1995 Triumph Thunderbird - cooling fan switch question?

Question

My cooling fan has never come on. I tested the circuit by jumping the cooling fan switch wires and the fan does work. However it has got hot enough idling in traffic that the idiot light comes on, but not the fan.

Do these cooling fan switch's go bad? Could it have scale built up and would cleaning it help?

I have seen discussions on some other motorcycle forums that makes me wonder if this is "normal" on Triumph triples.

Any one have a relevent experience they could share?

Answer 1

This is a classic issue with the Triumph Thunderbird and some of the other T3 Triumphs. The problem isn't with the fan though - it is with the idiot light.

The ground for the idiot light is too weak by design. Once a little corrosion builds up on it, it starts coming on too early. One test for it is to see if it flashes on an off in concert with the turn signal while sitting in traffic at high temps.

Your fan is probably fine - the cooling systems on these bikes are very robust. Unless you live in the desert or ride the bike very hard, the fan may never need to run. Mine only comes on if I really blast it through the twisties in 90 + degree heat.

The fix, according a Triumph service bulletin, is to add another ground wire to the harness. I have just let mine go as is, as a slight quirkyness that make it a British motorcycle ;-)

Answer 2

1995 Triumph Thunderbird

Answer 3

Fan switches go bad on motorcycles all the time.
You have two choices -
1) Install a new switch.
2) Install an on-off switch in the fan circuit and turn the fan on & off manualy.

Answer 4

BESIDES THE COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY YOU ALSO COULD HAVE A BAD FAN CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AS WELL AND THAT WILL MAKE THE VEHICLE OVERHEAT. AS FOR THE COOLING FAN RELAY, YOU WILL HAVE WHAT IS CALLED A COOLING FAN CONTROL MODULE THAT IS LOCATED ON THE RADIATOR SUPPORT. THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SWITCH AND SENSOR FOR THE ECM IS LOCATED JUST BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR.

Answer 5

call a dealership