Thermostat change 6th generation

How much will I save replacing 2008 VFR thermostat myself? Is it difficult to do? Oil temp sensor keeps coming on once I hit 212 Fahrenheit….flashes on and off; sometimes turns off and goes back to normal temp or as low as 170 Fahrenheit. All fuses are good, the fans kick on at 212 F but they sound weak, almost underpowered. I can idle the bike in the garage, it hits 212F and the fans go on, then I put it gear and boom—-the flashing oil temp goes on and off. The coolant is fresh and full, the oil is new and at the correct level.Not super confident in my skills, so that’s why I’m asking.

 

I don't own the same model as you however, I doubt that there is an "oil temperature sensor".

There is an oil pressure light which will be on when the ignition is switched on, and should go out almost immediately when the engine is started. If that comes on when the engine is running then you need to stop the engine at once and investigate the cause.

There is also the "FI" light which reports any faults with the fuel injection. That can illuminate while riding for all sorts of reasons from a loose electrical connector to a split vacuum hose.

The thermostat is a mechanical device buried under the throttle bodies in the V; you need to remove, the tank, airbox and TBs to access it, nothing too hard but time consuming. Thermostats fail either in open or closed position.

 

Thanks for replying, I think I will replace the thermostat in the near future-not looking to spend money at the stealership. Would I need any unusual tools that you can think of?

 

You need a looong phillips screwdriver to get to the throttle body clamps; something like 18" as a minium, longer is fine. Using a JIS driver (not actually a Phillips but looks similar) is good to preserve the screw heads e.g. that screw into the throttle body from the airbox. Otherwise just regular sockets and spanners. The fuel tank banjo bolt has a specified torque so a torque wrench is advisable.

 

Thanks again for the help!

 

You're welcome but I'm not sure either of us understand what fault you hope to correct.

There's no flashing oil temperature light, only the FI light.

The thermostat is intended to stop the bike running too cold (below about 170F) and prevents coolant from getting to the radiators below that point so the engine warms up quickly. When you are riding steadily the temperature should be around this point. When you stop or are in slow traffic there's not enough air passing through the radiators so the coolant starts getting hotter, and when the coolant gets to about 212 the fan should kick in, the temperature should drop down a few degrees and the fan will stop, then the engine heats up to 212 and the fan starts again; all that is perfectly normal behaviour.

If the engine shows much more than about 180 while riding at a decent pace, then the thermostat may be stuck closed. If the engine runs much below 170 while steadily riding, then the thermostat may be stuck open. A simple test is to start the engine from cold and keep a hand on the radiator. It should stay cold until then engine hits around 170, then it should suddenly get too hot to touch (as the thermostat opens and allows hot coolant to reach the radiator); that is normal. If instead the radiator slowly and steadily warms up, then that is a sign of a stuck open thermostat. Unless your bike is showing some symptoms, I would not suggest replacing the thermostat.

A blinking FI light can have all sorts of reasons; there is a simple diagnostic test that will enable you to read whatever fault codes are triggering that so you can fix it.

 

Haha before I did mine, everyone was saying "you can never have too long of a screwdriver" - well I got a super-long 2-pk phillips and flathead from HF and must've had like 6-10" to spare!

For all other easier to reach screws, I bought a small JIS screwdriver set.