View Poll Results: How worried should I be?

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  • Nothing to see here - go back to sleep.

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  • No worries mate, she'll be right.

    4 21.05%
  • Defcon 3 - Everyday paranoia.

    5 26.32%
  • Expect to go bald soon.

    2 10.53%
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Thread: Coolant leakage - how worried should I be?

  1. #1
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    8th October 2007 - 14:58
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    Coolant leakage - how worried should I be?

    I've had on several occasions that my Kawasaki zx7rr has been spilling a bit of coolant, typically after riding a low speeds through town and such.

    Today coming back from a ride I heard bubbly noises from the cooling system as I put her in the garage and she spilt a bit of coolant as well.

    I changed all of the coolant about 6 months ago and gave the entire system a good flush. When I bought the bike in march the temperature controlled switch for the fan was replaced and I have since replaced the temperature sensor for the temperature gauge. Alas, it appears that the gauge itself isn't working too well.

    So what could be causing this? And exactly how concerned should I be? What would be the best way to sort it out?
    It is preferential to refrain from the utilisation of grandiose verbiage in the circumstance that your intellectualisation can be expressed using comparatively simplistic lexicological entities. (...such as the word fuck.)

    Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. - Joseph Rotblat

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikkel View Post
    I've had on several occasions that my Kawasaki zx7rr has been spilling a bit of coolant, typically after riding a low speeds through town and such.

    Today coming back from a ride I heard bubbly noises from the cooling system as I put her in the garage and she spilt a bit of coolant as well.

    I changed all of the coolant about 6 months ago and gave the entire system a good flush. When I bought the bike in march the temperature controlled switch for the fan was replaced and I have since replaced the temperature sensor for the temperature gauge. Alas, it appears that the gauge itself isn't working too well.

    So what could be causing this? And exactly how concerned should I be? What would be the best way to sort it out?

    Quick possible fix is you havnt topped it up right....

    fire bike up....remove radiator cap.... let it idle for 10-20 seconds and refit the cap with the bike still running.

    if that doesnt fix it you may have a stuffed thermostat or something.

  3. #3
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    5th August 2005 - 14:30
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    Could be one of the following.

    Over temperature - Is the fan coming on?

    Under pressure (allowing the water to boil too soon)-damaged/incorrect radiator cap

    Over pressure due to head gasket leak or cracked head etc - Uh oh, take it to a mechanic, there are a couple of possible tests I am aware of for this one.
    Quote Originally Posted by Tank
    You say "no one wants to fuck with some large bloke on a really angry sounding bike" but the truth of the matter is that you are a balding middle-aged ice-cream seller from Edgecume who wears a hello kitty t-shirt (in your profile pic) and your angry sounding bike is a fucken hyoshit - not some big assed harley with a human skull on the front.

  4. #4
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    I opened up the overflow reservoir after I had stopped and steam was coming out of it and the coolant was bubbling away. The leakage isn't at the reservoir, I haven't pinpointed it - it's a bit difficult to do without removing the fairings.
    It is preferential to refrain from the utilisation of grandiose verbiage in the circumstance that your intellectualisation can be expressed using comparatively simplistic lexicological entities. (...such as the word fuck.)

    Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. - Joseph Rotblat

  5. #5
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    this happened to me a few weeks ago , and in my situation i drained the coolant to slightly above minimum level and it cured the problem , my guess was there was too much coolant in the expansion chamber , may not work for you but did for me

  6. #6
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    Just had a play around with the old girl...

    Coolant level was worringly low. My guess is that there's a leak somewhere in the system that has slowly drained the system of coolant, to the point where steam is able to form in the system. The formation of steam has caused increased pressure and forced even more coolant out of the system. Anyway, I've topped it up and will remove the fairings sometime soon and have a good thorough look at it. I fear however that the leak is in the radiator itself as I could see a bit of steam rising off the radiator as the bike was idling away. Might be worthwhile tearing out the radiator itself and have it tested - replaced if necessary. At least the bike is running well and I guess nothing bad has happened to it. Quite impressive since it would have been running mostly on steam for a while...

