Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor

[Fizzy Pies]

TL;DR - Broke down in dark and freezing rain for 2 hours for nothing, bike was trolling me. Read it and absorb my woe portayed in poor english and bad grammer  :lol .

I had checked engine coolant level on my bike the week before this and had topped it up right.

I had to take a trip on mid-day saturday from Wigan over the M62 to the north east.

It was piss wet all the way there and windy.

Anyway, I left to return the same day leaving at 5.30, still piss wet and windy all the way i must add, sheduled to get back to wigan for 8....

Untill on the M1 J45/J46 the farking temp light comes on telling me the coolant is too hot. I pull over turn it off, start bike back up after a bit and try again. Note I didnt mess about looking for stuff on it, it was freezing rain, pitch black and nutters wizzing past probably rubber necking, so pretty dangerous!

1 mile down the road later its back on, im like of fuck its fatal... pull up and call RAC. Stood a top a large muddy verge, pitch black, freezing rain.

RAC say will be 30 mins, will call me when 10 mins away. 1 hour later I ring them pissed off, WTF?, oh sorry whats up with it? tell them... only covered for rescue so they said they sub con'd the job out to a local place and they will bring water to help. 2 hours after Ringing RAC guy comes after missing me first time round, puts some water in the bottle and after bump starting the bike (PE lights and indicator left it flat) he followed me to the services.

So I check everything I can over and it seems ok.

Set off again with the 60 miles remaining, sticking to 50-60 as it was raining hard, and turning to snow at this point as I go over the penines, FOCCING LIGHT COMES BACK ON!!! but stranlgy the brightness of the light is eratic. Riding I hit the kill switch, leave a sec or two back on, I notice the light is now no longer there after a big pop and flame from the can . 2 miles later its back just to shit me up some more, try the on off trick this time no joy, lights going crazy now bright, dim, bright etc. I think ODD!! so I just keep it at 50 all the way home and it wasnt on so much, It was more fuck it if it blows up it blows up, i just wanna get home  :lol .


Tested the sensor today as per suggestion from christo and reference to haynes, the test concluded the sensor is at fault.

Rang the shop where I got it and its getting booked in on tuesday under warrenty.

foccing thing!

[reillypadraig]

2 hours :eek? I murder the bastard when he turned up! Like where the foc were u?
Pity it had to happen on a long trip like that? Glad all is wel now man

[Fazerider]

:rollin
I've always found the temperature sensor to be far more use as a rain detector...

[bozboz]

Well Fizzy the exact same thing has happened to me/been happening to me. A few weeks ago job from westend to birmingham, first snow then heavy rain. Same symptoms, pulled over, checked coolant (which was fine). Kept getting varying degrees of brightness. As soon as rain stopped and I was homeward bound light slowly dims and goes out, now it only comes on like fazerider says to tell me its raining 

[gassitt]

Its a resistance based sensor , muck rain snow etc make it come on

Pull off the connector give it and the insulation around the male connector on the water pump  good clean and itll be right

[packie]

Well Fizzy the exact same thing has happened to me/been happening to me. A few weeks ago job from westend to birmingham, first snow then heavy rain. Same symptoms, pulled over, checked coolant (which was fine). Kept getting varying degrees of brightness. As soon as rain stopped and I was homeward bound light slowly dims and goes out, now it only comes on like fazerider says to tell me its raining 

If it's not the sensor, then ye must have dodgy sealing in your clocks from what I can see. Personally, I can't see moisture/wet getting at the sensor or it's wiring connectors as these and the thermostat is nearly situated under the middle of the tank and well protected, warm, and cosy from the elements while on the go, or from any water getting kicked up from the front or rear wheels IMO.

So while it may be still possible if the bike was parked outside for long periods of time for moisture to get on the contacts, I'd also keep an open mind of the possibility that the light was getting activated by some sort of "shorting out" at the dashboard from moisture getting into the clocks.

Pesonally, I would have still driven on if I was the OP anyway instead of calling out assistance. I would have based that decision on since that it was really freezing that day, the chances that the motor was going to overheat and do damage on the go in those conditions even if the coolant wan't working properly would probably have been slim IMO. I'd would have been more concerned if it happened on a mild or a hot summer day....then I'd be calling assistance.

But I would try and trace why the light is coming on because if it's shorting at the dash and not the sensor, you might do some long term damage to the clocks over time. While there is no real mechanical parts to seize up in the clocks, there is plenty of electrics and computer chips to blow and corrode and it could be an expensive fix later.

[bozboz]

Hmm Packie you might be on to something there with the dash being the cause (in my case at least). My Clocks have issue on the right side aka, the rev counter sticks, the fuel counter sticks (both work for a bit with a smack) and the right hand backlight has gone. Maybe the temp light is added to my list of probs with the dash. I need to clean my bike I think...or someone else

Oy! Christo, fancy earning your diner! :rollin

[packie]

....one other thing, Fizzy Pies......


You are getting dreadful fuel consumption from your bike....0.0 mpg....WOW!!  :lol