I'm in. PO wired the fan to a switch in the fairing.

Not that I blame him... $2 switch or $60 sensor? Hmmmm.

-Deek

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"Eat, drink and be merry. For tomorrow we die."

1975 GL 1000 (First Year) under the knife; soon to be a cafe' inspired "Boss" of a freedom machine.

Be careful with the Wells SW504. I had it cross referenced up here and matched up with a BW TFS500. The thread size is wrong (too small ).

I redid my cooling system this winter(fixed leaking vent hole and it turned out to just be the big O ring on the water pump) and while at it had the rad professional cleaned & painted. I replaced the thermostate using one that fits an older Honda Civic and the Geo switch. I can only run the bike in the garage but at idle & reving up the temperature gauge only goes to half the normal operating range & then the fan cycles off & on as it should. The temperature never gets over 1/2 the gauge no matter what I do.

To make life simpler I went to a local auto wrecker and cut out the pigtail from a Geo Metro. Makes it much easier to connect this to the wings wiring.

The bike runs much cooler than it did last year. For those do it yourselfers I would be tempted to pick up a Geo switch and tuck it away in my parts bin while they are still around. Up here they are getting hard to find

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Currently own: Restored 1977 Goldwing
Current project: Restoring 78 CB750F
Previous bikes: XJ650, GS550, XT500, 77 Goldwing, and a few others

Another & possibly a better fan thermo switch than the one from a GEO. Plus easier to find.

Borg Warner # TFS600 switch comes on at 199 F not 208 F like the GEO. This switch fits a broad range of Honda Cars & has the identical thread to the GL1000. The end that fits into the water jacket is the same as the GEO. Just pick up a Honda pigtail from a wrecker & wire it in via a relay.

That coupled with a Napa #535080 ( 180 ) should make a good pair for keeping the bikes temperature under control. This thermostat is one that is used in the Honda Civic & others.

I've already put in the Napa thermostat and I'm going to be putting this switch in my bike & taking out the GEO one. I find the GEO switch switches the fan on at a little higher temp than I'd like. ( Although it's temp range is the same as the stock GL1000 switch.) Will post results when I'm done.

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Currently own: Restored 1977 Goldwing
Current project: Restoring 78 CB750F
Previous bikes: XJ650, GS550, XT500, 77 Goldwing, and a few others

Good work cycleman!

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I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes offers polishing and upholstering for your Wing!

Thanks. Some further info to save folks some time & effort.

When checking the Honda manual on the goldwing fan thermo switch I found that it is rated for 7 amp and the fan motor normally draws around 4 amps. This is for the GL1000. That explains why there was no relay back in the day.

When one uses a modern fan thermo switch they are all run through a relay and I've seen some articles stating that the power to the thermo switch side of the relay should have a 1 amp fuse on it. The fan side of the realy would probably work fine with a 10 amp fuse. In other words it doesn't need to draw much power to function.

In conlusion if your going to put a non goldwing fan thermo switch then run it through a relay. These switches will not stand up to a 4 amp draw on a normal fan motor for long. When you consider that a fan motor going bad would draw considerably more amps that's most likely why the thermo switch dies.

A side note. A lot of these era bikes have had alternator problems and when you see how the fan & thermo swtich is basically controlled by the 30 amp main fuse ( as there are no fuses for the fan) that may help explain one of the reasons why the alternators expire early.

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Currently own: Restored 1977 Goldwing
Current project: Restoring 78 CB750F
Previous bikes: XJ650, GS550, XT500, 77 Goldwing, and a few others

By George I think he's got it!!

When I put my Geo switch in the fan worked sporatically.

So I later took it all apart again, rebuilt the fan motor and replaced with an OEM switch. And it worked perfectly.

Probably just rebuilding the motor (and of course the relay I had no idea about) would have fixed it.

That's some dang good work you do, cycleman.

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Steve -- IBA #8078 -- Winnie, the '81 Nekkid Bagger build

Further update.

I put the TFS600 fan switch into the bike and then wired it through a 30 amp relay. When you go the relay route you have to bypass all the old wiring for the fan/thermo switch combination. Take the main power lead from the battery through a 10 amp fuse. You can put a bigger fuse in but seeing as fan is only supposed to draw max of 4 amps, a 10 amp should work fine.

You can use the blue wire that goes to the fan for your 1 amp switched circuit to the thermo switch side of the relay. Just unplug the fan & use a connector and run it through a 1 amp fuse to the relay. That way the fan won't come on with key off. You'll also have to come up with a couple of ground wires, one each for thermo switch & fan.

