[Zforce800]

Well it happened, the switch died. I had to limp a  friend's z8 off the hill that had cooked one a couple months ago so i had installed a bypass switch thankfully. It's clearly better to use aftermarket, buy my question is this:
are there good part numbers or even year /make/model of a car for which to start? I've search quite a bit but can't find a good starting point for when i make it to the parts house. I do have an oval connector on mine. Thanks

[NMKawierider]

You know we always worry about that connector but the reality is, anything can be spliced in. Its just two wires that make contact when it hits a certain temp....and most thermal fan switches  have close to the same on and off temps. I was looking at the Polaris fan switch which comes with a pigtail already so I just need to install my own slip connectors. What I need to know is..the thread size. Many things are copied from Polaris and maybe the basic fan switch is as well. Just need someone with an old one to confirm...

Might be one like one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Caltric-SENSOR-SWITCH-POLARIS-3089246/dp/B01BSJ70PE/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1475519440&sr=8-7&keywords=polaris+fan+switch

https://www.amazon.com/Caltric-COOLING-THERMAL-SPORTSMAN-2002-2004/dp/B01BSJ38UU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1475519571&sr=8-4&keywords=polaris+fan+switch

[Zforce800]

That's not a bad idea either, using a one with a pigtail. Unfortunately I lost the pictures of what I wired in, but I released the wires out of the connector, notched the little rubber plugs the wires pass through, pushed in my bypass switch wires and soldered them directly to the little metal connections in the plug. Locked the connections back into the plastic plug and pulled the wires through the factory harness. I then mounted a simple 2 prong on/ off switch under the dash and sealed everything up. No one would could ever see what I did, i didn't splice into the factory harness, and it still works auto or manual, just no permanent off option. Saves my butt the day. I just want find a more reliable thermoswitch. I'm getting a little fed up with having to fix something every time I take the machine up.

[NMKawierider]

I think the new or replacement CFM switches are of better quality so it's probably OK to just replace it.

[gfmoto]

yup. mine just went out AGAIN!

[NMKawierider]

It's surprising these go out so often. They just trigger a relay for the fan and don't have much load at all on them. On my old Kawasaki, the fan switch makes or breaks the positive power to the fan..some 6+ amps..no relay involved..and it's the original switch from 2006. There's just no excuse.   

[Zforce800]

Even though the switch sits in the coolant, I think it has to do with quality of materials combine with the location of the switch. It sits in the radiator right under a hose. The thing has just got to get so hot it would weed out poor material quality very quickly.

[WalkinTarget]

This one part has plagued CF Moto the most IMO. When I was ACTIVELY shopping for one, and taking a lot of heat from my FiL for considering it, this was reason #1 to look elsewhere. He even gave me a Uforce800 owners # to call that he had towed back to the parking lot. I called the guy, got his story, and told him his thermoswitch had gone bad. He sorta blew off my advice, but pointed out that the part was on back-order for 4 months thru CF Moto. I told him to go to another dealer and request that part.

Another ride in June, the Renovo 'Cruise for a Cure' ride. 250+ vehicles participated - 3 were towed back without finishing. Every single one was a CF Moto !! Of course, my FiL was on that ride, and the tow operator exclaimed "Damn, I hope I never see another CF Moto, as I've towed every one of them back today". Every single one - overheating. He said I must be crazy to even consider buying one when it was clear they had a manufacturing flaw on that particular part.

Obviously, every single unit was a 2015 or older, and I pointed this out to him, as the 2016 unit featured a better thermoswitch, but the damage was already done. What could have been a lot of satisfied owners turned into a lot of mad owners who waited for months to get that one backordered part. If it weren't for that thermoswitch issue, I'd still be saving my pennies for a new Zforce800.

I'm happy with what I have now, but I still hope to ride with some owners eventually. In fact, I had plans to ride with the guys at Karns Performance on Sunday that I met in April when I test rode a Zforce800, but they fell through due to family plans on that day. I really do love that ZForce800, and was hoping they had a demo ride at the event.   

