Coolant drop

Roy · Feb 25, 2008

Seems the 1250 decided to drop one drop of coolant after yesterdays ride. Got home put the bike in the garage and came back out later to find one drop right beneath the coolant overflow hose hanging from the bottom of the bike near the centerstand. My 450 MX dirtbike will do it which does not have a coolant tank recovery system, run it too long sitting and it will puke its fluids out. I did not notice the 1250 hot on the ride (how would I no friggin guage :zen:

) I did get caught in some highway stop and go traffic an hour or two prior to getting home due to a two car pile up but we were through it rather quickly. Temps outside were mid 60's. Reservoir tank is full when hot or a tad above the full line. It is a tad above the low line when cold so all is well there. Seems to me this bike has alot of tubing for the coolant tank I got lost trying to follow it all, dumb design the tank should be up near the radiator like the GSXR's have. Back on the tail section is just inconvenient and you must disassemble the entire bike to get at the tank and plumbing and if you have Givi racks your really screwed into more work. I cranked it and let it idle till the fan came on so that is working and it did cycle on and off a few times so it is apparently doing its job. My old V-Strom 1000 dropped a drop once out of the overflow tube so I am hoping this is just a rare occurance and not something leading up to bigger things.

Opinions, observations, thoughts or has it happened to you on this bike.

bones · Feb 25, 2008

It has to go back there, no plastics to cover it up and it's look like garbage out in the open. I am sure you can move it if you wanted to.

suzukijo · Feb 25, 2008

throw it away, who needs a burp tank?

seriously, only reason for water to come from the overflow out of the burp tank, would either be condensation, overfilled, or something in the cap, allowing pressure to push fluid out the overflow.

i would suggest watching it. (right, why couldnt it be under the front fairing? unless non fairing model needs it too?)

some dumb suggestions, would be ......
did you let the bike lean over allowing fluid to come to the tube, or wheelie?
did you run through the neighbors sprinkler overflow?
did an alien spaceship land over the hill next to your house.

(all three above are for laughs, from your previous postings of sound advice, hopefully in a few days you'll fill us in with the sensible answer)

yellow funny face here.....

Roy · Feb 25, 2008

suzukijo said:
throw it away, who needs a burp tank?

seriously, only reason for water to come from the overflow out of the burp tank, would either be condensation, overfilled, or something in the cap, allowing pressure to push fluid out the overflow.

i would suggest watching it. (right, why couldnt it be under the front fairing? unless non fairing model needs it too?)

some dumb suggestions, would be ......
did you let the bike lean over allowing fluid to come to the tube, or wheelie?
did you run through the neighbors sprinkler overflow?
did an alien spaceship land over the hill next to your house.

(all three above are for laughs, from your previous postings of sound advice, hopefully in a few days you'll fill us in with the sensible answer)

yellow funny face here.....

I wish I knew, none of the above, I was ridign with my Dad and he rides a Harley so the pace is always real slow. The traffic is the only thing I can think of but I have been in that before and no such thing happened. i looked at the system today. It is a very strange layout with the tubing and various "T" fittings. It is not over filled by no means. They have a gas tank cap drain going into the overflow drain with a "Y" connector, very strange in my opinion. The hose going into the bottom of the over flow can on the back has a "y" fitting right before the tube connects to the tank. The line branches off there and goes up to a "t" that has two more lines coming out of it one which loops up to the top of tha tank near the cap. Again, all very strange. It runs fine but the lack of a guage is a bit of a stupid design flaw in my opinon. And yes I do think the tank should have been attached behine the upper fairing near that stupid evap can that ain't needed either.

I will be watching it in the days to come or week since I won't be riding this week or weekend I am headed to Barber Motorsports park for a trackday on the GSXR. :rider:

rworm · Feb 25, 2008

How long have you had your bike-meaning did you ride summer time high temps?

rworm

Roy · Feb 26, 2008

rworm said:
How long have you had your bike-meaning did you ride summer time high temps?

rworm

I have had it since july 21, '07 no issues in the heat back in summer. no issues now wxcept the coolant drop all of a sudden.

etcthorne · Feb 26, 2008

I'm not a professional wrench by any means, but I've seen this twice on two bikes I used to have. First was an intermittent drip from my VTX1800C around the kickstand area. Turned out to be a failed water pump - coolant was leaking from the seal on the pump itself. Replaced under warranty, but a very strange problem for a HONDA to have.

