| Author | Message | ||
     Xb12rdude |
Hi Folks, I would like to get everyones input on reducing fan noise and/or usage. I love my bike, but still hate the annoying fan running all the time, especially when I pull up to bike night and sounds like a turbo when I shut the bike off. I've read hundreds of threads on this issue and would like to post what I've seen so far. I would like pro's and con's and any other input. I think with all this expierence on the board there's no reason we shouldn't be able to at least reduce the amount of "fan time" or "noise" which some good engineering or inexpensive mods. Right Side Air Scoop -PRO - more air to rear head -CON - Some say stock right side cover helps helps the fan pull more air over the head. Use a good Synthetic Oil and change Freq. -PRO - reports of lest fan time -CON - price of syn. oil Ceramic Coated Header -Pro - Less heat held in head area, so less for fan to cool. Supposed reduction of 175 deg. on headers by ceramic coating and seams heat would travel out of bike better instead of holding it. -CON - could stock steel headers actually act as a "heat sink" and help remove heat. Open Air Box Mod PRO - Enable you to plug frame hole above left side air scoop, allowing more air to engine. CON - Might make engine run leander and hotter, defeats hole purpose of fan running less. }Does anyone else have ideas of things they've done to reduce fan usage and or noise of fan? How about sound proofing fan area a little? Please post up your thoughts. | ||
| Diablobrian |
proper tuning of your motor with direct link will reduce the temperature because even stock the motors run lean to pass EPA emissions standards. I don't see the header acting as much of a heat sink for the head. if any effect it would be miniscule. With synthetic oil your mileage between required oil changes usually goes up, not down. It seems you are on the right track though with the ideas to cool the bike down. You do want the fan to run after the bike is shut off. No good will come of that rear cylinder sitting there inside the frame, HOT. The fan running is a good thing. Tell people that it's advanced technology, it's the bike's "after-cooler" kicking in. | ||
| Xb12rdude |
Thanks for the input. I agree fan is good, but engine running cool enough not to need it is better..........not to mention less noisy. :-) I know that there is no way of avoiding the fan on hot days and in slow moving or idle traffic. But I rode my bike to work this morning, about 10 minute ride at 50mph in cool weather and the dammed fan was on when I stopped. I'm hoping with a few mods this could be avoided. Good point about engine tuning also, that does have a lot to due with over all heat, which is why the fan comes on in the first place. I'm really hoping to get more input from folks who have been successful in this venture. I seriously think I could 4 or 5 of my friends to sell their "rice burners" for a Buell if not for the loud ass fan after stopping. Thanks | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
No offense meant but if the fan is stopping your buddies from buying a Buell I would talk them out of it altogether. If something as trivial as the fan turns them off they are bound to find something else they don't like after they lay down there hard earned cash. I personally like the fan and the attention it brings. I enjoy it when people come up and say "That is cool I have never heard or seen a bike like that before". State of the art stuff my friend  . | ||
| Pupu |
i dont think there is nothing you can do to make it run that much less, i mean, those things might make it run less, but if it still runs, what is an extra minute. the right side airscoop will make it run less when you are riding, in fact i cant recall it running when i was riding it at all since i put it on. but it is always gonna run when you shut it off, weather it be a minute or 30 sec. i agree with luvthemtorts, if that fan is stopping them, that is pretty petty. i mean, if they are that picky, why did they buy a bike that you can find at every bike stop across the us, have to check your key in a couple till you actually find your own bike. it is all about originality, and the fan just makes it that much more so. | ||
| Rich |
Put an inline switch on it, and shut it off when you want to. If it's that big a deal. | ||
| Pupu |
doh, never thought of that, the easiest solution. that way you could always leave it on, but then when you pull up to starbucks, you can turn it off so no one will think you are wierd. | ||
| Aydenxb9 |
That fan is activated by a thermostat, so if it's running, it needs to be. What's more annoying, having to put up with a little noise from a fan or having to spit the bike in two on a regular basis to replace cooked rear cylinder parts? I've never had anyone say anything negative about the fan when they hear it. Most are actually impressed with it. | ||
| Brucelee |
Face it, the fan sounds like shit. So does the fuel pump. It is embarrassing. The motor/exhaust sounds sweet, nice if you can hear it above the fan and the fuel pump. (Message edited by brucelee on July 19, 2006) | ||
| Glitch |
Y'all could go out and buy a Tuber. | ||
| Xbeau12s |
I don't care what the bike sounds like. It's not embarrassing when the fan goes on. Who cares what the on-lookers are thinking. They probably want one anyway! Pull up to Starbucks and rev the hell out of it before you go in. | ||
| Pupu |
OMG, that is a last resort!!! J/K  | ||
| Xb12rdude |
Agree with BRUCELEE, it's embarrassing and not the attention I want. If you had a 1/2 inch long "pee pee" you would probably get a lot of looks in the locker room too, but not the type you want. I love the bike and will probably never buy another "rice burner" in my life, but the fan thing is stupid and just screams "old technology" when you pull in and have move away from your bike because you can't talk over the load ass fan. If you like the fan noise and attention, that's cool too....but this thread probably isn't for you. I'm truely trying to pick everyones brain to see what they done to help. The fan running only 20 sec instead of 2 minutes after I stop is cooler to me, so anything helps. Thanks guys | ||
| Wazza |
