[Oregonian]

Hey kids, idling my new to me 03 the fan came on just below the halfway mark on the gauge. Expecting to feel warm air blowing out from the radiator it seemed it was sucking air in. A post it note confirmed it, sucked in against the radiator and fell to the ground when fan shut off. Does this mean my fans are reversed?

 

[mrbill21]

No, that's the correct operation.

 

[Oregonian]

Hmm, I thought Honda originally had them blowing out to keep warm air off the rider.

 

[INTHEWIND]

Hmm, I thought Honda originally had them blowing out to keep warm air off the rider.

The warm air blows out the front of the bike.:smile2:

 

[UNCLEJOHN]

Hmm, I thought Honda originally had them blowing out to keep warm air off the rider.

THATS FOR WHEN YOUR IN REVERSE ! :surprise::wink2::laugh:

 

[Joen]

Next time stand in front of bike you’ll feel the air coming out just under head lights...

 

[MichaelB]

If Honda had set the fans to blow through the radiators rater than suck air through them, I'm sure we would have a whole lot less posts on these boards about the 2001 through 2005 Gold Wings overheating.

 

[Farmguy]

If Honda had set the fans to blow through the radiators rater than suck air through them, I'm sure we would have a whole lot less posts on these boards about the 2001 through 2005 Gold Wings overheating.

But we'd have to go back to all the bitchin' about how hot they are at a stop.

 

[INTHEWIND]

If Honda had set the fans to blow through the radiators rater than suck air through them, I'm sure we would have a whole lot less posts on these boards about the 2001 through 2005 Gold Wings overheating.

All of the older wings overheated if the conditions were right.:frown2:
My 2018 wont overheat, no matter what.:smile2:

 

[MichaelB]

All of the older wings overheated if the conditions were right.:frown2:

Seriously? My GL1500's never overheated. I put over 300,000 miles combined on the two GL1500's I rode the most, a '98 and a '99. I sold the '99 but I still own and ride the '98 and it has 178,000 miles on it.

My GL1800 has 107,000 miles on it and overheats about once a year when the conditions are right.
The coolant has been at the proper level with all the Gold Wings I've owned.

My 2018 wont overheat, no matter what.:smile2:

That is a pretty powerful statement. How is that possible that it will never overheat, no matter what? I admit that I know virtually nothing about the 2018 Gold Wing but I would think that any liquid cooled engine has the potential to overheat if the conditions are right.

I'd love to know what causes the 2018 GL1800 to keep it's cool.

 

[INTHEWIND]

Seriously? My GL1500's never overheated. I put over 300,000 miles combined on the two GL1500's I rode the most, a '98 and a '99. I sold the '99 but I still own and ride the '98 and it has 178,000 miles on it. .

My GL1800 has 107,000 miles on it and overheats about once a year when the conditions are right.
The coolant has been at the proper level with all the Gold Wings I've owned.



That is a pretty powerful statement. How is that possible that it will never overheat, no matter what? I admit that I know virtually nothing about the 2018 Gold Wing but I would think that any liquid cooled engine has the potential to overheat if the conditions are right.

I'd love to know what causes the 2018 GL1800 to keep it's cool.

Sorry I'll clarify my post. By older wings, I meant 2001-2017. My GL1800 overheated all the time, escorting a funeral, going into the cemetery at slow speeds, slow uphill traffic etc., out on the road it was OK.
The design is bad. The air is going the wrong way
The GL1500's have a good design. The air moves the same way the 2018 GL1833's do.

The 2018 has the air flowing the right way and just doesn't overheat. I was in a parade last July, 105 degrees, 10 miles long, stop and go, the temp gauge never moved one bar.
The Harleys overheated, older wings were puking coolant, had to stop and pull over to the side, I was the only bike that finished.:grin2:

 

[Oregonian]

Got it, I was mistaken on how the fans work. Guess I stirred up the "overheating" hornet's nest ?

 

[Bipeflier]

Old Wings, up through the 1500's blew out the side. Everyone bitched about the heat on their legs. (Yes, people ride in shorts, go figure)
Honda changed on the 1800's to blow out the front at speeds below 15 mph. Everyone bitched about that!

I guess they need to try air cooled next? (Sarcasm)

BTW the only time either of my 1800's fans came on was in very slow traffic at near 100 degree weather. Seems to me like the Honda design works fine if the bike is properly maintained. YMMV

 

[INTHEWIND]

Old Wings, up through the 1500's blew out the side. Everyone bitched about the heat on their legs.
Honda changed on the 1800's to blow out the front at speeds below 15 mph. Everyone bitched about that!
I guess they need to try air cooled next?

I don't think Honda thought that one through on the reversed fan fiasco.
Above 15 MPH, you still had hot air blowing out the sides. Go figure.
Hot air on their legs? Stop riding in shorts and sneakers.> Remember AGATT.
My 2018 is no problem at all, the only time I feel hot air is when I reach down and stick my hand by the radiator air exiting the fairing.:smile2:
Air Cooled.:nojoke:

 

[FIRE UP]

Hey kids, idling my new to me 03 the fan came on just below the halfway mark on the gauge. Expecting to feel warm air blowing out from the radiator it seemed it was sucking air in. A post it note confirmed it, sucked in against the radiator and fell to the ground when fan shut off. Does this mean my fans are reversed?

Oregonian,
Well Sir, you have to understand the reasoning for Hondas thoughts on this. At very slow/low speeds, as in idling, parking lot, high traffic and stop-and-go stuff, Honda set up the fan direction so the air is drawn in, from the sides, and spit out the front of the bike. In reality, it's normal. You have direct air entering the radiator fins at each side of the bike and then spit out the front, because there's no wind force to counter the direction of the air flow.

And, that part of the design, continues to right at 28 mph. At that speed, Honda has determined that, there now is enough frontal flow of FORCED AIR into and around the forks, that, you now have a natural flow of air. And, at that speed, the fan operation is shut down. Now, the air flow is out from the sides, not INTO the sides, such as low speed.

There were years ago, multiple threads on this subject. And there also used to be, kits that you could buy that actually reversed the flow of the air by using different fan blades, altered fan motors etc. I cannot recall just what the consensus was after the change but, I'm thinking it was positive.
Scott

 

[MichaelB]

And, that part of the design, continues to right at 28 mph. At that speed, Honda has determined that, there now is enough frontal flow of FORCED AIR into and around the forks, that, you now have a natural flow of air. And, at that speed, the fan operation is shut down. Now, the air flow is out from the sides, not INTO the sides, such as low speed.


Scott

28 mph would be good except, the fans shut down at 15 mph. If I could make them fans run up to 28 mph on my 2003, it might just work.

 

[Fred H.]

FYI, the fans on the new generation Wing (2018/19) now blow the air out the sides of the bike instead of trying to force it forward.

 

[MichaelB]

FYI, the fans on the new generation Wing (2018/19) now blow the air out the sides of the bike instead of trying to force it forward.

Good fix. Too bad it is so expensive.

 

[JW.]

I guess they need to try air cooled next? (Sarcasm)

Isn't that what the fans do? (Cheek)