TEMPERATURE LIGHT COMES ON AT TIMES

[djmclemore]

I bought a 1997 GL1500CT, It may be the best bike I have ever owned. After
getting the carbs, forks and some other small things repaired, after riding any length of time(has no pattern) The temperature light will come on. Sometime very dim but will come on bright, full of coolant , fan comes on . I put a digital thermometer  on it and not hot. I swapped all the sensors with factory parts but still will come on at times,
Any ideas guys?
Thank you all in advance

[hubcapsc]

I bought a 1997 GL1500CT, It may be the best bike I have ever owned. After
getting the carbs, forks and some other small things repaired, after riding any length of time(has no pattern) The temperature light will come on. Sometime very dim but will come on bright, full of coolant , fan comes on . I put a digital thermometer  on it and not hot. I swapped all the sensors with factory parts but still will come on at times,
Any ideas guys?
Thank you all in advance

Full where? When my buddy Henry's light came on, we looked in the owner's manual for the
coolant checking procedure... When your bike is heated up to operating temperature you
should look behind the side cover and see coolant filled to the right place in the overflow
tank. He was a little low, we put some in, and as far as I know problem solved...

-Mike

[wingrider02]

My temp light came on my 01 when we were riding through Cade's Cove down in TN...slow speed.  I have an electric temp gauge on mine, which was reading normal.  Checked fluids which were good, but ran out of time to be sure the fan will come if hot. 

Will have to check a few more thinks when I go back down.

[indybobm]

This can be a fairly common problem with 97-99 Std & Tourer Valkyries. it can be caused by a faulty Temperature Indicator Unit located behind the left side cover. The Temperature Sensor mounted on the thermostat housing reads the temperature and sends a voltage to the Temperature Indicator Unit. This unit then determines whether the engine is hot enough to turn on the light. Unfortunatly, it does not always work like it is supposed to.The Temperature Indicator Unit is no longer available and can be bought used but who knows if the used one is any good. If you are sure that the coolant level is correct AND your fan is NOT running constantly when the light is on you probably do not have an actual over heating problem. It is normal for the fan to cycle on and off when the outside temperature is higher.

Read this post that discusses this:

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,19430.0.html

[Paladin528]

There is a switch AND a sensor on the thermostat housing. The switch controls the light and the sensor inputs to the ICU.

[indybobm]

On a 97-99 Std and Tourer it does not work that way. It only works that way on 2000-2003 Std and all InterStates.
On a 97-99 Std & Tourer, The Thermo Unit (#9 on the fiche) on the thermostat housing does not go directly to the coolant light. It send a voltage to the Temperature Indicator Unit behind the left side cover and it decides when to turn on the light.

[ValkyrieMan98]

I have been having the same problem, But it drives me nuts, I just can not drive this fine machine with the heat light on. I have to pull over and let her cool.
That being said, I have replaced fan, thermostat, sending unit, sensor they call it, water pump, had radiator vated and flushed at the radiator shop,

Just finished all this and was tightening water pump from a small drip, Wam snapped a bolt off. Top Lt one pain in the ass to drill,

10 hrs later lots of bad words, sum praying, all is working now
Plan on a drive tomorrow on I 10 west of Houston high speed is when it pops on, We will see....... I never want to touch a water pump again

I was reading where the Alt bolts snap off easy, I gotta find a way around that pain. I need to replace mine soon