| Author | Message | ||
     Aeholton |
Just got back from a 1350 mile round trip to Barber. Just north of Montgomery, AL I got a check engine light. Pulled over and turned off the bike and noticed the fan wasn't running. I checked the fuses and found that the one for the fan was blown. I replaced it with the spare and noticed the fan "trying" to turn. After a few moments the fuse blew again. Turned the blades with a screw driver and it was very stiff. I'm guessing that the bearings are bad. Anyway, I stopped at a dealer off of Hwy 65 near the Oak Mountain state park that we camped at, but they weren't Buell dealers. However they were nice enough to loan me a socket wrench with T27 bit to remove the right side plastic under the frame so that air would flow more freely across the head. I was very careful to avoid getting stuck in traffic and kept the bike moving prevent overheating. When I did get stuck at traffic lights I turned the engine off. Made it back home OK and have an appointment to drop the bike off at the dealer on Thursday. I hope this is not something that I am going to have to worry about happening again with the bike. Although I'm sure I will. I am thinking about purchasing one of the right side scoops from Al at American Sportbike. It would have come in handy on this trip. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Did the fan eat something you think? Or just a "normal" failure? | ||
| Az_m2 |
The tubers would go into spark arrest mode if the engine got too hot, meaning that cylinder firing would skip to help cool down the motor. I'm not sure if the XBs do this. Did you experience any weird motor performance? | ||
| Aeholton |
Natexlh1000 - Didn't find anything in the blades, so I'm assuming motor or bearing failure. That's what has got me worried. Right now it is under warranty. I'm not looking forward to replacing the fan every 12,000 miles, if this is normal failure. Az_m2 - I didn't experience any abnormal performance. I guess it never got too hot. As I said, I tried to keep the bike moving. When I was forced to stop for long traffic lights, I shut down the engine. | ||
| Cygnus_x1 |
My fan is now starting to be noisy. | ||
| Brad1445 |
My fan is now starting to be noisy too. | ||
| Tel |
Aren't all the fans noisy!!! | ||
| Rkc00 |
My fan is being replaced as soon as my dealer gets the new one. It has been making noises for some time. Mike Long Island, NY 06 XB12X Black of course | ||
| 44mag |
Does anybody know if the right hand air scoop works well? | ||
| Thunderbox |
I have looked at the right side air scoop and I don't think it will help matters. Here's why I think this. If you look at the left air scoop you will see that air is rammed in to and around the cylinder. If you put another scoop on the right side the two scoops will direct air to the rear cylinder and there will be 2 airflows colliding with each other which may cause less air to flow over the cylinders. I am sure if it was needed Buell would have had one on the bike from new. Doesn't look like the fan failing caused an overheat problem as the engine never went into miss mode. The Uly has a failsafe overheat protection mode to save your engine from overheating. As I have never heard of a Uly going into this mode I would suggest that the cooling capability of this design is more than adaquate. You are at much greater risk to cause engine damage from running your engine too cold than the risk of running it too hot which I have not witnessed thus far. You have a fan, an oil cooler and an air scoop which is 3 things more than the old tubers and I never had mine overheat either. There is way to much paranoia as far as overheating a Buell engine is concerned. Does anyone even know of a single person who has overheated an engine on an XB who was driving normally???? I doubt it. So forgetaboutit. Nuff said about overheating. | ||
| Aeholton |
There is way to much paranoia as far as overheating a Buell engine is concerned. When the fan quits working, I believe there is a very real risk of overheating in slow stop and go traffic. I agree that there should be plenty of air flow at highway speeds, though. That said, I was wishing I had the right side air scoop on the 550 mile return trip from Birmingham on Sunday and Monday. | ||
| Thunderbox |
Air scoop would not help you in stop and go city traffic. I still beleive the 2 scoops would make the cooling worse and thats why Buell didn't install 2 of them. Would have only cost them a couple of dollars when they were built so I would not recommend the other scoop. Be a bitch if the extra scoop caused your engine to get hotter. And again I say does anyone know of anyone who has had an XB overheat? | ||
| Whodom |
When the fan quits working, I believe there is a very real risk of overheating in slow stop and go traffic. Aeholton, I understand your concern, but I agree with Thunderbox that you are never going to overheat your Buell to the point of causing engine damage, even in stop-and-go traffic. It does have the built in protection mode to protect against overheating. Just for comparison, I have been in bumper-to-bumper traffic with my 2000 S3 (no oil cooler, no fan) for 15 or 20 minutes in ~80 degree temps. The engine was hot enough that I could smell whatever minute traces of oil there were on it vaporizing. Even under those conditions my engine has never gone into the overheat prevention mode. I changed the oil pump gear last month, which necessitated pulling the rocker boxes. The rear rocker box is the area your cooling fan provides cooling for to prevent "coking" of the oil on the hot surfaces. Now I am running synthetic oil (either Mobil-1 V-twin or HD Syn 3) but there was not a trace of any sludge, residue, coking, or anything else in my rocker boxes. One other point, I don't think I've heard other XB riders mention any failed fans. Possibly Buell changed suppliers this year or the Uly fan is slightly different? I sure wouldn't expect the fan to be a regular replacement item. | ||
| Eor |
Around 2K miles, my fan began making a noise as if a bearing was going out on it...when the Buell rep looking at another matter heard it, he ordered a replacement for me. | ||
| Aeholton |
