Ahhh, winter work...
 

So last week I noticed as I left for work.... passing the bike on the stand, a few drops of coolant under the left side, center of the bike.....

Think the SH was mad I was driving the Shelby that day or something,,,, so she pissed on the ground. :p

Fast forward,, i took the day off today and dug in after cleaning the shop and finishing a lathe project that was running.

Seems it has been leaking for a few rides at least weeping.. ... traced it to the front head coolant hose.

20# of pressure in the system and it dripped from under the clamp.

So, Im down for the night, will pull the carbs in the morning for better access, get the hose fixed or replaced,,,, then do some slide MOD's, jetting while Im in to it this far.

Supposed to be 19 deg tomorrow.. So no loss on having the bike torn down.

Well take some pics for all of us winter bound riders so we can share your fun.

Is this some of the Samco silicone hoses?

I think every time i have had the fairing off (rare lately) i check all the clamps. It's winter and that is the more likely time to get a coolant leak than summer.


Pics Pics, bored we are, especially after my recent knee surgery.

Nope, I only have those on the DRZ 485 SM for now.. Though when I get the hose off in the morning, if it is bad, I will buy silicone hoses for the VTR

The dissection
Attachment 24019

Attachment 24020

Attachment 24021


The Leak
Attachment 24022

Nothing special..... we will see how much other work/project comes into play while it's apart.

Not thats what i am talkin about, pics

Is that safety wire on there instead of a clamp? Nice tard btw, i got two myself a CRF450R i use in the woods and occasionally for tard stuff and a KTM Duke II 640cc.

Thanks

Yes that front head vac line for syncing carbs is safety wired in place to the boost joint.

It's leak free so no reason to change it out till I finish making the AN fittings.

Why am I missing why you would take everything off for a front clamp leak? Seems like overkill right? You coulda just tightened it.

Wait, 19* farenhieght? Aren't you in Texas? Its 50 in NYC what gives?

Personal choice, skill set, and comfort with the bike ..

Ever looked at that area of the motor with the seat, airbox, fairing on? . There is no clear view.....Im not big on random parts replacing ie. guessing...
people I do work for and my own bikes prefer I find the actual problem and fix, repair, replace only that. :cool:

In order to do the diagnostics, ie pressurize the cooling system, have to have access to the right radiator and cap...that means fairing comes off.

It took less then 10 min from putting it on the stand to what you see in the pictures..... 10 min well spent to have a clear view, actually SEE the general area/ item the coolant was leaking at.. plus have the needed access to the rad cap for the pressure tester.

If I had known for sure it was just a loose clamp, not a worn hose, cracked fitting, pinhole in hose.. or even which hose, fitting, cylinder head was leaking (my first thought was it was a coolant line to the carb that was leaking. ) I would have used some combo of 1/4" drive socket, U-joint, extension to get in there and tighten that one clamp...But all I know was..... I had a drop of coolant on the ground....:(

Well it was almost 80 the other day, 75 without wind chill much of yesterday... 30 deg right now... today warming to 63 deg by afternoon. Ya never know what it is going to do here, and don't like the weather.... wait an hour it will change.. unless it is summer, then it's just damn hot.

Oh ok, thats what I missed. I thought you knew already it was the clamp. So you pressurized the system to find the leak? How do you make sure coolant is in the highest points of the system (like if it were being pumped at temp?)

I didn't realize it got quite that cold in Texasland.

It is a closed system, if your filling and purging air correctly, the system has no air in it.