on bicycles, I believe the cooling tins aren't necessary. My brother's GXH50 and my HS49 both have had our cooling tins removed for over 2 years, neither of our engines seem to be any worse for it. What made the most difference in engine operating temp was ditching the stock "5" heatrange plug for an NGK "7".
 
fatdaddy

fatdaddy

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Good advice on the cooler NGKB7HS plug Aleman. I run the B6 but I have a cooler running engine to begin with. The B7 disapates heat quicker then the 5 or 6 plug, so for a hotter engine the 7 is what ya want to use to help keep it cooler.
fatdaddy.
 
The_Aleman

The_Aleman

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Jul 31, 2008
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Before I had removed the tin from my engine I noticed the engine running pretty hot with the stock plug. It was summer in SoCal at the time.

The "7" definitely made a difference. I did something similar back in '06 when I built my first chinagirl bike in North Dakota. Ran the "5" plug in October-May.

I've always had good results with a "7" in warm weather!
 
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