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f4i overheating

MSFIT

MSFIT

New member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Location
Not Detected
Moto(s)
06 450x
Name
wil
alright so my f4i has been overheating past couple days...

I've seen temps of 230+

My fan is not coming on.

Fuse is fine, but swapped it out just in case.
Also swapped out coolant temp switch since there was one laying around.
Tested the fan with a battery and it works fine.

Does anyone have a wiring diagram? Anyone else had this problem?

There are two wires out of the fan, one goes directly to coolant temp switch, the other goes to a plug with two pins, the other pin in the this plug has a wire running to ground on the radiator. The other side of the plug has two wires that go into the wiring harness and I cannot trace from there without pulling it apart.

The rly bad news, we have mice in our garage, I am keeping my fingers crossed that they did not chew up my wiring!!
 
When is this occuring? only sitting in traffic? Moving on the freeway? It has been hot recently, but your fan should click on


here is a pic for you

1) burp your cooling system. If there is an air pocket near your therostat, the fan wont turn on...Have you changed coolant recently or disconected a coolant line anywhere? I'm betting this may be it based on what you have said

2) test the switch independent of the bike

3) If mice ever do chew through you wiring. Your comprehensive coverage will cover it. If you dont have comp coverage, get it
 

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awesome!

thanks dan!

Yes I recently changed my coolant for the trackday, it gets close to 200 on freeway and the hot temps are sitting at lights.

I think you might be right about an air pocket, this will be first thing to try when I get home.

I was trying to find how to test the coolant temp switch.

It looks like its open till it gets hot, so if I start the bike, put a jumper wire from what connects to the switch to ground, the fan should turn on. That will tell me all my wires are good?
 
bingo. when you're filling / bleeding the system, rock the bike vigorously back + forth, with it running and hte bleeder cracked. also burp the hoses, especially at kinks or bends. this helps evacuate any trapped air.

check the switch, and i'd replace the t-stat as a matter of course, since you're in there. cheap insurance.

MSFIT said:
Yes I recently changed my coolant for the trackday, it gets close to 200 on freeway and the hot temps are sitting at lights.
Click to expand...
 
iin10ded said:
check the switch, and i'd replace the t-stat as a matter of course, since you're in there. cheap insurance.
Click to expand...

thermostat on that bike is a BITCH to get to...especially if the engine is still in the bike. Fortunantly the ones honda used are known for lasting forever
 
Ok,

1. Radiator was dry =/
a. filled radi with water, started bike and let it warm up, it shot past 190(tstat opens at like 180?) the level never dropped of what was in the radiator.
b. It's either full now or tstat is not opening or waterpump is not turning
c. I have an extra tstat(w/ housing) and water pump. I'm going to swap the water pump today just for good measure, I think the tstat is working, rode it around for a bit last night and it hit 180 then dropped to 177 like it used to.

2. Fan is not working
a. fan temp switch is bad
b. honda wants $50.79 and has to order it
c. I think I'm just going to wire a toggle switch for now, anyone got ideas for remembering to turn it on and off?
 
so I think my problems went like this.

Fan switch died..
Bike started getting hot, water and water wetter started evaporating
Kept getting hot, more evaporated
I think water pump and tstat are fine, but motor wont cool without water =P
Hence why it hit 255 :( yesterday on 87 south at night..

If there is no water around the tstat does the air get hot enough for it to open? If there is no water around the coolant temp switch does the air get hot enough to make it work?
 
MSFIT said:
I think I'm just going to wire a toggle switch for now, anyone got ideas for remembering to turn it on and off?
Click to expand...

The thought of needing a brand new engine when yours mistakenly overheats should be enough to help you remember to turn on the fan.

Or fix it the right way with a working thermostat and fan and worry less.

Ditch the Water Wetter and use a conventional mix of 50/50 distilled water and coolant. Engine temps in the 255f department is way too hot. Like engine damage hot.
 
hitman5532 said:
NO... thats why you need to burp the system... dont just throw money at it replacing parts
Click to expand...

On the bike, shaking it, squeezing the rad hoses... I dont have money to be throwing at it haha..

My temp switch must be bad though, why else would the fan not come on*? I have another one I can try, but I think that one is busted too..

*yesterday when I was bleeding the system i got it up to 228 and the fan did not come on(usually at 225 is does) I had the cap open on the radi and water was boiling out of it

also the spare parts I have are off another f4i's blown motor...its just sitting in a garage, friend of mines
 
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lift the front up on that bike, as the thermo sits slighty higher than the res cap, and the cap may over flow but there is still air at the thermo...if yjack the front and get the radi cap higher than thermo it can help get air out...ive had to do that many times

If you cant jack the front, you disconnect the hose which leaves the thermo and goes to the top of the radi (near cap) hold that up higher than the cap as you fill itto help evac air...i prefer the other method though
 
i would definitely say to fix it right. 50$ is cheap in the grand scheme of things to have a properly functioning bike. you won't remember to use the fan and you will ruin the engine. 50$ is waaaaaaaay easier than r+ring the motor.
 
hitman5532 said:
lift the front up on that bike, as the thermo sits slighty higher than the res cap, and the cap may over flow but there is still air at the thermo...if yjack the front and get the radi cap higher than thermo it can help get air out...ive had to do that many times

If you cant jack the front, you disconnect the hose which leaves the thermo and goes to the top of the radi (near cap) hold that up higher than the cap as you fill itto help evac air...i prefer the other method though
Click to expand...

Or burp it while parked on an inclined driveway works too.
 
Got it done, thanks a lot guys :)

I switched my old fan switch back in, bled the system again, on inclined driveway, rocking bike etc and fan clicked on, bike is doing great now :D
 
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