Outside (ambient) temerature gauge reading.

[F3Spyderman]

The outside (ambient) air temperature gauge on the multifunction gauge cluster of my F3-S always seems to be quite inaccurate. It always seems to read 4 or 5 degrees centigrade higher than the local air temperature. I realise that sometimes reading can be high due to sun shining on the Spyder or after a ride where heat from the engine may be drifting around the temperature sensor and I take that into account. I'm talking about when the Spyder in sitting around cold and unused or when riding on a run where you would expect reading to eventually stabilise to local air temperature.

Looked in the workshop manual to find the location of the temperature sensor but could only find stuff relating to the air intake temperature of the fuel system.

Any help or advice regarding the temperature reading would be much appreciated.

Paul

 

[Grandpot]

The heat from the engine causes the temperature to be higher than the outside air. The purpose of the sensor is to measure the temperature of the air entering the engine so the fuel injection system can regulate the MASS of the combustion mixture that enters the cylinder head. Showing that temperature on the dash just confuses everyone.

 

[trikermutha]

:agree: :thumbup:

 

[Highwayman2013]

Yep, air intake temperature is what it's reading.

 

[Road-Kill]

Cause it collects.....Ambient Temp.

I consider my temp gauge to be a rough estimate and nothing more.
I tried a jacket attached thermometer and it gave me the same rough estimate.
The reason...in my opinion...is that the sun, wind chill or lack of wind chill all play games on these meters.
Its the reason why outdoor thermometers instructs its placement to be out of direct sunlight.

In short: Ambient temperature is what these devices gather.

 

[AeroPilot]

since placement of the temp gauge is under the plastic it reads higher than ambient

The only time it reads right is coming out of the garage in the morning. We usually substract about 7 F from the reading while going down the road and it compares close to the bank signs which also may be wrong due to sun/concrete etc. I am impressed that 2 Spyders of the same model running together will usually show the same temp tho...

 

[ofdave]

it isn't far off on mine
but after you park for a minute, it climbs up 10 degrees or so (does similar in stop and go traffic)
5 min. after I start riding again it's pretty close

 

[JayBros]

High today was predicted to be 68[SUP]o[/SUP]F, is now 71 at 4:10 p.m. Left gym four hrs ago and thermometer read 86[SUP]o[/SUP]F at start up. It was in the sun for two hrs following a 30 min ride. I routinely ignore it as nowhere near accurate.

 

[SpyderF3-s]

I changed the setting to show RPM's instead of the temperature.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

. I routinely ignore it as nowhere near accurate.

Good advice.

 

[BajaRon]

I moved mine to a location of true ambient air temperature and it is pretty accurate. I do not beleive this is the sensor that the engine uses for tuning.

But if this is the sensor used for tuning, you have to wonder why BRP would assume that anyone wants to know what the engine compartment temperature is. Unless it's on fire, I don't need to know.

As many have pointed out. it is worthless information.

I like the way I have mine because it works great and gives me information I can actually use.

 

[Chupaca]

As I see it....

most sensors for the temp are at the entrance to the air intake. It usually picks up a lot of road temperature which makes for the off readings if you are looking for ambient temp. The changes come from the different pavements and full sun shade etc...but here the difference between a 110° and 95° is not noticeable....:roflblack:

 

[ARtraveler]

The sensors on our two Spyders always read differently. They are mostly two degrees different. We use the temp for a ballpark but there is nothing going on with me that makes a difference. It don't matter if its 68 or 70. I will take what we get. We do get a match on rare occasions.

We also get the same result with parking in the sun. About 10 degrees plus over actual until we get rolling. :thumbup:

 

[ofdave]

I moved mine to a location of true ambient air temperature and it is pretty accurate. I do not beleive this is the sensor that the engine uses for tuning.

But if this is the sensor used for tuning, you have to wonder why BRP would assume that anyone wants to know what the engine compartment temperature is. Unless it's on fire, I don't need to know.

As many have pointed out. it is worthless information.

I like the way I have mine because it works great and gives me information I can actually use.

tell us how, with pics\
can't be that difficult, can it?

 

[Grandpot]

For Non-believers

A simple explanation: The Ambient Air Pressure/Temperature sensor provides vital information to the fuel injection system. If you don't believe that, disconnect the sensor at the connection located at the end of the air duct in the Frunk. You will immediately get an orange screen and two error codes along with the Check Engine light. If the engine didn't need this information, why would the Check Engine light come on?

The more complex explanation: The fuel/air mixture delivered to the cylinders must be at a certain Mass in order to provide correct combustion properties. Carburetors have been used for many years for this purpose, but they were not very efficient. The Mass of the mixture was constantly changing due to humidity, temperature, and barometric pressure fluctuations. Did you ever notice your carbureted vehicles ran better on a cool damp day? That's because the fuel mixture usually was denser.