Whodom - Your S3 (as my M2) have a very open frame that allows for great airflow. The boxed in rear head of the Uly doesn't allow for the same air flow in stop and go traffic. I do not feel comfortable without fan in the stop and go. Thunderbox - It goes without saying that the scoop is useless in still air of stopped traffic. If you read my post, I said the right air scoop would have helped on the return trip. Maybe I should clarify that it was 99% highway riding. If you are forcing air in from both sides and moving forward, it would have no other option but to go out the back between the inoperable fan blades and any other opening to the back. I still say right side scoop, no fan at highway speeds (again not stop and go) is going to provide more cooling for the rear head than without scoop. | ||
| Thunderbox |
I read your post perfectly. You didn't read mine. I believe the 2 air scoops will cause less air flow over the cylinders because they both cancle each other out. But if you think it is a good idea then by all means go ahead and put one on. It's your money and your bike. That was just my 2 cents worth. Obviously your bike didn'y overheat even when the fan failed so it is definately not underengineered. | ||
| Chadhargis |
My fan doesn't run at highway speeds (just did a 400 mile trip this weekend down to Barber). I never heard the fan come on until I got off the highway. Then it would kick in. When I turned off the key it would obviously run, but would almost immediately drop to the low speed mode. I've never noticed the XB motor running poorly when hot (as my BMWs did). In fact, it runs much better hot than it does cool. | ||
| Dragon_slayer |
Aeholton, I sorry but there is another option for the air with two scoops. That option is no additional flow at all! The exiting air is heated by the engine to a greater volume than the cooler entering air. The exit area should flow three to four times more air than the entering area. That may be why Buell went to a more expensive option of the exiting fan than the cheaper option of the additional intake scoop. Just some food for thought. BTW, I rode Sportsters for years and never lost an engine to overheating (they have no fan). I think the fan is more for longer engine life. Yes, get the fan replaced and do not beat on the engine until you do. Do not worry so much, life's short!  | ||
| Jim_sb |
Slayer, I have ridden Sportsters and Buells for years and I suspect that the XB frame holds in a lot more heat - hence the need for the cooling fan. Perhaps anonymous will enlighten us, but that's my take. Best, Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Bloochdog |
Whodom running syn oil seems to be a good option... Has anybody wrapped the headers with heat tape? I have been thinking of a few alternatives .. going to hang the radiator drip bag from my old landrover on the forks... also working on a perforated pan under the seat that can hold aprox. one quart of ice that can be replenished at any 7-11 ... just a few thoughts... | ||
| Aeholton |
Just got a call from the dealer. My bike is fixed! They found a frayed wire in my harness that was shorting the fan. Going to pick it up this evening. Gotta say I am feeling much relief. I was thinking that I would be bikeless for at least a week. | ||
| Wolffone2000 |
My fan started having problems within 6 months of purchase. The sound coming from it was like a worn bearing noise --which the dealer replaced--(Harley/Buell of Brandon, Florida) and it has not had a problem since. | ||
| Whodom |
running syn oil seems to be a good option... Has anybody wrapped the headers with heat tape? Bloochdog, Synth oil is definitely a big help for these air cooled engines. Lots of XB riders have wrapped their headers with good results. You can find several threads on the optimum products & process if you search. I have been thinking of a few alternatives .. going to hang the radiator drip bag from my old landrover on the forks... also working on a perforated pan under the seat that can hold aprox. one quart of ice that can be replenished at any 7-11 ... just a few thoughts... You could also take route the run-off from the melted ice via a hose to drip on the cylinder heads for further cooling. Of course, you might wind up with your own personal steam bath if you're stuck in traffic.  | ||
| Deadeye |
I am new here, got my Uly 4/13! I rode back to the dealer the next day (60 miles one way)to take my title in for my sporty that I traded in. I rode around town for break in miles, and at around 170 miles I went to start it and my check engine light came on. I noticed the fan didn't run the last time I had shut it off, but it was cool out, and I was still learning about this great machine. I rode back to the dealer, and they let me take my old bike back home (that was pretty hard!) That was Fri, and on Mon they said they replaced the fan fuse, it was ready to go. I knew there was a reason it had blown, so when I picked it up, I stayed close to the dealer. The fan worked fine for about 50 miles, then the check engine light came on. I replaced the fuse, and took it back. A few days later, they said they had replaced the fan. The fan was drawing 12 amps at startup, on a 10 amp fuse. It has been working fine since, I took it in for the 1000 mile service this morning. My bike was made Feb '06. Maybe they had a bad batch of fans. Anyway, I am in love with my new bike, and I'll post when I can, when I'm not out ripping it up!! | ||
| Ratcatcher |
I use a larger air scoop and find at least40%reduction in fan use but have not tested it in the hieght of summer | ||
| Aeholton |
Picked up the bike last night! Fan runs as it should. They even washed it (and it was looking pretty nasty and covered w/ bugs from the trip to Barber). Total charge $0.00. Now I can install the race kit that has been sitting here since last Friday. Looking forward to the weekend. | ||
| Brucelee |
The right side air scoop simply works. I have had one for two years. Best thing I ever did for my bike. | ||
| Brucelee |
" I still beleive the 2 scoops would make the cooling worse and thats why Buell didn't install 2 of them." I used to believe in Santa Claus. That didn't make him real. | ||
| Thunderbox |
Can you tell us what the engine oil temp was aftr a 100 mile run before and after the scoop install? Does the XB9 have an oil cooler like the Uly? I rode my bike to work this morning it was about 40 degrees. I ride 18 miles and the swingarm was just luke warm. My oil temp is down 25 degrees or better after a 100 mile ride since I changed my exhaust because it doesn't blow hot exhaust on the swingarm anymore. I only tested with an infrared temp gun so it may not be totally accurate but should be close. | ||
| Bloochdog |
hey rat catcher .. where can you get a larger scoop.. |
