OEM fan switch fix (and other options)

[dan filipi]

Nice vid Gerry, I know where this is going :yes:

 

[NavyMarine1978]

The fan comes on anywhere between these numbers [208 degrees F to 216 degrees F] the fan will cut off at these numbers [199 degree'sF to 207 degree F.] Now the boiling point for water is 212 degree's so by saying that I use antifreeze because it will get hotter than just water alone and your switch will activate, also because that's what's in your engine and it makes perfect sense to me.. :Egyptian:

That does make sense. I had the water on my stove boiling at 170 degrees F and it went up to 210 degrees F. If the switch only functions at its max range, than water won't get hot enough. I figured that I would try the water first and see if that works. It will keep my wife happier knowing that I tried boiling water first before putting coolant onto her stove.

 

[mcgovern61]

The fan comes on anywhere between these numbers [208 degrees F to 216 degrees F] the fan will cut off at these numbers [199 degree'sF to 207 degree F.] Now the boiling point for water is 212 degree's so by saying that I use antifreeze because it will get hotter than just water alone and your switch will activate, also because that's what's in your engine and it makes perfect sense to me.. :Egyptian:

That does make sense. I had the water on my stove boiling at 170 degrees F and it went up to 210 degrees F. If the switch only functions at its max range, than water won't get hot enough. I figured that I would try the water first and see if that works. It will keep my wife happier knowing that I tried boiling water first before putting coolant onto her stove.

Watch the video! I only used water!

 

[NavyMarine1978]

Here is that video I promised:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rRb5cPAj4k[/video]

Thank you Gerry for the video. I was glad to see how you tested your switch. What is the max resistance marked on your meter next to the infinite symbol? I have a non-functional meter here with a needle and it only rises to 2k before hitting infinite. My switch reads 3.16k on the digital meter which would read infinite on the needle meter. This is the reading that I get when the switch is 'cold' at room temp. I will try your test tomorrow when the locktite has fully cured and dried.

 

[danf]

yehhh video, cool stuff, I wish I could see it but for some reason my computer doesnt get the video but my daughters will, somethings wrong with a setting and we can't figure it out, I just get a black square box where the video is, but I will get to see it later... Oh good luck with your switch in what ever you soak it in, I'm just telling ya what I do.. My way isn't always right.. :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: If your switch doesn't work, buy a new switch.. :yahoo: :rocks:

 

[danf]

I finally got to see the video, really good work there Mcgovern61, I guess the tip of the switch is on the bottom of the pan thus making it hot enough.. Good video...I submerge mine totally and take my tongs and scoot it around the bottom of the pan and play with it like it's a submarine for about three or four minutes, take it out put it on a plate and put the two ends of the meter to it and the needle jumps, as the air cools it drops back down, but your way is for sure better and more scientific ha ha..and I really like it, I might try it your way next time just for grins..

 

[danf]

I bet it works for him.. :hihihi:

 

[54Greybeard]

Yea, I just watched the video, short, sweet to the point. GOOD video.

 

[bk2valve]

Thanks for the fix and the vid...excellent...I will soon be doing this fix soon....
Brian in NM

 

[NavyMarine1978]

I bet it works for him.. :hihihi:

No luck with the switch. The digital meter lowered its resistance a lot (316k-7k) but not enough to make a connection in the switch. I have read of people matching up thread diameters and pitch (M18, 1.5mm) and heat range of switches from small cars. I found two. One is a switch for a '94 Geo Metro and the other a switch for a Honda late 70's early 80's. Both brand new and from a store. The Geo switch is $31 and the Honda $58. The switches both are shorter in length missing the protrusion beyond the threads and they both would require some wiring to plug into the original harness (meaning wire and female flat push-on plugs). This would cost me at the most half of the cost of the switch from Honda for the wing but I have heard both success stories and failures causing over heating. I figured if I chose to go with the aftermarket car version, I would keep the switch wired in as well. I currently run my fan off a manual switch. This would ensure a working fan no matter what. What do you think?

Thanks,

 

[danf]

Man that's too bad sorry to hear that it didn't work, I have gotten at least 12 of them to work when they where stuck or dirty, 12 for 12..

 

[NavyMarine1978]

Man that's too bad.. I haven't got one yet I couldn't fix..Hummmm...Can I have it, I'll send the postage cost.. Send me a pm if you wish or not.. I'll give you ten bucks for it..

