« previous next »
  Go Down

Author Topic: aluminum fan blades?  (Read 7400 times)

Offline Dade22

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 89
aluminum fan blades?
« on: June 06, 2011, 03:01:35 PM »
Anyone ever change out the plastic fan blades for the aluminum ones muzzy sells?  Im sure there are others that sell then as well, just wondering if there is any benefit in changing them.  ie. cooler running bike ect.?



Thanks

Dade22
Logged
"To punish and enslave..."

Offline maxtog

  • Elite Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 8869
  • Country: us
  • 2011 Silver
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2011, 03:47:57 PM »
Quote from: Dade22 on June 06, 2011, 03:01:35 PM
Anyone ever change out the plastic fan blades for the aluminum ones muzzy sells?  Im sure there are others that sell then as well, just wondering if there is any benefit in changing them.  ie. cooler running bike ect.?

LOL- I wondered the same thing when I ran across them on the site.  "Why would I would THOSE?"
Logged
Shoodaben (was Guhl) Mountain Runner ECU flash, Canyon Cages front/rear, Helibars risers, Phil's wedges, Grip Puppies, Sargent World seat-low & heated & pod, Muzzy lowering links, Soupy's stand, Nautilus air horn, Admore lightbar, Ronnie's highway pegs, front running lights, all LED, helmet locks, RAM Xgrip, Sena SMH10, Throttle Tamer, MRA X-Creen, BearingUp Shifter, PR4-GT, Scorpion EXO-T1200,etc

Offline Tom J.

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 78
  • Country: 00
  • "Disciples of Displacement" charter member
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2011, 04:03:04 PM »
I cannot speak for the Connie, however I did change out the fan blades (single fan) on the 98 VMax.  I did not notice any cooler operation.  The kit I used also came with a manual switch where you could turn on the fan prior to the bike reaching the temperature where it kicks on automatically.  Basically, this is a cheaper way to run your bike cooler without messing around with the thermostat, etc.
Final note, I haven't had a problem with the 08 overheating.  I have been in VERY hot temps, it was 108 this weekend.  I hit a few stoplights while running errands (yea, I went at the WRONG time of day) and the fan ran through it's cycles.  The bike was really putting out the heat, but the temperature gauge only went one bar up from normal.  IMHO, alum fan blades are not needed on this bike.
Logged
'08 Kawasaki Concours
'98 Yamaha VMax
'84 Honda V65 Magna
'82 Honda CX500 Custom

Offline VirginiaJim

  • Administrator
  • Elite Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11335
  • Country: england
  • I've forgotten more than I'll ever know...
    • Kawasaki 1400GTR
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2011, 05:34:09 PM »
Don't waste your money..
Logged
"LOCTITE®"  The original thread locker...  #11  2020 Indian Roadmaster, ABS, Cruise control, heated grips and seats/w/AC 46 Monitoring with cutting edge technology U.N.I.T is Back! Member in good standing with the Knights of MEH.

Offline maxtog

  • Elite Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 8869
  • Country: us
  • 2011 Silver
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2011, 09:06:12 PM »
Quote from: Tom J. on June 06, 2011, 04:03:04 PM
Final note, I haven't had a problem with the 08 overheating.  I have been in VERY hot temps, it was 108 this weekend.  I hit a few stoplights while running errands (yea, I went at the WRONG time of day) and the fan ran through it's cycles.  The bike was really putting out the heat

I have often wondered if it would be possible or make sense to REVERSE the airflow of the fans when the bike is stopped (0 MPH) and the ambient temp is > X.  That way, all the heat would get blown forward instead of back around the driver.
Logged
Shoodaben (was Guhl) Mountain Runner ECU flash, Canyon Cages front/rear, Helibars risers, Phil's wedges, Grip Puppies, Sargent World seat-low & heated & pod, Muzzy lowering links, Soupy's stand, Nautilus air horn, Admore lightbar, Ronnie's highway pegs, front running lights, all LED, helmet locks, RAM Xgrip, Sena SMH10, Throttle Tamer, MRA X-Creen, BearingUp Shifter, PR4-GT, Scorpion EXO-T1200,etc

Offline SVonhof

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 660
  • Country: us
  • 2009 C14
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2011, 01:31:21 PM »
Quote from: maxtog on June 06, 2011, 09:06:12 PM
I have often wondered if it would be possible or make sense to REVERSE the airflow of the fans when the bike is stopped (0 MPH) and the ambient temp is > X.  That way, all the heat would get blown forward instead of back around the driver.

