There was a wikipedia write up on the CX500 that mentioned the plastic radiator fan may possibly disintergrate during extended running. How common is this really? If it is common, would replacing it with the GL500 fan be possible? ( If I understood the write up GL500 had no such issues, maybe it is a metal fan? )
Just curious as I am looking to do a few extended trips soon...
Vince
It is possible to overtighten the fan bolt and ruin a new fan. Please don't ask how I know. After I read about fans coming apart, I checked mine. Sure enough it was cracked all away round the hub. Changed it. The first thing I noticed was how quiet the bike was. Amazing how much noise the fans make. ALWAYS use a torque wrench on the fan bolt. ALWAYS use a torque wrench on the fan bolt. I guess its true, the lessons we never forget, are the ones we learn the hard way.
Michael
the electrical part is easy. If you have the complete rad & fan assembly it has both the fan & the temp switch so it connects to the main harness with a 2 conductor plug: ground and power-with-key-on.
Mounting the 650 rad to the 500 engine hangers would be another matter. The lugs are significantly diferent and would need to be almost completely re-worked. It would probably be easy for a welder who is really good with sheet metal.
I had my fan come totlally off the hub and into the rad, there was damage but it was repairable. Bieng of the mindset if it happens once it'll happen again I figured a completely different type of fan would be a better fix.
I found an electric pusher fan from an old mazda at my local wreckers and made a new rad shroud/fan mount out of an old men at work sign i had laying around. I realize that sounds like a bodge job but with a little planning, a lot of paitence, some elbow grease,sandpaper and mothers aluminum polish it turned out looking, according to my friends at least, like a factory piece. the new shroud mounts to the four bolts on the wishbone engine hanger at the front of the motor, has four ninty degree bends and a bunch of one inch holes cut with a hole saw and the fan is mounted in front of the rad instead of behind. Wiring the fan is fairly easy and I found an adjustable thermostat controll at my local speed shop, it has a sensor that mounts right in the radiator core(between the fins), simplest thing i've seen.
After getting it all put together me and my CX went on a thousand kilometer road trip and the fan worked perfect. On the highway i dont think the fan even came on, in towns and cities waiting at stop lights etc. the thermostat would work just as it's supposed to,turn the fan on at the chosen temp and shut the fan off when it cooled things down a bit. By the later part of the trip (when all my worrying, staring at the temp guage, etc. was done) the only thing that ever gave away the fact the fan was even doin it's thing was that my legs would get warmer when it came on.
Again, realizing that the factory fan was less than perfect, probably due to materials more than design, finding a more reliable type of repair was a better choice for me. Cause even if the replacement fan lasts 10,000 miles that seems like 10,000 miles to soon for me.
Actually, as well as it was put together as decently as your description sounds, itis probably a good way to do it. My biggest concern would be clearance between the fan & the fender - there isn'tmuch room in the first place when the suspension is fully compressed.
I would expect a replacement fan to last a long time provided a torque wrench is used every time. The one I bought for my GL500 lasted me something like30,000 Km and as far as i know Drew (vitter) is still using it with that engine in his bike.