[NMKawierider]

I have not had any problem with mine..yet..but I only have about 700 miles on it. However..I am ready with a bypass switch already installed.

[WalkinTarget]

NMK, am I right when I say they have updated the part # and the switch itself for the 2016 model year ? I am not even sure WHAT the part looks like, but I did read with interest your thread on the alternative thermoswitch that didn't quite fit properly, but the bypass switch was at least an alternative solution, albeit not the proper solution of having an updated part to put in, and THEN add the bypass switch to that as a backup plan.

I forgot how many miles the Uforce SxS owner had that I called - I know he was at month 11 of his warranty and felt really let down by the whole ordeal. I'd bet you could pick up a gently used CF Moto for a song and a dance from a disgruntled owner if you wanted to risk the possible engine damage done by the overheating. I know that's about the worst thing you could do to one of these, but at the same time the solution to ME at least was cut and dry - go get that part from another dealer !! 

[NMKawierider]

I'll see if I can nail-down something in black and white but I had a source that said the replacements for the thermos switch were revised mid-2016. I don't know if the part number actually changed but I'll see. However I see a few guys with 2016s with failing switches...and some like gfmoto who have gone through more then one. Makes me not want to get a CFM switch if mine goes. And yes, the bypass is just for in case. Have not used it yet other then just playing around.

[Zforce800]

We wheel with a group that has 3 CFM's, my 800ex eps, a 800 trail and a cforce 800. The first switch to go was with the trail. Mine went this last weekend, both machines are 2016's. All 3 machines have had numerous issues beyond the switches, air in the brakes, blown diffs (x2), tons and tons of loose hardware, bad belts, steering issues, I had my front a arms damn near come off on the trail and so on. The Kawasaki and Can Am's that go with us, no issues. We go almost every weekend and we have had maybe 1 or 2 weekends that we haven't had to turn a wrench on at least one of the machines. I really love the machine for the price but my list of frustrations is starting to exceed my list of positives. I've been spending a lot of time looking into other machines. The Chinese had a great idea here but the follow through seems lacking. If they would just spend some time with quality assurance, stop using bad parts like these switches, bad brake components, and soft mushy body pins, they could simply destroy in the U.S. market. When you against companies like polaris and can am, you have to do a little better. Honestly I would have paid another $1000 if I knew the I wouldn't have issues.

Sorry for the rant but I just spent the last 3 hours working on my mine and am a little wound up.

[NMKawierider]

We wheel with a group that has 3 CFM's, my 800ex eps, a 800 trail and a cforce 800. The first switch to go was with the trail. Mine went this last weekend, both machines are 2016's. All 3 machines have had numerous issues beyond the switches, air in the brakes, blown diffs (x2), tons and tons of loose hardware, bad belts, steering issues, I had my front a arms damn near come off on the trail and so on. The Kawasaki and Can Am's that go with us, no issues. We go almost every weekend and we have had maybe 1 or 2 weekends that we haven't had to turn a wrench on at least one of the machines. I really love the machine for the price but my list of frustrations is starting to exceed my list of positives. I've been spending a lot of time looking into other machines. The Chinese had a great idea here but the follow through seems lacking. If they would just spend some time with quality assurance, stop using bad parts like these switches, bad brake components, and soft mushy body pins, they could simply destroy in the U.S. market. When you against companies like polaris and can am, you have to do a little better. Honestly I would have paid another $1000 if I knew the I wouldn't have issues.

Sorry for the rant but I just spent the last 3 hours working on my mine and am a little wound up.

No apology necessary. I fully agree. I had my "rant" a month or two ago saying almost the same thing...

[Zforce800]

I pulled the switch tonight but couldn't find a petcock so i made a mess, coolant everywhere. I'll go to the auto parts house tomorrow and see if I can find a replacement.

[Zforce800]

88-ON or NO-88 which i think is 88° celsius  (190°F) and another stamp that is 15.08.