Modern fuel injection systems use a computer (the ECU) that gathers information from several sources in real time in order to vary the density of the fuel air mixture so it will provide the optimum mixture for combustion. The Ambient Air Pressure/Temperature sensor provides barometric pressure and temperature of the incoming air. The Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor provides the pressure at the intake manifold. The Coolant Sensor provides the coolant temperature. The Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) coupled with the engine RPM's provide the volume of air entering the engine. When all of this information is fed to the ECU, it will regulate the fuel/air mixture to create the desired density for combustion.

Due to the heat from the engine and other sources the temperature displayed on the screen will not be the same temperature the rider feels. Moving the temperature sensor may seem like a good idea so that it will read more in line with the way you feel, but the ECU will now be receiving incorrect information.

Bottom line, stop looking at the temperature reading on the screen.

 

[F3Spyderman]

A simple explanation: The Ambient Air Pressure/Temperature sensor provides vital information to the fuel injection system. If you don't believe that, disconnect the sensor at the connection located at the end of the air duct in the Frunk. You will immediately get an orange screen and two error codes along with the Check Engine light. If the engine didn't need this information, why would the Check Engine light come on?

The more complex explanation: The fuel/air mixture delivered to the cylinders must be at a certain Mass in order to provide correct combustion properties. Carburetors have been used for many years for this purpose, but they were not very efficient. The Mass of the mixture was constantly changing due to humidity, temperature, and barometric pressure fluctuations. Did you ever notice your carbureted vehicles ran better on a cool damp day? That's because the fuel mixture usually was denser.

Modern fuel injection systems use a computer (the ECU) that gathers information from several sources in real time in order to vary the density of the fuel air mixture so it will provide the optimum mixture for combustion. The Ambient Air Pressure/Temperature sensor provides barometric pressure and temperature of the incoming air. The Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor provides the pressure at the intake manifold. The Coolant Sensor provides the coolant temperature. The Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) coupled with the engine RPM's provide the volume of air entering the engine. When all of this information is fed to the ECU, it will regulate the fuel/air mixture to create the desired density for combustion.

Due to the heat from the engine and other sources the temperature displayed on the screen will not be the same temperature the rider feels. Moving the temperature sensor may seem like a good idea so that it will read more in line with the way you feel, but the ECU will now be receiving incorrect information.

Bottom line, stop looking at the temperature reading on the screen.

Excellent reply Grandpot. That's why I thought it peculiar that BajaRon moved the sensor away from the air intake duct, it was obviously put in that position in order to get the mixture right.

But why oh why did Can-Am think that the rider might want to know or need to know what the temperature of the in coming air is? I hate irrelevant information especially when it can lead to confusion as in this case.

Would have been nice if Can-Am had put a separate sensor at the front of the Spyder connected to the gauge so that the rider can judge when freezing conditions are being encountered. (as on most other vehicles)

 

[Bensonoid]

Seems like BRP wanted to pull a hat trick and screw up all three measuring devices. Temp, clock, and speedo.

 

[BajaRon]

Excellent reply Grandpot. That's why I thought it peculiar that BajaRon moved the sensor away from the air intake duct, it was obviously put in that position in order to get the mixture right.

But why oh why did Can-Am think that the rider might want to know or need to know what the temperature of the in coming air is? I hate irrelevant information especially when it can lead to confusion as in this case.

Would have been nice if Can-Am had put a separate sensor at the front of the Spyder connected to the gauge so that the rider can judge when freezing conditions are being encountered. (as on most other vehicles)

I did not move my sensor FROM the intake duct. I moved it TO the intake duct. It was zip tied to a frame member inside the engine compartment.

 

[Road-Kill]

Temp gauge

Many moons ago when I was in my youth and in the Marines we had a fool proof way to test the weather.
This method is so foolproof I sent BRP a detailed account and permission to use it, copy write free.
You take a 20lb boulder with you on a ride.
Whenever you want to know the weather simply chuck the boulder on the ground and wait a few minutes.
If the rock is cold....it is cold out.
If the rock is hot.....it is hot out.
If the rock is wet.....it is raining.
If the rock gets heavy...you are tired.

All joking set aside but why do I need a temp gauge to tell me what I'm already feeling?
Why did BRP make the temp gauge so BIG that I sometimes confuse it with my speedo?
Why did BRP make my console with TWO speedos and TWO Tacks? (at the same time!)
Why did BRP then make my turn signal, fuel light and gear position so small they are unnoticeable?

 

[Pirate looks at --]

As someone said, just ignore it, or assume that, just like the ambient temp gauge in your car, it is not really accurate, but close to say 5 degrees. My wife always tells me if you wanted a thermometer, why did you buy a $30,000.00 motorcycle????:roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: