Coolant temp sensor/fan switch fail?

[Johnrg]

On my '13 310 I changed to Zip Ty XF1 a couple of years ago and also to TC style silicone hoses and spliced in the temp sensor/fan switch. My fan has not switched on since. It's connected, but curious if the Evans based stuff might be helping here?

Sensor is cheap to replace but just a curiosity since Evans is supposed to keep coolant stable if slightly hotter. As stock with the thermostst and complicated routing, could that have just run and spiked hotter than the TC hoses and ZT XF1?

 

[Trenchcoat85]

On my '13 310 I changed to Zip Ty XF1 a couple of years ago and also to TC style silicone hoses and spliced in the temp sensor/fan switch. My fan has not switched on since. It's connected, but curious if the Evans based stuff might be helping here?

Sensor is cheap to replace but just a curiosity since Evans is supposed to keep coolant stable if slightly hotter. As stock with the thermostst and complicated routing, could that have just run and spiked hotter than the TC hoses and ZT XF1?

the stock in-hose switch right? hmmmm. I would've assumed your coolant had reached 195-200° at least once in the 2 year span. Or is the sensor in the hot air/radiator fins?

does the fan still work (to test- short the stock sensor). check the fuse and relay. to test your sensor, put an ohm meter on it (multimeter) and confirm it's open or lots of resistance at room temp. then put it in boiling water and confirm it is closed (0 ohms or close).

I am also assuming you've never had to put in coolant since then, because of Evans higher boiling point; right?

lotta assumptions there on my part.

BTW, I've been running my 310r without a fan at all- for over 2 years. You're probably okay.

 

[ghte]

I have an 09 and 10 models with fans. They run the "ICE product and to my knowledge the fans have yet to come on even on hot days. There has not been any issue with the radiators boiling.
I know the fans work as when the temp sensors die (a problem in these models) the sensor tells the ecu the engine is at a high temp and the fans kick in when the bike is first started.

 

[Johnrg]

My coolant is as clear as when I first added it and hasn't lost any, even when I had a new hose leak in WY. Between the low pressure and constant flow with the new hoses and no thermostat, maybe it just is more stable temp wise. Good to know both of you are not too concerned about it. I have not been riding much hot and slow anyway. I'll test it next time I pull the tank.

 

[ghte]

one trick is to get a higher BAR radiator cap.

 

[Trenchcoat85]

one trick is to get a higher BAR radiator cap.

I don't think that would help with Evans maybe? too high of a boiling point to make a difference. ...or wait- is Evans water-based?

(also, on our bikes [redhead xlites] the ECU does not control the fan; a separate heat switch does)

 

[Johnrg]

Evens isn't water based. Maybe I have isolated the hoses better from the heat as well covering the header standoff as well as pulling the hoses away from the head. I would assume the stock hoses had a lot of turbulence due to the thermostat and junctions so possibly more spikes in temps more readily transferred to the sensor.

 

[Trenchcoat85]

Evens isn't water based. Maybe I have isolated the hoses better from the heat as well covering the header standoff as well as pulling the hoses away from the head. I would assume the stock hoses had a lot of turbulence due to the thermostat and junctions so possibly more spikes in temps more readily transferred to the sensor.

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You haven't had problems running with fewer hose clamps? I guess Evans does a good job in that regard. No boiling so no pressure build-up ('cept for thermal expansion). I might mod the radiator cap to be a zero-pound cap though. just in case.

...or did you just remove 3 hose clamps and then take a pic- to fool me?

 

[Johnrg]

No wonder I had a slight leak .

 

[Aaronc]

why go to a 0 pound cap, its a pressure cap to raise the boiling point of the coolant. why would you want to lower your boiling point, just wondering

 

[Trenchcoat85]

why go to a 0 pound cap, its a pressure cap to raise the boiling point of the coolant. why would you want to lower your boiling point, just wondering

the boiling point of Evans is substantially above water, I believe.

And water/glycol at 1.8bar is like, uh... 290°? If that lets go... you're jumping off a moving bike immediately, without thinking.

The idea is to keep the engine cool; but most of us get concerned about keeping the coolant cool- which is a step removed from our objective.

Weirdly though, plain water is one of the absolute best mediums for carrying heat. Maybe liquid sodium gets close, but I doubt it.

 

[Aaronc]

makes sense since theres already such a high boiling point with the coolant there wouldn't be a need to raise it

 

[Trenchcoat85]

makes sense since theres already such a high boiling point with the coolant there wouldn't be a need to raise it

...and less of a chance that the escaping coolant will flash into a scalding gas (IOW steam).

but again: not as efficient as water for heat transfer.

 

[2wheeler]

I have not heard my fan since Aug 2015.

Was loosing a little coolant with each ride at the time. Changed the cap to CV4 - 31lb, flushed the system and added Engine Ice. Have not lost coolant since.

 

[Trenchcoat85]

Try your old cap now. If you lose coolant- bad cap. If not, it's the new coolant or flush that fixed things.

It's aways nice to know. And smart.

 

[2wheeler]

Good point! Now that I have recovered from a brief brain fart.... Changed the coolant in Sept 14 while adding rad guards. Summer 15 would loose a little coolant. Got tired of topping off and changed the cap out. No coolant loss since and no fan running since.