1981 Gl1100, LOW BEAM & FAN MOTOR

[backyardtrouble]

Before i have to go taking this bike apart, and digging and tracing wires, and trying to trace the schematic wiring, My low bean quit working-right along with my fan motor. I have checked the fuses, all ok. I started it up around 2pm today, the low beam did not come on and was not working---but the high beam does, i let it sit there just to run for a while. Then i noticed it was getting pretty warm, then getting to hott, Fan motor not working now either... :headscratch: ,ok now i got two problems, any ideas from anybody that might be a quick fix or something i might be over looking.

 

[Ansimp]

Sounds like two separate problems to me, unless you have lost an ignition switch feed. Time to get out the trusty test light and check for power at the fuse box on all circuits.
Low beam does the most work so I find that they fail heaps more than high beam.

 

[dan filipi]

Sounds like 2 problems to me too since the 2 circuits are unrelated.
I'd check the headlight bulb itself for starters.

 

[backyardtrouble]

Great info on the headlight guys, i didn't think about that to much, since i've never had any problems with any, and my mind has been like a burnt piece of toast the last couple of days.
I checked the fan motor, direct wired it, and it runs good, now to the other problem, why it don't run when she gets hot.

 

[Dusterdude]

Temp sensor could be bad


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[slabghost]

Is the starter dragging or motor running rougher than usual? If so maybe the main battery ground is loose dirty or corroded.

 

[Joep]

Does your temp gauge register it getting warmer as it runs? Does it go way into the red zone? If not showing any temp.. bad sensor .. replace sensor, change oil and antifreeze..(silicon free formula)... also could be coils overheating... since they'd area out of airflow region they don't get much cooling air... the fan does provide some cooking... heat related could be sign of electronic failure.. use heat gun and warm coils up when bike is cold and see if the issue remains..

 

[backyardtrouble]

..I changed out the headlight bulb, that took care of that problem. I started the bike back up last night and ran it again, just to see if the fan motor would come on....it did not. The Temp guage works fine, there is no starter dragging, the motor runs very good, not sluggish at all. The temp hand on the guage will start reaching the red zone, but i know that is too much. The Fan motor always came on way before that, so i just turned it off. I'll check the temp. sensor today and see what i come up with.

 

[AApple]

Classic signs of a bad fan temp sensor. Unplug the sensor, and jumper the two terminals together on the harness connector. With the key on, the fan should run. If it does, the sensor has failed. If it does NOT, you have a wiring issue, or fuse.

 

[Jungo]

AApple » Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:04 am[/url]":38rjmg96]
Classic signs of a bad fan temp sensor. Unplug the sensor, and jumper the two terminals together on the harness connector. With the key on, the fan should run. If it does, the sensor has failed. If it does NOT, you have a wiring issue, or fuse.

+1

 

[Joep]

The fan should come on when temp goes up... my 11 would go way up especially in the summer.. and my sensor is not connected but is jumped but not by me originally.. a po did it...these with sometimes run near the red zone.... normally... need to change out coolant and maybe as a precaution the head gaskets... also allows you to inspect the heads and look at the cylinders...

 

[backyardtrouble]

..I did the wire check, the fan did run with the circuit connected, I took the sensor out and checked it with some heat, it worked too... :headscratch: ...but it was with my little mini tourch, so maybe it had to pass the heat setting to much before it would work....i've got another one, i'm going to check it and replace if it is a good one....i really don't trust the one out of the bike at this point... :headscratch: maybe i need to boil some water and recheck it with a heat thermo.

 

[dan filipi]

Torch will go up several hundred degrees, way too high. Boil water.

 

[backyardtrouble]

Being my first ever light bulb and temper sensor going bad on these bikes, i do thank the Honda team for there great parts they made for these bikes back then. So i got busy and changed out the sensor after i checked it, it looked like a fairly new one too out of my other motor. Got the antifreeze back in it, fired it up and waited. well, this new lookin sensor sure acts alot faster than most i have seen on these bikes, it kicked the fan motor in at the first notch so to speak on the guage. I like it :mrgreen: ...thanks for the fast response everyone. :thank_you:

 

[chilidawg]

Ain't no way of knowing when you're gonna need good schematic!

 

[dan filipi]

We have the schematics in the gallery too if needed. Can get a bigger view there also I think.
gallery/album.php?album_id=1877