Talon Cab Heat

[PaulF]

New owner of a 1000R. Only have 100 miles and so far am very happy.

Took it out today and did my first slow trail ride and it was about 90 degrees. Slow riding mixed with today's temp created more engine heat. The radiator and fan handled it great and never got past 2 bars on the temp gauge but the fan ran a lot more than in the past and after everything got heat soaked the hot air building in the cab was pretty bad. Some heat was simply radiating into the cab through the floor and firewall and some through the shifter.

I'm a little disappointed that this is happening. Spent a ton of dough on this machine and Honda couldn't invest $100 in some insulation? Most of the heat seems to come in the form of hot air from the radiator, even when the fan is off and going down the road at 40 MPH.

Has anyone tried to reduce the heat coming into the cab? Some possible ideas I have are...

Adding some reflective self adhesive insulation to the firewall.
Redirecting the hot air from the radiator out the sides.
Blocked off the tunnel so no air passes (or does this flow air through for a reason?)

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[fartsalot]

I'm on the same page as you, I plan to install a rear window and that will make the temp inside the cabin higher. I have taken my top off and that helped some and made for a more open feel I sort of like it.

 

[Ohsportcat]

That's just an endemic issue with sxs. Front mount radiators blowing heat towards your while the engine heat soaks everything behind you.

I can tell when my fan kicks on from the moist warm air getting into the cab.

Try this stuff, it's what a lot of guys use including myself

Thermo-Tec 14620 60" X 36" Heat... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PILLZG?tag=sxsweb24-20

 

[PaulF]

Try this stuff, it's what a lot of guys use including myself

Thermo-Tec 14620 60" X 36" Heat... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PILLZG?tag=sxsweb24-20

I love that stuff. I have some left over from a project on my car. Really keeps the heat from the headers from toasting my feet. I will need to order some more and get to work.

 

[JimmyTalon]

Most sxs have this issue. Some worse than others. The two I know of that DON'T have cab heat issues are the polaris RS1 and the 2019 Yamaha yxz. Both these machines have rear radiators.
If your radiator is out front, your machine is made of plastic, and you drive it slowely along so heat builds up, heat flow is going to go gradually back and up, into the cab.
Besides blocking the heat flow at the "firewall" and shifter gate, you could wire a reversing switch for your radiator fan. If driving along slow, you could choose to blow air forward, it may help cab temp. Maybe a vendor will offer a radiator relocate kit for you.
Count your blessings with the Honda! Of all the units I've owned (five different models), the Talon is least affected by cab heat (not including my RS1 which has rear radiator). I can barely detect any heat in the talon after somewhat blocking the shifter gate. Other sxs machines are completely intolerable on high heat days.

 

[DAJO]

I made an air dam in the center tunnel just in front of the shifter completely diverting the hot radiator air to the skid plate. I used thin cardboard with spray insulation and covered with undercoating to keep water from cardboard. I still get heat flow from shifter so must be coming from the rear trans and engine. The tunnel around the shifter gets very hot. The lower area behind the seats get so hot I can not hold my hand on it. It was on 83 degrees and got pretty hot. Nothing new just like a RZR. I am getting an overhead fan from UTV COOL CAB Over Head Fan - Wolfsnout® OFF ROAD #1 MOTOCROSS/ATV/UTV DUST MASK/FILTER/OFFROAD and in installing firewall insulation from Wolfsnout. I am working with Tim at Wolfsnout to make a pattern for the Talon. This machine is going to AZ so the heat has to dealt with.

 

[PaulF]

I still get heat flow from shifter so must be coming from the rear trans and engine. The tunnel around the shifter gets very hot.

I also thought about blocking the tunnel. However, I believe that most of the remaining heat in the tunnel is from the 2 radiator hoses that run through it. They give off a tremendous amount of heat and it radiates out. You may have actually caused a new problem by slowing/stopping the air movement in the tunnel.

My ideas/thoughts are...

• Divert the hot radiator air up out a louvered hood but this may just force the hot air in through the front right into your face.
• Divert the hot radiator air down under the vehicle but that may stop the air flow through the tunnel causing the possible issue you are experiencing.
• Divert the hot radiator air sideways and hope some cool air makes it's way into the tunnel (or force it there).

The first thing I am going to try is to insulate the tunnel, isolate the opening and then "scoop" fresh cool air into it with some 3 or 4 inch duct hose somehow. I believe this may provide a good improvement. I will test with some rudimentary materials and keep you posted.

 

[HondaTech]

Food for thought, my boss and his buddy both have R models and after a ride a couple weekends ago his buddy was complaining of horrible heat while he said it wasnt that bad.

His buddy has lower doors, fabric rear panel and has blocked off the tunnel air flow. Both have Honda windshields. He seems to think the lower door opening helped him alot as well when it came to air pulling through.

 

[JimmyTalon]

I also thought about blocking the tunnel. However, I believe that most of the remaining heat in the tunnel is from the 2 radiator hoses that run through it. They give off a tremendous amount of heat and it radiates out. You may have actually caused a new problem by slowing/stopping the air movement in the tunnel.

My ideas/thoughts are...

• Divert the hot radiator air up out a louvered hood but this may just force the hot air in through the front right into your face.
• Divert the hot radiator air down under the vehicle but that may stop the air flow through the tunnel causing the possible issue you are experiencing.
• Divert the hot radiator air sideways and hope some cool air makes it's way into the tunnel (or force it there).

The first thing I am going to try is to insulate the tunnel, isolate the opening and then "scoop" fresh cool air into it with some 3 or 4 inch duct hose somehow. I believe this may provide a good improvement. I will test with some rudimentary materials and keep you posted.

