Things Got Hot

[wedoo2]

On Sunday the Gold Witch overheated not far from home. I stopped at a gas station when the gauge got up there, let things cool down for a while and added some coolant and got it home okay.

I checked the filler cap first and it was tight (easy stuff first), then hooked up the fan motor to a battery and it did not come on. I have ordered another motor and fan off ebay and a thermostat o-ring so I can check it while the radiator is off the bike just to be sure.

I now recall that I have never heard the fan motor switch on. I read here somewhere that the fan really shouldn't come on while riding down the road as things should keep cool enough, but the bike has been running over half on the gauge. Since it does not have an actual temp gauge in degrees I'm wondering at what point it should kick on. Obviously, on Sunday, when I saw it heading towards red line I knew something was wrong I just stopped.

Thought I would just post this and get some thoughts. I may look into having a manual switch but then I hate to leave things to myself when it should work automatically.

 

[dan filipi]

The fan on mine comes on around 3/4 scale maybe a touch higher.

 

[slabghost]

wedoo2 » Fri Sep 16, 2016 7:27 am[/url]":3uvxcj01]
On Sunday the Gold Witch overheated not far from home. I stopped at a gas station when the gauge got up there, let things cool down for a while and added some coolant and got it home okay.

I checked the filler cap first and it was tight (easy stuff first), then hooked up the fan motor to a battery and it did not come on. I have ordered another motor and fan off ebay and a thermostat o-ring so I can check it while the radiator is off the bike just to be sure.

I now recall that I have never heard the fan motor switch on. I read here somewhere that the fan really shouldn't come on while riding down the road as things should keep cool enough, but the bike has been running over half on the gauge. Since it does not have an actual temp gauge in degrees I'm wondering at what point it should kick on. Obviously, on Sunday, when I saw it heading towards red line I knew something was wrong I just stopped.

Thought I would just post this and get some thoughts. I may look into having a manual switch but then I hate to leave things to myself when it should work automatically.

Fan switch "grounds" the fan which has power to it always. To check the fan ground the wire going to the fan switch. If it doesn't work check your fuses and their connections.

 

[wedoo2]

I just checked the thermostat and it is not opening, even up to boiling. I think that there was a thermostat that I could get from NAPA / Autozone etc for a lot less than getting it from Honda. I also checked the fuse unless there is a hidden fuse, and the ground, but fan still sick. What are the odds both the fan and thermostat were both bad?

 

[wedoo2]

Dealer price for a thermostat $31.40 Good heavens

 

[AApple]

T-stat part numbers are:
NAPA #THM 101
Stant #13868
Murray #3868

As for what the gauges says VS actual temps, and when the fan comes on, check out THIS POST on how I checked my gauge to see what was what. This is how mine is...your results may vary....but prolly not by much. Getting your fan to work will help immensely. :yes:

 

[Ansimp]

Try and power up the fan directly to check if it is ok. If you ride in traffic and you haven't heard the fan come on in traffic during hot weather then more than likely there is a fault in the fan, switch or circuit.

 

[Ansimp]

wedoo2 » Sat Sep 17, 2016 12:13 pm[/url]":1p3c00z4]
Dealer price for a thermostat $31.40 Good heavens

Override switch or have a go at cleaning the contacts in the old switch. :yes:
Oops just realised the price was for the thermostat not the switch. :doh:

 

[AApple]

I put an overide switch on mine earlier this year....it's made a HUGE difference, along with modifying the "grill" in front of the rad.

 

[Ansimp]

AApple » Sat Sep 17, 2016 12:37 pm[/url]":1o2a2rn1]
I put an overide switch on mine earlier this year....it's made a HUGE difference, along with modifying the "grill" in front of the rad.

:good: :blush:

 

[wedoo2]

AApple » Yesterday, 10:15 pm[/url]":26042c7d]
T-stat part numbers are:
NAPA #THM 101
Stant #13868
Murray #3868

As for what the gauges says VS actual temps, and when the fan comes on, check out THIS POST on how I checked my gauge to see what was what. This is how mine is...your results may vary....but prolly not by much. Getting your fan to work will help immensely. :yes:

Great post AApple. First you saved me $30, then you went McGiver on my temperature vs gauge question. Did everything but send me your temp gauge. That's okay, found one for under $10. There is probably a way to install a permanent gauge on these bikes but I haven't had time to research it.

I ordered the fan and I'm going to put in the new thermostat so I don't have to fool with this anymore. Just another weekend without riding. Precious few left.

 

[wedoo2]

I still have not solved my fan problem, the motorcycle still goes toward red line and the fan does not come on. I have verified that the fan does work and have changed the thermostat. I have the sending unit for the water temp that I can switch out from an extra motor, but before I do that is there something else that I am missing? I suppose that I could check continuity from that sending unit wire to where ever it goes but will that actually tell me anything?

Changing that unit will pretty much mean getting the carbs out of the way so it could take a while.

 

[wedoo2]

One other thing, can I test the sending unit I would replace it with?

 

[mcgovern61]

Here is a video on how to test the sending unit:

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

 

[AApple]

There are TWO coolant sensors...make sure you're checking the correct one for the fan. The fan sensor is the one with two terminals. This sensor provides the ground for the fan. The sensor with one terminal is for the temp gauge.

 

[wedoo2]

I appreciate the info guys. My gauge is working fine, and after the watching the video I know that the switch I took off another motor is good. The sensor on the thermostat housing is considerably easier to get to as well. There's no chance that the female plug that goes into the sensor can be backwards is there?

 

[wedoo2]

Here is where I am right now, fan works, new thermostat, changed the temp sending unit. Ran the bike to almost red line on the temp gauge and the fan does not come on. It got hot enough where it was close to overflowing. All of the fuses on the bike are good, continuity checked. Not sure where to go from here.

 

[ekvh]

Female end can go on two ways, but will still work, I think, because it's just two ground wires. When the switch closes, the ground is completed back to the fan which has a hot wire already. When the switches get some gunk built up in them they will start to work randomly before not working at all. They can be taken apart and cleaned. The ones I have done get a whitish substance that looks like calcium or bicarbonate build up to me.

 

[dan filipi]

With the key on, jumper across the fan switch plug wires. The fan should come on. If so then the wiring is good and bad thermo switch.

 

[bronko37]

I would just wire it up so the fan is always on and be done with it. Certainly wont hurt anything. At least then you can ride it until we get the issue solved.