I wish this switch would just decide to work. I feel that I cleaned it thoroughly but I only used contact cleaner. maybe not strong enough? The resistance would simply not go down far enough. I even tried boiling in both water and coolant. If the switch simply won't work, I certainly will send it to you. I currently am using it to simply plug the hole the housing. Actually, it is currently sitting in my closet and the bike needs something plugged back in. I will definately decide this weekend though and should I decide to leave the ould switch out, I will send it to you. Can you tell me again exactly how you clean and then test the switch? Maybe I missed something.

Thank you,

 

[danf]

Send me a pm and I'll send you a switch that works..Free.. It takes forever though, it took three weeks to a month last time I sent something to Canada..

 

[danf]

Put the switch on the bike and try it, I bet your fan will come on...You do have 50/50 in your radiator right, if you don't then you should..

 

[BigDub]

I did the wrong kind of digging around the inside of the cap where the steel push-pin goes instead of outside in the groove of the small end.

I almost think that you don't even need to unscrew the dang thang?

I got to digging inside the shaft/pin-slide-chamber-tube and i dug out a black rubber plug(i think i lost or threw it away thinking it was a deposit and not a part of the switch.) But, now after rereading everything here, i think that was a seal to the expanding wax? Isn't that what they install to expand and thus push the diaphragm switch inside the large permenantly sealed-end of the switch to make the circuit complete?

I think I dug out some irreplaceable stuff but, i didn't go around the outside of the small groove(i'm thinking i didn't get those images to load on my work computer so i just tried to do what I was reading and fubar-ed one of my switches?!? Any feedback comment would be helpful Beave?

The good news is I still have another switch that I didn't get so agressive with that I can try again after work! :music3:

 

[danf]

I did the wrong kind of digging around the inside of the cap where the steel push-pin goes instead of outside in the groove of the small end.

I almost think that you don't even need to unscrew the dang thang?

I got to digging inside the shaft/pin-slide-chamber-tube and i dug out a black rubber plug(i think i lost or threw it away thinking it was a deposit and not a part of the switch.) But, now after rereading everything here, i think that was a seal to the expanding wax? Isn't that what they install to expand and thus push the diaphragm switch inside the large permenantly sealed-end of the switch to make the circuit complete?

I think I dug out some irreplaceable stuff but, i didn't go around the outside of the small groove(i'm thinking i didn't get those images to load on my work computer so i just tried to do what I was reading and fubar-ed one of my switches?!? Any feedback comment would be helpful Beave?

The good news is I still have another switch that I didn't get so agressive with that I can try again after work! :music3:

I do not dig on that side of the switch at all, the most I do is spray brake cleaner down that hole then I put the pin in the hole and push it in and out a bunch of times[spring in that hole] so the cleaner does it's job the I boil the whole thing while its apart, then blow dry it, then try it all, you do know I soak the tip part in carb cleaner for 30 minutes then boil it too..12 for 12..

 

[BigDub]

[/quote]I do not dig on that side of the switch at all, the most I do is spray brake cleaner down that hole then I put the pin in the hole and push it in and out a bunch of times[spring in that hole] so the cleaner does it's job the I boil the whole thing while its apart, then blow dry it, then try it all, you do know I soak the tip part in cab cleaner for 30 minutes then boil it too..12 for 12..[/quote]

okay. so, i should try with a smallish wire like a cable tie. i don't keep bread around the house because of the evil microscopic devils that live with me in the summer(ANTS.) So, bottom line a tiny flexible wire that will hook around the small cap and go up into that groove.

hook the small wire around the outside of the small cap's groove and scrape, scrape, and scrape some more until there are no more flaky white crumbles of residue falling out of there? This is after soaking in carb cleaner for 30 mins, then scrape, then boil?

 

[danf]

Yeh, the carb cleaner just loosen the stuff under the cap or end senser probe thingy, if that shaft has gunk built up under there the cap can't move..Stuck, you will make it work.. and if not there are other opinions...

 

[BigDub]

Yeh, the carb cleaner just loosen the stuff under the cap or end senser probe thingy, if that shaft has gunk built up under there the cap can't move..Stuck, you will make it work.. and if not there are other opinions...

"other opionions..." I love your use of the phrase! :hihihi:

 

[danf]

Yeh, the carb cleaner just loosen the stuff under the cap or end senser probe thingy, if that shaft has gunk built up under there the cap can't move..Stuck, you will make it work.. and if not there are other opinions...

"other opionions..." I love your use of the phrase! :hihihi:

sorry options...not opinions...duhhh I didn't prove read it sorry,