Radiator Fans not turning on

[dave3223]

Hello,
I purchase a 2010 Concours ABS last month and have been loving every minute of it. It currently has 8200 miles on, but I've run into a problem with overheating. After getting caught in construction last weekend, I started getting the overheating warning on the display.

I replaced the blown Fan fuse, and currently have it apart after changing the coolant. After researching and thinking it out, I don't recall I've ever heard the fans kick on. It has just gotten warmer in michigan over the past 3 weeks or so, but I've always been moving. When I got caught in construction or have it idling for over a few minutes, the temp gauge had been slowly creeping up.

Since I've pulled it apart to change the coolant (what a PITA), I noticed the larger left radiator fan was not moving freely. It appears the Rostra cruise control box was impeding its movement.

I've rectified the box issue and now the fan spins freely, but it still won't turn on. I let it idle in my garage and the temp gauge still eventually got past the normal operating temp. The fuse appears fine. If the box was impeding the movement, could the fan motor have died? How would I go about jumping the fan to see if it's operational?
It is also of note the smaller fan doesn't turn on either. I have checked the wiring to the fuse box and doesn't appear to be damaged, but I'm hesitant to just go replacing fans if its more likely to be an electrical issue. Does the smaller fan not turn on until the larger one does?

I'm thinking if I can try jumping the fan itself to see if it will move of another power source, I'll know the issue is electrical and look closer at the wiring. If the fan will not move, I'll know it needs to be replaced.

Thanks.

[jimmymac]

Yeah, you may have smoked the fan by it being stopped while powered up. You'll have to make some jumper connections, or maybe get by with some aligator clips. You can also use a test light and see if the fan is getting a signal/power. make sure and check the ground and power both, as I'm not sure how it's switched on.

[B.D.F.]

Both fans are wired in parallel and they have to come on and go off together.

They are powered with 12 volts directly from a relay so to test them, just put 12 volts to one at a time and see if they spin up. You can do this with them still mounted on the bike- just put 12 volts from the battery (or any convenient location) to the blue wire on the fan; the other side is already grounded. The fan should spin up immediately.

The fans should come on shortly after the bike's temp. reaches 4 bars on the dash.

Just going by memory, I thought both fans were the same size. ??

Best of luck with this.

Brian

Hello,
I purchase a 2010 Concours ABS last month and have been loving every minute of it. It currently has 8200 miles on, but I've run into a problem with overheating. After getting caught in construction last weekend, I started getting the overheating warning on the display.

I replaced the blown Fan fuse, and currently have it apart after changing the coolant. After researching and thinking it out, I don't recall I've ever heard the fans kick on. It has just gotten warmer in michigan over the past 3 weeks or so, but I've always been moving. When I got caught in construction or have it idling for over a few minutes, the temp gauge had been slowly creeping up.

Since I've pulled it apart to change the coolant (what a PITA), I noticed the larger left radiator fan was not moving freely. It appears the Rostra cruise control box was impeding its movement.

I've rectified the box issue and now the fan spins freely, but it still won't turn on. I let it idle in my garage and the temp gauge still eventually got past the normal operating temp. The fuse appears fine. If the box was impeding the movement, could the fan motor have died? How would I go about jumping the fan to see if it's operational?
It is also of note the smaller fan doesn't turn on either. I have checked the wiring to the fuse box and doesn't appear to be damaged, but I'm hesitant to just go replacing fans if its more likely to be an electrical issue. Does the smaller fan not turn on until the larger one does?

I'm thinking if I can try jumping the fan itself to see if it will move of another power source, I'll know the issue is electrical and look closer at the wiring. If the fan will not move, I'll know it needs to be replaced.

Thanks.

[Rembrant]

Check the fans first, then the fan relay. It is in the relay pack on top of the FI ECU...on the left hand side if I recall correctly.

HTH,
Rem

[maxtog]

Check the fans first, then the fan relay. It is in the relay pack on top of the FI ECU...on the left hand side if I recall correctly.

B.D.F. said, they are wired in parallel.  In which case it can't be the relay or fuse if just one fan is having a problem.  It would point to just the connection to that fan (wiring, connectors) or the fan motor.

If there was a physical obstruction to the fan (which he indicates there was), especially for a long period of time, that could possibly permanently damage the motor (no one motor coil winding is designed to have current flowing through it full time, and that could burn out a point of insulation on that winding due to overheating, causing a short, causing the fuse to blow but the short remains, blowing the fuse again each time, or preventing the motor from being able to either start or run at full speed.    Since it is not blowing the fuse again, it could have damaged a brush (charring, oxidation, melting, vaporization, etc) or developed open circuit in the winding.

[dave3223]

Update:
I was able to jump start the Right/Smaller fan with alligator clips and a 9v battery. I was not able to jump the larger left fan using the same method, leading me to believe the Cruise control box impeded the movement enough to burn out the motor.

I'm going to order another fan from ebay and hopefully this fixes the problem. Now the question is will it be easier to remove the radiator or try to sneak by ordering (or borrowing) a long enough ratcheting wrench to reach the top bolt. We'll have to see.

[Rembrant]

B.D.F. said, they are wired in parallel. In which case it can't be the relay or fuse if just one fan is having a problem.  It would point to just the connection to that fan (wiring, connectors) or the fan motor.

Yes, but Dave said in the original post said that both fans are not coming on, so there is potential for there to be a problem with the relay or the circuit itself. He has updated us and said that the 2nd fan will turn on with power applied directly. If that second rad fan is not turning on when the bike reaches temperature like the Dave said, there's something else wrong other than one failed fan.

When the big fan failed, it may have damaged the contacts in the relay in the process. I'd be checking to make sure there is actually 12vdc+ getting to both fan connectors when that relay closes.

