Disconnecting the fan

[fixedtl]

I have a 02 kat. The fan turns on after i ride i was wondering if i can disconnect it and if anything will happen if i do it? It tends to drain the batt, and i think the batt is bad so i will be replacing it.

[SKNL2]

Fan?

[mystahagy]

[Court93kat]

I am guessing he is in California. Or at least the bike is a cali model. They have fans that run after the bike is shut off. I am sure Cyber can explain all the details as to why it runs after you shut it off. Cause... I

[bigbike-r]

what they have fans for i thought these were all oil cooled???

[paradoxmd]

carb fan...cali model only. runs after the bike is turned off to cool the fuel for enviromental reasons. go ahead and disconnect that bad boy.

[Jax]

Yeah the Ca models of the Kats weigh more because of the crap Ca requires....Most tear that crap off, plug the places where the hoses connect to...the fan is usually the first to go due to the battery drainage issue.

[fixedtl]

Yes i have a CA model, and it tends to drain all the batt because of the fan. Thanks guys.

[Phatso]

I also have a Cali model. I wired in a switch so I can turn off the fan if need be. So I can just take it out and be fine?

[2000kat600]

I actually removed the entire thing altogether. It's got a couple of bolts, takes longer to remove the side fairing than the actual fan.

It's there for a CA emissions requirement and has nothing to do with the bike's mechanics or performance.

[The CyberPoet]

OK, here goes:

The California model of the Kat has an after-run fan that blows ambient external air over the carb float bowls to help keep the fuel in them from vaporizing from engine heat. This is based on the concept that an unsealed fuel system actually causes more pollution standing still in the bright sunlight (or right after running) than an even moderately well-tuned engine produces while running. A parked '69 Mustang for example produces about 13 times more pollution than an early Viper does running, because of the unburned fuel evaporating from the unsealed gas tank.

The downside to the after-run fan is that it drains the battery of power at a time when the engine isn't running. In the hotter sections of Cali (Southern Cali, esp. SE Cali), the fan can easily run for 30 minutes after shut-down, meaning batteries start lasting 6 months at a pop instead of the 2 to 3 years a typical battery should last without a trickle charger (with a trickle charger, the issue should be moot).

You can disconnect it. You can unbolt it.
The only change in performance will be an approximate 1/2 second difference in start time, because there will be less fuel in the carbs... Whether it's legal for California residents to disable it is beyond me, but unless you have vehicle inspections in your area, it's most unlikely that anyone will ever notice it's removal (or the removal of all the California smog-control add-ons which can make troubleshooting a problem a real PIA).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[slayergsxf1]

carb fan...cali model only. runs after the bike is turned off to cool the fuel for enviromental reasons. go ahead and disconnect that bad boy.

Really!!never heard of such a thing....

[Badkitty]

i have NEVER had aproblem with carb fan draining my battery. The 2 times my battery went dead is turning key to parking light by accident and not noticing it. now its a habit to turn all the way then back one. I am going to disconnect the fan soon anyway, it makes noise and sounds like its slwoing down.

[The CyberPoet]

i have NEVER had aproblem with carb fan draining my battery.

Your particular riding habits may be different, or your thermal sensor may not be as sensitive. I've known a number of Cali-based riders who have reported the fan making the batteries last as little as six months a piece (Bakersfield and California City come to mind -- but how far they rode at a pop may also play into it: lots of short trips).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Badkitty]

well i rode 7500miles the first year, 40002nd..and about 3000 this year. with stock battery