Have you guys got a simple way of knowing if the cooling system is working correctly. When I turn the engine on the temperature warning light does not come on, which I suppose is OK but how do I know if the coolant is over heating because i do not know if the bulb actually works or not without physically removing the speedo from the bike and checking the bulbs. This seems to be an awful lot of work if there is a simpler way of finding out.If in the meantime and the engine does overheat how will I know? (probably a stupid question) .
As I am now a bona fide paid up member of this forum, I feel that I am entitled to ask stupid questions but hope that someone will feel sufficently sorry for me that they will be able to help.
Thanks
Joinyman

If you poke carefully at the fan can you turn it? I ask because they can seize up and then will never blow regardless how hot the bike is. If you let the bike idle for 20 minutes or so the fan should come on and cool it down. The overheat warning lamp does not come on during the pre-start and start cycle because if it is on you cannot start the bike, which is an intentional feature of the K if it comes on whilst riding you can continue riding until you are in a safe situation but once you switch off you cannot re-start until it is out.
Regards,
K-BIKE

K-BIKE wrote:If you poke carefully at the fan can you turn it? I ask because they can seize up and then will never blow regardless how hot the bike is. If you let the bike idle for 20 minutes or so the fan should come on and cool it down. The overheat warning lamp does not come on during the pre-start and start cycle because if it is on you cannot start the bike, which is an intentional feature of the K if it comes on whilst riding you can continue riding until you are in a safe situation but once you switch off you cannot re-start until it is out.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Thankyou for your detailed reply its been very helpful. The fan is free . If I do a test and the fan did does not come on or the warning light fails to light will the engine just seize up, or is this senario unrealistic,and just trust in the magic of the k100 fairy?

JOINYMAN wrote:
If I do a test and the fan did does not come on or the warning light fails to light will the engine just seize up, or is this senario unrealistic,and just trust in the magic of the k100 fairy?

Trust in the magic of the fairy.
You could run the bike for 30 minutes and not have the fan come on. Really needs to be ridden for 10 mins then leave it running and sit and watch for 20 minutes. You will know when it comes on because the heat will carry out any residual pixie dust from under the fairing.
I have found on idle my fan very rarely comes on while in the garage.

And welcome to the forum.

rossco

Under the fuel tank in the relay box there is a temp sensing relay that turns the fan on and off at the right times among other things. If you connect 12v+ to the Violet/yellow wire at terminal A2 the fan should run or connect a ground to the violet/green wire on terminal E it will test the relay and start the fan.

Hi mate, just for your info my fan wasn't working unbeknown to me, and eventually I found out as steam came boiling up between the front of the seat and the fuel tank. The lid had popped off the overflow reservoir as it boiled. After I let everything cool down, I just filled it up with water and she ran me to a garage here I got some coolant.
Back home I found the fan was frozen so got a new one. I was in a major traffic jam after being on a freeway for an hour so the bike didn't like stopping so quick.
Anyway, the temp light did not come on even at that stage. I reckon whilst ever the bike is moving you won't have any probs. Just test the fan as Rick says, you will be able to hear it if it comes on in traffic.
RT

Hi Joinyman, my K1100 has temp gauge but never gets half way through the range. My fan has never come on while using the bike. The other guys live in the upside down continent with warm sunny weather, we don't, so our bikes may run cooler. Just a thought. Welcome to the forum.

GMcQ

P.S It has just started to snow!

On both my K's the fan would kick in if I was in traffic for a while on a warm day.
Nothing happening this time of the year.
You will hear the fan when it starts up.
Best way to check it is to take a run out and let it tick over in the garage or out of the wind anyway. Should come on okay.

Thanks very much for all the advice from you men of bricks.Went for a spin ,put the bike in the garage left it running, 10 minutes later fan started ,result bike didnt explode and set fire to my house. Yippee its a winner!

Result. Blood pressure down.
Now I'd like to know the colour code of your bike, its a great blue.
RT

RT wrote:Result. Blood pressure down.
Now I'd like to know the colour code of your bike, its a great blue.
RT

I,m sorry cant help you,I bought it off this mistical bloke on e-bay who I,ll probably never see again.

RT,
If it's a standard K colour, I think it would be 618 caribicblau.

Paul.

I am old enough to call that electric blue.(you all may join in the chorus).
Tks Paul.