[gmussell]

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Hi, I'm a new member and new gw owner. I bought a 82 interstate last week. and took it on a trip to Fl. It was about 1550 miles. I made it there and back, 2 days each way, the bike ran great. I have never heard the fan come on, I don't think it works, but I don't know where to start to check it.

any help would be appreciated

thanks

george

 

[Silicon Sam]

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Where was your gauge reading? Anything over halfway?

 

[exavid]

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:waving::waving: Welcome to the World's Greatest Goldwing Site gmussel! :waving::waving:

Normally you won't hear the fan come in unless you are hung up in slow traffic. As long as the bike is moving around 30mph or so it won't get hot enough to bring the fan up.Silicon Sam asked you whether your temp gauge rose to half scale because it usually takes a bit past half scale on the temp guage before the fan switches on.

 

[exavid]

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:waving::waving: Welcome to the World's Greatest Goldwing Site gmussel! :waving::waving:

Normally you won't hear the fan come in unless you are hung up in slow traffic. As long as the bike is moving around 30mph or so it won't get hot enough to bring the fan up.Silicon Sam asked you whether your temp gauge rose to half scale because it usually takes a bit past half scale on the temp guage before the fan switches on.

 

[gmussell]

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It was usually about in the middle, a little below in the morning when its cooler ,and a little above in the afternoon. The only time it got hot was when I was stuck in stop and go traffic or idling in the driveway.


thanks

George

 

[plainmech]

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i would check fuse, if that's ok check power at fan switch. you can also make a fused jumper to short across plug to see if fan works. good luck:action::waving:

 

[Bagmaster]

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I never hear mine unless I switch off the engine using the kill switch after a hot run.

 

[83GoldWinger]

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plainmech wrote:

i would check fuse, if that's ok check power at fan switch. you can also make a fused jumper to short across plug to see if fan works. good luck:action::waving:

:waving:Looking at the wire diagram for the '82 GL1100 Interstate I do not see a fuse for the fan. The GL1200 might have one but on all my wire diagrams for the GL1100 I do not see a fan specific fuse. The fan is controlled by the thermo switch and if it's bad the fan will not come on.

 

[exavid]

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You really don't need to use a fused jumper across the fan plug because the thermostatic switch grounds the fan to turn it on. There's fused 12V applied to the fan motor whenever the ignition key is on so the system is protected. Just short across the two connections in the fan switch plug, if the fan runs the switch is probably bad and should be tested out of the engine in a hot oil bath, if the fan doesn't run then the problem is in the fan or it's wiring.

 

[Bschofield]

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well, here in the land of sun and fun! my thermoswitch went out, and so i just put a switch on it. when it get's half way i flip it on. lately, for me that is after 5 mins of riding and after 9 am... but i chose to live here!

I never hear it unless i'm stopped, and even when i have forgotten to turn it on i haven't gotten to the red.. although my legs were red from the heat! (that was my reminder)

if you are concerned, get a new thermostatic switch. or .. bypass for $5

Barry

 

[gmussell]

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Thanks for all your help. I wish they were all this easy. I took off the lower right fairing to get a look at a fan, and what I saw was a pig tail coming off the back of the fan that was not plugged into anything, above it a wire with a similar plug. I just plugged it in and started the bike and let it idle. As soon as the gauge passed center the fan came on, the gauge backed off and the fan shut off. It even looked like a fairly new fan, I guess someone forgot.

thanks

George

 

[exavid]

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Hey, sometimes you get lucky!!:clapper::clapper:

 

[plainmech]

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glad you got it easy, gotta work that way for someone:dude::action::waving:

 

[newbiker]

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My fan switch didn't work, I went to junk yard and bought a switch from I think 92 Geo Metro for $2. It is the only switch which fits Wing. After I installed it I realized that Wing switch is direct one but Geo switch works with relay(fan current goes thru Wing switch, Geo fan current goes thru relay). So I had to buy and install relay for $3.