| Author |
Message |
    
Stevenknapp
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 08:07 pm: | 
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Mine is making some noises. I agree, I think it sees a bit of abuse back there, mine was pretty full of dirt and bugs (how do bugs get all the way back there?). 7400mi on mine. |
Xbimmer
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 10:27 pm: |
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OK everybody, go ahead and flame on if you want, but I still think the fan needs to work in reverse. It makes no sense to me to pull superheated air through a device on a kamikaze mission (the fan) and then pass it on to other heat-sensitive components.
Yes, in its current configuration a reversed fan might conflict with the designed airflow. But mine's a daily rider and at 75-80 on the 101 it's running constantly (sorry Davo, 50+ but I can hear a spider running on the wall... upstairs!  ) , which kind of pushes me toward the "not enough airflow, how about a R/S scoop?" thinking.
If a satisfactory (improved) amount of airflow can be directed toward and past the rear cyl while moving then I would think the parameters within which the fan operates could be expanded. In the current configuration, there is nothing but heat that the fan pulls through itself both from the rear and front cyls. If Buell begins replacing our fans with extreme-quality units then great the discussion is over.
A cleverly designed R/S scoop could better serve the engine (I think) by redirecting front cyl heat between the cyls (out the left) while still passing air across the rear cyl head and providing an elements buffer for the TPS. One gaping intake to match the L/S scoop could redirect F/cyl heat to the left, weather-protect the TPS, and if designed well would/could block exhaust header heat from being sucked into the fan. Baffled correctly the only air pulled through the fan when it switched on would be through the L/S scoop (across the head) at stops or low speeds. Right where Buell wants the cooling to be.
Icing on the cake would be heat ducting away from the rear shock and heat-sensitive components under seat.
I still haven't addressed the reversed fan. Simple. Improve the moving airflow so the fan isn't required until stopped or low speeds. Plastic is more cost effective than fans. If the bike isn't moving, or moving slowly, then what airflow disruption will occur? When required, push some cooler air onto the R/cyl instead of pulling two hot cyls heat into itself. Fan suicide.
Disagreements welcomed, but I'm sort of concerned that a critical part of our motorcycles is questionably manufactured.. |
M2nc
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 10:37 pm: |
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I like the right scoop idea but hate to cough up the money for a CF right, to have to get the CF left to match. I think I can do something more with $500.
I am going to Synthetic Oil on the 10,000 mile service. I have heard some say it helps reduce the fan useage. Any comments on that from those that have tried it?
(Message edited by M2nc on July 24, 2006) |
Brucelee
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 10:42 pm: |
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Yes. Syn oil will help.
Best is Red Line IMHO.
Good luck. |
Lowflyer
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 10:56 pm: |
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Reverse the power/ground leads on your fan and it will work in reverse for you. I'll keep mine stock. Lemme know how it works out.
 |
Diablobrian
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 11:12 pm: |
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there is a piece of bodywork you can get to direct the heat away from your shock.
I found this pic on racingmotorcycles.com and it is only available in c-f. |
Lowflyer
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 11:17 pm: |
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That's gotta be $500 in CF. |
Diablobrian
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 11:44 pm: |
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Nope. $155 I believe. It is more of the sebimoto plastic. The pieces of their work I've seen so far are very nice too. |
Jmhinkle
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 01:48 am: |
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When I got my first longer rides in the other day, I realized my fan seems to run opposite of sensible. When I ride short stop and go 5 miles to work in 95+ weather, it never comes on until I shut the bike off. When the wife and I were out riding on the country roads 55-70 MPH after it had rained and cooled off, the fan ran nonstop. Seems like the airflow at those speeds would deem the fan not necessary, but it runs full blast the whole time. Very odd indeed. Just thinking of airflow though, a properly design RS scoop could direct fresh air over the right side of the cylinders and also help to pull the air between the cylinders and exhaust it better. It doesn't have to be design to force air into the middle to fight the left side.
Joel |
Xbimmer
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 05:26 am: |
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Lowflyer, too simple a solution unfortuneatly and thanks but I've already considered and discarded that idea. Fan blades incorrectly shaped and without redirected airflow a useless solution IMHO. Although I think your suggestion was a tad in fun. 
M2nc, I went with Syn3 at my 1K, also hoping for reduced fan activity. Not a noticeable difference, although a 2.2-2.3K trip I took last two weeks at HOT weather riding at speed allowed me to motor for 2K miles plus, using less than a quart of Syn3, pretty good I think for a new engine. |
Davo
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 05:49 am: |
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If you put your hand down in front of the left side scoop at speed (carefully), you will notice that it does not have the air flow that you might expect. It feels as though the air is broken up by the front suspension and does not get the same clean air that you experience over the handlebars. |
M2nc
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 07:40 pm: |
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Brucelee & XBimmer - Thanks for the feedback on the Sync oil. I will try the Red Line and see.
Jmhinkle - Actually I have noticed the same thing. If I ride in town the fan does not run that much, but get me out on the highway and the fan will run all the time. I can get to work most days without the fan coming on (11 miles). But if I take trips out in warm temperatures that fan will run allot. I think the engine must heat up more with constant RPMs over 3,000rpm versus varying RPMS even if the peaks are higher. Just an observation that I have not actually tested, so take it with a grain of salt.
Davo - I guess that is why all the race teams go with air induction off the front fairing.
(Message edited by M2nc on July 25, 2006) |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 10:22 pm: |
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I am going to Synthetic Oil on the 10,000 mile service. I have heard some say it helps reduce the fan useage. Any comments on that from those that have tried it?
I've got Mobil 1 in mine Carlos. On the oriental trip my fan would always cut off within seconds of yours. |
Davo
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 05:18 am: |
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Changing to synthetic did not delay my fan operation as much as my timing change. Even on cool days my fan turns on after 7-10 miles and then it never shuts off. |
Brucelee
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 10:58 am: |
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I can't recommend the right side air scoop enough!
I really don't miss hearing my fan run at all. |
Lowflyer
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 10:18 am: |
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Thread Nazi Alert!!!
There are a shitload of other threads that cover the right side scoop agenda and the synthetic oil agenda. This thread is supposed to be about when your fan quit working or started making noise. It'd be cool if we could stick to the topic and keep opinions in the other threads. |
Whodom
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 10:33 am: |
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I don't think I've seen more than one or two posts about failed fans in 4 years of pre-Uly XB's, yet there seem to have been a rash of failures on Uly's.
Is there something different about the Uly fan, did they change suppliers, is it just a "bad batch" of fans, or something else? |
Centurion
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 12:35 pm: |
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Mine has got noisy at 6,000 miles, took her into my dealer who took one listen and said yeah, bearings gone, will order a new fan up under warranty. |
Racerxme
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 02:28 pm: |
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WOW! Out here in southern Cali people ask me if I have a supercharger on the bike!
Limiting my fan would be...wel...would confuse all those nice people! 
Racerxme |
Davo
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 09:15 pm: |
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The parameters for the Uly fan have got to be different from the other xb's. I am still waiting for someone to post some "key on" and "key off" specs from another xb manual. I need data before I jump into a scoop!! |
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