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Fan Problem

Started by Aelwulf, July 22, 2007, 11:11:03 PM

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Aelwulf

Reposting a section from another thread here as it's more the place for it:

I had an odd issue this morning.  I finished last night around 3am, crashed on a friend's couch.  Parked the Vision and the fan went for a few seconds then shut off as normal.  Went to bed around 5 and got up heading out to warm it up around 9:30.  When I get out there the fan's running for no reason.  The system isn't drained too much yet so probably hadn't been going for long but it wouldn't start.  By the time Rob got up so I could borrow his jumper cables and truck battery it'd gone dead.  It started right up with the cables, idled it with the throttle a smidge for 5-10 minutes which charged it enough to idle on its own again.  Then I got my gear on and headed to the Springs (with just enough gas to make it back without stopping).

Also after the battery died when I jumped it the fan didn't immediately start running again, it only ran when it got a bit too warm idling as it should do then shut off again.  So it seems whatever it was isn't something permanent *yet* hence my thoughts on it being a switch, solenoid or short.

Is there a switch or solenoid on the fan?  That might be going bad and somehow stuck open while sitting there.  That or maybe a shorted wire?  Any other ideas?  I could still ride it but if it dies I'm hosed so waiting until it's fixed.  Hopefully tomorrow evening I'll be able to take a look at it, but I'm behind on homework for a class that finishes Friday. :P

Ah, such fun to be out riding...
*thunk*
What was that?!

'82 Yamaha Vision XZ550RJ
'07 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak Special Edition (VN1600B)

h2olawyer

There is a temperature switch that controls the fan.  It's located under the tank, in the upper coolant line.  You'll need to remove the tank to get to it.  Look at the wiring diagram to figure out which is the fan switch & which is the temp sensor.

The fan switch is a ground interrupt.  I made a "Y" connector and tapped in a manual switch (mounted in the full fairing dash).  This way, the fan operates as normal, but I can turn it on while the temp is still lower, before I get into things like slow moving traffic, stop & go situations, long stoplights, etc.  My V still gets prettty warm, but this system keeps it from heating up very fast.

Maybe not exactly what you wanted to know, but at least you know where to find it.

H2O
If you have an accident on a motorcycle, it's always your fault. Tough call, but it has to be that way. You're in the right, and dead -on a bike. The principle is not to have any accident. If you're involved in an an accident, it's because you did not anticipate. Then, by default, you failed.

Lucky

either the fan sending unit is bad (located as H20 described) or that wire from the sensor is grounding somewhere.

clean the connections at the sensor & the fan first, this has caused the problem you described in the past.

also, it's a good idea to remove the sensor from the pipe & clean the threads, but do so carefully because it can break (it's been 25 years since last removed)  they are expensive little buggers to replace.

burp the system well afterwards or you'll run hot

--Lucky
1982/3 XZ550 Touring Vison, Gold on Black

kwells

One peculiar thing about your cooling system I noticed was the fact that the guage didnt register at operating temperature.  Mine never goes below the 1/2 point.  My guess is your temp sending unit has some issue.  Maybe just needs to be cleaned up.
...a vision is never complete.

www.wellsmoto.com

Aelwulf

No, as mentioned it was registering.  It only stayed down like that when we hit the rain and while up in the mountains in areas that had been hit.  Even then when accelerating through more than one gear it'd start going up a bit.  When we came back down it went up again and heated a bit faster as normal through Boulder.  On the way home yesterday it was at half the whole time if not a bit higher.  It apparently just really likes rain far as temp goes. :P

I'll try to dig out that sensor, thanks.  I don't have plans to put a switch on yet (especially without an easy spot to mount one) but might see about doing it then anyway depending what's involved.  By burp you mean flush the coolant?

Ah, such fun to be out riding...
*thunk*
What was that?!

'82 Yamaha Vision XZ550RJ
'07 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak Special Edition (VN1600B)

Tanno

Nope. By burp...he means BURP. Get the air out of the system. With an air bubble at the highest point (near that sensor), the temp will read lower than it really is because the coolant is not on the sensor at all times.
Industrial Technician by trade -- Curiosity by nature, tinkerer by choice.
"Handle every situation like a dog would. If you can't eat it or screw it; Piss on it and walk away!" -- Unknown

ColinthePilot

on the coolant topic, how often should one flush the coolant system? I don't know that mine's ever been done and how would i go about doing that?
Colin
It pissed me off, so I jammed a screwdriver into it, hit it with a hammer, and spun it around with a pair of vice grips. Let that serve as a warning

h2olawyer

Opinions vary, but it should be done more often than once every 25 years.  I now have mine on about a 3 year schedule, and use Engine Ice (propylene glygol) instead of Yamacool.  Engine runs a llittle cooler & it is a bit less toxic than ethylene glycol.

Mine went about 18 years on the OEM coolant.  (only 5,000 mles)  Then I did a Yamacool change.  Then I had  a small drip out of the weep hole.  Added a bit of waterpump seal conditioner & ran for a couple hundred miles.  Then changed over to the Engine Ice.  No more leak & cooler running - at least when ambient temps are 80(F) or less.

H2O
If you have an accident on a motorcycle, it's always your fault. Tough call, but it has to be that way. You're in the right, and dead -on a bike. The principle is not to have any accident. If you're involved in an an accident, it's because you did not anticipate. Then, by default, you failed.

Aelwulf

Yep, the battery was dead again.  Unfortunately since it's basically a storage unit there's no outlets so I had to take it off the bike and bring it up to the room to put it on the charger.  I found two things that look like brass bolts with an electrical connector sticking out the back so figure those are the fan switch and thermostat?  Not sure which is which or if I'm right or not yet, need to find my Hayne's manual as it's disappeared someplace in the garage or my truck.  I'm guessing if I just unscrew either of those I'll start getting coolant all over if I don't drain it first?

Ah, such fun to be out riding...
*thunk*
What was that?!

'82 Yamaha Vision XZ550RJ
'07 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak Special Edition (VN1600B)

samsr

I have the thermal switch for the fan if you need it.  Stop an by and pick it up if you would like.  I am at home past 6:00 PM at night.  We could resync the carbs as well. Now if I could just find my colortune plug you would be set.

Aelwulf

Ok, cleaned both connectors going into the coolant hose, the ground for 'em, the white connector they plug into best I could and same with the black connector that looks like it's going to the fan (fan shut off when I unplugged that one too so figured why not).  Battery's fully charged, cleaned the terminal connectors.  I couldn't find anywhere the wires from that were exposed but I did find a section of tape worn off the large bundle they're a part of so retaped that in case.  I really need Wednesday to get here so I can do an oil change, it's really dark already after the trip to Denver.  Unfortunately it'd possibly have to wait until next weekend to get it done.

I did notice a few drops of oil under it when I went in.  It's been sitting for a week so if there is a leak it's a very small one (might just be some from when I took the air box off that dripped out of that).  If I do though, and I'm guessing correct, it looks to be from the bottom of the left side of the case where there looks to be a plug with an orange rubber piece on it.  Taking a stab I'd guess that's the starter area?  If so it'll have to wait a couple of weeks at least until I'm in Cali, and will need to peruse all the different starter fixes/upgrades to see about doing 'em all at once.

Ah, such fun to be out riding...
*thunk*
What was that?!

'82 Yamaha Vision XZ550RJ
'07 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak Special Edition (VN1600B)