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Built the best engine cooling system...again

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  #1331  
Old 05-05-2013, 03:13 PM
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Originally Posted by WARDSPARTSWERKS
I have not yet isolated a definite cause, but working on it. Anyway, what usually happens with a switch failure is the calibration temp gets lower, the fans come on sooner, stay on longer after shutdown and a couple completely failed in the closed '"on" position. there is a small calibration dimple in the metal housing that sets the gap between the contacts inside, if the housing gets distorted it alters that gap. I have one switch analyzed by the MFR lab so far but the results from that one suggest that AC current is bleeding through the system and causing an arcing deposit to build up between the contacts and slowly reduce the gap, I'm not an electrical engineer so I really can't comment any further, just offering what I know at this point. I do know that this set up has performed flawlessly on many more bikes than have had issues, so I'm confident it can be corrected by one or several measures. Hang in there, I'll get it worked out, just another challenge.
Jason
I may have messed mine up then. It comes on pretty quick and fairly often. I just use the main switch to keep it from happening. When new ones become available I'd like to buy another. The good news is, if it fails, it will still work and can be shut off with the switch. That's good engineering.

Thanks Jason
 
  #1332  
Old 05-05-2013, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by jlacasci
I will try gently bending the mount. I have the largest shim I can already and still allow the nut to hold. The bike is new CVO 2013 but I already put progressive 940 on the rear and progressive mono tube kit in the front. I'm betting a lot of these hit the engine at times. I dont see how they can't to be honest. There is very little room between the fans and. Cooling fins and the rubber mount for the horn moves a bit more with the weight of the fans. Second question. I have a power vision mounted to my bike. Fans turn on when the temp reads well below 190. Sometime even in the 160's. Is the thermal switch supposed to be pushed in all the way in the spot shown on the web site? I am wondering if they come on too soon. It in the 60's here and they come on very quickly and stay on. Wondering if I may have the thermal switch pressed in too far, right up against the engine between the fins. Using the power vision to monitor temp. At what engine temp roughly should they come on? Thanks Joe
Joe,

I can only go by what people report to me, I am surely not going to publicly speculate anything that could be interpreted as negative or “problematic”by prospective customers. I have no problem being completely open and honest about my products, even if that means losing potential customers because they read about someone else’s unfavorable experience and decide not to purchase my system because they are afraid they might have a similar unfavorable experience. Mostly you only hear the positive feedback about my products, but It is nearly impossible to provide a “zero defect” product, I have had relatively few customers with various issues, which I still consider very acceptable, but what Idon’t have is any unresolved issues or ultimately “unhappy” customers . I can't imagine anyone would just accept that their fans are going to make contact with their heads, and just leave it at that and not let me know about it. As I said before, contact can be corrected by several methods and the few customers who have reported this to me have been helped to correct it, and I will help you correct it. The OEM rubber mount is quite sufficient to support the weight of the fans and OEM horn; my fans weigh just under 19 oz, the OEM horn is about the same, together they still weigh less than half of what atypical 5 lb Mini Beast horn weighs, and the MBs are mounted on the OEM rubbermount. The FCS is designed to mount close to the engine, its part ofthe reason why they continue to provide a cooling benefit at highway speed. Youhave already upgraded the suspension from stock and if you have at least 5/16" clearance, then maybe the combination of your riding style and road conditionsrequire the firmer mount that I offered to send you. Again I don’t feel thefirmer mount is the answer because you want the vibration damping effect, thefirmer mount has damping characteristics close to mounting solid when used with the FCS and OEM horn weight combination. For your thermal switch, approximately 190F is the on temp and 5-10 degrees lower for off, those published temps can vary also about 10 degrees due to manufacturing tolerances, and installation variables. At 160 it’s not way off, but if you want a new switch I will gladly send you one. Typically the switches don't cycle on and off during normal operation, usually once they come on they stay on until the engine is turned off and cools to below the switch's calibrated temperature. It should be lightly seated all the way in the fins, so it sounds like you positioned it correctly so long as the switch housing wasn't damaged. It is not necessary does to be seated to the root of the fins to function properly. Disregard the ambient temp factor, it has almost nothing to do with thefunction of the thermal switch; the time it takes to get to 190F CHT from a cold startup will be almost the same whether its 40 or 90 degrees outside. Another option to increase clearance is to loosen the head bridge bracket bolts at the head and cheat the “slop” out of the bracket to shift it outboard, and tighten them back up; this technique is not recommended for earlier models, I think pre-09, because the driveline upper alignment turnbuckle mounts to the bridgebracket also, so moving the bracket would affect alignment. What is the clearance measurement you have now, between the back of the fans and the edge of the head fins, and are the front and rear fan clearances the same? I will get your issues worked out and I appreciate your patience and understanding during the process.
Jason
 
