At what point does the cooling fan come on wrt temp gauge?

[msgoodwrench]

Hello Spydies! Question for you all: At what point does your cooling fan come on in regards to the temp gauge? I have 5 bars showing on temp gauge, it was upper 90s ambient, and when I pulled into the garage I got off and let it run while I looked down at the fan. It was not on. Today, lower 90s, riding 70mph, only 3 bars showing, so it stays cool. I am just wondering if you have noticed when that fan comes on; that 5th bar is just above half-way, and I don't recall ever seeing it above 5 bars. Thanks for any thoughts you have on this.

 

[Freddy]

Mine has never been above 5 bars either as the fan comes on before it gets any hotter, tho not immediately the 5th bar shows.

 

[Peter Aawen]

It'll vary depending upon a whole lot of things, including any differences between your Spyder and anyone else's; the ambient air temp on the day; the underbody temps of your Spyder (or anyone else's!); the coolant temp; whether your thermostat is open or not; if the widget is .... :shocked:

So basically, your fan will come on when it does, and while it might usually come on at that 5th bar on yours when you're riding wherever you are, it rarely waits that long on mine, but then, I do ride in a somewhat different climate to you (and right now, to Freddy also!); it might well come on once the third bar lights up on someone else's, especially for someone who rides in a different climate to you/has different coolant/hasn't cleaned their radiator ever; ..... and so it goes on!

Just Sayin'! :thumbup:

Ps: While the digital temp gauges and the later model temp gauges are somewhat more reliable than the analogue gauges and earlier model temp gauges, they are all pretty much a guess as to the temp, and they are also 'damped' somewhat so they aren't truly reflecting the temperature variations in your Spyder's cooling system as & when they occur - IMHO, a temp gauge that quickly gets to about mid-range somewhere and then rarely moves is BROKEN and less than useless cos your Spyder's coolant temp WILL be fluctuating up and down as the engine/coolant load goes up and down while you ride along, climbing hills, coasting down them, increasing power etc. So just like you don't rely on the fuel gauge or miles to empty display (if you've got one) to drive/control when you refill with gas (you DON'T, do you?? :shocked: ) you also shouldn't use the temp gauge indicator as anything much more than a vague general guide to what your coolant temp actually is! :lecturef_smilie: If you REALLY need to know what your coolant temp is with any more degree of accuracy than you'd get by reading the dodgy OEM gauge or hanging a piece of wet string out the window back home, buy an aftermarket display that'll plug into your Spyder's diagnostics port and give you that info and more, far more accurately than most will ever want, let alone need! :thumbup:

 

[Mikey]

I would let the old girl run in the dooryard till the fan came on or boiled over just to see if the fan relays working! When you change the oil, you have to do that process to make sure your oil's up where it should be, do it, then you'll know! If the relay's not working, then it's easier to find it out in your dooryard than on a trip!

 

[Gwolf]

My gauge has no marks on it, other than the one I put on it where it normally runs. The gauge never shows any noticable changes just before the fan comes on, and does not appear to even move before the fan goes back off. It is such a slight change in temperature the gauge doesn't show it.

Otherwise, the gauge works normally, cold starting with the gauge at the bottom and slowly warming up to normal. On short term shut downs, you can see the gauge is showing some cooling down and then goes slowly back up to normal.

 

[BertRemington]

msgoodwrench - the high (5) low (3) bounds you are seeing are concerning. If you haven't checked your coolant level in the last 1K miles or 3 months this should be on your to-do list. Low coolant levels can give abnormal indications depending on conditions.

Best wishes.

 

[Gwolf]

GW -- the high (5) low (3) bounds you are seeing are concerning. If you haven't checked your coolant level in the last 1K miles or 3 months this should be on your to-do list. Low coolant levels can give abnormal indications depending on conditions.

Best wishes.

That was the original post. Mine is working normally. The fan has always come on when I slow down coming in the lane and stop to let the gate open. Does it every summer when it is 95 degrees or higher here. The fan does not come on any other time, unless stopped in heavy traffic during the heat of the day, which I try to avoid if possible.


If the post was not meant for me, ignore this. I have been called GW for the past 40 or 50 years.

 

[Mikey]

GW -- the high (5) low (3) bounds you are seeing are concerning. If you haven't checked your coolant level in the last 1K miles or 3 months this should be on your to-do list. Low coolant levels can give abnormal indications depending on conditions.

Best wishes.

And check to make sure your cap is fully on and not halfway on, it makes a difference, ask me how I know!

 

[BertRemington]

Gwolf - you are quite right, I was sloppy with my abbreviation, now corrected. Apologies.

 

[msgoodwrench]

msgoodwrench - the high (5) low (3) bounds you are seeing are concerning. If you haven't checked your coolant level in the last 1K miles or 3 months this should be on your to-do list. Low coolant levels can give abnormal indications depending on conditions.

Best wishes.

I had been in there and checked the coolant and level about a month ago just for check-up on it. It tends to run cool - I mean it was at least 95F that day and running 70mph it stayed pretty much at 4 bars. When I slowed and stopped at a light for a minute it crept up to 5 bars then. I was asking just out of curiosity I guess, because it has NEVER gone over 5 bars. And, hopefully it won't go much over 100F ambient air around here. The suggestion to just let it run until the fan comes on makes as much sense as anything. And, no, I don't trust my fuel gauge!! It is all relative, I guess! That fuel gauge is a crazy thing! According to that, I never have a full tank! Anyway, thank you for your thoughts and advice!

And check to make sure your cap is fully on and not halfway on, it makes a difference, ask me how I know!

Yeah, isn't that a trick!? That thing is rather nasty to get into the locked position, and I have smaller hands to reach in there better than most of you probably.