Oil cooler fan switch, advice pls

[Jeykey]

Advice needed please, living in a very hot climate like Lisbon, Portugal getting Summer temps as of >35ºC, do you think a manual fan switch would be useful ? Never heard the fan come on but then it only switches on at 120ªC. Yesterday was a hell of a day, when I arrived home seemed like I had a baking oven next to my legs. Was thinking of this one, fan switch, still keeps the auto function enabled.

[KiwiCol]

Hmmm, maybe you fan doesn't work?  You can see if it'll come on by starting the bike and letting it idle for a while, without air being blown over the cooler you'll hear the fan come on for sure if it's working.  If it comes on when you leave it idling, it's working correctly & no need for a switch, but I suppose there's no harm in putting one in anyway.

Do you have an infrared contactless thermometer?  They're cheap, you just point the red dot at whatever and they tell you how hot something is.  Great tool and quite useful I've found over the years I've had one.  I used to use it to check the wheel bearing temps on the boat trailer when I was towing it up & down the country. Thermostat opening temp by pointing it at the housing on the outboard, many uses for 1.

[Barbastro K6]

The manual describes at what temperature it is connected and when the fan is disconnected.
Covering it with a cloth at the time of the test will connect it before.

saudade desde españa

[Eric GSX1400K3]

I personally don't think these bikes need a separate fan switch.  I've ridden in Perth mid summer temps pushing over 40deg C and never had the fan come on, bike behaves perfectly well. They can actually run too cold, and the idle speed is monitored off the oil temp sensor, so if too cold, it will run too rich.

Just remember to use a quality semi-synth engine oil and filters, changing every 5000km.

[Jeykey]

I personally don't think these bikes need a separate fan switch.  I've ridden in Perth mid summer temps pushing over 40deg C and never had the fan come on, bike behaves perfectly well. They can actually run too cold, and the idle speed is monitored off the oil temp sensor, so if too cold, it will run too rich.

Just remember to use a quality semi-synth engine oil and filters, changing every 5000km.

That´s what I´ve been doing, used Castrol 100% now changed to same brand semi. I´ve bridged the thermo switch, ignition on and fan spins, just haven´t tested the sensor, next step. But I guess everything is ok; just too bloody damn hot.The idea wasn´t necessarily to make engine cooler, but myself ! And then engine too.

[Hooli]

I can't see the point, I've ridden around europe in mid summer with a seized fan & never knew until I felt the bike getting warm after 30 mins or so in stop start traffic. It's very rare they need the fan, hence you don't hear it very often.

You can unplug the fan switch at the forward facing plug on the RH front corner of the engine under the ignition cover. Short the contacts inside with the ignition on to prove the fan works & then forget about it.

[GSXKING]

In 25 years of ownership I'm fairly certain I've only heard it maybe once or twice whilst stuck in extreme heat 🥵 in bad traffic. 

It's quite an odd sound so I'd pulled over to find out what it was. 😳

[Jeykey]

My main point with this is not the engine running cooler for the engine´s sake, but for mine. I´ve always had a damn issue with heat. Just FYI, I do marathon running and in 2ºC always run with singlets, even North of Norway, where I did my personal best time. The engine being cooler is secondary, I know they manage heat very well and I know my fan is OK. Just thought that engine staying cooler I would too. After a very hot day I´ve measured +80ºC around engine!!

[Hooli]

You'll only be hotter with the fan on, the hot air ends up blowing up between your thighs & over your chest.

[KiwiCol]

You'll only be hotter with the fan on, the hot air ends up blowing up between your thighs & over your chest.

Agreed, you'll only be hotter if the fan comes on.

[Eric GSX1400K3]

Just ride faster....?

[grog]

I wanted to hear my fan, tried to get plug off but can't. Engine bar bolted on in front of it makes access difficult. Gave up on that idea 🤷🏼

[Eric GSX1400K3]

I wanted to hear my fan, tried to get plug off but can't. Engine bar bolted on in front of it makes access difficult. Gave up on that idea 🤷🏼

redline in the garage for 5 min, you may hear the fan, or you may hear something else?

[Barbastro K6]

place a rudimentary light bulb connected to the positive and negative radiator, put it in view and pay attention

[Jeykey]

Yeah, think I´ll have to put up with the damn heat...!