So my rad fan was making a high pitched whine for a while. And after taking my bike to 2 mechanics, who acknowledged there's an issue, but couldn't find it, I finally had to do it myself. Took the left side rad off, checked the fan. Covered in melted black plastic, but unharmed. Didn't touch the, so I looked under the bike - and the fan has sliced open one of the coolant hoses that's an overflow from the right rad. Now why the hell can't professional mechanics find something that simple? They even offered to order a new rad for me to cure the issue!?!?! I replaced the hose, filled it up. Seems to be ok. Second issue is that the rad fan won't come on. i think it normally come on about 221 F. It already wan't working before, so it's not something I screwed up. I discconected the rad harness from the main and hooked up my battery charger. Fan didn't turn. But it looks like there's a thermo in the rad itself and part of that wiring. I'm guessing that switch is normally closed and maybe that failed as well? I don't cut into to it to test separately. My options are 1 - replace the thermo and or 2 - replace the fan.
Infamous !! The thermoswitch on the rad fails almost as often as the r/r, and that's alot !! Not so often on newer bikes like yours. Fans seldom fail while thermoswitches often do, but in your case ?? It the fuse is good, and the connections both at the switch and to the wiring harness are good, the fan should run when you touch the thermoswitch wire to ground. Switch is normally open, connects to ground at 100 C. Check that a green wire with copper eyelet connects fan to radiator.
All leaky hoses are replaced and filled up with coolant. I've ordered a new thermo switch online. For the moment, I wired in a manual switch, which is temporarily getto taped onto the front. It ran cool this morning, but then it was cool outside. Local Honda shop doesn't stock ANYTHING, says this must be imported from the States and subject to an extra shipping charge. I'm in the biggest city in Canada and can't get parts. Seriously, why do I need dealer support?!?!? And these guys were the idiots that couldn't find the leak. Its only 2 cm long! </rant> From cruising other threads: - Have also ordered an 2000-2001 RC 51 oil cooler, which seems to be be drop in. - am considering the VTR1000 fan so it can blow out instead of in. Seems like my problem, cuz commuting to work, in stop and do traffic is the main overheating time. While I'm at this, is there's anything else I should consider? thanks for all the advice! Olaf
