Coolant temperature sender modification

[863charlie]

Hope someone can help with a mod I want to do on my YZF Thunderace. I want to change my coolant temperature sender unit so my Rad fans come on at a lower temperature. The original sender doesn't switch the fans on till 105 degrees. I have a replacement sender but this has 2 prongs where as the Ace's only has 1. Can anyone tell me how to wire this up; is a case of just putting a link wire ? I do not want to go down the path of putting a manual switch on.

[megawatt]

Buy a sender that switches at a lower temperature? Most switch at 105 degrees though.

[Stu]

105 is normal!

if its not broke don't fix it!

is it overheating?

[Joeman]

Hope someone can help with a mod I want to do on my YZF Thunderace. I want to change my coolant temperature sender unit so my Rad fans come on at a lower temperature. The original sender doesn't switch the fans on till 105 degrees. I have a replacement sender but this has 2 prongs where as the Ace's only has 1. Can anyone tell me how to wire this up; is a case of just putting a link wire ? I do not want to go down the path of putting a manual switch on.

 

whats wrong with 105 degrees? what temp would you like the fan to kick in and why?

105 might sound hot to you, but engines are perfectly happy at that temperature and running them too cool isnt a good idea.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

If you are determined to change it then are you confusing the coolant temperature sensor for the gauge, which is a single wire to a sensor that earths out as the temperature rises...with the coolant thermoswitch which is two wires?

A simple check is to put the single wire to earth. If it's the sender for the gauge it will read hot when earthed out.

[fastbob]

Forgive me but I can't see the point . The fan on my GSXR must have only come on a dozen times in 39,000 miles . This usually happened if I got stuck in heavy traffic such as a motorway stoppage immediately after high speed riding . To be honest , the fan did very little to actually lower the temperature of the engine . The quickest way to do that is get the bike back up to high speed again . Not only is there more air being forced through the rad and oil cooler and around the engine but the oil and coolant are circulating much faster which all combines to cancel out the extra heat generated by combustion. So please correct me if I'm wrong but I've never really regarded a radiator fan as being of much importance . Let's face it , a little round fan in the middle of a big radiator doesn't look like it does very much .

[Bianco2564]

. So please correct me if I'm wrong but I've never really regarded a radiator fan as being of much importance . Let's face it , a little round fan in the middle of a big radiator doesn't look like it does very much .

 

My RGV doesn't have a cooling fan and several times when I've been stuck in traffic the temp just keeps on climbing to the point I've had to switch it off. Which in itself is counterproductive as heatsink can occur as there is no water flow.

As you say the best thing is to keep the bike moving but if you are stuck in traffic what do you do?

It is one mod I've considered doing to the RGV is adding a fan so I don't end up with an expensive rebuild.

To the original question, my R1 runs about 70 deg at normal speed and the fan comes on about 100, so your YZF sounds normal to me.As someone has asked ,why do you want this?

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I used to live in a city centre and the fan ran nearly every day on my way home. But it did the job and kept the needle out of the red. Sitting in traffic having hot air blasted at you in the height of summer wasn't much fun though. Why manufacturers can't divert the heat away from the rider is a mystery.

[Snod Blatter]

Why manufacturers can't divert the heat away from the rider is a mystery.

 

Kawasaki do!!

Can't say I've noticed any difference, mind. Also, as everyone else says, 105 is normal etc. so if it's boiling over then have a look at the radiator cap instead.

[fastbob]

The first time I got stuck in traffic on the Harley I couldn't believe how much heat was coming off the engine . More fierce than anything I had ever encountered . When I was stationary I had to place my feet wide apart to avoid my legs being burned . Then it occurred to me that that the heat was coming OFF the engine and that the deep cooling fins were doing what they were supposed to be doing , cooling . So I stopped worrying about it . I bet a Vincent Black Shadow chucked out some serious heat !

[sparkpaintersuk]

If you are determined to change it then are you confusing the coolant temperature sensor for the gauge, which is a single wire to a sensor that earths out as the temperature rises...with the coolant thermoswitch which is two wires?

A simple check is to put the single wire to earth. If it's the sender for the gauge it will read hot when earthed out.

 

Thank you for this answer, I have learned a new thing.

[863charlie]

Thank you to every one that helped with my conundrum of a mod for my Ace. After reading all the post I have decided to just replace the sender. I did ground out the sender and no reading so its duff. I use my bike all year to commute into central London So the twin fans always work overtime untill I get moving. Once again, cheers everyone.

[fastbob]

Believe it or not , people actually fit cooling fans to Harley's . I think I'll put up with the heat .