Question1984 Honda Goldwing 1200I
Temp gauge reads very low when on open road. Once get in traffic or just running around town, the temp gauge reaches almost in to the red (and just in to the red once). I have adequate anti-freeze in the bike. How can I start troubleshooting this problem?
AnswerDoug, while GWs are not my specialty, they are not unlike a car, nowadays, and the question is more generic than specific.
Any car or bike with a liquid cooling system has the same basic components.... radiator, water pump, thermostat, hoses and a fan of some kind. Most Hondas with electric cooling fans have a fan switch screwed into the bottom of the radiator somewhere. That is generally the culprit to replace first, but this is contingent on whether the fan is running or not. If the bike is running hot and there is no sound of a fan, then you can jumper the switch contacts and the fan should start running. If not, then the fan motor may be bad. If the fan is running and the engine is still running hot, then replace the thermostat and flush the cooling system, replacing it with HONDA brand coolant. Be sure that you are checking the coolant at the radiator cap first, before you check the overflow level. Do this when the engine is cool... naturally.
Hope that is helpful... There are quite a number of GW sites on the web. Check BigBandit.com site for microfiche illustrations for your bike.
Bill Silver