I have wondered if a similar fan controller as is now being used by PC enthusiasts could be installed that gives a variable speed according to temperature? In PC's with high temperatures fan noise has become an issue and some people report this style of speed controller results in less noise by having the fan/s spin only as fast as needed to maintain set temperature. I dont mind the short fan burst at stop, but wouldnt mind it being less intrusive when riding as mine seems to roar away at full speed most any time I ride. I am looking at a RH scoop as well. | ||
| Typeone |
i love my fan noise, its odd like the XB + its serving a purpose. even on hot days mine doesn't run that long after shutdown. seems to have gotten better with mileage, syn and TFI tuning. 'embarassing'? what an odd remark. funny how some are so worried about what others think about their ride. my bike makes a racket, and i love every note. | ||
| Pupu |
just put a switch on it then, then you can determine when the fan runs and when it doesnt. it is cheap and easy. if they wanted the motor to run cooler, they would have designed it that way. would be a 2 dollar mod, you could hide the switch and no one would be the wiser. asside from that, i dont see anything making that big of a difference. and the fan has at least 2 speeds that i know of, so it has some sort of controller in it now. | ||
| Tbowdre |
seriously, if you ride with a pack of people and stop to talk for a couple of minutes everone shuts down thier bike... when I do eveyone looks at me like...uughh hello whats up with the buell? we cant hear each other! dosent bother me that much but its annoying... I probably wont get the micron full exhaust because i wont be able to fit a right side scoop... think this will help? or if i get the ceramic coating is that just as functional at reducing engine temps? | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
Other than what has been mentioned there ain't a whole lot else that can be done. It is the price you pay for buying a bike that has the rear cylinder shoved deep up into the frame. As far as the fan being old technology it ain't. The frame design and engine placement of the Buell is very much a technological wonder. The fan serves its' purpose by keeping the rear cylinder from reaching dangerous temps. One thing though. If your fan is truly loud enough that you can't carry on a conversation without moving away from the machine as you stated then you may want to have your dealer check it. I can carry on a conversation over the "roar" of my fan and a fellow Buellers' bike while parked side by side. Once again no disrespect intended so lets please leave the penis remarks out if possible. | ||
| Pupu |
the right side helps when you are moving, so it should keep it cooler so when you stop it will be cooler, mine only runs for about 30 sec to a min anyways when i stop, i dont know if that is less than before i put the scoop on or not. | ||
| Vaneo1 |
PRO: fan can make people think your bike has Jet Engine technology CON: Bike also sounds like a $10,000 vacuum cleaner either way you win, you can say its an enivronmental friendly bike as it runs on natural gas and cleans the streets below it...or, you can say its got jet engine technology. Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow baby!! Fan is cool IMO. hee hee Cool! ok I gotta stop.  | ||
| Redstar11 |
I am in league with the functionality over form crowd. The fan is there to prevent critical overheating of the head and cylinder. It sounds the way it does because it is a high volume fan. It's not just pulling a bit of air through a 1" thick radiator, it's pulling volumes of air past 8"x8" finned cylinder that sees temperatures nearing 300 degrees. Yes it's loud, but i'll take that over heat seizing my engine. | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
Just received and install the carbon right side scoop from Trojan earlier this week. Here are my non scientific observations. The fan used to run everyday at highway speed on my commute to work. Since it has been installed it does not run while the bike is moving...... Once stopped and turned off the fan runs for a shorter period of time. I will be doing the fiberglass exhaust wrap this weekend....Jegs which is just up the street only had the thermo-tec. I also have bought a case of amsoil for the next couple oil changes. | ||
| Wazza |
Eeek, I didnt think about the RH scoop not fitting with a Micron system installed... well that narrows my options? | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
THEY look at YOU funny in front of STARBUCKS?! who cares what THEY think. THEY are paying 5.00 for a small coffee. tell them it is an AIR CONDITIONER for your A$$, you don't like it all swampy! | ||
| Buckstar |
A small cup of coffee at Starbucks is 1.52.  | ||
| Xb12rdude |
This is awesome, love the info and suggestions. Good to here the Right Side air scoop seemed to help, mine should be in within a week. Again, less fan time also means bike is running cooler and good for the engine. Not just the "fan noise" problem which seems to bother some. I think they should sell a left side air scoop blocker for the guys who like the fan noise. Then the fan will run when you just look like your going to ride it. J/K guys, poking a little fun back. All in All I love the bike, it's great. Belts and Fans are my only gripes. | ||
| Darthane |
~~~~~~~~~~~ Again, less fan time also means bike is running cooler and good for the engine. Not just the "fan noise" problem which seems to bother some. ~~~~~~~~~~~ I'd just like to point out that in the case of an air-cooled engine (or any engine, really), cooler is not necessarily better (from several perspectives). All engines have sweet spots. Sweet spots for peak torque, maximum fuel efficiency, minimum emissions, and, yes, temperature as well. | ||
| Midknyte |
The right side scoops might do the job and all, but so does that fan. My plugs showed that the front cylinder runs hotter than the rear. I may yet get the right side scoop, but when I do I'll be cutting it and directing some of the air at the front too. | ||
| Beachbuell |
If you don't like the uniqueness of the Buells why not buy a GSXR or CBR? That way you could fit right in with everybody else on the me too bikes. No one would even look at you twice..... no fan, no American rumble, no soul..... If you like. | ||
| Brucelee |
"If you don't like the uniqueness of the Buells why not buy a GSXR or CBR? That way you could fit right in with everybody else on the me too bikes. No one would even look at you twice..... no fan, no American rumble, no soul..... If you like." It is great to hear the rumble of the engine IF you can hear it over your fan and fuel pump. |
