why do you want a water cooled engine?

[yellowrider]

everyone i konw with a watercooled engine has always had more promblems with them then with there air cooled engine i think i would like the air cooled better less maintance and eveything i dont see to much of a difference and it will even help if you didnt have the water cooled .. cause wouldnt it save some wait??

the reaosn why i am asking this is because my buds water coooled engine over heats and so does everyone else i ride with on trails and mine seems just fine...:confused:

[RAPTORAZ]

Air cooled motors run hotter and thus require looser tolerances(like piston ring seal). Since a liquid cooled engine runs cooler, it can have closer tolerances. Liquid cooling also helps the engine to run at a more constant temperature.

[EricB]

ok i was just talking with my dad about the 400 vs a raptor, he thinks the raptor is better, more power liquid cooled and reverse. but thats from the info i've told him. he's a hard core honda guy, but with just the facts that i presented to him he thought that the raptor was a more superior bike. then he asked if the 400 was air cooled. when i told him that it was he said dont buy it, you will have over heating probs all the time.


ok....the bike can be setup for MX and very frequently is. that meens a lot of constant riding, hard riding, at high temps with nothing than the stock methods of cooling. so do you guys actually have cooling issues? since he was talking about some really old air cooled suzuki back in the day...

I have never heard stories of overheating a stock 400. But only the guys can tell you forsure, so I'll ask the question.

Anyone ever overheated a stock EX?

When you start getting into big bore kits, the engine starts running substantially hotter, but even in those applications, as long as you are running the appropriate octane fuel, you shouldn't really have problems.

Like RAPTORAZ said, liquid cooling = tighter tolerances, consistant operating temperatures, it would explain why that new Suzuki lemon is making 40HP stock. Suzuki can now run higher comp. pistons confidently, without having to worry about things like detonation, or burning a hole in the piston.

True, air cooling makes for a much simpler motor, but this is not to say that liquid cooling makes for a higher maintenance motor. Make sure it's got antifreeze before winter, keep an eye on the coolant level and colour and you're sailing.