Other problem was a single drip problem after a hard ride on my C50T Suzuki. Looked to be in the area of the kickstand, but coolant leaks can be very deceiving because they can travel down the hose and drip at the lowest point (thank you Mr. Newton for the gravity thing). I carefully tightened all the hose clamps I could find related to the cooling system. I fixed the leak, but I'm to this day unsure of which clamp it was, or maybe I just didn't see the exact point it was coming from. I rode the bike for another year and no sign of a leak. It had been leaking (one drop or so) every time I parked it for a few months at that point.

Roy · Feb 26, 2008

etcthorne said:
I'm not a professional wrench by any means, but I've seen this twice on two bikes I used to have. First was an intermittent drip from my VTX1800C around the kickstand area. Turned out to be a failed water pump - coolant was leaking from the seal on the pump itself. Replaced under warranty, but a very strange problem for a HONDA to have.

Other problem was a single drip problem after a hard ride on my C50T Suzuki. Looked to be in the area of the kickstand, but coolant leaks can be very deceiving because they can travel down the hose and drip at the lowest point (thank you Mr. Newton for the gravity thing). I carefully tightened all the hose clamps I could find related to the cooling system. I fixed the leak, but I'm to this day unsure of which clamp it was, or maybe I just didn't see the exact point it was coming from. I rode the bike for another year and no sign of a leak. It had been leaking (one drop or so) every time I parked it for a few months at that point.

Definetly not a hose clamp loose or water pump they are both dry. It came out of the over flow hose itself. I know because the drop was directly below the hose that hangs near the centerstand with the round bracket. The hose was damp on the end as well so that is where it came from. It should come out there but my question is what made it do it.

Brass · Feb 26, 2008

This may be a stupid question and if it is I'm sure someone will point it out. With the overflow tank where it is, will it dribble a bit through the overflow tube in a wheelie?

Roy · Feb 26, 2008

Brass said:
This may be a stupid question and if it is I'm sure someone will point it out. With the overflow tank where it is, will it dribble a bit through the overflow tube in a wheelie?

Not a stupid question I also have the same idea. I am a wheelie nut but not on the Bandit. Too me the thing is just too dang heavy and does not come up with ease running OEM gearing. I feel the weight of the thing. I wheelie the piss out of my 450 and will walk the 1000 to a certain extent. Yes coolant shifting backwards at the slope of the tank could force some through the cap into the drain line. Having said that though I believe Suzuki tried to solve that by adding the extra plumbing that comes from the cap.

Speaking of wheelies you would thing with a torque curve like the Bandit has it would shoot skyward on command. Not so, long swingarm, heavy engine more frontward biased weight kinda ruins the party for me.

I am hoping this is one time fluke and no more coolant will come leaking out in the future. Time will tell. Warranty is until July of this year.

Remember I am the one who originally bought a Red Bandit and before I could sign my name on the dotted line I noticed it was leaking from the water pump in parking lot of the dealer, "0" miles on it. That is when I said nope give me that balck one in the corner over there. :rider:

I had nothign against the Balck except I had a Black Bandit 1200 in '99 and knew the paint was soft and prone to scratchs. I also kne w I did not want to take a leaker home on day one. They repaired the red one and it did have a seal cut in the water pump most likely done on installation or a sliver of aluminum cut it once it was cranked the 1st time either way it was not going to be my problem.

rworm · Feb 26, 2008

Roy said:
I have had it since july 21, '07 no issues in the heat back in summer. no issues now wxcept the coolant drop all of a sudden.

Reason i asked/bought mine temps about 107/motormaned it to the house put on center stand and all was well about 26 miles on bike/took another 50 mile run put it on kickstand-antifreeze!!!!!!!!!!!Got to checking tank was all the way full- so i just kep on riding and using kickstand till it quit-leaking /stopped when fluid level was under hot mark :sun:

rworm
oh yea 62 degrees here yesterday/took a spin and temp gauge on the hiway cruising stayed at about 170/got in some 25 mph traffic and about 180/fan does run at about 195 but doesnt come on in this temp unless you leave idleing
rworm