That seems like a GREAT idea!  Do it and make a kit for those of us who ride in hot places with stoplights!
Logged
Scott
ZX-6D --> CBR600F3 --> TL1000R --> Concours 14
Mods: Two Bro's Titanium Slip-on, Shad SH46 trunk, PCA luggage rack, AeroFlow windscreen, Corbin saddles, Helibar risers, LED brake flashers, "divintymotor" (Ebay) LED tail light, ProjektD sidestand Bigfoot and Helmet locks, Vario Passenger pegs, Oxford Heaterz grips

Offline stlheadake

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 210
  • Country: us
  • Probably not my smartest day...
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2011, 02:38:21 PM »
Quote from: maxtog on June 06, 2011, 09:06:12 PM
I have often wondered if it would be possible or make sense to REVERSE the airflow of the fans when the bike is stopped (0 MPH) and the ambient temp is > X.  That way, all the heat would get blown forward instead of back around the driver.

Then some idiot (ME) will ride off with it in the wrong position and burn up the motor while I am idling along in traffic.  Mine works fine.  I'm not trying to be a jerk here.  But it seems like we (cyclist in general) focus on the the fans kicking on too much.  I have NEVER worried about sitting in traffic in my wife's car and having the fans kick on. 

I'm guilty, I will get so pissed when the fans kick on.  But the funny thing is, they go off.  Then  they come back on, just like they are supposed to.  I'm going to replace my antifreeze with water wetter, they claim a drop in operating temperature.  There is a thread that started here a little bit ago that folks were talking about it.

That is a thought I had this morning while my fans were cycling.  I don't know why I get so bent when the fans come on.  But I do.  Worse, is the logic I thought about above.  Why do we do that?
Logged
What do you call those three wheeled Goldwings?....Chicken Wings

08 C14 WOW what a bike!
00 XR650r Hare Scrambler

Offline Rawman

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 155
  • Country: us
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2011, 03:50:48 PM »
The cooling system is actually VERY good on the C14, I would not start messing around with it and make it worse.....
Logged
2009 Non-ABS
VStream, PR2s, AreaP Full Exhaust, Carbon Can, PC-V, BMC Air Filter, 151 Dyno'd RWhp.
'04 Honda VTX-1300C, '01 Kawasaki ZRX-1200R, '87 Yamaha VMax, '79 Kawasaki K-1000 LTD, '77 Kawasaki KZ-1000,'80 Suzuki GS-550L

Offline Tom J.

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 78
  • Country: 00
  • "Disciples of Displacement" charter member
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2011, 04:47:53 PM »
Agreed- It's just a little deceiving since the bike puts out a lot of heat.  But according to the temperature gauge, she's nowhere near overheating.
Logged
'08 Kawasaki Concours
'98 Yamaha VMax
'84 Honda V65 Magna
'82 Honda CX500 Custom

Offline maxtog

  • Elite Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 8869
  • Country: us
  • 2011 Silver
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2011, 09:34:58 PM »
Quote from: stlheadake on June 07, 2011, 02:38:21 PM
Then some idiot (ME) will ride off with it in the wrong position and burn up the motor while I am idling along in traffic. 

No, silly, of course it would be fully automatic.  The bike knows if it is moving or not.  A simple click of a relay tied into a signal of moving/not moving, should be all it takes to reverse the fans with no user intervention.  Although I think an ambient temp sensor would make it that much better... for example, under 70 degrees, don't reverse.  I am not sure the fans would be AS efficient at cooling running backwards, though.

Quote
I'm not trying to be a jerk here.  But it seems like we (cyclist in general) focus on the the fans kicking on too much.  I have NEVER worried about sitting in traffic in my wife's car and having the fans kick on.

???  When you are sitting in a car at a stoplight you are chillin' in an air conditioned vehicle.  It is not all the same as sitting in 95 degree weather, wearing full protective gear, in direct sun, no breeze, with your fans on and blowing very hot air backwards around you!  Or worse, being stuck in a traffic jam for an hour, creep/stop/creep/stopping (I thought I was going to DIE once doing that).

