Suzuki TL1000r, 1998

Misc. Tech Information

Thermostat The coolant thermostat controls the minimum coolant temperature.

It doesn't raise the maximum coolant temperature while running, only the lowest temperature allowed by the thermostat.

The TL's that we've worked with had a running range of ~40f - from 165f-170f cruising down the highway on a cool day to 200f-205f in ~25mph traffic at <3000rpm. At that spread of temperatures, the TL's FI system didn't correct adequately, allowing rich and lean problems to appear and disappear as the coolant temp changed.

There are several solutions if there is are tuning problems caused by excessive coolant temp range.

Replacing the thermostat with a higher minimum temp unit, perhaps 180f. Easy to do.

The water pump doesn't pump much below 3000rpm, so "blipping" the throttle above 3k occasionally when in traffic helps move the coolant through the radiator and lower the temp - decreasing the coolant temperature.

Replacing the ECU (not an add-on box) with a unit that has programmable coolant temp adjustments. (like ours).

Save your Rear Cowl Needs a spring on the Cowl Latch cable to increase latching ability. If not available at a dealer, use imagination.
Sidestand Relay The Sidestand Relay, located under the upper RH fairing panel, by the fuse box, should be additionally restrained from exiting its plug. If it becomes unplugged, the ignition system will cease to function until you walk back along the highway, find it, hopefully not destroyed, straighten out the pranged prongs and reinsert it. Yamaha's old idea of a strip of electrical tape would be some lightweight insurance.
Shifting Improvements The Transmission Detent Arm kit from 96-98 GSXR750 contains the correct Micro Bearing Detent Arm, though the spring is not the same. We now have a kit available. SHFT-PRO-S
Backfire under Decel (persistent) Air cannot be allowed to enter the exhaust port. If there are ports that bleed air through the head into the port, plug them.
Gear Indicator Resistance So, you heard something about "Big Pink"? As measured on 1998 TL1000r, in house unit: Gear and indicator resistances as follows:
1st: 567 ohms
2nd: 827 ohms
3rd: 1.5k ohms
4th: 2.7k ohms
5th: 6.81k ohms
6th: 14.97k ohms
If you want to fool the ECU into thinking it's in one gear or another, you could jump a resistor across the 2 wires on the main harness that would normally go to the gear indicator unit at the end of the shift drum.
As an example. If you wanted to trick the ECU into thinking that the bike was in, say 4th gear, you would place a 2.7k ohm between the appropriate wires. Don't call us and ask any more about it - it's up to you to use this information as based on facts, rumor, intuition, wishes and desires......