    Anyone who can recommend a digital temperature sensor to replace the original one?
    It is preferential to refrain from the utilisation of grandiose verbiage in the circumstance that your intellectualisation can be expressed using comparatively simplistic lexicological entities. (...such as the word fuck.)

    Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. - Joseph Rotblat

  7. #7
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    Sounds to me like you have a small leak somewhere. That will stop the system pressurising as it should and therefore boiling at or below the temperature that the fan should kick in at. All exacerbated by high air temps at the moment.

    It could be a leak in the radiator, a hose, or an o-ring in the engine (hope not). Also could be a blocked thermostat (not fully opening), or a dud radiator cap, or a faulty temp sensor for the fan, or incorrect antifreeze %.
    Or something else...

    First thing to do is take your bike to someone who can pressure test it. Then work from there.
    Do you realise how many holes there could be if people would just take the time to take the dirt out of them?

  8. #8
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    What WobblyBelly said.
    Also (plus!) once you get steamage happening, it is possible to get a vapour lock in a hose, so that coolant doesn't circulate properly (And your gauge won't register correctly coz it's not in fluid). This kinda exacerbates (like masturbates, but worrisomely more troublesome) the "spitting out coolant" thing as well, as the engine gets hotter.
    It could be just a bubble in the system, as Skiddy alluded to. If so, what he said is correct. Dunno 'bout Kwackasakis (never owend one), but on the VFR the procedure involves squeezing/tapping a couple of the hoses while blipping the throttle with the rad cap off.
    ... and that's what I think.

    Or summat.


    Or maybe not...

    Dunno really....


  9. #9
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    Thanks guys. I'll go see a man about a dog and a radiator today and hopefully I'll come up with a plan. I think I'll tear out the radiator first thing and have it tested. There is most definitely a leak somewhere in the system and I have a gut-feeling it's the less-than-brand-spanking-new radiator.

    Also, consulting the workshop manual made me a bit wiser. There is, among many other useful things, a specific procedure for bleeding the cooling system.
    It is preferential to refrain from the utilisation of grandiose verbiage in the circumstance that your intellectualisation can be expressed using comparatively simplistic lexicological entities. (...such as the word fuck.)

    Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. - Joseph Rotblat

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikkel View Post
    Thanks guys. I'll go see a man about a dog and a radiator today and hopefully I'll come up with a plan. I think I'll tear out the radiator first thing and have it tested. There is most definitely a leak somewhere in the system and I have a gut-feeling it's the less-than-brand-spanking-new radiator.

    Also, consulting the workshop manual made me a bit wiser. There is, among many other useful things, a specific procedure for bleeding the cooling system.
    Don't yank it out just yet. If the radiator has an 'ole, there should be stains apparent. The leak (if you have one) might be elsewhere so you wasted time etc removing the rad. Test the whole system in situ.
    Can I suggest you drain the system, run a flush through it to remove any crud, then refill with correct coolant mix, bleed according to your newfound useful thing. Then see what happens re problems.
    Do you realise how many holes there could be if people would just take the time to take the dirt out of them?

  11. #11
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    Yeah, what WobblyBelly said.
    It could be anything (or nothing) in the cooling system that's leaking. F'rinstance, on many bikes, when the impeller on the waterpump is fookt, coolant dribbles out of a weep hole on the bottom. It could also be a leaky gasket under the thermostat or waterpump.
    Or the rubber flangeygaskety thing on the radiator cap.
    Or a hole in the radiator core, or crack in the upper/lower parts.
    DON'T PANIC!
    See what the manual says.
    Fairing off, take of the radiator cap and see what the level is, top it up, top up the overflow bottle, then start the bike and look for leakage.
    Observe the coolant in the radiator for bubbles. Look for leaks in the hoses, especially under or near the clamps. Squeeze them to see if there are any soft spots or bulges. Look for steam, dribbles, etc.
    Take your time, and do lots of looking at ALL the parts of the colling system.
    ... and that's what I think.

