Tricks for cooling an M695

[d3vi@nt]

I understand from reading numerous posts that the M695's tend to run hot. I'll likely be slapping an oil cooler on, but I'm wondering if there are any low-cost, simple tricks to keep the temps down. I've already hit 275 riding straight country roads with a few stops here and there. And I haven't seen a day over 79 degrees yet.

Do higher or lower RPM's help cool?  Does octane rating have any affect? Any ducting solutions? My bike is bone stock at this point and I've read that a new ECU and exhaust will drop the temps, but that's a pretty significant investment.

Obviously I'm a cheap bastard looking for an easy fix 

[Howie]

A DP or reflashed computer will help.  This will also require an open air box.  Much of the heat is due to closed loop operation.  Not cheap, but there are other benefits to be had.

High RPMs produce more heat, but the road speed associated with high operation increases air cooling.  Idle at 3K RPM = lots of heat.  100MPH at 5K RPM = lots of air cooling.

[BK_856er]

A quality oil like Mobil-1 MX4T 10W40 full synthetic will run a bit cooler than heavier weights, and the full synthetic will withstand the higher temps better/longer than a lesser oil or a synthetic blend.  Short of retrofitting an oil cooler ($) or installing the DP ECU ($$), try to keep the bike moving to maintain some airflow.  Temps can climb very fast on a hot day with lots of stop/go traffic, so try to avoid those situations as much as you can.  The dealer told me that part of the fix for the melting head paint on the M695 was to reflash the stock ECU with an updated program, so maybe that can also be pursued.

BK

[stopintime]

Did anyone mention adding an oil cooler?

[Howie]

  Yes.

I understand from reading numerous posts that the M695's tend to run hot. I'll likely be slapping an oil cooler on, but I'm wondering if there are any low-cost, simple tricks to keep the temps down. I've already hit 275 riding straight country roads with a few stops here and there. And I haven't seen a day over 79 degrees yet.

Do higher or lower RPM's help cool?  Does octane rating have any affect? Any ducting solutions? My bike is bone stock at this point and I've read that a new ECU and exhaust will drop the temps, but that's a pretty significant investment.

Obviously I'm a cheap bastard looking for an easy fix 

[bikepilot]

WRT rpms you don't want to lug the engine excessively or rev is brains out unnecessarily.  Run an rpm that keeps the motor happy and running smoothly. 

[Travman]

I almost bought a 695 a couple of years ago when they came out.  I remember how everyone was having trouble with high temps and melting paint on their heads which looked brown.  Several owners got their heads repainted under warranty because the problem was so bad.  I waited to see if Power Commander or other aftermarket companies would offer a solution.  Did any aftermarket solution ever come to market?  How about the FatDuc that many people have used with other closed loop FI bikes like the S2R1000?

[BK_856er]

Some of the early complainers got their heads stripped and repainted.  The later official fix was to replace the heads with new ones and reflash the ECU.  I had my heads replaced due to melting paint and at the same time I installed the Termi kit with ECU and an oil cooler.  Later I had the cams degreed and the AF ratio tuned.  Heads still turned brown, but not as quickly and not as bad.  I think it's sucky paint more than extreme temperature, and the the replacement heads likely had the same sucky paint.  Runs great, though.

BK

[d3vi@nt]

Thanks for all the replies. I love this place -so much knowledge and so many folks willing to share it.   

Fortunately, I haven't had any issues with paint (yet).  I think I'll check out the ECU reflash and see what that does. The previous owner ran Castrol synthetic, but I think it may not have been full synth, so I'll change it to Mobil-1 MX4t per BK's recommendation and likely follow that with an oil cooler.

I'm on the fence with the other mods. The bike is bone-stock right now, save the Motovation bar-end weights/sliders. I want to mod it, yet I want to keep it totally stock. I know that the recommended mods can be reversed (termis, DP ECU, etc.), but once you go down that rabbit hole....

[stopintime]

.....................
..............

I want to mod it, yet I want to keep it totally stock. I know that the recommended mods can be reversed (termis, DP ECU, etc.), but once you go down that rabbit hole....

Face it, my friend. You're already in there.
No big deal - you're in the stage of denial - life gets better once you admit to the addiction

[WetDuc]

I used to have a 695 and it ran way hot compared to the S2R1k I have now.
An oil cooler/DP ECU combo is really the best way, I think, to get the running temps under control on the 695. 
I ran a FatDuc on my 695 for a while, and while that did help the low rpm studders and surging, but it did nothing to lower the running temps.

Other than that and what has been previously mentioned, I'm not sure there are any "tricks". 
It's a bike that was pushed to the limit of output on a super lean stock A/F ratio.  A stock oil cooler should have come on the 695 when it was released.

[suzyj]

I put a fat duc on my 695.  It's got otherwise stock ECU, airbox, and pipes.  It cooled it down, but it still runs pretty warm.  My heads are quite badly discoloured.  I have an oil cooler on the to-do list.