Club 80-90 Forums

Sorry but a basic question, I'm mechanically challenged

I have a 1.9 Watercooled 85 Westy Joker.

The red light on the temperature gauge started to flash after crawling in traffic for 45 mins today. The needle did not move staying in its normal central position. Its never happened before.The coolant is ok, the radiator and the water pump was replaced 18 months ago.

I take it , the engine is overheating. What is the best course of action when this happens ?

Does this indicate that i have a problem with the cooling system?

Cheers

Phil

is the cooling fan kicking in OK popeye?

is the header tank full to the brim with coolant?

clean the contacts up a bit on the sensor (top of the header tank)

Cheers for that Kev.

I will take it into see the man with the spanners tomorrow.

Sounds possibly like an low coolant or an air-lock.

Do the checks Kevtherev suggests, I think instructions for bleeding the cooling system is on the Wiki site or Brikwerks.

I'd just top it up with water before you do that. Thats the most likely cause.

Cheers

Ringo

There are two other causes for that little light to blink that I have experienced.
1. An electrical short circuit. This happened to me when an ill fitting battery was shorting on the battery lid. The red light would flash intemitently and the temp gauge increase in temp very quickly whilst shorting.
2. The main wiring harness multi pin connector to the dash pod comes a little loose. on later models this can also sound the buzzer of doom when nothing else is wrong, but should also effect other dash led's by making them not work. A gentle wiggle should correct, on my lhd you can reach this plug from the driving seat by sticking your hand up underneath, i cant remember if this is the same on a rhd.

Hope this may be of help as it is not always the obvious.

The engine wont be overheating if the needle doesnt say it is. The fan should come on when the needle is a needles width to the right of the little red light. (assuming that the gauge is working) The temp needle should start fully to the cold left side, then rise over about 4 miles to the middle, where in normal conditions it stays rock steady. Ticking over for long periods will require fan action such as in your traffic jam to cool the engine, but should be shown in a slight rise in the needle position. When the fan comes on you should be able to see the needle drop, a gentle rev to get the cooleant flowing round faster at that point will cool the engine down faster. or you can put your heater on full for a time. This will keep the engine cool even if your main fan is'nt working.

Phil, check the sensor in the header tank,give it a little clean up . Our's acts the t**t every now and then,even when the coolants full.

Ian.

Cheers guys

It was the sensor in the Header Tank.

Thanks again for all replies.

I have a similar problem where my red light flashes for a few seconds on start up but goes off. The temperature guage doesn't rise at all. It doesn't appear to be working. Are the two connected or where do I look for the temperature sensor fault?

Many thanks.

red light flashes for a few seconds on start up but goes off.

It is supposed to do that stevie it's a self check


the sensor is in the header tank at the top you will see two wires coming from it

that's the header tank not the top up tank

just something to check
with the cap screwed tight on thr bottle when the coolant is cold blow/suck on the take off pipe.
you should not be able to blow into the system or suck out.
if you can your cap is faulty
it needs to seal so the coolant can pressurise and not boil!
non sealing will cause fluid loss and so can cause the fault you have with no apparent coolant loss!

you should not be able to blow into the system or suck out.

Now that I didn't know. Have also got the flashy light thing...and apparent.y water in the system....Guess what I shall be doing this weekend....as well as the contacts in the header tank!

Emma

kevtherev wrote:

red light flashes for a few seconds on start up but goes off.

It is supposed to do that stevie it's a self check

DOH!!!

I am not losing any coolant which is why I assumed everything was in order except for the guage! I'll give it a check over. Thanks again

you need to remember that the light takes its signal from the temp sender for over heating, AND from the level sender in the headertank for low coolant, the rad fan is connected to neither of these and has a seperate sender switch in the rad itself, so is totally independant...

also check connections in the electrics box in the engine bay, where there is yet another junction for the gauge and the red light of confusion.....