    Or summat.


    Or maybe not...

    Dunno really....


  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by MSTRS View Post
    Don't yank it out just yet. If the radiator has an 'ole, there should be stains apparent. The leak (if you have one) might be elsewhere so you wasted time etc removing the rad. Test the whole system in situ.
    Good idea. It's a bit hard to see any stains or anything like it on the radiator though.

    Quote Originally Posted by MSTRS
    Can I suggest you drain the system, run a flush through it to remove any crud, then refill with correct coolant mix, bleed according to your newfound useful thing. Then see what happens re problems.
    That's pretty much what I did when I changed the coolant back 6 months or so ago. Although I didn't use the sneaky bleeding technique as it were.

    Quote Originally Posted by vifferman View Post
    Yeah, what WobblyBelly said.
    It could be anything (or nothing) in the cooling system that's leaking. F'rinstance, on many bikes, when the impeller on the waterpump is fookt, coolant dribbles out of a weep hole on the bottom. It could also be a leaky gasket under the thermostat or waterpump.
    Or the rubber flangeygaskety thing on the radiator cap.
    Or a hole in the radiator core, or crack in the upper/lower parts.
    DON'T PANIC!
    See what the manual says.
    Fairing off, take of the radiator cap and see what the level is, top it up, top up the overflow bottle, then start the bike and look for leakage.
    Observe the coolant in the radiator for bubbles. Look for leaks in the hoses, especially under or near the clamps. Squeeze them to see if there are any soft spots or bulges. Look for steam, dribbles, etc.
    Take your time, and do lots of looking at ALL the parts of the colling system.
    I never panic - I just get mildly irrational But I always have a towel handy, so it can not go completely haywire.

    Fairings off is step one I think and then the rest of what you are suggesting will follow.
    Afterwards I'd better drain the system and refill with a proper coolant mix since I just topped it up with tap water yesterday. At that point the level was very low indeed - put just under 2 liters into the system.
    I'll go looking for a pressure tester too - pretty sure it's redundant though, since there's bound to be a leak somewhere.

    Anyone with an idea about how much I'd be looking at for a new radiator if it's kaput?
    It is preferential to refrain from the utilisation of grandiose verbiage in the circumstance that your intellectualisation can be expressed using comparatively simplistic lexicological entities. (...such as the word fuck.)

    Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. - Joseph Rotblat

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikkel View Post
    Afterwards I'd better drain the system and refill with a proper coolant mix since I just topped it up with tap water yesterday.
    If you don't just buy premixed coolant, you can buy the concentrate and get 10 litres of distilled water from the supermarket for under $10.

    Don't panic about the radiator just yet - if it's leaking, it's probably still repairable.
    ... and that's what I think.

    Or summat.


    Or maybe not...

    Dunno really....


  14. #14
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    Well, I took the fairings off. And fired her up. There is at the very least a leak at the waterpump - from somewhere up behind the pump.

    I'll wait for the bike to cool down a bit before I drain the coolant and take off the waterpump for inspection. If the leak is what I think it is the unit will need replacing... And at least now I know for sure that the fan works fine.

    As for the radiator. I'll tear it out when I have the system drained anyway and then have it tested here in Chch. They can restore it too if it's not working properly.

    Chch water is apparently fairly soft. But I'll get some distilled water to go with the concentrate. I think it'll be at least a few days before I'll be putting it all back together again. Oh joy, and in the meantime the motard is waiting for a new clutch cable... at least I haven't managed to sell the 250 yet, so that's kinda fortunate now.
    It is preferential to refrain from the utilisation of grandiose verbiage in the circumstance that your intellectualisation can be expressed using comparatively simplistic lexicological entities. (...such as the word fuck.)

    Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. - Joseph Rotblat

  15. #15
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    Yep, the waterpump is due for replacement... some time ago.
    It is preferential to refrain from the utilisation of grandiose verbiage in the circumstance that your intellectualisation can be expressed using comparatively simplistic lexicological entities. (...such as the word fuck.)

    Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. - Joseph Rotblat

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