Now for the results. I'm running a Stant 180 degree thermostat that is designed for Honda cars. ( This was the same thermostat for both the Geo & Honda car thermo switch project. ) With the NFS600 switch when I started the bike & let it warm up the fan will now come on at a point at about two or three needle widths into the operating temp range of the gauge. When the fan comes on it drops the gauge down to about 1 needle width into the temp range. I let the fan cycle off and on a few times then shut the bike off. It stayed in this temp range throughout. I watched the overflow tank to see how much the antifreeze expanded as the bike came to operating temp. The expansion was half of what it was with the Geo thermo switch. ( In otherwords engine didn't get as hot. )

In conclusion.
1. There is a lot of messing around once you go away from the stock set up. I think if you like to tinker than doing what I did is fine. Like most things I don't know that it is better, however the bike does run cooler than it did with the old thermostat & Honda GL1000 thermo switch, also with new thermostat & Geo switch. I never liked having the engine run in the upper/top of the operating temp range of the gauge when in parade mode or around town. I'm pretty sure the fan will run more with this set up but the operating temp should stay in a narrower range.
2. If you don't like to tinker, put the orginal thermo switch back in. I couldn't find one up here so that's why I did what I did.
3. On a cost basis both set ups end up costing about the same, by the time you buy all the pieces for the aftermarket setup.

I will post another update once I can ride outside in the real world. It was minus -25 C this morning. As a sidebar note the TFS600 fan switch is the same one that is in my 2006 Honda CRV. So should work fine in the bike.

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Currently own: Restored 1977 Goldwing
Current project: Restoring 78 CB750F
Previous bikes: XJ650, GS550, XT500, 77 Goldwing, and a few others

Just replying to this to provide another review for anyone who may be considering the Geo Metro fan switch. I installed one on my '78 about 12-18 months ago and after installing it I never thought about it again until today. I have put about 30k miles on the bike in that time.. fan cycles on and off like it's supposed too, I have never noticed it running excessively hot or cold. So far so good!

-J

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1978 GL1000
1991 CBR1000F
1996 KTM 400 R/XC

Further update.

Well once it warmed up the TS600 switch turns the fan on too early & it will run a lot as it gets warmer.

Found a cross reference from the BW TS596 and it is one by Blue Streak. Its number is TS306. It comes on at 208 F. I see this number also shows up on a previous list and as I understand it Blue Streak is owned by BW.

I've tried this one in the bike now for a week or so with the same thermostat as my earlier post. The TS306 works perfectly & turns the fan on at about the 1/2 - 5/8 mark ( in the broad white band ) of the temp gauge. This is the stock point where the fan should come on.

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Currently own: Restored 1977 Goldwing
Current project: Restoring 78 CB750F
Previous bikes: XJ650, GS550, XT500, 77 Goldwing, and a few others

do you happen to have a source for either the TS596 or the TS306?
and being a cross reference is it the same temp range as the BW TS596?

I skimmed back up through your postings but only saw you mention the NAPA thermostat...
thanks.

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bulldogged 1978 GL1000 - "geekster" - daily rider
full dress 1979 GL1000 - SteamPunk Barge - daily rider
"found" a 1978 for $100
got another "new" 1978 from a member here
and my original '79 parts basket case.

A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out. ~ George Bernard Shaw

Sorry for not getting back on this one. I just happened to be wandering around the site and came back to this post.

I just went to one of our local auto parts places, looked through their catelogue until I found one with the same thread & the temp that I wanted. Turned out that it looks like it was for the Suziki turbo. BW didn't have this one but it was made/supplied by Blue Streak. As I understand it BW owns Blue Streak.

I don't know if this answers your question or not.

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Currently own: Restored 1977 Goldwing
Current project: Restoring 78 CB750F
Previous bikes: XJ650, GS550, XT500, 77 Goldwing, and a few others

Just found out that Beck / Arnley was bought out by NAPA. There is now a NAPA part number for old Beck / Arnley switch #2011614. The NAPA part number is FS154.

Patrick

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Always ready to Ride!

1984 GL1200I 1978 CB750K (project) 1977 CB750A (project)


My Album

If you want a cheap alternative harness, go to a salvage yard, unplug an identical one from a vehicle that uses the fitting for the type of coolant temperature sensor (most Japanese Imports), and cut it off the harness with diagonal cutters.

If you are courteous, and explain the conversion you are doing, most yards let you have the part for nothing.

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Mantra: "Hahah, you wrecked it! Never should have checked it! Perseverance in problem solving ensures success because POSITIVE ATTITUDE is a FORCE MULTIPLIER!

Scratch the Wells #SW504 from your list - same terminal set-up which is nice, however the thread is different - will not screw into the thermostat housing.

FutureBoy

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1976 CB750 Candy Antares Red
1976 GL1000 Sulfur Yellow (Old Yeller)
1994 ST1100 Black

I've 86'd that SW504 from my list.

Thanks for the heads-up, FutureBoy.

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Steve -- IBA #8078 -- Winnie, the '81 Nekkid Bagger build