  #1333  
Old 05-05-2013, 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by WARDSPARTSWERKS
Thermal switches are in, I shipped out 60 yesterday so if you are due one, you should receive it Saturday or Monday, I appreciate everyone's patience. Be on the lookout for some supplemental/revised install instructions, basically the current instructions are good, you just have to be real careful to get the orientation correct and not to damage the switch housing when "seating" it between the head fins. I will post it here and on the website.
Thanks
Jason
Woohoo, I was hoping to get the switch soon. Already have almost 2k on the fans I installed 2 weeks ago.
 
  #1334  
Old 05-05-2013, 06:53 PM
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First off, let me repeat what I said earlier. I love the product and the service including the ordering process, my entire experience with you has been top notch. I was surprised that only a few people have said the fans hit the engine. But again, I live in RI and let me be real clear. Our roads (back roads) are a freaking mess!!!!!! Riding style won't help, you just can't help but take some significant bumps around here. Going down a normal road, there is no issue at all. So I agree with you, the roads I ride on absolutely contribute to the issue. I've rode in Canada, up and down the entire east coast line and I can't imagine this happening too much in VA, SC, TN for example. I will attempt the slight bend method to give me a bit more room and again, this is due to the roads I ride on.

Temperature, I think the switch is functioning fine. I kept an eye on it today and it comes on when the PV says the ET is 160 and stays on until around 5 minutes or so after the bike is shut off. It is very consistent. I just wanted to make sure they where not supposed to turn on until 200 or so. The outside temps have been real cool up here in RI and even in the 40's once the bike's ET hits 160ish, they turn on. So it sounds like they are working fine.

Thanks,
Joe
 
  #1335  
Old 05-05-2013, 07:03 PM
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I shimmed my fans today in order for them to stop making contact with the cylinders when I hit bumps in the road. What I found is that as the engine heats up and the rubber horn mount becomes more flexible and allows more fan movement. It was a 5 min job and they don't hit anymore. I used 1 washer between the horn cover and fans. In order to have enough threads for the acorn washer to bite I removed and discarded the factory washer that goes between the acorn nut and the fans. Works great now!
 
  #1336  
Old 05-05-2013, 07:41 PM
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Second question. I have a power vision mounted to my bike. Fans turn on when the temp reads well below 190. Sometime even in the 160's. Is the thermal switch supposed to be pushed in all the way in the spot shown on the web site? I am wondering if they come on too soon. It in the 60's here and they come on very quickly and stay on. Wondering if I may have the thermal switch pressed in too far, right up against the engine between the fins. Using the power vision to monitor temp. At what engine temp roughly should they come on? Thanks Joe
I'm not trying to step on your toes Jason, but if the thermal switch is in the rear cylinder head doesn't it heat up quicker when driving because of reduced airflow thereby causing the discrepancy between the actuation of the fans and what the PV is reading? If the bike was just sitting still both cylinder heads should come up fairly evenly on temperature, but if it is moving the rear cylinder head would see a faster temperature rise. I'm going to install my F.C.S. this week, I'll check this out to see if my hypothesis is correct.
 