We are not worried about if the fans are going on or off to cool the engine, some of us are just irritated by being blasted with hot air.  Hence, my thought of having the fan blow the other way when not moving.  Seems to make sense to me, anyway.
Logged
Shoodaben (was Guhl) Mountain Runner ECU flash, Canyon Cages front/rear, Helibars risers, Phil's wedges, Grip Puppies, Sargent World seat-low & heated & pod, Muzzy lowering links, Soupy's stand, Nautilus air horn, Admore lightbar, Ronnie's highway pegs, front running lights, all LED, helmet locks, RAM Xgrip, Sena SMH10, Throttle Tamer, MRA X-Creen, BearingUp Shifter, PR4-GT, Scorpion EXO-T1200,etc

Offline VirginiaJim

  • Administrator
  • Elite Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11335
  • Country: england
  • I've forgotten more than I'll ever know...
    • Kawasaki 1400GTR
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2011, 04:12:27 AM »
It would seem to me that the reversal of the fan blades to push air through the rad outward might comfort the rider some but help little to cool the engine.  Instead of pulling cooler air through the rad from the outside it would be pulling air through whatever fairing vents it could find over the hot engine and headers through the rad.  The air temp would be higher so the fans would run longer (or never stop running) and the engine would not cool down as fast or overheat.    Just a thought about the unintended consequences of redesigning a cooling system that works very well for this bike.  If one is that concerned over the heat then one should sell their 08/09 and go with a '10 on up.

We've had previous discussions on the metal fan blade replacement and came to the conclusion that changing to metal will not accomplish anything but put money into someone's pocket other than our own.  This bike has proven over the years that it's fairly rock solid regarding the cooling system.  The fan blades don't disintegrate and the bike doesn't overheat.  I do remember a fan going completely out on a member's bike (there are two) but I think it was replaced under warranty.
Logged
"LOCTITE®"  The original thread locker...  #11  2020 Indian Roadmaster, ABS, Cruise control, heated grips and seats/w/AC 46 Monitoring with cutting edge technology U.N.I.T is Back! Member in good standing with the Knights of MEH.

Offline RedBombardier

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
  • Country: us
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2011, 03:25:03 PM »
FWIW... most fans are directional and do not push anywhere the same volume of air they normally do they are reversed... they just sort of "beat the air"  I've never ever considered fans going on and off a problem anyway and it is plenty hot where I live and some of the places I've been.  I know the punishment of sitting in traffic at 90-100 degrees or more and I don't like it, but, eventually I get moving again.  Next time i try a different route if I suspect trouble ahead.  ;)
Logged
Chris from the Big "D"
COG# 9361
AMA# 672853 Life
2009 Candy Diamond Red C14, Guhl. Delkevic

Offline 94gixxerod

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 21
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2011, 04:50:58 PM »
In defense of the Muzzy fan, my 94 GSXR 1100 runs much cooler with the Muzzy. Also, lots of watercooled old school gixxers have melting issues with the stock plastic fan. The aluminum, extra blade fan helps with heat and fan longevity. My 09 Connie has neither problem.
Logged

Offline Cold Streak

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 317
  • Country: us
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2011, 01:04:02 PM »
Just one more clarification on this subject.  My company makes fans for trucks and off road equipment.  We make both plastic and metal fans and the plastic ones move more air because they can be shaped and molded for better air flow.  That being said, if the aluminum fan for the Connie has more blades or a great pitch width or some other difference, it may move more air.  And yes, spinning them backwards is not a great idea, because they won't move much air at all.  If you turned them around completely it would work, however.
Logged

Offline TonyR

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 109
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2011, 10:38:34 PM »
Seems like what you guys need is another fan on the other side of the rad. Bike moving, normal operation with inner fans. Not moving, the outer fan would kick in and the inner fans would go off.

Tony
Logged

Offline Jaxter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 177
  • Country: 00
  • Blue might not be fastest, but it's my favorite
Re: aluminum fan blades?
« Reply #15 on: June 18, 2011, 11:02:35 PM »
I think the theory is that the plastic fan will soften up at elevated temperatures and the blades will flatten out and not pull as much air...but I doubt that Kawasaki would have their fans made of plastic with that kind of thermal properties, so I wouldn't pay the extra expense for the metal fan
Logged
I've Never Had A Better Day
  Go Up
« previous next »