[Deacon1969]

OK well, I finally started working on the HEAT problem on my bike you guys would not believe what I found. The FAN is shatered. In pieces behind the Radiator. The Radiator has no, I repeat NO water in it. Don't know if it was from before I got it or not. I haven't had the bike that long. Doesn't seem to be any damage on the back side of the Radiator. The Problem is we can't get what is left of the fan off and don't want to force it. Is it threaded to the cam or is it Just splined on.



Deacon

 

[wmw]

You need a M14 x 1.5 bolt. It needs to be about 2" (50mm) long. Thread it on in, you won't believe how easily the fans comes off.

 

[richnct]

The bolt Will recommends is the best way, a flat nosed bolt so you get the maximum thread engagement, in other words, don't use a front axle. Cams have been broken by uneven prying, better to have decided against that method too. This club LOVES folks that ask before they bust stuff!

As Will sez, the right tool and it comes off as it was intended to. I'd be wondering and looking why there is no coolant in the radiator. It would take a pretty weird PO to drain it and then sell it without mentioning it was drained. But they're out there. A new (rather than used) replacement fan is recommended and go easy on the installation torque, the fan hubs stress and crack easily if over torqued. Nice looking GL, and in the somewhat rarer 1981 only black motif. Welcome, and ride safe.

 

[Deacon1969]

Well I got what was left off. I went to a shop and rented the correct tool. Now I have another problem. The Fan is discontinued and no used ones are available around here in Tucson. Technically I have A CX500 someone before me put on the GL500 faring. WOW. Anyway I am thinking about doing an Electical fan as a replacement I have seen mention of the conversion on this forum. The question I have, I have already put the new Seal in place on the cam. Do I need to put what is left of the Fan HUB back on inorder to keep that seal inplace. All that is left of the fan is the Metal center portion. Thanks in advance. Ohhh and if I do have to reinstall how do I do it.





Deacon

 

[Toehead]

Well I got what was left off. I went to a shop and rented the correct tool. Now I have another problem. The Fan is discontinued and no used ones are available around here in Tucson. Technically I have A CX500 someone before me put on the GL500 faring. WOW. Anyway I am thinking about doing an Electical fan as a replacement I have seen mention of the conversion on this forum. The question I have, I have already put the new Seal in place on the cam. Do I need to put what is left of the Fan HUB back on inorder to keep that seal inplace. All that is left of the fan is the Metal center portion. Thanks in advance. Ohhh and if I do have to reinstall how do I do it.





Deacon

I didn't, you really can't anyway because there woouldn't be room for the fan.



Shep recommends putting a little superglue on the seal rim to keep it from backing out, but I havn't had any problem. Having the fan on really doesn't stop it any way... mine was backed out on my bike when I got it, and it had a good fan on it!

 

[Toehead]

Fan still shows up as available on bikebandit.

 

[Deacon1969]

I didn't, you really can't anyway because there woouldn't be room for the fan.



Shep recommends putting a little superglue on the seal rim to keep it from backing out, but I havn't had any problem. Having the fan on really doesn't stop it any way... mine was backed out on my bike when I got it, and it had a good fan on it!

Thank you so much for the input.





Deacon

 

[Deacon1969]

Fan still shows up as available on bikebandit.

Would everyone suggest that I go with the original fan or should I find a used electic fan and do the conversion.



Deacon

 

[wmw]

I just purchased a new OEM Honda Fan from bike bandit about 2 weeks ago...

 

[Reg in Bristol]

Fitting a new orginal fan is your easiest and quickest option

and as long as its a good un it should give good service for years.

Tucson has much higher annual and average temps than here in old Blghty so I'd say

you need something.

I could probably, and very well might, run without one until next May

 

[marshallf3]

Some of us are going electric, if you search through the forums you'll find several threads on the conversion.



We know most Ninja 6R fans fit but I found a year that didn't, posted a picture of that type in one of the threads. I'll have the final word on the Suzuki GSXR1000 fan this weekend, OldOkie is almost 100% sure it will clear the cam just fine and it's a bit larger fan than the Ninja one and, in my opinion, appears to be built a lot better.

 

[Shep]

Although it may appear daunting at first to consider converting to an Efan it's not as hard as people think and I've tried to make it as easy as possible with my posts and web pages and others have also taken up the mantle.



http://www.pdsrecording.site90.com/cxgl500/Efan.htm



The benefits far outweigh the effort.I will NEVER return my CXs to a mechanical fan

 

[Silverado6x6]

I did a simple install of two Vantec Tornado computer case fans, I am in Alaska and I don't need massive air cooling, with two fans I have some redundancy, they are wired to operate through a relay controlled by a temperature switch. Before the forums changed I had detailed instructions on how I did it, had no problems at all with it, some say the fans are not waterproof, they could be right.