  #1337  
Old 05-05-2013, 10:20 PM
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Originally Posted by $tonecold
I'm not trying to step on your toes Jason, but if the thermal switch is in the rear cylinder head doesn't it heat up quicker when driving because of reduced airflow thereby causing the discrepancy between the actuation of the fans and what the PV is reading? If the bike was just sitting still both cylinder heads should come up fairly evenly on temperature, but if it is moving the rear cylinder head would see a faster temperature rise. I'm going to install my F.C.S. this week, I'll check this out to see if my hypothesis is correct.
You're not stepping on any toes here, I challenge anyone to question conventional wisdom, that's how we get new innovative ideas. The system will work fine with the switch mounted on the rear head, but the operation temperature will "appear" inconsistent when you are reading ET on the front head and have the temp switch in the rear head. The difference in front and rear is only 5-10 degrees average with the fans running so there will not be a significant change in operation, other than they may come on 15-30 seconds before the engine is technically warmed up as the OEM reads the front CHT, and they may stay on a minute longer during post operation cool down. Neither will be a significant improvement, performance will not necessarily be bettor or worse by mounting the switch in the rear head. I won't hold it against you if you decide to do it.
 
  #1338  
Old 05-10-2013, 04:38 PM
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Default FCS on Dyna

Okay, now it's my time guys: I get to say "Thanks Jason, what a great product ! "

Got my FCS today, I installed them in no more than 30mins. I saw claims from some other forum members that it is an easy install and it wouldn't take long, but I thought these guys are mod-experts and know their bikes inside-out. I am no wrench, not afraid of trying, but I take my time: this install is super-easy even for people that don't usually wrench. The most part was unscrewing the the dome nut of the horn as it was turning and the horn was turning with it. After a few swearings it came off, I then followed the very simple steps of the instructions and it was on. I selected the B+ connector, so no splicing involved to easily connect the POS, then connected the ground... DONE!

By the way I mounted it on my Dyna SuperGlide 96". I was concerned with the routing of the sparkplug wires, but , like Jason said, no issue whatsoever.
The clearence from the cylinder fins is roughly 1/4", didn't measure it with a ruler but it is roughly there. Testing for vibration it didn't seem to have issues, the engine vibrates and moves back and forth not right and left. I went for a short run to test for vibration and all ok, no contact with the fins.
I can't see the FCS while I ride as it is covered by the tank, so you wouldn't know it is there.
Looking at it from the side it looks like it belongs there, like if it was OEM equipment.
Quality of the finish: superb. Really well made, a quality item, really professionally assembled.

I haven' tested it in operation yet, will do that tomorrow after I reroute the wires via a relay to my accessory switch on the handlebars. Right now is plugged directly to the B+ connector which is a hot wire all the time and don't like that. Plus it's easier to operate, when I'm approaching city traffic, if I'll switch it on keeping hands on the handlebar.
I didn't want the thermoswitch because, unlike you bagger guys that have plenty of switches and gauges to play with, I haven't got any on my Dyna !!
Haha, I also want to be in control of when it works all the time (I'm young but old fashioned ).

Well, Jason, I'll follow up posting my review of how they will perform. I'll take some pictures and post them here if you may need them to advertise the FCS to Dyna customers, or for the benefit of other future forum members and prospective customers. I'm not concern with any problems that may arise as the quality of the FCS is only surpassed by your reputation for top customer service.

I finally want to thank the forum members here that provided the feedback and had the ***** to try a completely untested product, providing their feedback and therefore allowing me to send my $$$ 6000miles away to get such a top quality item and great mod for a modern EFI (very hot!) Harley!
 
  #1339  
Old 05-11-2013, 04:33 PM
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Default FCS on Dyna pics

a few pics for reference on a Dyna install :

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  #1340  
Old 05-11-2013, 05:49 PM
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Nice pics of the install. Im about to install mine in the next couple weeks. BTW where was that pic of your bike taken with the mtns in the background?
 


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