From Dull to Shiny

[Laitch]

What's the latest intel on a cheap replacement fan that doesn't take any fabrication?.

Huzzah? They're still shouting that in N. Virginia? Must be to charm the tourists.  :giggles

Anyway, regarding a replacement fan:
A replacement that isn't OEM will take some degree of fabrication to mount it. Read this about fan replacement, and look through both the Technical Library Index and this to learn about solutions for future challenges.

[Shiny]

How bad of an idea would it be to wire a new fan so that it's always on? The temperature sensor at the pump should stop the flow of coolant at the engine if it's getting too cold. I guess mileage could be negatively effected.

Looking at getting a SPAL puller fan and ordering an Eastern Beaver headlight relay and an SPST switch for the fan.

[Laitch]

How bad of an idea would it be to wire a new fan so that it's always on? The temperature sensor at the pump should stop the flow of coolant at the engine if it's getting too cold.

It's a just plain bad idea to have the fan running all the time. The bike's engine has an optimal range for efficient operating temperature. A fan running all the time will interfere with it. When an engine is not running efficiently, it develops problems.

The fan is a device to help the engine stay within its optimal temperature range. A fan switch is installed by owners who want to activate it temporarily when riding during hot temperatures in slow-moving traffic or hill-climbing with loads to insure themselves that their engine will be less likely to overheat.

The thermostat is the device that diverts coolant from the radiator to help with warmup and to keep the engine within its optimal temperature range.

You should consider learning how some of your engine's components operate. The information and illustrations following this diagnostic flowchart may help you.

[jakgieger]

Second time for Bert V.'s link , Laitch.  Bad idea running the fan all the time...In cool weather my fan never kicks on.  The situations Laitch describes are the only time it runs.  The engine does not have a heat problem when the bike is moving.  My bike has gauge which indicates very well when the fan should run (approaching 3/4 mark).  How would you know when to run the fan??   Better to go through the diagnostic and figure out how to make the current system work and THEN wire up an over-ride if there are concerns.  http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,6702.msg45871.html#msg45871

[Laitch]

Second time for Bert V.'s link , Laitch.

I'm in Calvin Coolidge's camp, Jack :giggles

[jakgieger]

I'm in Calvin Coolidge's camp, Jack :giggles

  Thank god somebody :hehehe is or nothing would ever get solved on this forum!

[Shiny]

Jeez guys, just a thought. Still, theoretically, the fan only cools off the coolant in the radiator. The thermostat controls the amount of that coolant which reaches the engine. If the fan was running all the time, the thermostat would have to stay open not as long.

Thermal stress is one issue I could see, as the extra cold coolant hits the first cylinder, you could possibly wear one wall more than the other. The KLR650 is notorious for that, hence why they all burn oil.

In any case I ordered a SPAL 6.5" fan, looks easy enough to install. Going to wait on the headlight relay until I get a chance to clean out the handlebar switch. Noticed that the high beam doesn't work. It's going to be crazy hot here the next few days so we'll see if I can bear to be out in the garage.

[Laitch]

Still, theoretically . . .

There is no progress without experimentation and sacrifice, Shiny. Be the one on point concerning this. Leave your fan on during all your rides and keep us updated.

[Shiny]

There is no progress without experimentation and sacrifice, Shiny. Be the one on point concerning this. Leave your fan on during all your rides and keep us updated.

...I do have a spare cylinder head (that I picked up for cheap after the exhaust stud fiasco).

Speaking of that stud, the exhaust is definitely leaking a little. I'm planning on trying to use high-heat jb weld to stick a new stud in the remnants of the boss and see what happens. Otherwise a head tear-down is in my future.

[Laitch]

Speaking of that stud, the exhaust is definitely leaking a little. I'm planning on trying to use high-heat jb weld to stick a new stud in the remnants of the boss and see what happens. Otherwise a head tear-down is in my future.

Before you do the cylinder head swap, Shiny, you might find instructive this thread in its entirety

[Shiny]

Oh the stud is out of the cylinder head, it's just that I broke the cylinder head raised boss that it threads into in the process. See the pic in my first post. That cracked part fell of entirely.

Swapping the head will wait for the winter, I'm just hoping my jb weld stud will get me through the rest of this season.

[Shiny]

Did a little work this afternoon.  Required some beer in the 100 degree garage:


Did some wet sanding on my plastics to take care of a couple runs, will repaint in a few days.

Drained the coolant. Remember how I said the plug was stripped? Well it really didn't want to come out. Ending up using the dremel to cut some flats on it.



Got the new fan in. Wired it up, tested it at the relay and it works! The high temp late on the dash isn't functioning though.


My soldering is serviceable at best.


Gotta wait a few days for the new coolant plug, in the meantime, got a few questions:

What the heck is this tube, and should it be connected to something?


What is this wire? I'm guessing it shouldn't be frayed like that.  :mbird (looks like it goes to the ignition control module)

[jakgieger]

crankcase breather on the tube...mine is plugged...several threads here

[TNastsyDwnTwn]

So what did you have to sand down? I have ran into the same probelm with my bike.