Thermal Problems

[maknak]

Good Afternoon everybody

 

if any of you have been following my progress (i assume not) I have been rebuilding an 87 Venture royal and i have hit another snag...

 

I finally got the bike running (by cleaning out 10 pounds of rust from the fuel lines and gas tank) and i am onto testing my cooling system and my temp gauge doesn't move. i tested the thermo switch and its resistance changes with temperature (like it says in the manual) and so i check the back of my gauge and it reads its getting voltage but still nothing so i'm stumped

 

anyone have any ideas?

 

here are some pics of the bike in progress

[dacheedah]

is the radiator on bypass??

[Black wing]

sounds to me like your gauge is stuck with age, try holding your volt gauge to the back of the thermo gauge and see if the voltage rises as the bike warms. is the fan kicking in or are you not risking it?

[maknak]

I don't know how to put the radiator on (or off) bypass .

 

and i tested the fan with the direct voltage to the battery and it works but i have no idea if i let it get up that high if it would kick on.

 

I moved the gauge physically and its not stuck but i will have to try that voltmeter to thermo gauge sugestion

[Silverado6x6]

I would momentarily ground the gauge sending unit wire, gauge should peg out high, if not then check for continuity from the gauge to the coolant sender of the wiring itself, if thats good then the gauge is shot.

I too am hunting for weasels on my 83 Venture restoration, just spent several days cleaning crystallized brake fluid from the hydraulics.

[Marcarl]

Some of our gauges don't move a whole lot, if it's cool out mine will just move enough to say it's moved. It needs to run for about 20 minutes to show anything significant.