Sleeping Beauty's radiator fan - Honda Shadow Forums : Shadow Motorcycle Forum

made2care · 02-28-2012, 07:19 PM

Should this fan come on after a 30 min ride. I have had her for 5 months now and have never heard or seen the fan come on. how could I test the fan ?

vito · 02-28-2012, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by made2care

Should this fan come on after a 30 min ride. I have had her for 5 months now and have never heard or seen the fan come on. how could I test the fan ?

Depends on the type of ride and ambient temp. Lot's of stop n go in the heat and that fan could pop on pretty quickly.

Check the fuse first.
Make sure there is power getting to the sensor.
Make sure the fan works by unplugging it from the sensor located somewhere on the back of your radiator.....run current directly to the fan (bypass the sensor) and see if it works.

If the fuse is good, and there is power to the fan (sensor) and the fan works, then you probably need a new sensor. If the fan doesn't work....you need a new fan.

If there is an issue with power getting to the sensor.....don't know what to do there other than getting it to a shop.

PainterD · 02-29-2012, 07:57 AM

You are able to ride all day without the fan coming on. Mine rarely runs unless it's over 90 degrees and I'm sitting still in traffic. You'll know when it comes on, the heat can easily be felt on your legs while sitting on the bike.

Steffenaj14 · 02-29-2012, 09:11 AM

funny that this thread came up... i'm working on restoring/getting my 84 shadow 500 running and i'm in the process of rebuilding starter, new battery, spark plugs, electrical stuff fixed and all that. and when i had my battery hooked up to a battery pack to try to start it the fan turns on, the lights turn on but i don't have enough juice to turn the engine over. wierd huh?

Surface ET · 03-02-2012, 06:39 PM

That's where my problem started, and I thought nothing of it for a while. I grounded out the lead coming off of the fan motor switch on the radiator, and the fan ran, so it was a bad sensor, or so I thought. Took off the radiator and found it was cracked.....Long story short, I pulled the engine out and found the water pump was shot. So I was able to rebuild the entire cooling system on my bike this winter.

John Hopkins · 03-02-2012, 09:12 PM

If you didn't notice ET's post..

Look at the bottom of the radiator, pull of the spade connector and touch it on to the frame while the ignition is switched on and the fan will run..then run a lead to a handlebar switch and down to earth to switch the fan on anytime you want to.

John.

FloridaLarry · 03-02-2012, 09:34 PM

Test for he radiator fan switch. Ride bike and get it to normal opeating temp. Park and instead of idle bump the throttle up a little 2K to 4K rpm. If the fan does not come on in five minutes the switch is no good. Of course check my location I live in Florida our radiator fans come on regularly. Replacing my fan switch tomorrow. Happy wrenching.

Cynthia-M · 08-25-2012, 12:58 PM

My bike, Shadow Phantom, is brand new. I have 100 miles on it and take it out for about an hour each ride. I have yet to hear the radiator fan come on. Is this normal for a new bike?

Earthling789 · 08-25-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthia-M

My bike, Shadow Phantom, is brand new. I have 100 miles on it and take it out for about an hour each ride. I have yet to hear the radiator fan come on. Is this normal for a new bike?

As said before, "normal" depends on conditions...

If its 100-degrees out, and I'm driving stop/go in town... the fan comes on every few minutes, but when its only 75-degrees out, and I'm running back-roads and highway... I can ride for hours without the fan coming on once.... new bike or 27-yr old bike (like mine)... it depends on conditions.

Just because these bikes are water-cooled, doesn't mean they aren't also "air-cooled".... just like a VW engine, the cylinders have very efficient cooling fins, and it does not take much air-flow to pull heat away from the engine!

Cynthia-M · 08-25-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthling789

As said before, "normal" depends on conditions...

If its 100-degrees out, and I'm driving stop/go in town... the fan comes on every few minutes, but when its only 75-degrees out, and I'm running back-roads and highway... I can ride for hours without the fan coming on once.... new bike or 27-yr old bike (like mine)... it depends on conditions.

Just because these bikes are water-cooled, doesn't mean they aren't also "air-cooled".... just like a VW engine, the cylinders have very efficient cooling fins, and it does not take much air-flow to pull heat away from the engine!

Awesome and sound advice! I am running backroads so that only makes sense.

Thank you!

Safe riding!

Cynthia

02-28-2012, 07:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
made2care Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 48	Sleeping Beauty's radiator fan Should this fan come on after a 30 min ride. I have had her for 5 months now and have never heard or seen the fan come on. how could I test the fan ?

02-29-2012, 07:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
PainterD Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Central, Minnesota Posts: 7,530	You are able to ride all day without the fan coming on. Mine rarely runs unless it's over 90 degrees and I'm sitting still in traffic. You'll know when it comes on, the heat can easily be felt on your legs while sitting on the bike. __________________

03-02-2012, 06:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
Surface ET Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 229	That's where my problem started, and I thought nothing of it for a while. I grounded out the lead coming off of the fan motor switch on the radiator, and the fan ran, so it was a bad sensor, or so I thought. Took off the radiator and found it was cracked.....Long story short, I pulled the engine out and found the water pump was shot. So I was able to rebuild the entire cooling system on my bike this winter. __________________ 95 ACE VT1100 87 VT1100C(sold)

03-02-2012, 09:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
John Hopkins Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Tredegar,South Wales, near England, not far from Scotland. Posts: 3,392	If you didn't notice ET's post.. Look at the bottom of the radiator, pull of the spade connector and touch it on to the frame while the ignition is switched on and the fan will run..then run a lead to a handlebar switch and down to earth to switch the fan on anytime you want to. John. __________________ Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes right to the bone.

03-02-2012, 09:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
FloridaLarry Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Florida Posts: 76	Test for he radiator fan switch. Ride bike and get it to normal opeating temp. Park and instead of idle bump the throttle up a little 2K to 4K rpm. If the fan does not come on in five minutes the switch is no good. Of course check my location I live in Florida our radiator fans come on regularly. Replacing my fan switch tomorrow. Happy wrenching. Attached Thumbnails

02-29-2012, 09:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
Steffenaj14 Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 81	funny that this thread came up... i'm working on restoring/getting my 84 shadow 500 running and i'm in the process of rebuilding starter, new battery, spark plugs, electrical stuff fixed and all that. and when i had my battery hooked up to a battery pack to try to start it the fan turns on, the lights turn on but i don't have enough juice to turn the engine over. wierd huh?

08-25-2012, 12:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
Cynthia-M Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Fallbrook, Ca Posts: 23	My bike, Shadow Phantom, is brand new. I have 100 miles on it and take it out for about an hour each ride. I have yet to hear the radiator fan come on. Is this normal for a new bike?

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