 

[marshallf3]

It will be interesting to see if water eventually damages them, good 120mm fans are fairly cheap (even for a good Scythe) and there's no question as to fitting them.



I may take it upon myself to write a couple of the manufacturers of PC fans to see if I can get any sort of response, but I'll bet they haven't a clue and will only say they were not designed to be.

 

[Deacon1969]

I am an electronic Tech/ Computer tech, by trade. I also work on the Apachie Helicopter avionics for the Army National Guard. So I am not antimidated by the thought of Installing an electic fan. I Would be Very Very interested as to how much airflow and cooling you really get from a PC fan. That sounds like a very interesting Idea to use. I have seen some very large PC cooling fans out there and I am almost curtain they are not water proof. Water Resistant but not water proof. But that begs the question how much water really gets back there.



Deacon

 

[marshallf3]

Although these bikes need little cooling by my guess you'd want at least 120 CFM, preferrably positioned towards the top right where the hot water enters from the engine. The Kawa fans people are using feel to be in the 250 - 300 CFM range and my Suzuki fan is probably 400 - 500.



The time they really come in handy is wen you have to sit at a stop light for a while on a hot day. Obviously the bike is getting no air frm movement and at idle the stock fan is turning slower than it would be while cruising.

 

[ki4radiocom]

Although these bikes need little cooling by my guess you'd want at least 120 CFM, preferrably positioned towards the top right where the hot water enters from the engine. The Kawa fans people are using feel to be in the 250 - 300 CFM range and my Suzuki fan is probably 400 - 500.



The time they really come in handy is wen you have to sit at a stop light for a while on a hot day. Obviously the bike is getting no air frm movement and at idle the stock fan is turning slower than it would be while cruising.

NOt only does the fan slow dowm so does the water punp. The radiator I beleave is a three core and does not need much air flow when at the light. At higher speeds the fan comes in since the heat is greater in the engin. Nice to know that the fan is avaliable. Just my thoughts. I'm not a newbie here.

 

[marshallf3]

True on the pump, however most with electric fans have found that they rarely come on while cruising at a decent speed, must be enough airflow through the radiator without the fan.



The main reason I'm going electric is because so many have had the stock fan fly apart and take the radiator with it, second reason is it gets really hot here in the summer and the lights are long, I can watch the temp gauge slowly climbing to where I start feeling uncomfortable and start revving the engine a little.



Third of course is it's a parasitic drain on the engine's output. May not be much but every HP counts.

 

[Shep]

True on the pump, however most with electric fans have found that they rarely come on while cruising at a decent speed, must be enough airflow through the radiator without the fan.



The main reason I'm going electric is because so many have had the stock fan fly apart and take the radiator with it, second reason is it gets really hot here in the summer and the lights are long, I can watch the temp gauge slowly climbing to where I start feeling uncomfortable and start revving the engine a little.



Third of course is it's a parasitic drain on the engine's output. May not be much but every HP counts.

When I tested both my Ducati fans I could leave both my CX running as long as I liked even in the middle of summer around the back of my house and they could NOT over-heat.The Fans kicked in around the middle as I had planned and tested for and drove the temps down to the nominal marks and held them there

Now it's cooler they hardly if ever come on.They will barely get used for the next four to five months over here

 

[Deacon1969]

When I tested both my Ducati fans I could leave both my CX running as long as I liked even in the middle of summer around the back of my house and they could NOT over-heat.The Fans kicked in around the middle as I had planned and tested for and drove the temps down to the nominal marks and held them there

Now it's cooler they hardly if ever come on.They will barely get used for the next four to five months over here

Well for now I guess I am going with the STOCK fan only because I have don't have a good Motorcycle wrecking yard here in Tucson, AZ to find a good Electric replacement. Closest Wrecking yard is 100 miles away in Phoenix. Ohhh and By the way. one of the Tubes was punctured by the fan exploding. it is in place that I think I might be able to fix it with a little High Temp JB weld. It only nicked it right at the bottom of one tube and the hole is less then a half a centemeter. Not sure if the JB weld will work I have fixed other Car radiators with the same kind of holes in them with no problem so maybe it will work. If not there is a place here in Tucson, that can fix Motorcycle Radiators. We shall see it will be at least a week before the new Fan comes in.



Deacon





P.s. I think I will take a picture of the damage to the radiator tomorrow so all can see and get your feed back on it.