Just as a note to the original poster...make note of what BDF mentioned above about the fans coming on shortly after the 4th temp block lights up on the gauge. If the 5th block lights up (2nd from the top) and the fans don't kick on, there's something wrong. You don't need to let the bike get hot enough for the 6th block to light up and give you a high-temp warning. Just FYI is all...I know it's a pain when you can't see the actual coolant temps.

Rem

[maxtog]

Yes, but Dave said in the original post said that both fans are not coming on, so there is potential for there to be a problem with the relay or the circuit itself.

Yep, but originally it was just the fuse.  I carefully re-read it again and now I see what you mean- after that both fans still were not working (it wasn't terribly clear the way it was worded).  I will get no points as a speed-reader

[Rembrant]

Yep, but originally it was just the fuse.  I carefully re-read it again and now I see what you mean- after that both fans still were not working (it wasn't terribly clear the way it was worded).  I will get no points as a speed-reader

Yeah, and now that he tested them both and the other fan does actually work...there's something weird going on here.

The whole system would be a little easier to test if the bike had a proper temp gauge....not that it matters all that much, but it is one feature I would like to have.

Rem

[VirginiaJim]

Yep, but originally it was just the fuse.  I carefully re-read it again and now I see what you mean- after that both fans still were not working (it wasn't terribly clear the way it was worded).  I will get no points as a speed-reader

Try Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading Course?

Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading Course

Yeah, and now that he tested them both and the other fan does actually work...there's something weird going on here.

The whole system would be a little easier to test if the bike had a proper temp gauge....not that it matters all that much, but it is one feature I would like to have.

Rem

It does have a proper gauge..  At least it's not an idiot light. 

[Rembrant]

It does have a proper gauge..  At least it's not an idiot light.

Well, true...lol, but I'd prefer to see the actual temp. I've had quite a few other EFI Kawasaki's, and they all displayed the actual temperature.

However, it really is no big deal...you will not see me complaining about the C14 or any of it's features to any degree.

Rem

[VirginiaJim]

Understandable..but I can't remember anything I've driven that has actual numbers on the heat gauge.  It would make me more paranoid than I already am if I had that feature.  I do have an IR gun that would work to see if the fans were turning on at the proper temp.  Kinda hard to use that whilst riding, though.

[maxtog]

Well, true...lol, but I'd prefer to see the actual temp. I've had quite a few other EFI Kawasaki's, and they all displayed the actual temperature.

Well, you can look at a table- each bar does equate to an exact temp... to most of us it probably doesn't mean much anyway; plus who wants to memorize a table!

[VirginiaJim]

I think that's why he's for numbers on a gauge.

[Rembrant]

Well, you can look at a table- each bar does equate to an exact temp... to most of us it probably doesn't mean much anyway; plus who wants to memorize a table!

Yeah...I posted the actual temps that correspond with the blocks a while back, and I'm more than used to it now...it's just one of those 'little things'...lol, which is really nothing at all.

I think that's why he's for numbers on a gauge.

Yeah...I was just used to actual numbers from my previous Kawis. The block gauge is totally fine...it's just nice to have numbers for actually checking to make sure the fans come on when they're supposed to and to know if the bike is running the temp it's supposed to be.

My C14 actually runs pretty cool...at least around home...I am in Canada after all...lol. We put 800 miles on yesterday, and every time I glanced down at the gauges, there were three blocks showing...so right in the middle (170-ish degrees). It was an almost 90 degree day inland, and my dash was usually showing around 80 degrees....and as low as 60 along the water;).

That's a hot day for us...once we get close to 90, people start complaining...lol;).

[gPink]

One could always install a probe inline, after engine/before radiator, and stick a digital gauge on the dash. ....if one wanted to go to the trouble.

[Conrad]

Try Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading Course?

Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading Course

It does have a proper gauge..  At least it's not an idiot light.

 

Dave's not here!

[dave3223]

Thanks for all the help (and for the cheech and chong laugh)

I've ordered a fan from ebay, as well as a long ratcheting wrench. I'm optimistic of being able to get it out without having to remove the radiator.

But, if the problem is also a relay, would anyone be kind enough to help me find what part i need to order to replace it?

[VirginiaJim]

Dave's not here!

Yes he is, just look above...

Based on my 2008 service manual, the fan relay is located in the relay box under the seat.  Looks like it's sealed so if you have to replace the relay the whole box has to go...  It has three large connectors going into it.

Looks like to me it's 27002 but I would want someone else confirming that...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/08-09-10-11-Concours-ZG-14-1400-Relay-Junction-Box-/271523716936?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f38131f48&vxp=mtr

[B.D.F.]

Yeah, that's what the schematic indicates also- the fan relay is in the relay box. It is treated as a single unit for service so when anything is wrong with it, the whole thing is replaced; that said, it may well be possible to open one up, replace a single relay and re- seal the unit. Still, I think I would look on Ebay and / or in salvage yards before going to that effort as they may not be all that expensive.

To the OP: just a thought but if at all possible it would be best to do a little diagnosis on the problem before throwing a bunch of parts at the problem IMO. A cheap volt meter and a few minutes with the bike and a schematic should allow you to track down the problem with certainty.

Brian

Yes he is, just look above...

Based on my 2008 service manual, the fan relay is located in the relay box under the seat.  Looks like it's sealed so if you have to replace the relay the whole box has to go...  It has three large connectors going into it.

Looks like to me it's 27002 but I would want someone else confirming that...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/08-09-10-11-Concours-ZG-14-1400-Relay-Junction-Box-/271523716936?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f38131f48&vxp=mtr