What about putting pipe insulation tube stuff around those radiator hard lines in the tunnel?

 

[PaulF]

What about putting pipe insulation tube stuff around those radiator hard lines in the tunnel?

That may work somewhat but as soon as anything gets heat soaked , insulation will do next to nothing. Wrapping the pipes will most likely just delay the problem until the insulation gets heat soaked too.

Air space and air movement are the keys as I found out with my car. My exhaust goes straight down the tunnel in my car and the console got unbearable on hot days (deja vu). I insulated the bottom of the tunnel (just above the pipes) and that helped a little. I then decided to fabricate an aluminum "inner tunnel" with a 1/2 inch air gap and the difference was day and night. Air space after the insulation is as important as the air space before the insulation and air movement on both sides is crucial.

So, after that experience with my car, thinking about it and reading that blocking off the tunnel doesn't seem to work (or may actually make it worse), I think the answer (for the tunnel at least) is to isolate the tunnel and force cool air through it (not hot radiator air like it is stock). Then create an insulation barrier around the hot water pipes allowing air to pass on both sides of the barrier. For added effectiveness, I may insulate the inside walls of the tunnel itself. That (in theory) should reduce the heat in the tunnel and make any insulation added to the tunnel that much more effective.

As soon as my R is back from its 100 mile service, I will get working on it and prove (or disprove) my theories.

 

[JimmyTalon]

Yea, maybe. But pipe insulation is so cheap and simple, it's worth a quick try. Seems like it could be installed in a few minutes and tried.
I'm talking about the foam type, available at your Home improvement store, for a few bucks per three foot section. That plus a bit of duct tape.

I'm not sure of any Talon specific design intent for airflow thru the tunnel. But on other designs this type of "incidental" airflow keeps things from melting. Some of the ideas here suggested reducing or stopping airflow thru the tunnel. I'd guess unintended consequences may happen.
For example, on polaris rzr models, guys have wanted to snorkel or divert the cvt cooling air duct so water won't go in it. Problem is, the OUTLET air from cvt cooling also provides flow over the engine air intake manifold (yes that's a bad idea), and encourages exhaust manifold radiated heat to flow back and away from the intake manifold (made of plastic btw). Snorkeling the cvt outlet will probably melt the intake manifold on a polaris.

So, s*** happens when you change a fairly marginal design. Your results may vary.

 

[Ohsportcat]

Also keep in mind that any accesories like half windshield and rodrwill actually draw the hot air into the cab, at least on some models.

The windshield creates a negative pressure zone in the lower cab that the hot air is drawn into. Adding a rear window stops the air flow through the cab creating a positive pressure zone instead and forces the cooler air down into cab

 

[bjniceguy]

will a fabric rear window in Talon have less dust draw than a solid one? Do you think fender extensions like Rocblotz affect dust in cab too? If so, help or hurt?

 

[Mudder]

If a P500 guy can chime in. The triggershield thick underseat rubber that @trigger sells for the P500 crowd helps. Had the auto insulation first which stayed wet. No air passage with the rubber.

P500 - For Sale: Rubber Noise/Heat Shield

As anyone who owns a P5 knows, the noise that comes from behind you is loud. Especially with a roof and windshield on, it just reverberates off of them. Another issue is with the heat that comes up between the seats and the seat belt latch area, just ride through a puddle with a hot engine and...

hondasxs.com

 

[Montecresto]

If a P500 guy can chime in. The triggershield thick underseat rubber that @trigger sells for the P500 crowd helps. Had the auto insulation first which stayed wet. No air passage with the rubber.

P500 - For Sale: Rubber Noise/Heat Shield

As anyone who owns a P5 knows, the noise that comes from behind you is loud. Especially with a roof and windshield on, it just reverberates off of them. Another issue is with the heat that comes up between the seats and the seat belt latch area, just ride through a puddle with a hot engine and...

hondasxs.com

They’re great on the P5 but won’t help the Talon unfortunately....😕

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

will a fabric rear window in Talon have less dust draw than a solid one? Do you think fender extensions like Rocblotz affect dust in cab too? If so, help or hurt?

Mesh window helps a lot on my x4.

almost half much as removing the windshield. 😂

 

[bjniceguy]

take it for what it is worth. I have had the double factory rubber piece under hood for a while. Today I added a rubber piece from bottom of that rubber (using the push pins) curved down to bottom of radiator bracket so that Most of radiator air should be pushed to sides & still should be getting some ambient air below it thru the tunnel. When did test run, seem to have way less air coming up shifter area and what is coming is cooler. Seems like less dusty, but again just a test drive (but on a dusty miswest gravel road) and not a real trip yet. I am running a YXZ windshield with a 1" to 3" gap at bottom that can be flipped up on roof. Was a lot of work to get mounted, but is way easier to look thru than the super atv split that I removed. The super was good, but it distorted and if I was taller it would have helped too. I am not bad mouthing it and it does seal better at bottom if crossing streams. Nothing is ever perfect.

 

[Mudder]

They’re great on the P5 but won’t help the Talon unfortunately....😕

My bad, should have added use of the similar rubber material as the suggestion, not the actual P500 item itself.

 

[Montecresto]

My bad, should have added use of the similar rubber material as the suggestion, not the actual P500 item itself.

Oh I figured that you meant just the material. I just don’t think it would help the Talon. It’s just so different of a set up...🤔

Guess you’d have to see it. At least I don’t think it could be of any use on the X4????